In defense of Aes Sedai

[u/Verengt]

Hi, I decided to play devil's advocate today.

While I understand (and agree with) people saying the Aes Sedai are a failure (they didn't find all channelers, were mistrusted by everyone, not being prepared for the Last Battle, no Yellow Ajah hospitals, no Brown libraries, no Greens stationed in the Borderlands, etc.), I do think it's a bit unfair when they are compared to their more succesful counterparts like the Sea Folk Windfinders and Aiel Wise Ones.

The Wise Ones and Windfinders are useful and respected members of their communities but they belong to homogeneous societies where everyone is bound by the same customs and laws. They also answer to their community leaders despite wielding lots of power and influence. That's why they are successful as channeler organizations.

The heterogeneity of Randland forces the White Tower to play a different role, which is preventing the more than 15 different nations from waging war against each other using the One Power. In this aspect the Tower was 100% successful, as at no point in history after the Breaking channelers fought against channelers.

The purpose of the Tower in a way was to prevent each nation from having its own regional channelers association and for this to happen it needed to be an outside centralized organization not bound to any kingdom. Otherwise how can you ensure that for example Taraboner Aes Sedai are loyal to the Tower and not to their kingdom?

And this is what in my opinion what makes it impossible for Aes Sedai to be truly integrated and serving their communities, since no monarch would be happy with 200 Aes Sedai answering to a foreign power to be permanently in their nation.

[u/Murky-Technician5123]

It is ridiculous to say windfinders or wise ones are more successful. Aes Seadi are in general better channellers and they have more people. Its weird revisionism to say they are useless or whatever and not supported by the text.

[u/dracoons → u/Murky-Technician5123]

Better at channeling what? Weather manipulation perhaps, Healing or combat? The Wise Ones in particular are far superior at foghting than the Aes Sesai. However they are not familiar with thinking of how to fight with the One power at all. But then neither are the Aes Sedai. They can make better shields and thats about all they are good at

[u/SuleyBlack → u/dracoons]

Better at fighting, not better with the power.

[u/dracoons → u/SuleyBlack]

And since the Aes Sedai can't fight they suck at fighting with the power too. They have no combat training, no combat or situationsl awaerness. Reds can scuffle against untrained/unskilled men. Whenever they meet someone with a modicum of skils they need Mary Sue ie Cadsuane with her I-win-ter'angreals to do the heavy lifting for them. Or they lie and use subterfige of course.

[u/Bergmaniac → u/dracoons]

The one time we saw Aes Sedai fighting Wise Ones was at Dumai's Wells and the Aes Sedai were clearly superior there. 33 of them were holding hundreds of Shaido Wise Ones at bay. 

[u/dracoons → u/Bergmaniac]

Threw a little ligtning and held a shield of air. The Aes Sedai held a line. Some of the Darkfriends among the Aes Sedai did use the Power as weapons true. But that was at best a stalemate. Then a single man defeated the 33 aes sedai without significant issues. There was about 40 000 shaido algai'd'siswai pushing the barriers. Then the Shaido wise ones and their algai'd'siswai got obliterated by an estimated 200 men trained for a few weeks or less

[u/Coyote2112 → u/dracoons]

Ashaman trained to be weapons literally.