Comments on: Cage Match: Rand al’Thor–Champion!

By: daphilip

daphilip — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:55:05 +0000

Wow, you guys totally doesn’t get Rand’s character. It is true that characters that are too powerful are generally bad characters, but this was never the case with Rand for several reasons.

1. The whole mythology of WOT is based on balance. As strong as Rand is (the light sides champion), there’s always someone going to be an equaly strong champion for the dark side (Moridin).

2. Rand’s true problems aren’t (this far) about fighting the dark sides champions. It’s about the decisions he makes and the ever running question of his sanity. It’s about whether he is using his power for good or really just doing the dark ones bidding without even knowing it. It’s about whether gaining power is worth it if it comes to the cost of his humanity. It is also the fact that if he do mess up or are about to make a mistake, there’s absolutely no one who’s got the power to stop him.

Add to the fact that everybody is secretely either working against him or trying to find a way to use him for their own purpose – plus the fact that everybody in the world (himself included) fears him more than they fear the dark one, and pretty much blames him for every bad thing that ever happens – makes him into one of the greatest character in fantasy/sf.

Yes, he is powerful. But the way Jordan has written it, his strength, though necessary, has this far created more problems for him and the world than actually helped him.

In short: Rand is a character with more power and responsibility than any mortal human should have. And that’s what makes him into such an amazing character.

By: Clanker Cleigh

Clanker Cleigh — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:57:20 +0000

Rand is an awful character. In fact he disgusts me. Any child can make a superhero with unlimited powers. He’s unstoppable in every way, he has three wives who doesn’t mind sharing him cause he’s the fucking epitome of awesome, right? Man, what an original and interesting idea! Must have been hard to come up with a character like that, and even harder to write about.

‘Oh what say you, mr villain? You have a million men? No problem, I’ll just kill you in one second. I’m that awesome.’

Seriously, get a brain.

By: Francis V Bendeguuze

Francis V Bendeguuze — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 09:53:36 +0000

… which is exactly what makes the Mountain the superior character, and, ironically, gives him the moral high ground. I just can’t enjoy reading about characters who just have everything laid out before them like that, what’s the point if the main character can just push the emergency button and blow up 1 million people when he’s breaking a sweat? I guess that is why I stopped reading the Wheel of Time after the 6th book or so, having enjoyed them less and less for each passing book for this reason. No disrespect to Robert Jordan, it just isn’t my thing. Such a shame the Kingslayer didn’t win back then, I’d have loved to see Martin writing a piece on him vs the Mountain.

By: GaretJ

GaretJ — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:42:59 +0000

Rand’s POWER makes anyone else look third rate.

He is the #2 blademaster in the Wheel of Time.

Far far more importantly, he is the strongest/most skilled magic wielder in the Wheel of Time = instant death to characters in other books.

His magic is fast as thought…he can hold anyone with Air and balefire = instant kill.

With his magic he defeated an army of close to 1 million by himself. He nuked that army.

When his magic is amplified with a device (sa’angreal) he can destroy the world in 1 blow/ Death Star style.

By: dpomerico

dpomerico — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:37:09 +0000

Hi Curios,

The reason there wasn’t was because Rand was the 2010 champion, and Quick Ben was the 2011 champion. Also, since we decided not to do a Cage Match in the fall of 2011, there wasn’t a need for Quick Ben to fight someone else–he’s just the 2011 champ. Next year, we’ll crown a new champ. Hopefully, at some point, we’ll have enough “champs” to have a tournament of champions.

By: Curios

Curios — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:33:56 +0000

How come there was not a Rand al’Thor vs Quick Ben Championship match?

By: LovetheCageFights

LovetheCageFights — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:56:40 +0000

He should have fought The Reaper! That would have been the more interesting fight but people “had” to pick the Mountain. Thanks fans for a boring finish!

By: heroine addict

heroine addict — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 18:34:33 +0000

Will there be a place to submit nominations for the 2011 Cage Match?

I have a few luminaries I’d like to see…

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 04:58:31 +0000

IMHO the first round was more successful because it had more variety among the contenders. Some were good, some evil, some silly, some cool, some fantasy, some magical. Having unlikely opponents made it quite fun.

By: Mujtaba

Mujtaba — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:47:18 +0000

….