If the skurj rived the Earth...?

[Idlewilder]

Does the destruction of the Earth break the Arch of Time?
Harking back to the creation story, I'd be inclined to say "no." After all, there seemed to be a universe out there prior to the Earth--- I'm thinking of the Worm zipping through space, yawning and curling up for a nap within the confines of Time. His waking would not necessarily constituite a breaking of the Arch (as a conflict with a white gold weilder might), just the destruction of the Earth. What would happen to Foul then? Would he be reduced to a bodiless howling in the void? Upon whom would he be able to work his malice or machinations to escape?
I know this isn't a solution to the problem of Foul (if there is one), but it would seem to render him impotent (at the expense of the living Land and the rest of the Earth).
But, according to comments made by SRD, it doesn't look like the Land is gonna catch a break anytime soon.

[ur-bane]

This is an interesting question.

I also agree that the riving of the Earth would not jeopardize the Arch.
If it could, Foul would have simply destroyed the Earth himself.
And I believe that is Foul's dilemma.
Perhaps in this instance, Foul needs to ensure the survival of the Earth.
Foul needs Linden to rid the Earth of the threat of the skurj. To do that, Linden will need to employ Wild Magic. Knowing that Wild Magic feeds the caesures, by attempting to save that which she loves, she is also risking the detruction of the Arch. And that is Foul's way. "Remember, he seeks always to mislead you."
Perhaps that is where the hints of the destruction of the Land come in to play.
Perhaps Linden realizes that the only way to stop Foul is to let that Earth be destroyed, and in the process, as you suggested, trap Foul in an endless void.

Foul would then be forced to wait countless millenia for the Worm to fall once again into slumber, and additional millenia for a new "skin" to develop.

It would be heartbreaking to lose that Earth, but it may be the only plausible solution to end the threat of Foul.

He needs the White Gold. It is the only means by which he can escape his prison. To at least attempt the destruction of the Arch and the Earth. Not just the Earth.

[Thaale]

Findail addressed this. Foul could indeed wake the Worm, and apparently that would break the Arch and set him free. But he himself would be caught in the destruction and be destroyed himself - unless he held the white gold.

So, yes, he needs the white gold, but it's so he can usefully wake the Worm, not so he can do it at all.

[ur-bane]

I remember Findail's explanation. But that brings up yet another problem for Foul.

The Arch of Time enables the Earth on which Foul resides to exist.
By breaking that Arch, everything in it would cease to exist, including Foul. Regardless of whether or not he held the white gold.
The instant the Arch is destroyed, the white gold would no longer hold any power, because its place in time would no longer exist. Therefore it could not aid Foul.
I think that Foul has been mistaken all along, and that the destruction of the Arch would be Foul's ultimate demise as well.

[Thaale]

By breaking that Arch, everything in it would cease to exist, including Foul. Regardless of whether or not he held the white gold.

Maybe. From the other creation story it seems that Foul had a pre-existence before the Arch was created. So it seems possible that he could exist post-Arch, or at least believe he could do so.

[esmerlover]

Yeah. Foul doesn't end when the arch does. He continues whether he holds the gold or not.

[dlbpharmd]

Not exactly. Remember Findail's explanation to Covenant and Linden after the sinking of the Isle of the One Tree? Findail says that Foul would never dare waking the Worm without the white gold in his hand.

[I'm Murrin]

Yes - the breaking of Time would free him, but destroy the earth. The destruction of the earth would mean an end to Time - but Foul would need a way to protect himself from that destruction.

[ur-bane]

Yes - the breaking of Time would free him, but destroy the earth. The destruction of the earth would mean an end to Time - but Foul would need a way to protect himself from that destruction.

I honestly think Foul is mistaken. Foul will die with the Arch and the Earth, regardless of whether or not he has the white gold. It con no longer protect him because its power is contained in the Arch. So the instant the Arch is destroyed, the white ring will no longer hold any power., and therefore cannot protect Foul.

And Findail as well did not grasp the entire picture. He saw that Foul needed to protect himself from the destruction of the Earth, but did not look at the larger consequences of the destruction of time itself.

I believe that Foul will perish with the Arch, and if he destroys it, it will be suicide.

[esmerlover]

Maybe so, ur-bane. But perhaps he knows this and just wishes to be free from his imprisonment? No matter the cost?

[Baradakas]

I find it odd that everyone believes that the moment the Arch breaks, that white gold would have no power. The Arch itself is a thing of power, it contains the entire world, and structures Time. It is "controlled by white gold, not born of the Land", so who is to say that the Creator does not wield the power of white gold outside the Arch, possibly the very instrument that he used to create it in the first place?

Also, how could Foul be certain of defeating the Creator, a being he had obviously lost to before? With his own wild magic of course!

The Arch is simply the instrument which contains the Earth and Time, which are controlled by white gold, which MUST exist for the Creator, or He could never have made it the instrumentation for undoing the Arch in the first place!

And thats my theory, which would also explain why Foul would need white gold to survive the breaking of the Arch.


-B

[dlbpharmd]

I agree with Baradakas, and would like to add this quote from WGW, after TC gives Foul the ring:

"Here at last I hold possession of all life and Time forever! Let my Enemy look to his survival and be daunted! Freed of my gaol and torment, I will rule the cosmos!"

Foul clearly believed that he would continue to wield wild magic after the destruction of the AoT, and that the wild magic would give him the advantage over the Creator.

[Jerico]

Findail could be mistaken also in thinking that waking the worm would destroy the earth and Foul with it. If Foul wanted them to go to the one tree and wake the worm then he must think that that would free him? Otherwise why would he chance it. In WGW when he had the ring he was ready to challenge the Creator which leads me to believe that the Creator holds White Gold also. Also the Arch, and the Earth was created before the Creator cast Foul into it. I've always wondered how that was done?

[dlbpharmd]

I don't think SRD works that way. Findail's statements about the Worm have to be given full credit. That would be like me saying Mhoram was mistaken when he said Covenant was the white gold.

[Jerico]

Then if Findail was telling the truth the rousing of the worm would have meant the distruction of the earth and Fouls death.
It dosen't make sense that Foul would set it all up that way. He dosen't seem to me to want to take that kind of dangerous chance. I remember Linden saying that this is what Foul wants at the One Tree after Findail finally folds with the truth.

[Creator]

Then if Findail was telling the truth the rousing of the worm would have meant the distruction of the earth and Fouls death.
It dosen't make sense that Foul would set it all up that way. He dosen't seem to me to want to take that kind of dangerous chance. I remember Linden saying that this is what Foul wants at the One Tree after Findail finally folds with the truth.

I don't remember the exact quote but ... I think Findail was speaking of a battle between Foul and the Worm. Perhaps without white gold Foul could not survive such a battle and would himself be consumed by the worm much as the Nom rent the Raver.

[Aleksandr]

As I recall the scene at the end of the One Tree, waking the Worm would indeed destroy the Earth, but not the Arch of Time. The danger at the One Tree was that if Covenant attempted to battle the worm, his use of the Wild Magic to that degree of power is what would destroyt the Arch.