tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post7172003228931774902..comments2024-01-14T15:52:43.644-05:00Comments on The Thirteenth Depository - A Wheel of Time Blog: Be'lal in a NutshellDominichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17610557134981958201noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-18492011713860265372009-04-12T09:33:00.000-04:002009-04-12T09:33:00.000-04:00I always thought that Be'lal was Old Tongue for En...I always thought that Be'lal was Old Tongue for Envious and that was the name he was given... it could be the sarcastic use of Netweaver, thoughIndigoAjahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-70042915230301217352009-03-27T01:59:00.000-04:002009-03-27T01:59:00.000-04:00Be'lal is definitely the Forsaken most likely to b...Be'lal is definitely the Forsaken most likely to be forgotten. He makes barely more of a showing than Aginor in <I>The Eye of the World</I>, but at least Aginor got a reincarnation.<BR/><BR/>The conflict between his alleged impulsive behaviour and his title as 'Netweaver', which implies patience and planning, might be as simple as lost sarcasm. We do not know what 'Be'lal' means, but the Forsaken (save Lanfear) were given names in scorn which they later adopted. While it doesn't really seem to fit with the names given to other Forsaken, perhaps the people of the Age of Legends gave him the name 'Netweaver' as a mockery?<BR/><BR/>The only plan we have seen Be'lal put in place was rather poorly thought out. Rand was apparently never even aware of the bait that was supposed to draw him in. Be'lal apparently never did anything to protect Rand from the multitudes of Shadowspawn and Darkfriends sent by rival Forsaken who threatened him on the road to Tear. And really, why did he show himself to Rand <I>before</I> he could take <I>Callandor</I>? His taunts were pretty blatant afterward.<BR/><BR/>So I imagine the name might have been given to mock someone who is always dreaming up grand schemes, but who lacks the patience and thoroughness to carry them out, thus underlining the conflict between what Be'lal would want to be - a Netweaver - and his inability to be one.<BR/><BR/>Three millennia later, Moiraine wouldn't know that the name was sarcastic.<BR/><BR/>Still, seems a lot more humiliating that 'Destroyer of Hope'. If this was the reasoning, Be'lal got the short end of the stick when it came to Forsaken names.Fanatic-Templarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14788900776054473413noreply@blogger.com