Cyndane
What We Know of Cyndane
her name means "Last Chance"
her mind-trap is being held by Moridin
she’s a born-again Chosen
Clues from the Text
[TPoD: 12, New Alliances, 262-68]
"Moghedien's companion, a short young woman with long silver hair and vivid blue eyes, stared about her coldly... By her demeanor, she might have been a Prime Counselor forced to endure the company of common laborers and intent on ignoring their existence. A foolish girl, to imitate the Spider. Red and black did not suit her coloring, and she should have made better use of such an impressive bosom."
"A pretty name for a more than pretty girl, but what twist of fate had led some mother of this time to give her daughter a name that meant 'Last Chance'? Cyndane's face remained cold and smooth, but her eyes flared. A beautiful doll carved from ice, with hidden fires. It seemed she knew the meaning and did not like it."
"The girl was stronger in the One Power than she herself [Graendal]!"
"'You make a mistake, Graendal.' A chilly smile barely curved Cyndane's full lips; she was enjoying this. 'I lead between us. Moghedien is in a bad odor with Moridin for her recent mistakes.'"
[WH: 13, Wonderful News, 318]
At first he [Demandred] had thought she was Lanfear reincarnated... He had been sure, until Mesaana told him the girl was weaker than Lanfear... Yet she spoke of al’Thor as Lews Therin, just as Lanfear had, and spoke of the Choedan Kal as one familiar with the terror they had inspired during the War of Power.
[WH: 35, With the Choedan Kal, 641-4]
She would have faced the Great Lord--faced the Creator!--with him. She would have shared the power with him, let him rule the world at her side. And he had spurned her love, spurned her!
Then the woman struck back at her, and she suffered her second shock. She was stronger than Cyndane had been before the Aelfinn and the Eelfinn held her!
Updated
I guess I can’t really call this an update, considering that I never listed any theories about Cyndane in the first place. I’ve always suspected that she was Lanfear reborn, I just never sat down to write it. (I can hear everyone’s satirical comments now...) Anyway, after the events and revelations of Winter’s Heart, I’m definitely sure that they are one and the same.
Those last few passages explain away her weakness in the One Power as well. Evidently, her encounter with the Ael/Eelfinn through the doorway ter’angreal left her 1.) dead and 2.) weaker in the Power, similar to the effects of being stilled and “healed.”
But, what of Moiraine???
Updated 01/18/01