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1.1.5: What was Sammael up to in Shadar Logoth? Did he really die?

After the fight in SL, Rand assumes that Sammael has died, consumed by Mashadar. Here is the sequence of events:

1. Rand goes to the SL Waygate, where Sammy is waiting for him (off to the side of the square).
2. Mashadar starts creeping into the square.
3. Rand spots Sammy, who has not noticed him, and prepares to balefire him.
4. He's interrupted by a scream from Liah, who has been caught by Mashadar. Both Rand and Sammy are distracted, and turn to look at her.
5. Rand balefires Liah, then loses control and sweeps a beam of BF towards the square. He stops when he sees that the square is now covered with Mashadar, and Sammael is nowhere to be seen.

Rand assumes that Sammael has been buried and consumed by Mashadar: "There had not been time for him to run, no time to weave a gateway, and if he had, Rand would have felt saidin being worked. Sammael was dead, killed by an evil almost as great as himself." [ACOS: 41, A Crown of Swords, 661]

Furthermore, in [TPOD: 12, New Alliances, 263], Cyndane asks Graendal, "Do you know that Sammael is dead?" Graendal replies that she had suspected that to be the case, because Sammael's frequent ("every few days") visits to her had ceased. From this, we know that Sammael has stopped visiting Graendal; this cessation of contact is probably coincident with the fight in SL. Cyndane's comment doesn't tell us as much as one might think. Taken at face value, it means that Cyndane thinks that Sammael is dead, and possibly that Cyndane's master, Moridin (who lent Rand a hand in SL), thinks that Sammael is dead. Given that Moridin seems to be the head honcho of all things Shadowy, one might suppose that if Moridin thinks Sam is dead, then he must be. After all, Moridin had been keeping pretty close tabs on Sammael.

However, can we really take Cyndane's question at face value? She may have asked simply to make Graendal think Sam is dead, or Moridin may want Cyndane and Graendal to believe he is dead. Since Graendal was Sam's ally (to some extent), Moridin may have believed that news of Sam's death would make her more likely to fall under his command. Another alternative is that Sammael fooled them all, including Moridin.

Now, we know that Sammael could have escaped without detection by using the True Power. This would have required the DO's permission, and that implies that if Sam is alive, the DO must know. Since Moridin is the DO's "golden boy," Moridin would probably know of Sam's continued existence.

Sammael supposedly died from Mashadar. We have seen two other cases of Mashadar catching people: Liah in ACOS, and some Trollocs and a Fade in [TEOTW: 20, Dust on the Wind, 251]. From both accounts, being caught in Mashadar is an extremely painful way to die. Liah screams like crazy from just a tendril touching her leg. The shadowspawn in TEOTW also try to scream, but their mouths are blocked by Mashadar, so no sound comes out. It is reasonable to suppose that if Sammael had indeed been caught by Mashadar, he would have screamed. Rand heard no scream. However, this doesn't absolutely prove that Sam escaped, because he could have had his mouth blocked, like the Trollocs.

So if didn't die, what really happened?

Why Sammael's Death in Shadar Logoth was a Ruse

There exists the strong possibility that Sammael led Rand to Shadar Logoth as the culmination of a plot, not to kill Rand, but to convince Rand that he had killed Sammael. This section will discuss Sammael's motive, Sammael's means, the evidence which supports the idea, and a few notes.

Sammael's Motive

In TFOH, however, a plan existed to draw Rand into the middle of a four-person link of Forsaken, Rahvin certainly seemed to want to kill Rand when he was surprised in Caemlyn, and Lanfear went absolutely insane and tried to kill him at the docks in Cairhien.

After TFOH, the explicit order came down from the Dark One through Demandred that Rand al'Thor should not be killed. Also, Sammael was left as the only visible member of the quartet which tried to kill Rand. Rahvin was dead, Lanfear dead to all appearances, and Rand never knew of Graendal. Sam had been the lure before, and was even more a lure now. Further, Rand knew where Sammael was based-- in Illian.

It seems that the Dark One's prohibition against killing Rand included even killings in self-defense. Graendal seems to think so [ACOS: 20, Patterns Within Patterns, 357]. Sammael is then left with only two choices if he wishes to avoid the wrath of a disobeyed Dark One. He can either convince Rand not to attack him until such time as the Dark One changes his mind, or he can convince Rand that he is dead, so Rand won't follow him and look for him.

Sammael's Means

Aside from another Forsaken, the only forces Rand is likely to believe could kill Sammael are Mashadar, Machin Shin, and Rand himself. Machin Shin is dubious, because even in his untrained state in TGH, Rand was able to force the thing back into the Ways. This leaves Mashadar, so Sammael heads to Shadar Logoth, possibly as early as LOC, and inspects and prepares for his hoax. Since Moiraine is capable of constructing weaves and wards which prevent Mashadar from harming her, it is a certainty that Sammael can do the same. Sammael can operate in Shadar Logoth with little danger to himself.

Note that when Sammael went to Shadar Logoth, he positioned himself directly at the Waygate in Shadar Logoth, and note that in LOC Rand had the opportunity to close that gate permanently, but didn't. When Rand saw Sammael, he also could not tell if the gate was open or closed; he was too far away. This is one way Sammael possessed to remove himself from the theater, after Rand might think him dead-- run through an open Waygate.

Other ways include Sammael simply putting an invisibility cloak over himself, Sammael's image near the Waygate being nothing but an illusion, Sammael having created a pre-existing Gateway out of sight with inverted weaves, Sammael creating a Gateway with the True Power which Rand could not detect, and Sammael ducking around a corner.

Regardless, there are a number of ways Sammael could have left the arena without Rand knowing about it.

Evidence for the theory

Win or lose, Illian ceased to become important to Sammael from a military standpoint as soon as Rand attacked him personally. If Rand won such a confrontation, Sammael would be dead. If Sammael won such a confrontation, Rand would be dead but the Dark One would be very angry with Sammael.

It should be clear that Sammael could have put up a serious fight against Rand in Illian, had he wanted. He should have been aware of Rand's transporting six thousand Aiel from Cairhien to Caemlyn in one night. He should have been aware of the dramatic, Gateway-ridden rescue mounted by the Asha'man, and thus aware that Rand can Gate.

It is mentioned in several places that Sammael is an extremely competent military leader, and in one place that no one knew how to ward a box (i.e., protect a military strongpoint) like Sammael. Surely, he could have made plans for a Gateway assault. Something simple but murderous, like the razor-ribbons Asmodean used in TSR, but showing up automatically in front of Gateways.

That he did not indicates that Illian was not as important to Sammael as Rand thought. Surely, he had another plan.

Second, after Sammael is finished chewing out Carridin in [ACOS: 15, Insects, 289] he opens a Gateway into a location filled with grey columns and thick mist. This doesn't sound much like Illian, but it does sound something like Shadar Logoth.

Third, when Rand does manage to attack Sammael's fortifications (such as they were) and wards in Illian, even the wards don't give anyone much trouble. They are showy, flashy, and expansive, but not one of them even challenges Rand or his accompanying Asha'man. They don't seem to be serious attempts to hurt anyone or anything, but rather wards for the sake of show.

Fourth, there is an immense time lag between the time Rand mounts his assault and Sammael's ultimate response. Several hours, it would seem, enough time for the sun to set. It is worth noting, that in waiting for sunset in Illian, Sammael would also be waiting for about dusk in Shadar Logoth, which is about the time Mashadar would come out to play. Coincidence?

Notes

It is still possible, though it seems unlikely, that Sammael used Compulsion on her to make her appear and distract Rand. It is not impossible, though there is no direct evidence, that Sammael knew (perhaps by testing her reactions on other surveys of the location) that Liah would investigate any disturbance in the city.

Sammael was acting as a loose cannon and got slapped down for it

I think that RJ likes symmetry. Male half of the TS counterbalanced with the female half... good balanced with evil... the Asha'man and the Aes Sedai... etc. Moghedien fucked up in that she got captured and was forced to aid the DO's enemies. She was treated very rudely by Moridin. Asmodean fucked up because he too got captured and used by the DO's enemies. Similar crimes... counterbalanced.

Lanfear, on the other hand, openly acted against the DO's wishes. This seems to me to be far worse than the crimes of Moggy or Asmo. And since we have a woman betraying her commitment to the DO I believe that RJ will have/has had a male doing something similar-- working against the explicit orders of the DO.

Look at the "evidence" that Sammy has been acting in this way. First, he doesn't go to Dem's meetings. Dem, we know, is following the explicit orders of the DO. Sammy's actions regarding Dem lead me to believe that he doesn't want to provide Dem.. .and consequently, the DO... with any clues to his agenda. Openly he appears to be following exactly what the DO has ordered. But secretly, his personal agenda includes killing or capturing Rand and making it look like he did not do it.

Further evidence concerns the fact that Moridin and SH have been watching Sam covertly. I think that he is being watched because the DO isn't completely convinced that one of his guys isn't going to do something that he doesn't want done.

I believe that Moridin was watching Sam at the time that Sam sprung his trap on Rand. Sam's plan was to maneuver Rand to a place that was not monitored by the DO's minions, aid in letting Mashadar croak/capture him, and then go back to Illian and reclaim his city sanctuary. It would be a perfect crime on Sam's part and would eliminate one of the strongest obstacles to his being made Nae'blis. Moridin, a complete unknown to Sam, saw Sam's actions regarding his plan and went to SL to intercede/intervene to insure that the DO's plans were not compromised by Sam. Reread his conversation with Rand and you will get the impression that he didn't give a rat's ass if Sam died... just that he wasn't willing to kill Sam for Rand.

With the wildcard, Moridin, there...Sam's plan went a little off. And at the end, Moridin took/captured Sam and departed by a TP gate-- hence Rand could not sense it. If I'm right, Sam is now in Moridin's clutches.

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