Towers of Midnight: Epilogue
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Chapter Icon: Wheel and Serpent
Points of View: Graendal, Perrin, Olver, Barriga, Rand, Lan
Contents
Outline
Shaidar Haran attacks Graendal. Perrin learns Noam willingly gave up being a man. Olver opens Verin's letter and reads it warns of an attack on Caemlyn. Talmanes and he see Caemlyn in flames. Rand sees Lanfear in his dream. Barriga is killed by beings dressed like Aiel and Lan leads a charge of the Malkieri at Tarwin's gap.
Summary
Graendal's Point of View:
Setting: A palace in Ebou Dar
Characters: Graendal, Shaidar Haran
Graendal is stunned that Perrin escaped her trap with the Shadowspawn army through a Portal Stone. She blames Isam and the Whitecloaks and is bitter that her failure means she has to flee and abandon her plans to control Tuon. Shaidar Haran arrives and tells her that she has failed again and that three chosen were destroyed by her actions. He tells her that she will not be given another chance, but that he will not forget her. He moves in.
Perrin's Point of View:
Setting: Tel'aran'rhiod
Perrin searches out Boundless in the Wolf Dream, remembering what Hopper had said. Boundless does not want to talk with Perrin, but eventually reveals that he was once Noam and chose the path of the wolf as there was too much pain in the human world. Perrin realises that losing control while with the wolves is not dangerous, he was never in any real danger of losing himself and has already found the balance that is right for him, just as Noam and Elyas did.
Olver's Point of View:
Setting: Outside Caemlyn
Olver and Talmanes play Snakes and Foxes. Olver is a little annoyed that Mat didn't take him to the Tower of Ghenjei, but accepts that Noal is a better fighter. He is planning to stay with the Band until he learns all he can, but also because he thinks Mat needs someone to keep him organised. Eventually, he plans to go to the Finn himself and locate the Shaido who killed his father. On the last throw, he wins the game, much to Talmanes' astonishment, who believed that was impossible.
He opens Verin's letter as he believes that to be the polite thing to do. He doesn't fully understand, but it contains a warning that a large Shadowspawn force is intending to attack Caemlyn through a Waygate in the city and that the gate should be destroyed. Talmanes looks to the city and sees it aflame. He raises the Band to defend the city and keep the Dragons out of Shadowspawn hands.
Barriga's Point of View:
Location: The Blight
Characters: Barriga
Barriga looks for safety, his men dead and the Kandori towers having fallen. He sees what he takes to be Aiel, but with red veils and thinks he is saved. The man removes his veil to reveal teeth filed to a point and moves in for the kill.
Rand's Point of View:
Setting: Rand's dream
Rand is dreaming, able to control his dreams and bar entry to anyone else. He hears sounds of pain in the distance and moves to investigate. He sees a woman who he does not recognise until he looks into her eyes and realises it is Lanfear in a new body. She tells him she wishes she were dead and that he grinds her bones and Heals her just enough to keep her alive. She tells Rand "He is coming" and vanishes.
Lan's Point of View:
Location: Tarwin's Gap
Characters: Lan
Lan looks across Tarwin's gap, at a Trolloc army ten times the size of his force and declares he is no longer aan'allein and that he is a king. He leads the charge.
Notes
This section contains Notes on this Chapter which may contain spoilers. Please expand to view.
Mysteries
- Is this the end of Graendal?
Shaidar Haran implies she will not be given another chance, but Moghedien was given some freedom after Shaidar Haran had had his fun with her.
- What is Lanfear doing?
How did she get into Rand's dream? How did he recognise her soul? If he can recognise darkfriends, would he be able to tell if her desire for escape is genuine?
- Who has been given the chance Graendal had?
Shaidar Haran tells her she will not be given another chance, as this opportunity has been given to another.
- Who are the Aiel?
Barriga takes the men he sees to be Aiel, but they have teeth filed to a point, red veils and remove the veil to kill. Are they even human?
- Is Lan alone?
He doesn't think of any support from Rand, but Rand promised Nynaeve that he would offer help at Tarwin's gap.
- How are the trollocs getting into Caemlyn
Rand said he sealed the one in Caemlyn, though Verin did mention it would need to be destroyed.
Mysteries Resolved
- Graendal really did kill Asmodean
Shaidar Haran notes she is responsible for the death of three Chosen.
- Verin's Letter
It warns of a Trolloc army moving through the Ways to Caemlyn. It opens the question of why Caemlyn and how long it had been moving through the Ways. Also, why did Verin give the information in such an unreliable manner, when she could just have easily have insisted as the bargain that Mat wait ten days then open the letter, without insisting he follow the instructions.
Character Development
- Rand
- Rand feels desire for Cyndane.
- Perrin
- Perrin learns that as long as he is not totally reckless, he is in no real danger of leaving himself to his wolf side.
- Lan
- Lan accepts his role of king that his people have wanted for him for over twenty years.
- Cyndane
- Claims she wants to escape from "him." Is this genuine or a convoluted plot to entrap Rand?
Characters
- First Mention