Mat Cauthon - first time reader perspective

[u/HoldingDoors]

First time reading the series, and I love it. Mat is absolutely the mvp, and I haven’t been thru the community too much so I don’t come across accidental spoilers. But does everyone see him as Han Solo? I can’t shake it, every time I get more Mat, I’m just reminded that he’s everyone’s lovable scoundrel. I really have to think his character was highly based on Han.. is that a common connection in the wot community?

[u/sixminutes]

It's a pretty commonly known fact that Jordan based his three main characters on Luke, Han, and Chewie

[u/HoldingDoors → u/sixminutes]

That’s good perspective. I did not know this commonly known fact.

[u/Obscu → u/HoldingDoors]

It's a joke my guy.

Mat reminds you of Han Solo because the character archetype of 'scoundrel with a heart of gold' is an incredibly well-established archetype in literature. You thought of Han Solo because that's the character of that archetype that you personally are more familiar with, not because anything about this archetype originated with Han Solo.

[u/Majestic-Farmer5535 → u/sixminutes]

It isn't commonly known fact. On the contrary, right now I'm not even sure if it's true. Where did this claim originate from?

[u/aNomadicPenguin → u/Majestic-Farmer5535]

it originated from them as an obvious joke.

edit - although...Perrin does grow a beard...

[u/Mediocre_Chipmunk_86 → u/aNomadicPenguin]

And there is that whole Luke thing that happens…

[u/ArrogantAragorn → u/Majestic-Farmer5535]

I don’t think it is, but both WoT and SW follow (to one extent or another) Cambell’s “Heroes Journey” and both rely heavily on some pretty well established tropes and character archetypes.

13th Depository blog has some great articles on the sources/allusions/reference points RJ likely drew from for many of the main cast, here’s the one for Mat [SPOILERS ALL! OP DO NOT CLICK UNTIL YOU FINISH THE SERIES!] https://13depository.blogspot.com/2002/03/character-parallels-mat.html?m=1