What Exactly is the Worm of the World's End?

[Mr. Land]

Recently Donaldson commented a bit mischievously that the reason Lord Foul didn't rouse the Worm himself was that he was afraid of being eaten. I was intrigued, having never entertained the possibility. I emailed Stephen using the GI pondering why this was. It seemed that even if Foul were diminished by the encounter he would most likely not be dead, but would be free. Diminished, though, also would mean at the mercy of the Creator. Digging a little deeper I realized that Foul, like the Creator, depends upon others to manifest in action as any good (or not so good) archetype must do. Suddenly it was making a little more sense.

Belatedly, however, it occured to me that we don't really know what the Worm of the World's End is. Yes, I know, it's aura defends the One Tree and provides the foundation of the Earth, but what IS it. Who put it there? Is it a natural phenomenon? Is it a product of the Creator from when the Earth was made? This seems unlikely. Why would the Creator, at least consciously, include the seeds of the earth's destruction? Lord Foul is bad enough. Could it be an instrument of the Elohim to serve some mysterious purpose? I seem to recall that the Elohim have something they call the Wurd of the Earth.

One other thought, what universe cosmology theory would fit the Chronicles best?
A forever expanding cosmos? A cosmos that eventually slows in its expansion and then freezes forever? A cosmos that slows and then retracts in on itself to a singularity? (I'm leaving out multiverse variables but that aspect is interesting as well)

[lucimay]

i think this thread might provide some insight...

kevinswatch.ihugny.com/phpBB2/viewtopic ... highlight=

[Fist and Faith]

Recently Donaldson commented a bit mischievously that the reason Lord Foul didn't rouse the Worm himself was that he was afraid of being eaten. I was intrigued, having never entertained the possibility.

Findail explained it this way:

Ire for her stabilized him. Findail had no right to drop the whole weight of the Earth on her in this way. "It's not that simple," he began. He did not know the true name of his objection. But Linden faced him in mute appeal; and he did not let himself falter. "If Foul planned this all along, why did he go to the trouble?" That was not what he needed to ask. Yet he pursued it, hoping it would lead him to the right place. "Why didn't he just wake up the Worm himself?"

Findail's gaze held Linden. When her wide eyes went back to his, he replied, "This Despiser is not mad. Should he rouse the Worm himself, without the wild magic in his hand, would he not also be consumed in the destruction of the world?"

[Xar]

Given all we know of Foul, the only way these answers make sense, of course, is that upon the destruction of the world, the sudden release from both his prison and the Law that preserves Foul would weaken him, at least temporarily, making him susceptible to destruction by entities such as the Worm.

Hmm, interesting that the Law that preserves Foul is the Law of Time, that dictates that no act can be undone, and that's the very Law he's trying to break... he's playing a dangerous game: should he not succeed in destroying it completely, he might end up simply wrecking it enough that it would no longer preserve him from destruction, placing him at the mercy of wild magic...

[tonyz]

Or just possibly Findail is lying through his teeth...

[KAY1]

If the Law of Time says that no act can be undone, If the Arch of time was broken would it then be possible to undo the act which made Foul become trapped in the Earth in the first place and in effect stop the Earth being destroyed? Or is this all those time-paradox stuff which will make my head explode?

[Revan]

Given all we know of Foul, the only way these answers make sense, of course, is that upon the destruction of the world, the sudden release from both his prison and the Law that preserves Foul would weaken him, at least temporarily, making him susceptible to destruction by entities such as the Worm.

Hmm, interesting that the Law that preserves Foul is the Law of Time, that dictates that no act can be undone, and that's the very Law he's trying to break... he's playing a dangerous game: should he not succeed in destroying it completely, he might end up simply wrecking it enough that it would no longer preserve him from destruction, placing him at the mercy of wild magic...

Foul has always played a dangerous game. Linden and Thomas were very dangerous to him, but he sought to gain his ends by malipulation - which could have gone one way or the other - the very fact that they are dangerous to him mean they can be very useful to him if used correctly. No... Foul has never been shy of risks.

[KAY1]

I believe Foul may have also made a comment at some point that he was content to let situations unfold before but is taking a more active role now and pushing things along.

[Buckarama]

The key is freedom of choice. Foul manipulated everything into making people choose what they thought was the correct way. His job was to make sure all ways lead to dispite.

[Sunbaneglasses]

Could the worm not simply be a representation of all the things in Covenants life that could lead to self destruction?His leprosy is in a sense 'asleep' as long as he follows his regimen,he tries to keep a grip on functional sanity,and fights the urge to give up and commit suicide in the face of all his misfortunes.There is a sleeping worm inside of Covenant that could detroy him,much as there is one inside the earth that could destroy it.And in a sense both 'worms' consumed things of beauty befor they became restive,one the stars,the other Covenants marriage,half his hand,and much of his connection with humanity.

[Fist and Faith]

Nice comparison, SBG.

[Xar]

I tend to see things within the framework of SRD's assertions... that is, he said time and again that by the time the Second Chronicles begin, the whole reality/unreality of the Land is no longer an issue for him, and that the whole comparison of the Land's elements with Covenant's was fundamental to that issue: therefore, if the reality/unreality of the Land is no longer in discussion, it follows that any new elements introduced in the Second Chronicles not necessarily mirror aspects of Covenant or Linden. As the focus changes, so do the elements. At least, this from a literary perspective, I think.

[Gart]

I had a lot of trouble reconciling the Worm and the Elohim creation myth with the creation story presented in the first Chrons, until I read it again fairly closely:

For, behold! Buried deep in the Earth through no will or forming of his were banes of destruction, powers virile enough to rip his masterwork into dust.

The Illearth stone was powerful but it didn't have globe-busting might...but the Worm does. So my take on it is that the Worm is one of the bigger banes.

[Creator]

I had a lot of trouble reconciling the Worm and the Elohim creation myth with the creation story presented in the first Chrons, until I read it again fairly closely:

For, behold! Buried deep in the Earth through no will or forming of his were banes of destruction, powers virile enough to rip his masterwork into dust.

The Illearth stone was powerful but it didn't have globe-busting might...but the Worm does. So my take on it is that the Worm is one of the bigger banes.

Nice! Simple and elegant. But the Creator must have been a frickken idiot to miss something as BIG and powerful as the Worm!!

[Buckarama]

All good things must come to an end.