#Perival Mantear

[asha-mage]

WoT Musing: The Snot Nosed High Seat Brigade

One of the reasons I very much enjoy the Andoran Succession plot, while most of the fandom rather famously does not, is because I find basically every character in it to be engaging on their own terms, made emblematic by the Snot Nosed High Seat Brigade. Most people view them a collection of side show annoyances that take up plot by their existence, but I am so charmed by all of them, and beyond that, I find their purpose in the narrative both important and well executed: they show Elayne's ability to work with nobles of her own generation even when their frustrating, rather then allowing petty jealously and rivlaires to guide her the way so many other rulers due, not to mention to show much she's matured since she's not that much older then any of them, and wasn't that different not to long ago.

But beyond that their all just such good characters:

Cause you have Extremely Fifteen Lady Catalyn Havein who frustrated her uncle so much that he gave up on being her regent and just turned her loose on the world. She is trying So Hard to be an adult in all the wrong ways, and is an excellent a reflection of Elayne's own fears about coming to power too young, about not being enough of a woman to measure up, not to mention a foil to Elayne's pride, as Catalyn's is motivated by her insecurity, while increasingly Elayne's is motivated by her belief in her own self worth.

Then you have Conail Northan, the Barely A Man, also trying to act like an adult in all the wrong ways, disguising his fears and annexities under blustering and confidence, trying to put on a strong face so as to set a good example for the others, who are not that much younger then him, and not realizing that while he's doing that Perival is the one actually leading and reassuring the Snot Nosed High Seat Brigade. He is living proof that sometimes being a lil dumb and a lot well meaning is enough.

Followed by Branlet Gilyard, who is Literally Just Baby, and yet so aware of and also over his family's shit that he basically runs away to join Team Elayne in order to get them to stop infighting, knowing full well that none of his idiot relatives will ever admit that they weren't consulted ahead of time, and so will commit to Elayne's cause full heartedly. Just wants to go back to playing in his backyard, but his adoptive mother's death makes that impossible, so darn it he is going to try and be a good High Seat.

And finally Perival Mantear, one of those characters whose implied backstory is real buck wild if stop to think about it. Fourteen and already more wise and mature then some of the main cast, keenly aware that his house loss's of the throne nearly destroyed it, and plunged Andor into civil war, working his hardest to prevent that fate from repeating, and to mitigate the damage done by Arymilla and her crowd, despite being only a year older then Branlet. Shows sparks of understanding and insight that surprise even Elayne, and also lacks his obvious desire for his childhood back, or maybe is aware that he was never going to get it, and has already moved on. Also Rand and Galad's cousin, not that's ever really brought up.

Anyways, I would watch whole sitcom about these kids + Elayne's adventures in government post Tamon Gai'don, and also a whole YA novel about Perival discovering he can channel, and becoming part the first generation of Asha'man.

[cannoli-reader]

Not to mention al’Thor, who drew the Sword from the Stone.  Or the fact that Robert Jordan cited “Excalibur” as his favorite fantasy movie, which ends with King Arthur on a boat with three women. 

There’s also the Mantear family, which is Galad’s actual birth House in Andoran terms, with Tigraine (Igraine) and Perival (Percival). And House Traemane is where the name Elayne originated. 

the trakand family all have vaguely arthurian names, morgase (lady morgause), elayne (lady elaine of astolat), galad (sir galahad), and gawyne (sir gawaine)

I wonder if it relates them to the hawkwing family, to artur paendrag

[asha-mage]

You're probably going to get a bunch of these, wheel of time (show and books, if they differ) for the blorbo meme

Heh, the actually do differ in some places, but that has to do with the more expansive cast of the books.

For your enjoyment:

blorbo (favorite character, character I think about the most) RAND. Easy money. Rand is such a great character on so many levels and layers, with so much nuance and struggle, and so much strength, that I feel like the fandom doesn't always appreciate, though in their defense their are a LOT of great characters in the books and show to like.

scrunkly (my “baby”, character that gives me cuteness aggression, character that is So Shaped)

Books: Olver, once again, easy money. I am sucker for orphan-raised-by-single-father tropes, and Olver and Mat’s relationship is so good, and so adorable.

Show: Loial. What an adorable Unit. Talk about Friend Shaped. I hope we get more of him in season 2.

scrimblo bimblo (underrated/underappreciated fave)

Books: I feel like Elayne gets a bad rep in the fandom because of the Succession Plot (which I enjoyed a great deal personally), and dismissed for being whinny or haughty, when Elayne is always doing the most bonkers stuff. She’s what happens when ‘never got used to hearing the word no’, ‘will do anything for what she views as the just cause’ and ‘mad scientist’ get rolled into one character.

Show: I feel like Perrin doesn't get as much love as he deserves, though the last minute rewrites of the final few episodes are a part of that. His rich internal life and complicated relationship with violence are nicely set up, and I can’t wait to have see that conflict fully realized.

glup shitto (obscure fave, character that can appear in the background for 0.2 seconds and I won’t shut up about it for a week)

Books: Perival Mantear. Another character who I feel like gets a bad rap because he tends to get lumped in with the Snot Nosed High Seat Brigade, and the Succession plot over all, but my boy has got BRAINs he’s got DETERMINATION, and I so badly want a YA sereis staring him, Bode, and Talaan having adventure in Steampunk Randland.

Show: The King of Gheledan, who feel in love with Logain stayed loyal even after all hope seemed lost, and and did his damndest to free the man to whom he had sworn loyalty and his kingdom. RIP my dude. (I almost cheated and named Aram here, but my foreknowledge of what is going to happen with him means that I can’t do that in good faith)

poor little meow meow (“problematic”/unpopular/controversial/otherwise pathetic fave): See. I just wanna say Rand again, because it’s true and I love him. But I’ll go with my runner up, and the obvious choice: Matrim Cauthon who has never done anything wrong in his life ever, don’t listen to what his friends say or the Wisdom say.

horse plinko (character I would torment for fun, for whatever reason): AGAIN I want to say Rand, because he’s My Boy, and half of that is watching him get to actually experience the weight and trauma and how awful it is, of bearing the whole world on your shoulders, but that dosen’t seem right. Unforunately their is no one ELSE in the cast who I would like to torment who I haven’t already listed so. Pass?

eeby deeby (character I would send to superhell): Padan Fain

[branfiesta]

Lars is such a good shout and I would have put her. Perival Mantear is also one I dont want them to cut, not sure he counts as minor enough.

Question of the day: which absurdly minor character are you desperately hoping the show wont cut, even though they probably will? I'm not talking C Listers like Leliwin and Doman, I'm talking 'was in like three scenes total' level of minor.

Mine has got to be Lars, Mistress of the Kitchens.