Mazrim Taim

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Author: Taimi Vandene

MAHZ-rihm Tah-EEM

General

Mazrim Taim is a Saldaean false Dragon who joined Rand and became second in command to Asha'man. He was one of the false Dragons who could actually channel.

Appearance

He has black hair and is slightly above average height. He has dark face, tilted eyes, high cheekbones and hooked nose of a Saldaean. When Rand meets him the first time, he is however, dressed in Andoran style. He looks to be about thirty-five, perhaps a little older (LoC, Ch. 2). He is a physically powerful man, who has something of a Warder's grace in his movements (WH, Prologue).

Personality

Condensed Timeline

This section contains spoilers relating to The whole series. Please expand to view.

Strength and Talents

Taim appears to be almost as strong in One Power as Rand. Rand once ordered Taim to hold as much One Power as he could, but when Taim held amount only a little smaller than what Rand could hold, Rand didn't sense any strain (LoC, Ch. 3). Taim didn't know how to make a gateway before Rand showed him.

Relationships with Other Characters

There is no mention that Taim had true friends. His relationships are based on power hierarchy. He is second in command of Asha'man, which puts him only a step below Rand in eyes of most Asha'man.

Though Taim has accepted Rand as his leader, his behavior towards Rand has always been far from submissive. He is clearly a very dangerous man.

Cadsuane has helped capture both Logain and Taim (ACoS, Ch. 9).

Taim has a lot of men directly loyal to him. Logain claims forty one with fifty more in training (KoD, Ch. 18) and Pevara notes almost a hundred (KoD, Epilogue).

When Mishraille almost reveals that Aes Sedai have already bonded men, he clubs him with air and does not care if he lives or dies (KoD, Epilogue).

Dreams and Visions

  • According to Min's viewing, Taim has blood both in his past and in his future (ACoS, Ch. 2).

Taim's Journey

The Eye of the World

There is no relevant reference to Taim in this book.

The Great Hunt

  • Mazrim Taim set himself up as a false Dragon in Saldaea (TGH, Ch. 4). He hadn't had yet time to attract many followers. Aes Sedai had been sent to deal with him.

The Dragon Reborn

  • Aes Sedai captured him at Irinjavar, Saldaea. He was captured in same circumstances as another false Dragon. At the moment Rand announced himself as Dragon, his horse reared up and threw him He was knocked unconscious, his followers who thought him dead, fled, and he was taken (TDR, Ch. 12).

The Shadow Rising

This section contains spoilers relating to The Shadow Rising. Please expand to view.

  • He escaped from his Aes Sedai captors at the village of Denhuir, east of Black Hills, at night. Two Aes Sedai got killed in the process (TSR, Ch. 17).

The Fires of Heaven

This section contains spoilers relating to The Fires of Heaven. Please expand to view.

There is no relevant reference to Taim in this book.

Lord of Chaos

This section contains spoilers relating to Lord of Chaos. Please expand to view.

  • He is lead in by Lord Davram Bashere's men, to meet the Dragon Reborn and to accept the amnesty that Rand has granted to all men able to channel. Taim taunts Bashere about events in Saldaea. Rand tells him that the vision in the sky was not the Dark One, but Ishamael. Taim submits to the Dragon Reborn and tells Rand, that he can teach a man to channel and to test a man's ability to channel. He presents one of seals to the Dark One's prison to Rand (LoC, Ch. 2).
  • He travels with Rand to the farm. He realizes that Rand doesn't know how to test a man's ability to channel. Taim tests Damer Flinn. A tiny flame appears. This is first time when Taim channels. Taim asks to train men as weapons, and Rand agrees. Rand tells Taim to seize saidin. He can hold almost as much saidin as Rand (LoC, Ch. 3).
  • Rand arrives at the farm where Taim teaches his students to make stones explode. He tells Rand about his teaching methods (LoC, Ch. 11).
  • Taim teaches his recruits how to blow up rocks and shield themselves. He asks Rand permission to Travel to villages to recruit new men, and Rand agrees (LoC, Ch. 11).
  • He travels to Royal Palace to bring news of Jahar Narishma, a young man who has the spark. He arrives just in time to kill a Gray man who is attacking Rand (LoC, Ch. 28).
  • Rand comes to the Black Tower to meet him. He seems angered when Rand gives him his pins of rank. He tells Rand that there are many Aes Sedai in Caemlyn and several parties of Aes Sedai of Red Ajah in the countryside near the Black Tower. Red Ajah Aes Sedai are trying to intercept men coming to the Black Tower. Rand warns him again to stay away from Caemlyn and says that he will hold him personally responsible if any harm happens to any of the Aes Sedai (LoC, Ch. 42).
  • Rand sends a note to him to inform him that there are now thirteen Aes Sedai in Caemlyn (LoC, Ch. 49).
  • Taim comes with Asha'man to rescue Rand from hands of Aes Sedai at Dumai's Wells. He leads Asha'man to fight Shaido using the One Power. He is with Rand when the Aes Sedai kneel to him (LoC, Ch. 55).

A Crown of Swords

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  • After Dumai's Wells, Taim remains with Rand. He ordered Gedwyn, who is one of the few full Asha'man, to look for something that wasn't found. According to Perrin, he smells of fury when Rand stops his argument with Wise Ones on what to do with Aes Sedai, though he doesn't otherwise show emotion. Against his suggestion, Rand decides that Wise Ones will take care of Aes Sedai prisoners. Rand orders Taim to take Asha'man to Black Tower, and Taim agrees to do that personally. He asks Rand to take Asha'man with him to be his honor guard, and smells angry, when Rand chooses Dashiva instead of one of more advanced Asha'man (ACoS, Ch. 2).

The Path of Daggers

This section contains spoilers relating to The Path of Daggers. Please expand to view.

  • He sends a letter to Rand. There he tells that Black Tower now has 29 Asha'man, 97 Dedicated and 322 Soldiers. He also reports, that there has also been a handful of deserters but concludes that losses are acceptable. He believes that soon Black Tower will equal to the White Tower. He says also, that he picked that blackberry bush himself and that it was small and thorny, but with a surprising amount of fruit. Torval tells Rand, that Taim poisons the Asha'man who become mad because of the taint in saidin. He considers it kindness to them, as well safe to others (TPoD, Ch. 14).
  • He comes to Rand to report that Gedwyn, Kisman, Rochaid and Torval have deserted. He is surprised and angry when Rand adds Dashiva to the list (TPoD, Ch. 29). Rand orders him to return to Black Tower and not to return.

Winter's Heart

This section contains spoilers relating to Winter's Heart. Please expand to view.

  • He responds to Elayne's summon and comes to her with two of his Asha'man. He agrees to let the Queen's Guards inspect Black Tower (WH, Prologue).
  • He returns to the Black Tower and posts the names of the deserters. They deserters are: Gedwyn, Kisman, Rochaid, Torval, Dashiva, Flinn, Hopwil and Narishma (WH, Prologue).
  • Taim has ordered Kisman to kill Rand (WH, Ch. 22).

Crossroads of Twilight

This section contains spoilers relating to Crossroads of Twilight. Please expand to view.

  • He grants Logain's request to leave the Black Tower and go to recruiting trip (CoT, Prologue).

Knife of Dreams

This section contains spoilers relating to Knife of Dreams. Please expand to view.

  • His Palace is complete, two stories of white marble with twin doors each bearing a gauntleted fist gripping three lightning bolts. Inside, the tiles are red and black (KoD, Epilogue).
  • He tells Pevara that the Reds may ask men to bond them (KoD, Epilogue)

The Gathering Storm

Towers of Midnight

This section contains spoilers relating to Towers of Midnight. Please expand to view.

  • He refuses to let the Reds bond any full Asha'man and forbids them to leave without permission (ToM, Ch. 53)

A Memory of Light

This section contains spoilers relating to A Memory of Light. Please expand to view.

  • Androl and the remaining loyal men realise Taim is Turning people to the Shadow (AMoL, Prologue
  • He joins a meeting of the surviving Foresaken, where Moridin reveals he has been elevated to their ranks and has taken the name M'Hael (AMoL, Prologue)
  • He returns to the Black Tower, and after a failed coup, orders Evin to be turned first AMoL, Ch. 8.
  • At some point, he manages to steal the Seals (AMoL, Ch. 10).
  • After Evin kills Abors, he kills Evin (AMoL, Ch. 14)
  • Hessalam tries to take over but Taim does not let her (AMoL, Ch. 14).
  • He tries to balefire Androl, but Androl is able to form a gateway and the balefire passes through.
  • When Canler and the Two Rivers men break in, and Perrin removes the Dreamspike, enabling Traveling once more, he follows Hessalam through a gateway (AMoL, Ch. 14).
  • During the Last Battle, he uses the True Power to travel to Demandred and taunt him (AMoL, Ch. 37)
  • Demandred has the Sharans shield him, then uses a True Power shield himself, which steals Taim's power and feeds it to Demandred (AMoL, Ch. 37)
  • He uses the True Power to leave, surprising Demandred that he has the strength to do so (AMoL, Ch. 37)
  • Androl, disguised as Nensen visits him and steals the Seals back. Taim lays a weave to make him look like Androl again AMoL, Ch. 37).
  • Egwene seeks him out and they battle. He tries to balefire her, but she has Vora's Sa'angreal and is too strong for him (AMoL, Ch. 37).
  • He uses balefire against a Shield she is weaving and again uses the True Power to flee (AMoL, Ch. 37)
  • He goes to see Demandred again, who gives him Sakarnen (AMoL, Ch. 37).
  • Egwene encounters him again and he tries to balefire her. She uses the Flame of TarValon which pushes through his balefire and turns him to crystal (AMoL, Ch. 37)


Miscellaneous

  • Rand has disliked Taim from the beginning.
  • Though he has channeled for a long time, he hasn't succumbed to madness.
  • The Asha'man call him M'Hael which means "Leader" in the Old Tongue.

This section contains spoilers relating to The Shadow Rising. Please expand to view.


This section contains spoilers relating to Lord of Chaos. Please expand to view.

  • He is deeply hated and feared in Saldaea (LoC, Ch. 2).


This section contains spoilers relating to The Path of Daggers. Please expand to view.

  • Unlike other Asha'man, he wears neither sword nor dragon on his collar (TPoD, Ch. 29).


This section contains spoilers relating to Crossroads of Twilight. Please expand to view.

  • According to Logain, Taim ordered the Asha'man to bond Aes Sedai. He believes that most Asha'man are now loyal to Taim (CoT, Ch. 24).


This section contains spoilers relating to A Memory of Light. Please expand to view.

Quotes

"I will do what I can. Just don't expect Damer to topple a city's walls tomorrow (Lord of Chaos, Chapter 3).

"You cannot tell a man he has the power to make the earth shake, then expect him to walk small." (Lord of Chaos, Chapter 42).

"What about those who are not in the countryside? Eleven of them? A few accidents could reduce them to a much safer number. If you don't want to soil your own hands, I'm willing to-" (Lord of Chaos, Chapter 42).

"The Aes Sedai problem needs to be settled, my Lord Dragon. My Asha'man know how to handle them. They could be held at Black Tower easily." (A Crown of Swords, Chapter 2).

"As you say, my men can Travel. To anywhere I command. I doubt you could stop me buying whatever I want even ten miles from Caemlyn, but it wouldn't bother me if you could. Still, I am willing to allow visits whenever you ask. Controlled visits, with escorts at all times. The training is hard in the Black Tower. Men die almost every day. I would not want any accidents." (Winter's Heart, Prologue)

"Remember the old saying. Let the Lord of Chaos rule." (The Gathering Storm, Epilogue)

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