Why the Seanchan Will Follow Rand

Posted by Spark on 19.01.01 00:00

This comes from out of left field, but it was when I read about the WoT being based in Scandinavian myth that it clicked with me.

In The Great Hunt, on page 22 in the paperback edition, Rand is thinking to himself: "...for Rand, 'al' was just a part of his name, though he had heard that once, long ago, before the Two Rivers was called the Two Rivers, it had meant 'son of.'"

So, in other words, Jordan is calling Rand "son of Thor," who is the god of thunder and lightning in Scandinavian myth.

Later in the same book, page 107 in the paperback edition, Verin Sedai is talking with Moiraine and Siuan about prophecy. She says, "And one of the old names from Artur Hawkwing was the Hammer of Light."

Now, Thor carried a hammer as his chief weapon. Couldn't it be that this is a veiled reference to the importance of the role that the armies of the Seanchan could play for Rand? It's been said before that they are truly a powerful army.

wotmania says: This is an interesting connection, one that had not occurred to me. I would simply like to add that Artur Hawkwing's son Luthair was also known as the Hammer when he conquered the established nations of Seanchan.


Comments

yeah....

Posted by Soadist on 11.11.01 17:26
When i read that 'al meaning 'sone of', that was stil back when rand was discovering himslef, so i was looking for some guy named thor. i never thought of thor, the mythical legend. good theory. GJ's got to have infulences somewhere....

What choice do they have?!

Posted by planetzebo on 11.12.01 17:23
The Seanchan will follow Rand because the only alternative is to follow the Dark One. That does not seem plausable. I suppose there is some entertainment in attempting to figure out the specifics of the "why", for some. I am more interested to see how he integrates the unique fighting strategies of the Seanchan into the armies he already controls.

The Hammer

Posted by gop1388 on 16.05.05 15:52
The way Rand wield Hawkwing "The Hammer of the Light" is as the leader of the Heroes of the Horn, because at Falme Hawkwing says "You are here. Have you the banner?...We have come to the Horn, but we must follow the banner. And the Dragon." The Seanchan will follow Rand, but because of Mat and Tuon.