One odd detail from TWL

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Borillar
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One odd detail from TWL

Post by Borillar »

Ok, one thing that always bothered me in TWL is the fact that Gibbon has red eyes, and more to the point that no one seems to either a) notice, or b) care. Considering that they're a "piercing red", I would think that someone would be mildly curious, ask him if his allergies were acting up, or whatever.
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Post by KAY1 »

I must admit I always wondered about his eyes, especially as there was no mention of any other Raver showing this characteristic. Of course one explanation could be that by the time of TWL the Clave were so corrupt, half of them probably new he was a Raver anyway and those that were still good probably just thought he had a bit of red-eye and didn't want to embarrass him!
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Post by amanibhavam »

Hm, I think the explanation is quite easy, the thing is, that Gibbon was ... a white rabbit!* (You know, follow the White Rabbit and take the red pill! or is is another story?)


*now there's an oxymoron for you, how can a gibbon, which si an ape, be a white rabbit? but of course with rabbits you can never know
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Post by Usivius »

If I recall (and this is a flawed statement already) I beleive the answer is found in the POV of the chapter/s. They are told from the POV of Linden, who has the health-sight. She can see the Raver as he is. Compared to everyone else who has basically become 'numb' under the Clave, I think she has teh advantage in this case of being so sensitive.

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Post by KAY1 »

I cant remember will have to re-read TWL. I'm sure Covenant also said his eyes were red. Not swearing to that though.
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Post by wayfriend »

In [u]The Wounded Land[/u] was wrote:Then Covenant saw movement in the tunnel. A short man wearing a stark black robe and a red chasuble came out past the ruined gates. He carried an iron crozier as tall as himself, with an open triangle at one end. He did not use the hood of his robe; his round face, bald head, and beardless cheeks were exposed. His visage was irenic, formed in a mold of habitual beatitude or boredom, as if he knew from experience that nothing in life could ruffle his composure. Only his eyes contradicted the hebetude of his mien. They were a piercing red.

"Halfhand," he said dully. "Be welcome in Revelstone. I am Gibbon na-Mhoram."
So, yes, the eyes are red as far as regular healthsenseless people are concerned.

However, let's not jump to the conclusion that they are glowing or anything. They are just 'red'. Which might mean any reddish color, if you consider for example what people mean by 'red hair'.

Albinoes have red eyes. It occurs quite naturally, even in humans AFAIK.

So as far as Revelstoners are concerned, Gibbon has eyes of an unusual color, but there'd be nothing damning about that.
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Post by dlbpharmd »

Another sight metaphor from SRD, perhaps? Wish I was smart enough to figure it out.
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Post by Akasri »

My guess is that only the inner circle of the Clave had any direct contact with Gibbon and most of them probably knew he was a raver.

I thought Albino eyes were pink?
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Post by KAY1 »

The people of the Land were brainwashed a bit anyway, I reckon back in the time of Lord Mhoram etc they would've spotted him straight away as a Raver. maybe because they lost the knowledge of the Ravers Gibbon felt safe enough to show this little physical sign. In the first chrons Drool had red eyes as well.
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Post by duchess of malfi »

Maybe they just thought it was a sign of his power as the leader of the Clave? In fact, maybe that's how they came to choose the new leader...as each body the Raver inhabited wore out and he took a new one, the new body's eyes would turn red. :) Sort of a supernatural sign to choose a new leader... especially if they were blood red, given that blood was power in the second chrons...
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Post by CovenantJr »

KAY1 wrote:I must admit I always wondered about his eyes, especially as there was no mention of any other Raver showing this characteristic.
Ravers often didn't make themselves known though, so having red eyes would be a disadvantage. I don't see why Ravers can't have the option of changing things if they want to.
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Post by hierachy »

Yeah. Why woulod the people of the clave question his red eyes? They knew he was powerful, that's all that maters. Are red eyed people inherently evil?
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Post by danlo »

I just figured his eyes were a result of all the "blood power" flowing through his Image
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variol son
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Post by variol son »

Besides, every other person in the Land seemed to have wierd-ass eyes. I just stopped noticing it by that stage. :D
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Post by KAY1 »

lol you have a good point there! Everyone seemed to have something going on with their eyes! I think Elena, Mhoram and Lena all had something. [/quote]
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Post by NightBlaze »

Could his eyes have been red because of the constant use of power? I thought this was odd also, but I got the impression he is constantly killing, feeding the banefire, controlling the riders, etc.
Was it his eyes themselves were red? Or, I thought where his eyes were supposed to be white they were red...
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Post by The Somberlain »

NightBlaze wrote: Or, I thought where his eyes were supposed to be white they were red...
They might've just thought he was really tired.
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Post by Warmark »

The Somberlain wrote:
NightBlaze wrote: Or, I thought where his eyes were supposed to be white they were red...
They might've just thought he was really tired.
He probably was, do ravers ever sleep?
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