Verin Mathwin: A Wheel of Time Character Examination

[@Joshuad369]

“Hmm, yes,” Verin said, taking a calm sip of her tea. “I suspect that you do. By the way, that dress you are wearing is green.” - More than any other moment in the books, when I read that line I could feel the shock and awe run through my body. And then cried tears of joy at her final moment of victory against servants of the Shadow.

[@0Arman0]

yo sameeee

[@thepocketboy]

Verin is my absolute favorite character. Admittedly, only after finishing the series. She went from an interesting minor character to top of my list in a single chapter.

[@someoneunknown3391]

Biggest shock in the book was when Verin came out of the closet. Think about the foreshadowing? She lied at the end of The Great Hunt and NO ONE picked up on it. I don't recall anyone on the forums proposing that Verin was black ajah. Then when it happened it was 'oh this is so obvious'.

[@saraforney3940]

Someone Unknown i know man. I remember in book idk 3 maybe when Elayne & Egwene were nearly killed by a grayman & there was that missing arrow I says SHERIAM IS A BLACK SISTER but then I changed my mind. Or forgot to be suspicious, it was so well written.

[@Bnjamn117]

@@someoneunknown3391 What was the lie, i can't remember

[@RodgerBright]

Really for me in about 1 page!

[@pal8h]

Verin's reveal that she is Black Ajah to Egwene is in my top 5 favorite moments from the series!

[@pthomas1967]

@Marcellus Luka but will it break Verin’s cypher, that’s the real question.

[@philipphackenberg1234]

What are the other four?

[@Midnightspecia1]

She’s my favorite, she reminds my of my great aunt. Her husband shot some people dead in a land dispute in west Texas. Super wise. But years later just she wanted Justice.

[@jefferyjulio4915]

you prolly dont give a damn but does someone know a tool to log back into an instagram account?? I was dumb lost my account password. I would love any tips you can offer me.

[@judahalberto7797]

@Jeffery Julio instablaster :)

[@planetzdr]

Best twist in the whole series. And probably of any series

[@JamesI88]

One of the most underrated important characters in the series for sure.

[@gamer2101]

I have to agree. She was sworn to the dark but she served the light in every way. She was one of the best

[@twig8523]

Before passing, Verin gives an excellent insight into the common traits among the brown ajah sisters. Something like: "If we seem distracted it's not because we look backwards to the past, but it's because we look forward to the future. Every brown sister hopes to preserve & produce knowledge that will be of use to humanity."

[@Oscar-bx2no]

Iconic

[@TheJedimaster95]

What do i think of Verin? Well reading her last words on the board behind you almost made me cry...

[@cristumang3575]

but those words are not true because her soul is the color of light itself

[@derekwhittom1639]

Verin is my favorite character. Back in the day, people speculated that she was a 'Lightfriend', because of how she always seemed to be helping things along through various means. She is the only major aes sedai character that does not have a clear agenda. She seems to naturally follow because of her personality, but she also seems to secretly lead, even with respect to Cadsuane, especially through her ambiguous, yet cutting, commentary. "Verin put on a warm smile. A fellow had once told her that her smile made him think of his dear mother. She hoped he had not been lying about that, at least. He had tried to slide a dagger between her ribs a little later, and her smile had been the last thing he ever saw." "This time, studying her, her mannerisms seemed too exaggerated to him. As if she were leaning on the preconceptions about the Browns, using them. Fooling people, like a street performer taking in country boys with a clever game of three-card shuffle. She eyed him. That smile on the corner of her lips? That was the smile of a jackleg who didn't care that you were on to her con. Now that you understood, you could both enjoy the game, and perhaps together you could dupe someone else."

[@yeahbee8237]

Most under the radar badass of the series

[@twig8523]

"What happens after?" I have too wonder if the Aes Sedai will access to the rest of Verin's notes. Not just the list but the rest; about darkfriends & the nature of the dark one ... Oooh!! What about the other dark prophecies she found!? 😵🌠🌌

[@smaug1234]

Def a fav char for me, such a strange woman, one hell of a reveal too

[@snarfmcgillicutty2616]

I think she was one of the bravest people in the series and one of the best. I can't say she's my favorite, because there are so many great characters, but she is at the top.

[@saraforney3940]

When she tells Egwene ‘I’m wearing a green dress’ I lost my damn mind

[@emrwtf]

She spent 100 years taking notes on the Black. What a boss. Prior to the reveal she was just kind of meh. Many rereads later and she's at least in the top 10 for me. Such a wonderful story.

[@capitalcityska]

"Your dress is green"

[@fernandogarcia3957]

At first didn't get it, but then I remembered... Great moment!! 👏👏👏👏☺

[@cbpd89]

Verin is the GOAT! If I were in position to audition for the Amazon series I would beg to play her, even though I am most definitely too young and don't have any qualifications. Best character, best plot twist, best Aes Sedai, best everything.

[@kristinabissonette1620]

I'm the right height, weight, coloring and (depending on how they are casting) age. I would sell my oldest child for the chance! He's a huge fan of the series too and would totally go along with it. 😉

[@Violetsoul6]

So you admit it was Mat's fault then. LOL Thank you. EDIT: Forgot to say "great video". =)

[@insouciantFox]

You forgot her “black book” / bookmark ter’angreal!

[@kght222]

verin is awesome and her story would probably make for a great series all by itself. imagine a story where the protagonist turns evil just to research evil then commits suicide to destroy it. i'm sure that verin did some really REALLY bad things, all the time planning to destroy her whole organization. imagine how tortuous that would be.

[@BelMarduksBizarreBazaar]

i would watch that

[@sierrafischback8557]

Verin is for sure my favorite minor character. Was even so before her big reveal, so I sobbed through that whole chapter.

[@kristinabissonette1620]

Me too! 😭

[@allistercave7908]

The dress you're wearing is green. I squealed out loud when I read that!

[@ripitupaa]

I used to be on the forums when the books were released. How no one suspected her was great writing. During "The Great Hunt," her claim of Moiraine sending her to Ingtar, Rand, and their party should have put up red flags. However, that piece of information was shadowed by the very obvious darkness of Liandrin. Once again, good writing. Jordan left us wondering and fumbling through clues.

[@Adamdidit]

I think any greater suspicion we might've had was at least partially dispelled by the way it was written. It described her as thinking about her response and seeming satisfied in a way that most likely made even wary readers assume she had found a way to do the typical Aes Sedai twisting of the truth.

[@pheanox3413]

Best supporting character in the series, by far.

[@emmamorris1092]

Verin's last scene is my all time favourite moment in the entire series 💚 I'm currently on my 3rd re-read and keeping a sharp eye on all the foreshadowing. Blimey, Robert Jordan was sneaky!

[@Sorianna]

I squealed out loud when I saw this. I love Verin so much. I always did, but the reveal just made me love her even more. ...Then cry a lot. One suggestion, though, maybe put your spoiler warning up before you have a spoiler in the background? It’s a small thing, but I’ve finally convinced my fiancée to read the books and we only just finished The Great Hunt, so I’m always on alert for spoilers and really appreciate your warning system. Just a thought, sorry to bother you.

[@michaelh9649]

Surely spoilers can be implied by the video title alone. Not sure why someone would watch a character examination without expecting the full character to be examined…

[@jannekirjasniemi6128]

@@michaelh9649 I think the point is more that the revelation of Verin as Black Ajah is a very significant spoiler in itself and it would truly be a pity for new readers to miss out on the revelation, or if they figure it out themselves before The Gathering Storm, that would be even better.

[@billmilligan7272]

I called the twist years earlier right around the time of Winter's Heart, I think, or maybe PoD -- that Verin would be a secret double agent of her own making. It might be the only literature theory I ever had that came true, but what a big one to get right!

[@arslangungil2923]

First time I got suspicious (just finished WoT this year) was in PoD, I think? During the prologue when she used Compulsion. Only seen Darkfriends use it.

[@billmilligan7272]

@@arslangungil2923 Back into the 90s there were theories on WoT fan sites and a whole debate whether she was Black Ajah or not. Some wacky people thought she was a "lightfriend", or someone who reported directly to the creator. I was the only one I ever knew of that thought that she was officially Black Ajah but secretly working for the Light in a one woman campaign against the Shadow. What sold it for me was how in her pov sections, it seemed like she went through about twice as many mental gymnastics as any normal Aes Sedai, that she was afraid even to reveal her own plans in her own thoughts to herself. I read TGS pretty much the day it came out and I was fistpumping like mad when I got to that part.

[@ZlothZloth]

Wouldn't she be a triple agent? The Black Ajah would be the double agents.

[@zhyreliahhazelmariebiazcha8371]

Can you do an exam on NewSpring two. Because honestly that is the most important book in the Wheel of Time saga as it gives a back story to what happen that lead up to the birth of Rand. It is often forgotten because it explains more about Moriane and Lan

[@arthurmalavasic6788]

Agreed. I really enjoyed my re-read starting with New Spring. It casts the series in a whole new context. I like to think of WOT as story about Moiraine and what she went through to save the world.

[@jkhdfkjashdfk]

Verin is one of my 5 favorite characters in the entire series. I think my top 5 are: 1. Rand 2. Lan 3. Verin 4. Moiraine 5. Egwene

[@twig8523]

How poetic, that the mole was brown. Her with Mat near the end were my fav moments. When Mat sees her in a new way. 😆

[@emerynoel567]

Yeah Verin was awesome all the way through. I can't wait to see how she's portrayed in the show!

[@xHugoxN7]

This is the second character that makes a reread desirable. The other being Moiraine.

[@shakacien]

Agreed there, few enough characters brought me to tears, yet Verin was one of them.

[@signaltome]

As Nynaeve is by favorite of the supergirls, Verin is one of my favorite side character. Though I suspected it for a long time it was still a shock for me to hear Verin admit it to Egwene. Of course she was coerced into joining and used it to her advantage so I have strong doubt that she was ever a REAL Black sister. As she herself say if your whiteboard is an accurate quote. I can't remember of the top of my head. :-) As far as I know we were never told if she did any dark deed for her new calling but I don't think she was high up in the ranks of the Black Ajah so she might have never been trusted with any such tasks. Feel free to change my opinion on this though.

[@armynurseboy]

I find it interesting that she found a way to be a double agent. Because of the way the DO set up his minions with oaths that literally bind obedience, it is amazing that no dark ones ever found out what she was really doing and how she was subtly sabotaging the DO's efforts.

[@signaltome]

@@armynurseboy Well, Verin is very clever. But honestly I have no idea. 😋 In the end I suppose that I don't really care how. Verin is badads. And clever. Did I mention that? 😉

[@armynurseboy]

@@signaltome Well, part of it is the over-reliance on bindings and compulsion and assuming that the one bound and under compulsion is going to do what you want the way you want it. As we see, bindings and compulsion can be worked around....

[@signaltome]

@@armynurseboy Perrin managed to great effect, to Lanfears loss. 😁

[@orrinscott-stewart3641]

"A Visit with Verin Sedai" is my favorite chapter in the whole series. Really ties things together.

[@philipphackenberg1234]

Mine is „the road to the spear“ in book four. But a visit with Verin also comes close

[@omaridavis8088]

Do Mazrim Taim next please.

[@BedtimeBookworm]

All the way to the end of the series?? 🤔 bummer haha I guess I’ll wait. I’m almost thereeeeeee 🙌🏼🙌🏼 on towers of midnight now. Then I can’t wait to binge all the spoiler content 😆

[@kyle18934]

I just finnished the series and it is deffinaty worth the wait

[@robertlester641]

Verin and Bela are the heart of the series but never in an overt way. Very compelling woman especially during a reread

[@mikkelmv3991]

I LOST my mind when her Reveal happend. went from a Minor charcter to a damn hero and savior.

[@kght222]

she shows that she didn't really want to die by mentioning that she tried to get the oath rod to see if she could use that, she couldn't get the oath rod and she willingly killed herself in order to make it possible to destroy the black ajah. and as she said, selfishness seems to be what the shadow looks for in it's servants, she showed that she had no selfishness in her at the end, she was never a servant of the shadow.

[@JacobFury]

ok fine fine you win!! I will become a patreon donator person. These videos are soo good and I've been enjoying having something since i finished the books a couple weeks ago. Thank you for this, you deserve compensation for the hard work. I'm signing up tomorrow.

[@Ayeshteni]

Reads whiteboard. Then listens to Nae'Blis state that before he begins he's putting up a spoiler warning of Red...... Might be a little late with that spoiler there Nae'Blis!

[@hierkonnteihrewerbungstehe5587]

I think it's funny, that Moiraine tells Rand in her letter he should be as suspicious of Verin as he is of Alviarin, because Alviarin and Verin are both black Ajah but in very different ways.

[@patrickcerio8892]

Current like/dislike count: 378 to 1. Sheriam Sedai disliked this video.

[@gholbertiii]

Was it coincidence that Verin gave Egwene the Ter'angreal immediately before being raised to Accepted? I wonder...

[@maupinmatt]

Completely agree with your assessment of Verin, one of my top five favorite characters. Though I do wonder whether Egwene ever revealed Verin's sacrifice before she herself died, or rather that it was Verin who provided the crucial info. Maybe so, but I just don't recall. If so, unsung heroes are no less heroic, IMO. Thanks!

[@jdavid1487]

What about Verin's Bookmark ter'angreal?

[@bevo335]

She was one of the reasons I decided to reread the series (along with being an awesome series).

[@reighniz4488]

Big Momma Verin, one of my top favorite characters. I hipe she is represented well in the series.

[@Kevin-hq5ne]

After her revelation, Verin became the character I loved them most from the series. She gave up everything, in multiple ways at multiple times, for love of the Light.

[@frodofraggins]

Your videos are great, but it would be less distracting if you put your notes under the camera rather than to the side where you regularly look.

[@wyvern723]

Absolutely love her. I hope the show does her justice and keeps that plot twist/reveal for the end.

[@kght222]

5:24 i don't think they were really trapped in the two rivers, i think they just didn't feel the need to flee. two warders and two relatively powerful third age aes'sedai, they could hollow out a tree trunk and make it across the river to the south without much problem if they put their mind to it. when perrin arrives it doesn't seem like they have been in the two rivers for all that long, they probably just weren't in much of a hurry, and curiosity would stay their flight. (not to mention ta'veren effects on the pattern, keep in mind how far verin was away from mat when she gets snared by his ta'veren effects)

[@benbutler9282]

Verin saw her life 1000 times in “what may be” or flicker chapter.did this shape her life decisions

[@bchez2482]

Love Verin's character and how her story was so complete. Also liked how she was shrouded in mystery. My biggest regret with WOT is that there should have been two more books so that the other characters could have had good long conclusions like Verin did. I think Harriet and Brandon bent to the will of the people who were shouting "Finish this story already!" The result is the last book wrote many hasty endings to characters we love. Still, my face series of all time. Amazing books.

[@jamiemullen8141]

I always see Dawn French when Picturing Verin. My favourite character.

[@SH-qs7ee]

Dawn French or Miriam Margolyes to play Verin for sure

[@sherizaahd]

I like Verin, almost as much as Bela...

[@kimpettis4240]

I need i deep dive and history of min farshaw

[@abigailslade3824]

Please do a Satelle Anan video in this series.

[@faithwerksdesigns6197]

I love Verin, I hate that she was a dark friend, but I don't think you can really lump her in with them since she didn't do a lot for them lol If you can tell, I'm binge watching your video's during our covid lockdown 😞

[@potatoesislife6365]

Absolutely one of my favorite characters. Even before understanding she was a double agent I really liked how she used the Brown Ajah stereotype to hide her intentions. I think it was Cadsuane or Moraine who noticed that she really wasn't as up in the clouds as some of the other sisters claimed.

[@g2024_]

One of my favourite characters, her reveal was one of the moments that brought me to tears when reading it (still does). Realised there was something wrong about her when I first read the great hunt

[@joshuastclairmusic]

Verin was always one of my favourite side characters, but at about book 7 or 8, I had it spoiled that she was Black Ajah. I was so bummed! And confused. But then when her moment happened in TGS, it still shocked me. I didn’t see that coming at all! Brilliant character

[@wanderdragon1075]

I actually called the Verin twist after she used Compulsion in the camp outside Cairhien. Ironically it’s because, as I said to my friends who got me started on this series, it was the only logical implication of her actions up til that point and that would be how I would write her.

[@zacharyhenderson7606]

She is one of my favorite as well.

[@wendelljones513]

I realize that Mr Jordan put a LOT of characters into the book, but I am very glad for Verin being in the books. Thanks for the video.

[@odiums_taint]

really liking these character examinations. keep up the great work Nae’blis

[@hashpond420]

I always felt her death was a rushed job. Seemed like a cop out, maybe there weren't enough notes or w/e. But I found her subtle manipulations of the events, prior to the Sanderson 3, to be pivotal.

[@joshuapirolo6263]

Cool videos and whatnot, but that tinker song is the best thing on youtube.

[@Skraith]

The only person I remember Verin putting compulsion on during the story was Elza, who was another Black Ajah sister. Verin "convinced" her that the Dark One wanted Rand to make it to the last battle alive, and that she would make to protect him at all costs until then. Which is why Elza killed one of the revived Forsaken during the cleansing at Shadar Logoth.

[@BelMarduksBizarreBazaar]

The scene showed her with Elza and implied she did the same to the other captives.

[@revan0890]

What was so great about the reveal is that there are many hints to about her allegience and Ajah.

[@soaringmule1212]

It one of RObert Jordan's knacks, it seems beyond clear after she revels her allegiance but till she does the hints are hidden in plain sight. The reader won't pay any mind to them till Verin's reveal when all those hints smack you in the head and just the way she does it. Shocks the reader just as much as Egwnie, I can't spell.

[@timothywalsh9637]

Do Rodel Ituralde next! I love that tenacious guy!

[@BelMarduksBizarreBazaar]

my favorite anecdote from wot is him talking about Thom. The grander the trick the more spectacular the fall. Also always have an exit strategy. It is one of the infusions of high philosophy that had me doing yearly rereads.

[@Sendarya]

Ty for this, Verin is my absolute favorite character!

[@edwardcox6897]

I AGREE with DaxDibble and others....Verin is my all time favorite character (other than Mat)......Thanks much for this video!!!

[@kristinabissonette1620]

Verin is one of my favorite characters. She is absolutely brilliant and brave and I cried when she died.

[@sdube001]

She was a favorite of mine since at least book 6, since by book 7 I was already roleplaying a member of the brown Ajah due to my love for the Verin character.

[@ryansutter9434]

Watching this after just reading “A Visit from Verin Sedai” 🤯

[@AthenaNike71]

I started suspecting Verin was Black Ajah when Moiraine said she had not sent Verin to Mat, Perrin and Rand in “TheGreat Hunt” and that Verin had done that on her own. I thought “OMG! Verin LIED!!!”. I couldn’t believe it, as I had liked her straight away - and I wasn’t 100% sure, I thought maybe I had misunderstood what she said! It never occurred to me, though, that she might be a double agent. I was so happy when she revealed that to Egwene. And devastated when she had to die! One of my all-time favourite characters! They need to keep those two moments from “The Great Hunt” in the TV series, for the non-readers to have a chance to figure out Verin’s role in the story!

[@jaime8317]

Love your videos but how do you mispronounce EVERY name 🤣 How is "Bode" pronounced "Boda" ? Its ~Bow d~ or ~Bowd~

[@EtzEchad]

***SPOILER ALERT*** Verin is an awesome character but her depiction in the first books seems to not make sense. Why didn't she kill Rand when she had the chance? She literally had his life in his hands.

[@andrewsowl8696]

I think that mat not reading her letter HAD to happen... Why? Because the light I believe had to be pushed to their last breaking point in order to achieve victory. I fully believe that THAT'S what powers the horn of v. Also, I believe that it's the main thing that triggers a last spark in the soul of the Dragon..

[@michaelh9649]

Matt’s biggest blemish: not opening Verin’s letter because of his ridiculous stubbornness. Pretty much caused the deaths of tens of thousands and made the war twice as difficult.

[@RodgerBright]

Hands down for me. Androl and Verrin are my two fav characters. .

[@falx94]

Verin shot into my top 10 during my first reread. After you know her whole story there are so many hints pointing to it. Doing what she did requires ridiculous amounts of will.

[@TheRedStateBlue]

probably the most significant of the tertiary characters.

[@Werrf1]

Incidentally, that's a green shirt you're wearing.

[@osonhouston]

The only thing that could have made Verin's character arc more interesting would be her getting bound to the Wheel and becoming a Hero of the Wheel.

[@miezmiuremiezutschi414]

great video, keep on the good work :) Verin's been my favourite main character since about the third re read and is definitely one of the best in the whole series :D

[@kisske]

you should but up the spoiler warning so i dont see the whitebord :)

[@commbir5148]

I was hoping someone would say this! What a shitty way to spoil things by not covering up a whiteboard quote!

[@olorin3815]

Only thing i find pretty stupid is how she made Mat take the letter but told him he doesnt have to open it but if he does he has to act on it LOL which just made him not open it if she just told him to open it after X days he would have done so and would have acted on it anyway like why wouldnt he want to save Caemlyn anyway

[@chrisjacobs3410]

I’ve been enjoying your channel. Keep it up. I would only quibble with a small point in this video. I don’t think she was caught in Matts taveren web, I always felt she was lying about that part, and used it as an excuse to avoid answering tough questions as to why she needs him. Anyway, not a big deal, enjoying the content.

[@troygarza5720]

i agree with you for her it was always about fighting the shadow its why she attached her self to the boys and defended them behind the scenes and you dont even realise it until you do at least 1 reread

[@rustlepalace-inn7229]

Do you think she knew Ingtar was a dark friend too? I couldn’t tell

[@treywarren1209]

A Visit from Verin Sedai is one of my favorite chapters of the entire series.

[@JimmyOlsson]

Excellent video! I love Verin! Such a truly amazing character!

[@newtonhartford7955]

Your video's length sums up Verin in one word. 😏

[@dallen7660]

Do Mistress Anan! She had an interesting life!

[@roxelaneelmira4678]

One of my favorite Aes Sedai, even before she reveiled herself!

[@BelMarduksBizarreBazaar]

Is THIS consistent with the show?

[@JordanRibera]

one black sister disliked this video

[@janehexum4093]

I kinda wish she poisoned that tea lol

[@amberkelly3187]

Love Verin. Loved the reveal. Brave.

[@NotoriousLightning]

I have seen them with my own eyes!