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Since I can't play FF I'm gonna talk about Tallanvor from #WoT.
Dude is a primary example of Wot's massive and intricately built world. He's like a fourth degree supporting character. he's so extremely minor, and if he was in any other series he'd barely get anything.
Dude is a primary example of Wot's massive and intricately built world. He's like a fourth degree supporting character. he's so extremely minor, and if he was in any other series he'd barely get anything.
Yet in The Wheel of Time Tallanvor has an arc throughout the entire series, even if it's not an important one. Tallanvor is first introduced in book one as a rando who escorts Rand through a hallway. He's named, but he essentially only has one scene in an 800 page book.
He was so minor you forget about him easily. But then when Mat returns too Camelyn in Book 3 we get to see Tallanvor again.
This is the moment tells you "I will never forget anything or anyone in this series. Everyone will return in Avengers: Infinity War.
Anyway,
This is the moment tells you "I will never forget anything or anyone in this series. Everyone will return in Avengers: Infinity War.
Anyway,
Tallanvor gets a lot more character development when Mat meets him. We learn he is a guardsman devoted to his Queen. We learn he is worried Gaebril has a negative influence on her, and that he may even have feelings for Queen Morgase who happens to be Elayne's mother.
Tallanvor's arc revolves around Morgase, who is a more major character than he is. You could go as far to say that Tallanvor is a Morgase character. Anyway, that's the last we see of him for a while.
We get to see our boy in action for the first time in Book 5.
We get to see our boy in action for the first time in Book 5.
He helps Morgase escape Gaebril's clutches and flee Caemlyn.
This starts Morgase's arc through the rest of the series, and Tallanvor, a rando from book one, is now a named character that the reader knows and remembers.
Tallanvor gets a promotion as a character.
This starts Morgase's arc through the rest of the series, and Tallanvor, a rando from book one, is now a named character that the reader knows and remembers.
Tallanvor gets a promotion as a character.
Tallanvor and Morgase become much closer. they both develop feelings for each other though propriety stands in the way and they refuse to acknowledge these feelings.
Morgase has always struggled with men in her life. Never truly getting to experience love.
Morgase has always struggled with men in her life. Never truly getting to experience love.
She has never truly loved any man she has ever been with, and now she has found one she actually loves yet refuses to acknowledge this. though my boy Tallanvor hangs in there staying by her side.
Now this goes on up until around book 8.
Now this goes on up until around book 8.
Up until book 8 Tallanvor's arc, while getting some focus, hasn't really been connected to the main character's in any way. Aside from meeting Mat and Rand.
This is where our third boy comes in. Mr. Wolfboy himself, Perrin "Goldeneyes" Aybara.
This is where our third boy comes in. Mr. Wolfboy himself, Perrin "Goldeneyes" Aybara.
Perrin comes across Tallanvor and co. as they roaming the countryside in Ghealdan. Perrin takes them in and gives them rolls as servants in Perrin's band. Morgase wants to keep her identity a secret and so they all just help out with Perrin and Faile.
Another promotion for T
Another promotion for T
At the end of Book 8 Spoilers: Morgase and Faile get kidnapped.
Obviously Perrin and tallanvor are distraught. They spend the next few books in this series' longest arc trying to get the loves of their lives back, while Morgase and Faile work on escaping.
Obviously Perrin and tallanvor are distraught. They spend the next few books in this series' longest arc trying to get the loves of their lives back, while Morgase and Faile work on escaping.
Tallanvor works with Perrin and they come to respoect each other. Then Tallanvor triggers a massive event. He gets an army of thousands of Seanchan to join with Perrin's band in order to take down the Shaido.
Tallanvor brings Tylee Khirgin into the plot, and this uneasy alliance ends up having major ramifications. On top of it all tallanvor helps spearhead a rescue op to get the girls out safely (not that they really need it but still).
This arc comes to a close but T ain't done yet.
This arc comes to a close but T ain't done yet.
Tallanvor helps close out Morgase's arc. They finally, after some distress and heartache, give into their feelings in Book 13. This is an arc that has spanned 10 books.
Perrin marries them, and Morgase finally is able to pursue her own happiness over that of her nation's.
Perrin marries them, and Morgase finally is able to pursue her own happiness over that of her nation's.
Tallanvor isn't my favorite character or anything. I don't even necessarily love him, but he is an extremely minor character that is able to contribute to a massive plot in minor but meaningful ways.
He snowballs from a random guard to a classic character.
He snowballs from a random guard to a classic character.
Tallanvor is the perfect example of the quality of The Wheel of Time's world building. A small piece of the pattern is still important. Like the dangers of Balefire, removing one thread can have major ramification.
Wot isn't just made of big threads, but many small ones as well. And it's those small threads that make the world feel so alive.
There are many characters just like Tallanvor.
There are many characters just like Tallanvor.
