Egwene al'Vere
Estyrien al'Halien
General
Egwene al'Vere is the Amyrlin Seat for the Salidar Aes Sedai. She was raised from Accepted because nowhere in the Tower Law does it say that the Amyrlin Seat must be Aes Sedai. She has not held the Oath Rod because it is still in the White Tower. (Reference: LoC Chapter 35) Although she never got to choose an Ajah, she wanted to choose the Green Ajah. (Reference: TDR Chapter 23) Her Keeper of the Chronicles is Sheriam Bayanar of the Blue Ajah. (Reference: LoC Chapter 36)
Egwene's full title is Egwene al'Vere, the Watcher of the Seals, the Flame of Tar Valon, the Amyrlin seat. (Reference: LoC Chapter 36) However, the Aes Sedai call her Mother, despite the fact that she is young enough to be a granddaughter to most of them. (Reference: LoC Chapter 35) When Egwene is damane in Falme, her sul'dam calls her Tuli after her pet when she was young. (Reference: TGH Chapter 42) She goes under the pseudonym Mistress Joslyn when travelling to Tear. (Reference: TDR Chapter 48) She claims to be Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah when she is in the Aiel Waste, (Reference: TSR Chapter 11), though she does later admit to being only an Accepted. (Reference: LoC Chapter 33)
Egwene has dark brown hair and big brown eyes. At Bel Tine in 998 NE, when she is 17, Egwene is allowed to braid her hair to show that she is of marriageable age. (Reference: TEotW Chapter 3) She wears it unbraided once she leaves the Two Rivers because few Aes Sedai wear their hair braided. (Reference: TEotW Chapter 11) As Amyrlin Seat, she wears the striped stole that goes with her title and wears the Great Serpent ring to show that she is Aes Sedai. (Reference: LoC Chapter 35)
Egwene was born in Emond's Field and was the daughter of Bran, Mayor of Emond's Field, and Marin al'Vere. She has four older sisters who are Elisa, Alene, Loise and Berowyn. (Reference: TEotW Earlier) Her family lives in the Winespring Inn in Emond's Field. (Reference: TEotW Chapter 1)
Egwene, Nynaeve and Elayne were sent to hunt the Black Ajah by Siuan Sanche. (Reference: TDR Chapter 14) This leads them out of the White Tower and towards Tear to find the thirteen known Black Ajah. (Reference: TDR Chapter 29) Egwene uses her talent in Tel'aran'rhiod to Shield Amico and to help them escape from their capture in the Stone. (Reference: TDR Chapter 54)
Egwene begins to get headaches once Logain disappears. (Reference: ACoS Chapter 12) Halima, Aran'gar in disguise, is causing them and gets closer to Egwene by massaging her to 'stop' the headaches. (Reference: TPoD Chapter 15) Ideas about this predicament have been put forward; for instance that Halima is secretly using Compulsion on Egwene. One possible example is when Egwene suddenly decides that she will make sure that all Aes Sedai swear upon the Oath Rod, though she recently thought that the Oath Rod did more harm than good. (Reference: CoT Chapter 16)
Egwene is captured when she turns one of Tar Valon's chains that control the bridges into cuendillar. When she comes to, she sees an ageless face, so an Aes Sedai must be involved. There are many theories surrounding her capture; is it the Black Ajah? Is it the treachery of Egwene's own Hall? What agreement did the negotiators come to that was more than they bargained for and was it Egwene's capture? The theories will not be proven right or wrong until the next book comes out and we find out more. However, what is interesting to note is that it is extremely likely that the Seanchan are in the area, it is possible that a raken was seen, though not recognised by Egwene. Egwene had a dream that a Seanchan woman would save her and this could be tied into her capture. (Reference: CoT Chapters 20 and 30)
Timeline
- 981 NE: Egwene is born to Bran and Marin al'Vere. (Reference: TEotW Chapter 3 and ACoS Chapter 8)
- 989 NE: Egwene catches Breakbone fever and Nynaeve Heals her. (Reference: TEotW Chapter 21)
- 998 NE: Egwene leaves the Two Rivers. (Reference: TEotW Chapter 10)
- 998NE: Egwene learns that she can channel and does so with the help of Moiraine Sedai. (Reference: TEotW Chapter 12)
- 998NE: Egwene and Nynaeve arrive at the White Tower to begin their training and Egwene becomes a novice. (Reference: TGH Chapter 18)
- 998NE: Egwene is captured by the Seanchan after Liandrin's betrayal and becomes damane. (Reference: TGH Chapter 40)
- 999NE: Egwene arrives back at the White Tower and becomes and Accepted. (Reference: TDR Chapters 11 and 23)
- 999NE: Egwene arrives in Tear to hunt for the Black Ajah and then goes to the Aiel Waste with him. (Reference: TDR Chapter 48 and TSR Chapter 22)
- 999NE: Egwene is attacked by Lanfear who thinks that she is Aviendha. (Reference: TFoH Chapter 52)
- 999NE: Egwene is summoned to Salidar by the Hall and is raised to Amyrlin Seat. (Reference: LoC Chapters 32 and 35)
- 1000NE: Egwene calls the Hall to vote on War against Elaida and wins. (Reference: TPoD Chapter 19)
- 1000NE: Egwene and her army Travel to Tar Valon to begin the siege of the White Tower. (Reference: TPoD Chapter 30)
- 1000NE: Egwene is captured when she turns the bridges of Tar Valon into cuendillar. (Reference: CoT Chapter 30)
Strengths and Talents
Egwene is significantly strong in the One Power; she is only second in strength to Nynaeve in the White Tower and equals Elayne's strength. (Reference: TGH Chapter 4) She had the spark inborn, something that it quite rare, (Reference: TEotW Chapter 12), though apparently not in the Two Rivers, which has produced three ta'veren and multiple channelers. (Reference: TSR Chapter 31) She is also unusually strong in Earth, predominantly a male strength; this means that she can Delve for metal ores. (Reference: TGH Chapter 42) She also has strength in Fire, also a male Power. (Reference: ACoS Chapter 36)
Egwene is a Dreamer and a Dreamwalker. (Reference: TGH Chapter 12 and TSR Chapter 23) Her dreams have a significant chance of coming true, unlike Foretelling, which is definite, and they include dreams of Rand drawing Callandor, (Reference: TDR Chapter 25) and Perrin's involvement with Faile and Berelain. (Reference: TDR Chapter 37) She is the only Dreamer in the White Tower since Corianin Nedeal. (Reference: TDR Chapter 21) Egwene was trained to be a Dreamwalker by the Aiel Wise Ones Amys, Melaine and Bair before she was summoned back to Salidar. (Reference: TSR Chapter 23) Before she was trained to enter Tel'aran'rhiod at will, Egwene used a ring ter'angreal to visit it. (Reference: TDR Chapter 27)
Egwene has several other Talents; she figured out the weave of Travelling, (Reference: LoC Chapter 27), though she needed Moghedien's help to figure out the weave for Skimming. (Reference: ACoS Chapter 9) Moghedien also helped her to discover the weave for making cuendillar, (Reference: CoT Chapter 17), and the forbidden weave of Compulsion. (Reference: COT Chapter 18) Egwene is poor at Healing but was able to teach Aviendha to manage multiple weaves. (Reference: TFoH Chapter 32)
Relationships
When Egwene still lived in Emond's Field, it was assumed by many people that she and Rand would marry, especially after Marin al'Vere and Tam al'Thor talked about it. (Reference: TGH Chapter 36) However, after leaving the Two Rivers, they both realise that they are not meant to be with each other. (Reference: TSR Chapter 7)
Egwene comes to learn that she is in love with Gawyn, Elayne's brother. (Reference: LoC Chapter 14) They profess their love when they meet in Cairhien and Egwene tells him that they will be bonded. (Reference: LoC Chapter 18) Gawyn had not acted upon his love earlier because Galad is interested in her. Galad had saved Gawyn's life when they were younger and so he believed that he could not go after someone his half brother loved. (Reference: TDR Chapter 16)
Egwene is closest to Nynaeve and Elayne, two of the Aes Sedai who she thinks she can totally trust. She raises both of them to Aes Sedai when she becomes Amyrlin Seat, despite the fact that Nynaeve's block remained unbroken at that time. (Reference: LoC Chapter 36)
Elaida and Egwene have never gotten on well. Elaida did not believe that Egwene should be allowed to take her Accepted Test because she was a wilder. (Reference: TDR Chapter 22) This only intensified when she heard that Egwene was Amyrlin Seat of the Salidar Aes Sedai. Elaida now dreams of Egwene begging for forgiveness and pleading not to be stilled. (Reference: ACoS Chapter 32)
Egwene has a very precarious relationship with the Hall. From the start, Lelaine and Romanda try to control her. (Reference: LoC Chapter 36) If Egwene had not been made Amyrlin Seat, either Romanda or Lelaine would have. (Reference: LoC Chapter 35) When Egwene wins the vote on war with Elaida, she tries to exert more control over the Hall. (Reference: TPoD Chapter 19)
Several Sitters have sworn fealty to Egwene. Myrelle and Niaso swore so that Myrelle's bonding of Lan did not become public, (Reference: LoC Chapter 12), Faolain and Theodrin swore because she is Amyrlin Seat, (Reference: ACoS Chapter 11) and Sheriam and others also swore. (Reference: TPoD Chapter 16)
Egwene often asks Siuan for advice on Aes Sedai matters. Siuan was originally sent by the other Aes Sedai to teach her etiquette, (Reference: LoC Chapter 36) but in reality becomes more than that. She helps Egwene control the Hall and tells her of the laws and secret Tower histories. (Reference: TPoD Chapter 19)
Miscellaneous
- Whatever Egwene does, she wants to do it to the best of her ability. (Reference: TEotW Earlier) She is like this with channelling, which is unusual as most novices are scared of channelling, though it is slightly dangerous for her to be that eager to learn. (Reference: TGH Chapter 18)
- Egwene knows that Perrin is a Wolfbrother because she was with him when he first met Elyas, who told them about wolves. (Reference: TEotW Chapter 23)
- The first time she sees a glow around a woman channelling Saidar is when Elayne channels when they first meet. (Reference: TGH Chapter 24)
- During her accepted test, each arch shows her abandoning Rand to his death. The last one depicts her as being Amyrlin Seat, having been raised from the Green Ajah. (Reference: TDR Chapter 22)
- A Grey Man was sent to the White Tower to kill Egwene and Nynaeve but it was killed by Slayer when it failed. (Reference: TDR Chapter 15)
- When Egwene, Elayne and Nynaeve are out of the Tower, Siuan Sanche tells Gawyn that they are studying with Mara Tomanes, an Aes Sedai in Illian. (Reference: TSR Chapter 47)
- Egwene has nightmares of her Seanchan captivity for weeks after she is rescued. (Reference: TSR Chapter 52)
- When the Hall votes to declare war on Elaida, it gives Egwene control of the Hall over all matters concerning the war. (Reference: TPoD Chapter 19)
- Nicola Treehill tries to blackmail Egwene into letting her learn faster by threatening to let slip that Elayne and Nynaeve, and possibly Egwene herself, pretended to be Aes Sedai when they were only Accepted. (Reference: ACoS Chapter 9) When Egwene rebuffs her, she blackmails Myrelle and Niaso about Lan until Egwene stops them again. (Reference: ACoS Chapter 12)
- Egwene often used Tel'aran'rhiod to talk to Nynaeve and Elayne but it then widened to the Hall and the Aiel Wise Ones. (Reference: TSR Chapter 52, LoC Chapter 32 and ACoS Chapter 10)
- Min has several viewings of Egwene; the first is that Egwene loves Rand but is not in love with him. (Reference: TEotW Chapter 15) She is linked with Rand, Mat, Perrin and Galad, (Reference: TGH Chapter 42) and Min saw the white flame of the Aes Sedai around Egwene, indicating that Egwene would become Amyrlin Seat. (Reference: TGH Chapter 24)
- Egwene wants any and every woman who can channel to be linked to the White Tower. (Reference: ACoS Chapter 31) She opens the novice book to women of any age. (TPoD Chapter 17) This leads to over a thousand novices joining the Salidar Aes Sedai. (Reference: TPoD Chapter 30)
- Egwene's punishing of novices from the Two Rivers has begun to give her the reputation of being another Sereille Bagand; that is to say that she is very harsh and has a strong will. (Reference: CoT Chapter 18)
Quotes
"al'Vere, Egwene (ahl-VEER, eh-GWAIN): A young woman from Emond's Field. Now in training to be Aes Sedai"- (Reference: TDR Glossary)
"You may go far. Perhaps even the Amyrlin Seat, one day, if you study hard and work hard"- Moiraine to Egwene. (Reference: TEotW Chapter 12)
"From what Moiraine tells me, you leaped into it as soon as you could, fumbling through the dark with never a thought of whether there was a bottomless pit under your next step"- Verin to Egwene. (Reference: TGH Chapter 13)
"Gawyn will never admit he is interested in a woman if Galad is interested in her, but I have heard him talk about you, and I know. He never could hide things from me"- Elayne to Egwene. (Reference: TDR Chapter 16)
"She should not be given this chance... I do not care what her potential is. She should be put out of the Tower. Or failing that, set to scrubbing floors for the next ten years"- Elaida about Egwene. (Reference: TDR Chapter 22)
"People change, Rand. Feelings change. When people are apart, sometimes they grow apart. I love you as I would a brother, perhaps more than a brother, but not to marry"- Egwene to Rand. (Reference: TSR Chapter 7)
"You have much to learn. Far more than I can begin to teach you, now. Come to the Three-fold Land"- Amys to Egwene. (Reference: TSR Chapter 11)
"If the Queen of Andor can be Aes Sedai, a Prince can be a Warder. And you will be mine. Push that through your thick skull; I am serious. And I love you"- Egwene to Gawyn. (Reference: LoC Chapter 25)
"I'm the Amyrlin but...Elayne, Sheriam doesn't have to think very hard to recall a novice named Egwene, staring goggle-eyed at everything and being sent to rake the New Garden walks for eating apples after bedtime. She means to lead me by the hand, or maybe push me by the scruff of my neck"- Egwene to Elayne. (Reference: LoC Chapter 36)
"They made a very bad mistake, didn't they? Of course, I made it first. The plump little grunter for the table turns out to be a live silverpike as long as your leg"- Siuan to Egwene. (Reference: LoC Chapter 37)
" A certain degree of respect is required towards the Amyrlin Seat, and from now on, I will have it, daughter"- Egwene to Lelaine. (Reference: TPoD Chapter 19)
"'My own charge is...' She pressed her thumb down on the edge of the chair as if pinning something and laughed again"- Aran'gar presumably about Egwene. (Reference: WH Chapter 13)
"Elayne, I have to order women I grew up with switched because they don't believe I am the Amyrlin Seat, or if they do, that they can break the rules because they knew me"- Egwene to Elayne. (Reference: WH Chapter 26)
