Elorenya d'Rahien
Aes Sedai
"If you don't like someone, the way he holds his spoon will make you furious; if you do like him, he can turn his plate over into your lap and you won't mind."
- Irving Becker
I'm the same way about Faile.
"If you don't like someone, the way he holds his spoon will make you furious; if you do like him, he can turn his plate over into your lap and you won't mind."
- Irving Becker
I also dislike Faile. When I was about 16 my sister told me (before learning about my vehement dislike of the woman) that I was "just like" Faile and it floored me so thoroughly that I couldn't speak coherently for a few minutes. :P
I don't think she meant that as manipulation, though -- she wasn't intending to deceive him with them, just confess her feelings (which she then got embarrassed about, not least because he never made his feelings clear to her, and wrote the second letter to tell him that she didn't intend to be walked all over just because she loves him). She's at fault for having poor communication skills, but very few characters aren't.
Min just bothers me because she has no life outside of Rand. Avi's (becoming) a Wise One, Elayne's got her Daughter-Heir/Queen stuff, and Min's... just kind of there. And she spends a lot of time focusing on how she'd do anything for Rand, even if it means changing who she is to a certain degree (though she lies to herself on that last score, think of how often she's frustrated with herself for wearing different clothes/shoes, doing her hair differently, etc) and she has no other goals or interests beyond him. Elayne is very high-maintenance, I'll agree -- she's very proud and very headstrong, and she tries really hard to always present the "right" face to the world. She needs to learn that she doesn't always have to be the one doing the thing that needs to be accomplished -- delegation is a skill she hasn't learned very well yet. She takes a lot of responsibility onto herself, she's a peacemaker, and she cares very deeply for people she considers "hers". She's very sheltered, though. She's a good match for Rand's idealism, because she has had the practicalities of how to make those dreams for nations a reality trained into her, and she shares those same goals of making the world a better place.
I think, perhaps, Aviendha is best for Rand. She pushes him, but in a good way. She teaches him about the Aiel, because it's what he needed. She helps him because it's the right thing to do. When she also ends up loving him, it's a bonus.
I agree about both Min and Elayne. Min has always bothered me, and that is totally why! Just be your own woman in your own way and be with a man at the same time, FFS. It's okay to be your own self! Elayne and Avi have both shown they can do this, by loving him while being busy with responsibility. Min has no responsibility though, outside researching for Rand because he's too busy, which anyone else with half a brain could've done. (Which is why I think it *may* be hard for her to leave the Seanchan as they gave her a purpose in life. But, I moreso see her being so wool-headed and feeling so empty without him around that she will leave her purpose to go find him.)