Author Topic: MB1 Prologue Epigraph Thingy  (Read 8149 times)

Andrew the Great

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MB1 Prologue Epigraph Thingy
« on: May 03, 2008, 06:34:54 AM »
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Sometimes, I worry that I'm not the hero everyone thinks I am.

The Philosophers assure me that this is the time, that the signs have been met. But still, I wonder if they have the wrong man. So many people depend on me. They say I will hold the future of the entire world on my arms.

What would they think if the knew that their champion - the Hero of Ages, their savior - doubted himself? Perhaps they wouldn't be shocked at all. In a way, this is what worries me most. Maybe, in their hearts, they wonder - just as I do.

When they see me, do they see a liar?

OK. What's the deal with the holding of the future of the world on the arms thing? This has always seemed weird to me. I understand that Alendi has great influence on the future, but why his arms? Why not his back or his shoulders? And not only his arms, but ON his arms. Shouldn't he hold the future IN his arms?

So what's the significance? Am I just crazy and reading way too far into this?

The first thing that I thought of was that they were feruchemial bracelets, and they were super important ones that only Alendi could access. But that doesn't make sense, given his later fascination with feruchemy.

Could there be some type of hemalurgical thing on his arms, so important as to affect the whole world?  What does everyone think about this?

EDIT: Corrected spelling, Changed hemalurgy to feruchemy a few times so as not to confuse all you people....I hate it when I do stupid things like type hemalurgy instead of feruchemy three or four times in a row.
« Last Edit: May 03, 2008, 06:38:38 AM by Andrew the Great »
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Chaos

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Re: MB1 Prologue Epigraph Thingy
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2008, 07:05:45 AM »
For a minute there, I thought this was a joke topic. Seriously.

I think... I think it's just a metaphor... or at least, that's what I always thought until now. "Shoulders" would seem to be the more proper noun to use there.

I think we need help. Major, very expensive psychiatric therapy.
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firstRainbowRose

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Re: MB1 Prologue Epigraph Thingy
« Reply #2 on: May 03, 2008, 07:07:14 AM »
Metal minds.  He hold the history of the world, and all the information about how to save the world in the metal minds he has on his arms... not in.  At least, that's my guess.
"The custom of royalty in referring to oneself is to naturally employ the royal 'we'.  We are very happy, we are very sad, we are bored and suffer from ennui.  For a royal prince there's no such word as 'me', It's always 'we'.  So rightfully I should be two or three, don't you agree?"

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Re: MB1 Prologue Epigraph Thingy
« Reply #3 on: May 03, 2008, 08:40:12 AM »
No. That part was written as Alendi, TLR was Rashek, so it couldn't have meant those, or at least not through the deduction you're using. Maybe he had tatoos or it could be referring to his over-theorized hemalurgical piercings that seem to exist out of the power of Want. We know by now the BS doesn't just throw stuff like that in there with having a deeper evil purpose behind it... (Ever wonder what the 'E' in EUOL is? EVIL! Muahahaha!) ... I'm going to bed now.
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Andrew the Great

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Re: MB1 Prologue Epigraph Thingy
« Reply #4 on: May 03, 2008, 02:21:50 PM »
I think we need help. Major, very expensive psychiatric therapy.

Agreed totally.

This was a new find for me. MB1 Annotations, prologue part 1

Quote
Somewhere in the italicized pre-chapter blurb of the prologue here is the clue one needs to figure out the over-arching mystery of the entire series. If you figure it out, good for you! If you don't, you'll have to wait until the last chapter of the final book to get it explained. . . .

So what I found may or may not have any relation to this, but what does everyone think is the important phrase? And, yes chaos, I don't really know what inspired this topic. It all made sense yesterday....
« Last Edit: May 04, 2008, 02:50:31 AM by Andrew the Great »
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Re: MB1 Prologue Epigraph Thingy
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2008, 03:16:44 PM »
Strange but I thought it a joke as well for a little, very little while. I love words. But I can see something here. So might I suggest this :

On his shoulder - would have indicated that he would end up with the whole responsiblities of the World. Shoulder could relate to a passive action - you are simply responsible and that's it.

In his hands - would mean that he had to do something. After all, it's the hands that are doing things. So he would have to do something for the future of the world.

In his arms - would mean that he would have to take care of the future of the world, actively. To have something in our arms, you are holding it. It is active.

On his arms - would also indicate a passive thing - you do not have to do anything. But... could it mean that the bracelets were to be a kind of a gift to the hero ? So it did not matter if he was Alendi or Rashek. The hero would end up having the bracelets which would carry him into the future from generation to generation.  I remember that Alendi was not a feruchemist, so even with something being able to have feruchemist powers would not be of any use to him. Unless there would be a way to make someone be a Feruchemist... pretty much like allomancy... I believe though the bracelet to be more in the order of hemalurgy. The Hero being revealed could become hemalurgist, whatever he was before.

Would that make sense ?

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Re: MB1 Prologue Epigraph Thingy
« Reply #6 on: May 04, 2008, 01:00:46 AM »
Maybe it has something to do with the "piercings of heroes" (I believe they are called).

Then again, they also say "will hold" which implies something in the future.

darxbane

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Re: MB1 Prologue Epigraph Thingy
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2008, 02:45:51 PM »
I also think this is metaphorical.  I think it is Alendi's doubt that is more significant.  However, I question myself a little because the rest of that epigraph explains what we already know.  There doesn't seem to be anything in there that isn't already explained.  We know Alendi was a pawn, we know the prophecies were manipulated, and we know what the purpose for it was.  We also know that the same thing happened to Vin, although she wasn't prevented from reaching the well.  Maybe the piercings would allow him to store the energy from the well?  He would not use it or give it away, but trap it for as long as he lived?  Nothing beats wild speculation, let me tell you.
I wanted to write something profound here, but I couldn't think of anything.

SarahG

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Re: MB1 Prologue Epigraph Thingy
« Reply #8 on: May 05, 2008, 04:48:13 PM »
Fascinating find, Andrew.  When I was re-reading the annotations last week, I saw that same comment and wondered what the clue was.  I was thinking along the lines of everyone actually doubting Alendi, but what you found has far more potential.

I'm thinking the word "future" is significant.  We know that metalminds can store history, what if they can also store reverse memories, "memories" of things to come?  There might be a way to use enhanced atium to see the entire world's future, then keep those visions for later reference.  (Incidentally, this might explain how TLR was able to lay an ambush for Kelsier with the prisoner carts in MB1, when Kelsier thought he was the ambusher.)

However, all this is weakened if not demolished by Avalon's point that the epigraph was Alendi, not Rashek.  So unless Alendi and Rashek shared some power (hemalurgy?), observations about TLR are pretty irrelevant in interpreting Alendi.
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darxbane

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Re: MB1 Prologue Epigraph Thingy
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2008, 10:43:08 PM »
Unless Rashek read Alendi's journal and decided he would act out the beliefs the Worldbringers had about Alendi.  Rashek could have easily convinced himself that he was the real Hero of Ages, and used Alendi's journal to learn some of what that role entailed.  It a good reason to keep the journal.  EUOL says the jounal's location the only religious style room (an alter and such) that is shown in the book.  There was some type of reverence there, or at least it seemed that way.
I wanted to write something profound here, but I couldn't think of anything.

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Re: MB1 Prologue Epigraph Thingy
« Reply #10 on: May 06, 2008, 05:03:52 PM »
I agree there was a feel of reverence about it, but maybe the room was just a reminder of the good old days? He'd keep people out so that someone wouldn't make the connection that he was in fact a Terrisman and he could keep the journal safe there
My friends held an intervention, to stop my ridiculous plans to take over the world (Jake ended up in the hospital). I convinced them to let me take over other worlds though.

*Evil grin*

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Re: MB1 Prologue Epigraph Thingy
« Reply #11 on: May 07, 2008, 04:10:46 PM »
Well that's no fun :)  Besides, it wasnt' all that secure, especially compared to his special room where he regenerated.  By the time Vin comes along, it doesn't appear that the journal is that important anymore.  If TLR card for it, he would have tried to find out who stole it.
I wanted to write something profound here, but I couldn't think of anything.

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Re: MB1 Prologue Epigraph Thingy
« Reply #12 on: May 07, 2008, 05:21:44 PM »
At that point, he was probably more involved searching for the rogue mistborn who dared steal from him and tempt his almighty wrath, then he was about finding the journal itself. Maybe he was keeping it as a reference, though? HoA Handbook, as written as boringly as possible by Alendi.
My friends held an intervention, to stop my ridiculous plans to take over the world (Jake ended up in the hospital). I convinced them to let me take over other worlds though.

*Evil grin*

RIP: James Oliver Rigney, Jr.

Andrew the Great

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Re: MB1 Prologue Epigraph Thingy
« Reply #13 on: May 08, 2008, 12:21:19 AM »
Good points, guys, but could we include our thoughts on the epigraph as well? We seem to be getting a little sidetracked here....
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AvalonDreamer

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Re: MB1 Prologue Epigraph Thingy
« Reply #14 on: May 08, 2008, 07:00:49 PM »
Well, we may be getting a bit off track here, but it's a few valid points nonetheless; and remember, TWG is synonymous with ADD, so don't get too upset at us for running after each new shiny train of thought.
My friends held an intervention, to stop my ridiculous plans to take over the world (Jake ended up in the hospital). I convinced them to let me take over other worlds though.

*Evil grin*

RIP: James Oliver Rigney, Jr.