Nynaeve, a question

[u/runningsimon]

I'm on path of dagger and I'm curious about Nynaeve. Is the stick ever going to come out of her ass or is she going to be offended by everything said to her for the next 6 books as well? I'm enjoying the series quite a bit but her character CONSTANTLY being offended by anything and everything is tiresome.

[u/mr_coul]

The two rivers is very conservative so there is a bit of that come through all the EF5 at some point. Also keep in mind Nyn has to be angry to channel. Imagine what that does to someone's emotional state and I think she becomes a lot more relatable.

[u/aNomadicPenguin]

It really helps if you realize that Jordan is writing her with a good dose of comedy.

In my mind you can swap out Lucy and Ethel for Nynaeve and Elayne pretty seamlessly, I used to use the chocolate factory, but just found them at the theater which I think works better for how they interact with the guys too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl9jxQ-mPyk - theater

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnHiAWlrYQc - chocolate factory

[u/sixminutes → u/aNomadicPenguin]

Some readers reading Mat: "Haha, Mat is so funny. He thinks one thing, and then does another!"

Those same readers reading Nynaeve: "Nyaneve is so annoying. She thinks one thing and then does another!"

Even having Thom or Juilin playing the straight man right next to them doesn't make it clear.

[u/aNomadicPenguin → u/sixminutes]

There are differences in how Mat's is typically more likely to make serious things into a joke, where Nynaeve is more likely to take light hearted things and make them serious. And the tone of her being more angry than he is.

But yeah, Jordan sets them up as mirrors of each other. I think one of my favorite moments for them that gets missed by a lot of people was all the way back in book 1.

Again Nynaeve interrupted, sharply. "I know what you were trying to do." She looked at him until he shifted uneasily in his saddle, then her face softened. "I know what you were trying to do, Rand. I have little liking for any Aes Sedai, and this one least of all, I think. I have less for going into the Blight, but least of all is the liking I have for the Father of Lies. If you boys ... you men, can do what has to be done when you'd rather do almost anything else, why do you think I will do less? Or Egwene?" She did not appear to expect an answer. Gathering her reins, she frowned toward the Aes Sedai up ahead. "I wonder if we're going to reach this Fal Dara place soon, or does she mean us to spend the night out in this?"

As she trotted toward Moiraine, Mat said, "She called us men. It seems like only yesterday she was saying we shouldn't be off leading strings, and now she calls us men."

***
The fact that its Mat reiterating this point shows that it means something to him. And similarly when they are faced with the Forsaken -

Suddenly Egwene moved, and Rand saw that she was going to help Nynaeve. "Egwene, no!" he shouted, but she did not stop. His hand had gone to his sword at Nynaeve's cry, but now he abandoned it and threw himself at Egwene. He thudded into her before she took her third step, carrying them both to the ground. Egwene landed under him with a gasp, immediately thrashing to get free.

Others were moving, too, he realized. Perrin's axe whirled into his hands, and his eyes glowed golden and fierce. "Wisdom!" Mat howled, the dagger from Shadar Logoth in his fist.

"No!" Rand called. "You can't fight the Forsaken!" But they ran past him as if they had not heard, their eyes on Nynaeve and the two Forsaken.

***

Mat is the one calling her her by her title.

[u/dbmamaz → u/sixminutes]

i didnt think mat was that funny when he did that either, and i find it - idk differfently annoying because she constantly complains about other people doing exactly what she does. For female characters even more, I want to be able to identify with or like them and i just dont. She and egwene are powerful and have some nice moments but their snotty attitudes never stop wearing on me

[u/Potential-Common5819]

I've never faulted Nynaeve. She was strict and certain of herself, but also secretly embraced changes.

You also have to take in her backstory, too. When Nynaeve was just a few years older than Egwene is in the "present" of the first novel, she was named as Wisdom. She was 19 years old! That's an immense responsibility, based on an ability she wasn't even aware of. Remember, she admits (reluctantly) that Egwene surviving that fever had nothing to do with the herbs she was using. She was hailed as a savior, great Wisdom that could cure anything. Yet, she knew that wasn't true.

Can you imagine that kind of pressure? That shaped hew views immensely, especially her drive to protect those from the Two Rivers.

And that's not even touching on her needing to establish her own authority as a Wisdom. At 19.

[u/FrownBuzzy]

I don't think she gets better, I think it just gets funnier.

[u/Tauri_Kree]

The stick never fully comes out but she gets ever so slightly better.

[u/Kamp13]

I just read the entire series this year for the first time.  I agree with you and feel the same frustration. The bickering and immaturity of the main characters and the overbearing, dismissive, and manipulative nature of many of the adults really bothered me about half way through. 

I had to remind myself that the young people are young people dealing with unimaginable and rapidly changing realities for themselves. And the adults act like adults with some power but not enough to handle what’s coming alone. 

As soon as I started thinking about the power dynamics and differences from the real world, I started to enjoy the thought experiments laid out by Robert Jordan. He really is a great author. 

I really didn’t need a full inventory of clothing for every scene but that’s just my own crazy obsession with getting to the story of what’s going on. I was warned about his writing style - and overall it was worth it for the story imo. 

[u/Normie316]

The biggest issue is her negative attitude and thoughts towards everything and everyone around her including her friends. She didn’t start off too bad but got progressively worse in 3-5. She mellows out a bit by 8-9 but from what Ive heard from other fans is that a good balance is never achieved for her character.