A Memory of Light: Epilogue
Chapter Icon: Wheel and Serpent
Points of View: Rand, Mat, Perrin, Loial, Moghedien, Nynaeve, Elayne, Tam, Min, Cadsuane
Outline
Rand and Moridin swap bodies and Rand fakes his own death. He loses the ability to channel, but lights a pipe by willing it to be lit.
Summary
Rand's Point of View:
Setting: Shayol Ghul
Characters: Rand, an old woman
Rand stumbles as he carries Moridin along a tunnel. He falls as it closes behind him. A woman's voice that he does not recognise tells him it is what he needs to do. As she moves off, he thinks he recognises Aiel clothing and gray hair and he tells her he asked the Aelfinn the wrong question and that choice is what matters.
Mat's Point of View:
Setting: Outside Shayol Ghul
Characters: Mat
Mat stands as Mashadar vanishes and the sun comes out. He sees Padan Fain's corpse rotting quickly. He puts on his hat and leaves
Perrin's Point of View:
Setting: Shayol Ghul
Characters: Perrin, Damer Flinn, Lan Nynaeve
Perrin walks into the camp at the base of Shayol Ghul. He hears Damer Flinn complaining that he cannot save Rand, and that Nynaeve also tried, with Moiraine's angreal. Perrin sees Moridin and is told that he is also dying. He leaves the tent and sees Lan, who tells him that Olver was the last to see Faile. He goes to find a gateway to the Field of Merrilor.
Loial's Point of View:
Setting: Shayol Ghul
Characters: Loial, Aviendha, Damer Flinn, Elswell, Nynaeve, Rodel, Saerin, Yukiri
Loial looks for Mat to get his account of the battle and sees several Aes Sedai trying to push Rodel into accepting the crown of Arad Doman. He enters Rand's tent and hears that Rand is dying, but Moridin is getting better. Damer tells Nynaeve he thinks it odd that none of the women bonded to Rand, Aviendha, Elayne and Min, seem concerned. Loial talks to Aviendha and passes Elayne and Min and agrees with Damer, that it is odd they aren't wanting to be with him
Mat's Point of View:
Setting: the Field of Merrilor
Mat goes to see Tuon, who tells him she is pregnant, which means she can now kill him. This does not concern him.
Perrin's Point of View:
Setting: The Field of Merrilor
Characters: Perrin
Perrin is exhausted and believes Faile to be dead. He collapses among the corpes
Moghedien's Point of View:
Setting: The Field of Merrilor
Moghedien wakes among the Shara corpses. She thinks how she might be able to rule the whole world in just a few years, but her train of thought is interrupted by an a'dam closing around her neck. The sul'dam, Shanan says that they are not to take any Aes Sedai, but that Moghedien doesn't wear the rings and looks as if she is up to no good. They open a gateway to Ebou Dar and drag Moghedien through.
Nynaeve's Point of View:
Setting: The Field of Merrilor
Characters: Nynaeve, Aviendha, Bair, Lan
Rand dies, but Aviendha, Elayne and Min do not seem to care. Nynaeve thinks they must know something and she will have it out if them. She hears Aviendha telling Bair that Rhuarc's death means that something about her vision of the future has already changed. Nynaeve challenges her with Rand's death and Aviendha responds that Rand woke from the dream in greatness and it must be celebrated in greatness. Nynaeve doesn't believe a word of it and demands the truth. Aviendha merely says they must prepare his funeral pyre.
Perrin's Point of View:
Setting: Tel'aran'rhiod
Perrin races through the wolfdream, visiting places he had been with Faile or Rand. He collapses in the place he met Elyas and hears the cry of a falcon. He follows it to the Field of Merrilor and finds a tiny falcon, pinned beneath a rock. He brings himself out of the dream and finds Faile by her scent, breathing shallowly. He takes her to Nynaeve.
Birgitte's Point of View:
Setting: Shayol Ghul
Birgitte asks Elayne if she knows something about the Dragon, but Elayne shrugs. She tells Elayne that she knows Elayne wants to keep the Horn so she sent it away with Olver to dispose of it where it won't be found. She is surprised when Elayne thanks her for saving her the decision. She feels herself being reborn and tells Elayne she will be with Gaidal.
Tam's Point of View:
Setting: Shayol Ghul
Characters: Tam
Tam lights Rand's funeral pyre, thinking that Rand did well.
Min's Point of View:
Setting: Shayol Ghul
Characters: Min, Aviendha, Elayne
Min watches Tam light the funeral pyre and tells the others she always knew this would come. In the back of her mind, she feels the bond grow stronger and tells the others they must make sure everyone believes Rand gone
Rand's Point of View:
Setting: Shayol Ghul
Characters: Rand
Rand wakes in Moridin's body, next to a mixed pile of clothing left by Alivia. He sneaks out of the tent and sees Cadsuane looking at him.
Cadsuane's Point of View:
Setting: Shayol Ghul
Characters: Cadsuane, Lyrelle, Saerin, Rubinde, Yukiri
Cadsuane sees Rand leave and decides there is no need to continue the sham of a funeral. As she walks off, Lyrelle, Saerin, Rubinde and Yukiri walk up to her, to tell her she is to be the Amyrlin.
Rand's Point of View:
Setting: Shayol Ghul
Characters: Rand
Rand walks off, relieved that Cadsuane didn't raise an alarm. He realises she probably suspects something. He pulls out a pipe and finds there is no saidin for him to use. he tries to use the True Power, just to be sure and can't use that either. He is relieved. He has no way to light his tabac, so thinks of the pipe as being lit, and it is. He looks back at Aviendha, Elayne and Min and wonders which will follow him and who he will pick. He realises he can't choose. He thinks on how it will be novel to travel just for the pleasure of seeing the world.
Notes
Common Themes
- Balance
Rand swapping bodies with Moridin could be said to be part of the theme of balance
- Pipes
Rand's reality altering abilities first manifest in lighting a pipe
Visions and Prophecies
- She will help you die (WH, Ch. 24
Alivia prepares Rand's clothes for when he leaves. This could be said to be helping him seem to die
- A pipe with smoke curling from it (ToM, Ch. 14)
Rand lighting a pipe by simply wanting it to be lit
- Three women standing over a funeral bier with you on it, black rock wet with blood (TEotW, Ch. 15)
The funeral scene and Rand bleeding. As Min's viewings are of important events in a person's life, it seems clear that Rand could not be dead in this viewing of his funeral
Mysteries
- Who was the old woman with grey hair?
Does she have anything to do with Nakomi? Nakoni was described as middle aged, but this woman has grey hair
- How did Rand swap bodies?
- Why was no one watching Moridin?
- Did Alivia know Rand was alive?
- Is Aviendha already pregnant or is that still to come?
In her viewings of the possible future, her children knew they were of the Dragon's line
- Is the Compulsion on Graendal permanent?
Damer refers to her as a "horrid looking Aes Sedai" so it seems Aviendha didn't reveal who she was
- Why can't Rand Channel?
Was he burned out? He doesn't seem to feel the loss that is common in all others who suffer that fate.
- How did Rand light the pipe?
