The Dark One is a fictional entity and primary antagonist of The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. The Wheel of Time (abbreviated by fans to WoT) is a series of epic fantasy novels written by the late American author James Oliver Robert Jordan was the Pen name of James Oliver Rigney Jr ( October 17, 1948 &ndash September 16, 2007) under which he
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Character
In The Wheel of Time books Verin Sedai says the Dark One is the "embodiment of paradox and chaos, destroyer of reason and logic, breaker of balance, the unmaker of order, and the opponent of the Creator". The Wheel of Time (abbreviated by fans to WoT) is a series of epic fantasy novels written by the late American author James Oliver Verin Mathwin is a fictional character in The Wheel of Time series of fantasy novels by Robert Jordan. The Aes Sedai are a society in the fictional universe of Robert Jordan 's The Wheel of Time book series A creator deity is a Deity in a Creation myth responsible for the creation of the World (or Universe) Shai'tan (an Islamic name for Satan) is the godlike figure of the creatures of darkness [1]. In Islam, Shayṭān (شيطان is an entity analogous to Satan. Satan, ( Standard Hebrew Satan'el, English accuser) is a term that originates from the Abrahamic faiths, being traditionally Sheriam tells Egwene that the ability to channel confers a weakness, that those who can channel can be turned to the Dark One [2]. There is also a catechism in the books that states that "The Dark One was bound by The Creator in the moment of creation. " It is unclear just what the Dark One is or how powerful he is in relation to The Creator. It is definitely implied in the books that the Dark One has the capability to unmake or reorder all that is, was or ever will be, which leads one to the conclusion that in some way the Dark One is a match for The Creator. However, the fact of the Dark One's imprisonment at the moment of creation and his apparent lack of a role in that creation would contradict that. It's possible that the Dark One is just what he is often called or intimated to be: not so much a force of evil as a force of death and destruction, opposed to existence and the pattern itself. It is possible that in creating the good things of the world, the Creator also gave birth to evil, and to protect his creation, sealed off the essence of evil away from the pattern. It is hinted at by Lanfear, one of the Forsaken, that the Creator is actually stronger than the Dark One:
"'we can destroy the other Forsaken. In the fictional world of Robert Jordan 's Wheel of Time fantasy series the Forsaken (or Chosen, as they would prefer to be called are thirteen . . . we could challenge even. . . the Great Lord himself. Even the Creator!'"
The order in which Lanfear names those entities she wishes to destroy suggests that the Creator is indeed the stronger. Though it would be impossible even for her to know that, she has more knowledge of The Dark One than anybody born in the age portrayed in the series.
Influence
The Dark One is the source of the True Power, which is analogous to the One Power. The True Power is a source of mystical power found in the Wheel of Time books of Robert Jordan. However, one can only draw on the True Power with the Dark One's blessing. Furthermore, it is much more addictive than saidin/saidar, and not even the strongest willpower can fight the desire to use it. The True Power is demonstrated to be centered around death and destruction, for example Moridin uses it accidentally to crush the life out of a servant. Ishamael (ih-SHAH-may-EHL is one of the primary antagonists of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan. The only person currently allowed to draw on the True Power is Moridin. Ishamael (ih-SHAH-may-EHL is one of the primary antagonists of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.
The Dark One has never been actually seen in any of the novels; Padan Fain states in The Fires of Heaven that the Pit of Doom's lake of fire "holds the Great Lord of the Dark in its endless depths. The Fires of Heaven (abbreviated as tFoH or FoH by fans is the fifth book in American author Robert Jordan 's Fantasy series . . "; however, it is extremely unlikely that the Dark One is 'in' the Pit of Doom in a physical sense, as the books repeatedly state that the Bore into his prison is a hole in the Pattern itself, rather than a physical passage in anything, and that he is somewhere else entirely. However, within the area of Shayol Ghul the Dark One has several powers. He can speak, although his 'voice' is massive enough to inflict incredible ecstasy and pain on the listener, often leaving those he speaks to barely coherent, and he can create mindtraps, as in the case of Moghedien. Moghedien (moh-GHEH-dee-ehn is one of the primary antagonists of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.
There are other ways the Dark One can impact the world, as well. Metaphysically, the Bore is a pathway that allows the Dark One to reach out into the physical world; the patch created by Lews Therin Telamon and the Hundred Companions is of a constant size, and since the Dark One is increasingly able to widen the Bore, there is more and more 'space' around the blockage, enabling him to reach out and touch the physical world more and more. Lews Therin Telamon is a Fictional character in Robert Jordan 's The Wheel of Time fantasy series The strain this puts on the patch is connected to the weakening and breakage of the cuendillar seals on his prison. By Lord of Chaos, several seals have broken and the rest are incredibly fragile, reflecting the fact that there is sufficient 'space' around the patch to enable the Dark One to impose a sweltering summer on the world long after the heat should have faded away. Lord of Chaos (abbreviated as LoC by fans is the sixth book of The Wheel of Time Fantasy series written by American author It can be deduced, then, that Tarmon Gai'don and the Dark One's ultimate bid to control the world will only occur when he is able to reach completely around the patch. It should be noted that this concept provides a comparison of the Dark One's power with that of the Forsaken; they too were sealed within the Bore, but were able to escape much quicker, meaning that they were, to follow the metaphor, much 'smaller' than the Dark One. If the Bore was a slowly widening hole in a wall, mice (the Forsaken) would be able to go through it long before a giant (the Dark One) would, reflecting the difference in their powers.
As the Bore widens, the following occur, reflecting the increasing ability of the Dark One to affect the world.
- The Forsaken are able to escape (Aginor and Balthamel, sealed close to the physical world, can escape first)
- "bubbles of evil"; likened by Moiraine to a miasma emanating from the Dark One and twisting reality in the Pattern, especially near ta'veren. Moiraine Damodred (pronounced mwah-RAIN) is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan. Ta'veren is a term used in the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.
- Power to affect weather, as demonstrated from Lord of Chaos onwards, until the use of the Bowl of the Winds in The Path of Daggers. Lord of Chaos (abbreviated as LoC by fans is the sixth book of The Wheel of Time Fantasy series written by American author The Path of Daggers (abbreviated as tPoD by fans is the eighth book of The Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American
- A note must be made here. During The Eye of the World, Moiraine is convinced the seals on Shayol Ghul are weakening desperately, because Ba'alzamon is showing increasing ability to touch the world. She is not aware that this merely means Ishamael is beginning his millennial forty-year period of freedom, and makes her plans around the assumption that the Dark One is about to break free. In fact, the seals still held, and Ishamael was simply masquerading as the Dark One. However, this raises the question of who, exactly, was causing the abnormal winter of that year; at the time of the story, it was well into the spring months, yet winter showed no signs of receding. It is doubtful even Ishamael could control the weather to this degree, suggesting the Dark One was in fact controlling the weather even while the seals were at near-full strength. The Dark One, incidentally, often uses the environment against his enemies: in The Eye of the World, he attempted to cause widespread starvation through endless winter; the same would have occurred had he been able to impose endless summer; and by the time of Knife of Dreams, he is spoiling the food supplies of the Westlands.
- Power to resurrect the dead, as with Aran'gar, Osan'gar, Cyndane, and Moridin.
- Most ominously, power to alter reality; in Knife of Dreams, the plans of buildings change randomly, the dead are commonly seen by those who knew them, and saidar itself seems to be weakening in places. Some characters have voiced the theory that the Pattern itself imprisons the Dark One (which fits with the description with him as ultimately a force of chaos and imbalance), and that this seeming unraveling of the Pattern is the last and greatest omen of his emergence.
- Tarmon Gai'don (future), at which point the Dark One will be able to reach out entirely.
Naming
Speaking the true name of the Dark One is believed to bring misfortune on the speaker. Darkfriends claim not to fear this misfortune, but consider speaking his name to be blasphemy. As a result, there are many alternative names for him:
- Ba'alzamon (meaning 'Heart of the Dark' in the Trolloc language, a name assumed by the quasi-bound Ishamael; humans learned it and assumed that it was the Trolloc name for the Dark One, hence the misunderstanding in the first three novels that Ba'alzamon was the Dark One himself)
- Father of Lies
- Sightblinder (used by the Aiel)
- Soulburner
- Lord of the Grave
- Shepherd of the Night
- Heartsbane
- Soulsbane
- Heartfang (used by the wolves)
- Old Grim
- Father of Storms (used by the Atha'an Miere)
- Grassburner
- Leafblighter (used by the Aiel)
- Caisen Hob ("Old Hob")
- Great Lord of the Dark (used only by Darkfriends, the Forsaken, and Myrddraal)
- Shai'tan (true name)
Location
The Dark One is imprisoned at the time of the books in the same nameless state the Creator placed him in at the moment of creation, but with a "Bore" drilled into that prison. A patch made by Lews Therin Telamon and the Hundred Companions at the end of the War of Power seals the Bore, which was made by Mieren Eronaile. Lanfear (LAN-feer is one of the primary antagonists of the Wheel of Time Fantasy series by Robert Jordan. This led to the taint on the male half of the One Power. Either as a final attack or a reprecusion for sealing the Dark One, since Lews Therin and the Hundred Companions were all male channelers, the male half was tainted. Perhaps if there was a female channeler to link with the Hundred Companions the Seal would have been stronger, and lasted longer, or perhaps even the female half would have been tainted also.
The geographic location in which the Bore and the Dark One are closest to the world is the Pit Of Doom. The Pit Of Doom is an otherworldly place beneath Shayol Ghul, a mountain in the valley of Thakan'dar, beyond the Blight. In the Wheel of Time fantasy novel series Shayol Ghul is a mountain beyond the Great Blight in the north of the known world This article is about the countries cities towns and other important locations in Robert Jordan ’s The Wheel of Time Fantasy fiction series In the books, Shayol Ghul is entirely a real place, but the Pit Of Doom, while it lays beneath Shayol Ghul, is either partially or wholly not in the world. It is the place where the Dark One's power over the Pattern is greatest. It should be noted that Shayol Ghul was a tropical paradise in the Age of Legends; unsurprisingly, the Dark One's power must have led to the creation of the Blight after the Breaking.
References
External links
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