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Gawyn Trakand
Gah-wihn trah-KAND
Nationality:
Andoran
Year of Birth:
979 NE
Gender:
Male
Hair Color:
Reddish Gold
Eye Color:
Blue
Other Names:
None
Article Author:
BartonSedai
Page Contents
Basic Information
Actions During the Story (Spoilers)
Character Summaries (Spoilers)
Basic Information
Appearance
He looks very similar to his sister, Elayne. He is a head taller but has the same eye and hair color as well as oval face.
Personality
Gawyn was shaped by the expectations placed on him from a young age. He both admires and is very jealous of his half-brother Galad, and he will differ to Galad in almost anything. He is very protective of Elayne, and he feels that for others he becomes close to as well.
Among his more negative traits, Gawyn is prone to jealousy and indecision. He will look to others to tell him what to do, but sometimes struggles with following if he does not understand or agree with what is being asked of him. He can also be impatient and is fiercely loyal, for better or worse.
Spoilers Below!!!
Actions During the Story
Actions Before the Story
Gawyn was not born until after the conclusion of the Aiel War and so he has no actions prior to the story.
New Spring
Gawyn was not born until after the conclusion of the Aiel War and so he has no actions prior to the story.
Actions Between the Books
Gawyn was the son of Morgase Trakand and Taringail Damodred. This made him half-brother to Galad on his father's side and full brother to Elayne.
At a very young age, Gareth Bryne took Gawyn to stand over Elayne's crib and swear an oath to protect her. As First Prince of the Sword, it was his job to protect the Daughter Heir of Andor and to eventually become her general after she became queen. Gawyn was just a child at the time, but he still understood the oath and took it seriously.
Eye of the World
When Logain was brought to Caemlyn to be presented to Morgase, Gawyn and Elayne climbed a tree to watch the parade. They meet Rand al'Thor when Elayne startles him and makes him fall into their garden. During this interaction, Gawyn vouches for Rand, suggests Elayne should marry someone from the Two Rivers, and comments on Rand looking similar to an Aielman.
Shortly after their encounter with Rand, Gawyn traveled with his siblings to Tar Valon, leaving with the Aes Sedai escorting Logain. In Tar Valon, Gawyn would train with the warders as is tradition for the First Prince.
The Great Hunt
Gawyn re-entered the story shortly after Egwene arrived in the White Tower. Elayne introduced Egwene to Galad and Gawyn. Initially, he was more interested in Egwene for her connection to Rand than anything else. At least part of this disinterest was due to Galad's clear interest in Egwene. He also met Min sometime before his encounter with Egwene.
While Elayne - as well as Egwene and Nynaeve - were missing from the Tower, Morgase came for a visit. She was furious at her daughter being gone and wanted to take Gawyn and Galad back to Andor. The boys barely convinced her to let them stay and continue their training in the Tower.
The Dragon Reborn
When the girls finally returned from Falme, Gawyn and Galad tried interrogating them on where they had been and why they had left. The boys finally fled the room when Nynaeve threatened to tell the Master of Arms that they were in Accepted quarters without permission.
Gawyn and Galad continued training as Warders. After Mat had been Healed, but while he was still weak, he found himself at the Warder practice grounds. He challenged them both to a fight - Mat with a quarterstaff against Galad and Gawyn with swords. The princes initially balked at this, considering it unfair, but the Warder in charge of the training encouraged the bout, offering to cover the bet if Gawyn and Galad would not. Mat ended up beating them, but going two against one almost was a challenge. The Warder then rebuked the boys for their pride, using it as a lesson to all of the would-be-Warders.
The Shadow Rising
Gawyn reunited with Min when she returned to the Tower under the guise of "Elmindreda." He was confused by the change in attire and attitude and teased her about it, but he kept her secret for her. He spent time with her while she was there, asking about his sister and Egwene often.
When Elaida started the coup against Siuan Sanche in the Tower, Gawyn sided with Elaida. He rallied many of the other boys training to be Warders to support him and Elaida. During the fighting, he prevented Warders from helping Siuan escape. This lead to him killing Hammar and Coulin, two of his mentors.
When Min helped Siuan and Leane to escape, they crossed paths with Gawyn. Gawyn was clearly conflicted, but chose to help them leave Tar Valon.
Fires of Heaven
Gawyn and the "Younglings" - the name given to the half-trained would-be-Warders that aided him in the coup - skirmished with Warders near Tar Valon.
Lord of Chaos
Gawyn and his Younglings are sent by Elaida to guard the Aes Sedai from the Tower attempting to liaise with Rand. During this trip, he heard about the battling that had occured in Caemlyn, including a rumor that Rand had killed Morgase and Elayne. He believed this, and began to loathe Rand. He was guarding the Aes Sedai while they met with the Shaido, but was kept in the dark about what the Aes Sedai plans were.
It became clear that Gawyn loved Egwene deeply after she was sucked into and trapped in one of his dreams. This kind of magnetism toward another's dreams is an indication of intense feelings, positive or negative. That love was confirmed when the two reunited in Cairhien. They confessed their love to one another. During their first conversation, Gawyn explained that he hid his affections for her because Galad was interested, but he has since realized that was futile. He also explained what he'd heard of Morgase and how much he hates Rand. Egwene made him promise not to harm Rand and to keep her presence secret from the Tower Aes Sedai. He agreed, and the two met several times for canoodling while they were both in the city. Also while Gawyn was in the city, Rand invited him to the Sun Palace, which Gawyn ignored.
Gawyn left Cairhien with the Aes Sedai. At the time, he didn’t know that they'd kidnapped Rand and Min, but a few days later he found out. His hatred of Rand overcame his disgust of how the Aes Sedai were treating him. While he came to terms with Rand being the Aes Sedai prisoner, he thought Min shouldn't be and tried to find a way to free her. When the Shaido attacked at Dumai's Wells, Gawyn rallied the Younglings to defend the Aes Sedai. During the chaotic battle, Rand saved Gawyn's life. Gawyn continued to support the Tower Aes Sedai, and vowed to see Rand dead.
A Crown of Swords
Gawyn and the Younglings accompanied the Aes Sedai on their way back to Tar Valon. He thought the Aes Sedai intended for the Younglings to be wiped out during or after the battle.
Path of Daggers
Gawyn is not present in this book.
Winter's Heart
Gawyn is not present in this book.
Gawyn and the Aes Sedai made it to the town of Dorlan. He was regretting not having left for Caemlyn and worried about Elayne.
Crossroads of Twilight
Gawyn is not present in this book.
Knife of Dreams
Gawyn and the Younglings were camped near Tar Valon but not allowed into the city. They had been successfully raiding the rebel army using Gawyn's knowledge of Bryne's strategies. He had begun to doubt his loyalties more and more.
Gawyn sparred with the Warders in the group, Sleete and Marlesh. He had earned the title of blademaster for killing Hammar, though he felt it didn't fit. Sleete told Gawyn that his Aes Sedai, Hattori, would bond him if he wanted, but Gawyn turned down the offer.
Shortly after, Gawyn learned that Egwene was being held and tortured by Elaida. This pushed him to finally leave the Tower Aes Sedai. He fought his way to see Gareth Bryne in the rebel camp when the men there didn't recognise him. Lelaine refused to be swayed into helping Gawyn rescue Egwene, believing the Amyrlin to be safe.
Siuan eventually agreed to go with Gawyn to rescue Egwene, and she then convinced Bryne to go as well. They tooks a few soldiers with them into the city, at the same time the Seanchan were attacking the Tower. They found her exhausted after fighting the Seanchan and carried her back to the rebel camp. Egwene was angry at Gawyn for this, but Gawyn refused to leave her side as she prepared for attacking the Tower.
The Gathering Storm
Gawyn had been guarding Ewene's door every night since she was raised to Amyrlin. Sisters were being killed in the Tower, and Gawyn helped with the investigation in order to feel he was doing something helpful. Despite Egwene's orders to stay away, Gawyn continued to guard her. He stopped an assassination attempt, finding a strange knife. Egwene was angry with his interference and inability to follow orders, and the two argued. This led to Gawyn storming off to Andor.
Back in Caemlyn, Gawn spent time speaking with Elayne, who helps him see how jealously and selfishly he had been acting. He also spoke with a former sul'dam who explained what the Bloodknife was. Egwene was angry to find Gawyn and had Silvianna send a letter demanding his return. He instead sent a reply to inform Egwene about the Seanchan assassins, which she never received.
Gawyn eventually decided to return to the Tower. He arrived just in time to find three Bloodknives in Egwene's chamber. In a last ditch effort to even the odds, he removed the light from the room. He managed to kill the assassins but took a mortal wound in the process. Egwene woke to find him nearly dead, and she Healed him before finally bonding him as her Warder. He kept the rings from the Bloodknives.
When Egwene and the forces of Tar Valon moved to the Fields of Merrilor, Gawyn went with them. He then discovered his mother still alive.
Towers of Midnight
While in Merrilor, Gawyn insisted that Egwene sleep in the Tower so she would be safe from the assassin's that would think her in her tent. He was with her at the meeting of the Dragon's Peace to keep guard. In the lead up to the Last Battle, Egwene and Gawyn got married in a ceremony performed by Silvianna, and he managed to improve his opinion of Rand.
Gawyn became frrustrated during the fighting that he was not actively participating. He understood the importance of guarding Egwene but still felt restless. He was present for Egwene's final meeting with Rand, after which Rand told Gawyn of his relation to Galad.
When the Sharans arrived, the command tent was destroyed. Egwene hid under a cart until Gawyn found her. He kept her hidden under his warder cloak until they had a chance to escape. They had one close call when a Sharan detected a channeler, but it was Leane, not Egwene. The Sharan gave Leane a message that Demandred was waiting for the Dragon Reborn.
Gawyn left Egwene hiding and scouted a little ahead. He put on one of the Bloodknife rings and found it gave him greater speed. He felt Egwene's panic but did not return to her in time to rescue her from Sharans. Instead, Leilwin Shipless saved Egwene. Gawyn had, however, killed half a dozen Sharans by himself. The group then managed to finally sneak away from the Sharans and skim back to the White Tower.
Later, Gawyn grew too impatient and left to face Demandred. He wore all three of the Bloodknife rings for the fight. He managed to hold his own for a short time against Demandred, with the help of the rings and the Warder bond. Demandred is forced to use the Power, and with this mortally wounded Gawyn. Galad reunited with him, and Gawyn told him that Rand is his half brother. Gawyn died before they could reach an Aes Sedai for Healing.
A Memory of Light
Character Summaries
Special Abilities
Gawyn is a talented swordsman, earning the title of Blademaster. Gawyn becomes a Warder during the course of the series, gaining the benefits of the Warder Bond.
Notable Possessions
Gawyn obtains three Bloodknife rings from Seanchan assassins. These give the wearer enhanced physical abilities and allows them to hide in shadows, but it also shortens the user’s lifespan.
Legacy
In world, the biggest impact Gawyn had was on Egwene. She was emotionally compromised after his death, and the Warder bond increased her grief. She died in a last ditch effort to stop Taim, sealing the cracks formed in the Pattern by balefire but drawing too much of the Power in the process. Some members of the Wheel of Time fan community feel that Egwene’s death was caused by her emotional state and therefore, directly or indirectly, Gawyn’s fault.
It can be assumed that Galad and Morgase also mourned Gawyn, but the book never dwells on this. It is possible that Gawyn will be remembered as a hero in the tales that are told of the time leading to the Last Battle, but it is just as likely he will be just a footnote.
Among fans, Gawyn is one of the most hated characters. He is almost universally considered very dumb and selfish.
In Other Media
Gawyn has not yet been cast.
