Perrin convinces the villagers at the al’Seen farm to move to Emond’s Field for safety. Then he rides up to Watch Hill and effortlessly busts the prisoners out of the Whitecloak camp. And we’re supposed to believe he could do these things just because he’s ta’veren.
Pusillanimous pretty-boy
If Lord Luc were a candy bar, he would be a cowardly, frail, self-serving lump of putty surrounded by a thin shell of vanity and narcissism. Everything from his clothes to the way he carries himself screams of refined sophistication and wealth, because he’s terrified that people will discover what he is really like inside.
Everyone at the al’Seen farm is in love with Luc because they think he has helped them stay safe from the Trollocs and Whitecloaks. When Perrin points out that Luc has actually done jack-all to help, they become upset. What would he have them do?
PERRIN: How about you stop cowering together in small groups and go to Emond’s Field?
He’s expecting objections. He’s expecting pushback. But instead, the people in the room reluctantly agree. Even Luc stands down and pisses off. Verin immediately seizes on the idea that this was Perrin operating in full ta’veren mode. She must be right, because a bunch of backwater country folk being swayed by logic and reason isn’t something you see every day.
They continue the trek toward Watch Hill, now with some of the boys from the al’Seen farm along to help. Along the way, they stop at several more farms. Each time Perrin effortlessly persuades the residents to seek strength in numbers by moving to Emond’s Field, and each time more young men join Perrin on his way to Watch Hill. By sunset they end up in a patch of woods where they can see the Whitecloak encampment.
PERRIN: Listen up, everyone. We’re only here to look.
Then, in practically the next breath:
PERRIN: C’mon. Faile, Gaul, Bain, Chiad. We’re busting them out now.
What, what?!? I think this ta’veren business really started to go to Perrin’s head. Oh yes, let’s just get ‘er done! Never mind the fact that Tam and Abell have tried to free the prisoners three times and nearly lost their lives in the process. They aren’t ta’veren!
Thanks to Perrin’s ta’veren superpowers, he and Faile manage to ninja their way through the Whitecloak camp just by knocking a few guys out and stealing their clothes. Actually, this makes me realize that it is absurdly easy to sneak into Whitecloak camps and liberate prisoners. Remember how Lan and Nynaeve flawlessly executed Moiraine’s rescue plan in The Eye of the World? This feels like the exact same thing, and the Whitecloaks are really starting to look like bumbling idiots.
So the chapter ends with the Luhhans and the Cauthon girls rescued. The problem is, it feels unearned. Kind of like when I decide to beat a video game using a cheat code instead of planning and skill. This sort of thing works fine for Mat’s character because it’s part of his roguish charm. But Perrin is a much more serious character, and hitting the easy button just doesn’t sit right.