The Dragon Reborn: Plot Summary

From Tar Valon Library
Jump to: navigation, search

Author: Toral Delvar

WARNING! The next sections contain spoilers for the Wheel of Time book series.

Prologue

Byar returns from Falme and tells Niall his beliefs regarding what occurred there, and of his hatred of Perrin. Niall tells Jaichim Carridin not to try and stop Rand, as he hopes to make the people turn to the Children of the Light to protect them. Fain, who calls himself Ordeith, tells Niall stories similar to Byar's. He persuades Niall that the Two Rivers is full of Darkfriends, and that he should send men there. Carridin is given new orders, from an unusual Myrddraal, to kill Rand.

In Tar Valon

Elayne, Egwene and Nynaeve head back to Tar Valon with a severely ill Mat, who, it seems, has mere hours to live. They are also joined by Hurin. Nynaeve tries Healing Mat, but accomplishes nothing. On the way, they are confronted by Whitecloaks, led by Dain Bornhald. The girls disperse them using the Power, something which incurs Verin's anger.

Once in the Tower, the three are severely reprimanded by Siuan, who sets punishments for them all for running away, to keep the link between them and the Black Ajah secret. She tells Elayne and Egwene that they are to be raised to the ranks of the Accepted. She also sets Nynaeve and Egwene Black Ajah hunting, knowing that she won't be blamed when Elayne is brought in on it. They are given a note from the Amyrlin, granting them permission to do almost anything. Verin tells Siuan about Mat blowing the Horn, and Siuan tells her the two false Dragons were defeated at the moment Rand proclaimed himself.

Nynaeve brings Elayne in on the hunt at the first opportunity. Egwene and Nynaeve are attacked by a Gray Man, who fires an arrow at them. Nynaeve captures the man using the Power, but finds him dead. Sheriam tells them to keep quiet about it; she is later revealed to have found a second Gray Man in her bed. Elaida comes to question the girls about Rand.

Mat is healed of his link to the dagger by a circle of thirteen Aes Sedai using a sa'angreal. During the Healing, he speaks in the Old Tongue and gives battle orders after experiencing a sort of flashback to a battle in the Trolloc Wars. He is visited by Lanfear, who tells him he is destined for glory, and Siuan, who he tries to avoid making any commitments to. He tries to leave, but is not allowed to do so. He also sees Lanfear, masquerading as Else. She is abrupt with him. He defeats both Gawyn and Galad in a friendly duel, using only his quarterstaff.

Verin gives Egwene a ter'angreal that is linked to the World of Dreams, and does not require channeling, to help her discover if she is a Dreamer. Egwene is raised; her test for the Accepted involves abandoning Rand under various circumstances. She learns that anyone who can channel can be turned to the Dark One by a circle of thirteen Myrddraal and thirteen channelers. The ter'angreal she goes through acts very unusually, and almost burns down, prompting Alanna to see Sheriam to ask for punishment, as she noticed something but kept quiet. Elayne's test was similarly hard for her.

The girls are given clues to the whereabouts of members of the Black Ajah who fled the Tower, by Lanfear, who is posing as a novice. They realize it is probably a trap, but tell Siuan they are going to head for Tear to try and spring it.

Egwene uses the dream ter'angreal. She first sees Rand, who attacks her. She then sees a woman calling herself Silvie, in the Stone of Tear. The woman seems to think she knows Egwene and tells her to say Ba'alzamon is a fool. The woman sends her out of Tel’aran’rhiod to prevent Be'lal from discovering her.

The girls ask Mat if he will deliver a letter to Queen Morgase. Mat tauntingly tells them he will do so, under the condition that they get him off the island, which he considers impossible, as the Amyrlin has told all the guards he is not to leave. They give him one of the notes the Amyrlin gave them, allowing the bearer to do whatever they wish.

To Tear

The girls travel downstream on a boat, which runs aground. They go ahead on foot and encounter a group of Aiel, including Bain, Chiad and Aviendha, who reveal one of their number is severely injured. Nynaeve Heals her, and they set off again. They are then captured by Darkfriends, who wish to hand them over to a Myrddraal. They are freed by the Aiel, though they would have escaped on their own. Nynaeve uses balefire against the Myrddraal. The leader of the Aiel, Rhuarc, says they are going to Tear. The girls make their own way to Tear where they stay with a local healer, Mother Guenna. She enlists Juilin Sandar, a thief catcher, to help them find the Black Ajah, though of course he isn't told they are Black Ajah. He is not careful enough and Liandrin makes him reveal their location. The girls are captured, and are severely beaten for refusing to give in.

Mat leaves the Tower and wanders around Tar Valon gambling, winning every throw of the dice. He is attacked by Darkfriends posing as thieves, but gets away from them. He meets Thom, who is drunk, and persuades him to go to Caemlyn with him. Thom agrees, since Caemlyn is dangerous for him and he is looking for danger after his lover's death. They are attacked by Darkfriends on the ship they board. After getting off the ship at the town of Aringill, they spend a night in a stable, where Mat rescues Aludra, an Illuminator. Out of gratitude, she gives him some fireworks. He messes with one to try to find out how it works, and throws it in the fire. They are attacked by Darkfriends again on the way to Caemlyn. Thom kills a woman, which displeases Mat.

They go to Caemlyn, again staying at Basel Gill's inn. The guard on the palace gate refuses to let Mat in, even threatening to have him arrested as a Darkfriend when he reveals he has come from the Tower, so he goes over the wall like Rand had done previously. He overhears two men discussing a plan to kill Elayne. He is later taken before Morgase and her lover, Gaebril, who was one of the men Mat overheard. He meets Tallanvor, another member of the palace guard, who takes him to the Queen. He gives her the letter, then sets off for Tear, to help Elayne and Egwene.

Mat arrives in Tear and comes across Lord Comar, who he had heard ordered to kill Elayne by Rahvin. They fight and Comar is killed before Mat can learn anything. He meets Mother Guenna, who tells him of the girls' capture. Leaving a sick Thom behind, he heads off to try and break into the Stone. He is accosted by Aiel, including Gaul and Rhuarc, on the rooftops, but once he makes it clear he has no plans to interfere with them, they agree to leave him alone. He meets Juilin, who had been having second thoughts about what he did. They agree to work together.

Perrin's Journey

At the camp of the Dragon Reborn, Rand has spent the winter arguing with Moiraine. He accidentally damages the camp when he draws too much of saidin and has to release it randomly. A Tuatha'an woman comes with news for Moiraine. Perrin sees Lanfear and Ba'alzamon in the World of Dreams. They both talk to him. He also witnesses an argument between three of the Forsaken. Whilst he is asleep, he is warned by wolves that Trollocs and Myrddraal are attacking. Rand is powerless to help, but they defeat the Darkspawn anyway. Masema takes the aid of wolves as a sign that he should go to proclaim the Dragon Reborn and recruit for him. The Tuatha'an messenger is killed.

Rand sets off on his own to Tear, without telling anyone. On the way, he kills a group of people who come to join him at the camp fire. These include a woman and a Gray Man. He also continues to be plagued by dreams, and almost kills Egwene in one, when he mistakes her for a dream creation.

Moiraine realizes that Rand has gone to Tear to try and seize Callandor when many of the people with them reveal having dreamed of glowing swords and red stone columns. Moiraine, Lan, Perrin and Loial follow, the Shienarans being injured. Chasing after Rand, they encounter villages where strange things have been happening - mass weddings, insanity and others - a sign of Rand's being ta'veren. Meanwhile, Min goes to Tar Valon.

Perrin comes across a man who could talk to wolves, but who has lost his human side. He again enters Tel'aran'rhiod, where he meets Hopper, a dead wolf. They learn of Masema stirring up trouble in Ghealdan. He also meets two Hunters of the Horn, and a captured Aiel, Gaul. There are children throwing stones at the caged man, who he later frees. He tells Gaul he is off to Tear, and Gaul announces that is his destination as well, though he will not go with them. They kill some Whitecloaks, and are then forced to flee the village, along with a young woman who decides to call herself Faile, who keeps staring at Perrin. She is also a Hunter and believes they make a strange trail, which Hunters should follow. Perrin again sees Ba'alzamon and Lanfear in Tel'aran'rhiod, and tells Moiraine they are free. Rand sees him and attacks him.

They travel through Illian, where they discover Sammael is in control of the country. They are attacked by Gray Men in an inn before Sammael sends Darkhounds after them; Moiraine kills the hounds with balefire. They then head on to Tear, where they learn Berelain has given in to Tear's demands. Perrin finds himself growing uncomfortable around Faile. She springs a Black Ajah placed trap meant for Moiraine, and is caught in Tel'aran'rhiod, the World of Dreams. Perrin's wolf abilities allow him to enter this world, and he does so, in order to free her. Moiraine and Lan head for the Stone to help Rand.

Inside the Stone

Mat accidentally blows a hole in the wall of the Stone with fireworks while trying to create a diversion. He enters, fighting Defenders of the Stone and nobles. On his way, he and Juilin fight High Lord Darlin, who says he intends to watch as the skin is stripped from their bodies.

Egwene enters Tel'aran'rhiod, where she meets two of the Black Ajah. She stills one and shields the other, leaving them trapped in Tel’aran’rhiod. Egwene, Elayne and Nynaeve, however, remain shielded in the real world. Mat opens the cell and frees them. They knock out the Black Ajah sister and the shield disappears.

Rand enters the Heart of the Stone, where Be’lal tells him to take Callandor. They fight, with Be'lal forcing him toward it. Moiraine enters and kills Be'lal, again using balefire. Rand is attacked by Ba'alzamon, who almost kills him before he takes Callandor, chasing Ba'alzamon and killing him. This time, he leaves a body, which many people take for the Dark One until Moiraine points out how absurd that idea is. The Defenders of the Stone, who had been fighting Aiel, fall to their feet to proclaim Rand the Dragon Reborn. Berelain brings Rand a message from Lanfear.


For a list of all characters who appear or are mentioned in The Dragon Reborn, see The Dragon Reborn Character List

For a brief summary of the book, see the The Dragon Reborn (Brief Plot Summary)

<< Previous Book | Next Book >>