SGuilfoyle1966 wrote:wayfriend wrote:But do not forget, there is a also a curse attached to the Power that it rebounds against the one who invokes it. I think he knew full well that the end result might be worse, not better, for the Land.
In the books, Elena's command does rebound against her. Not because of a curse, but because Foul was able to defeat Kevin and, for giggles, he issued the same command to Kevin, in reverse.
I don't see that the power is cursed.
There as some speculation that Kevin couldn't think of a powerful enough command that wouldn't have repercussons beyond the simple command.
But cursed? Where exactly is that?
He chose desecration because it offered a chance to win, and he discounted the cost, because that to him was better than losing. So he talked himself into Descrating the Land he swore to defend and protect and serve. He decided to destroy the people and the animals and the forests and the plains and the soil itself. He chose to do consciously what the backfiring Power of Command would have done accodently. He did everything that Lord Foul would have done himself - he became Despite. Because he lost sight of the cost, his eyes were only on somehow, someway, winning.
Also, remember that, while he might have postponed the day when Foul would again raise his head and threaten the Land -- buying time -- he also left the people of the Land weaker and half loreless when that day came.
Well, he didn't necessarily destroy the people. He did warn them to leave. I won't leave on his head any person who was warned and chose not to leave.
But nice point about leaving the survivors weakened an half loreless.
Remember that Kevin gets high marks from many for preparing the Seven Wards, because of what he was going to do. But think about CLOSELY for a second.
Kevin had his seven wards all set to go, in the hands of the Giants when they returned to the Land and found the people. But what was the other effect that the ROD had?
The people of the Land, ALWAYS shown to be above the board virtuous unless they have been marred by the Despiser (Kevin) or by Covenant (Lena, Elena, Atiaran, Trell, Triock). And even those who are so marred by Covenant mostly rise above that marring.
The people of the Land are so horrified by what Kevin did that they took an Oath of Peace so powerful (it is not said to invoke the Earthpower, yet it blinds them to Kevin's Lore.)
So the preparations Kevin made are, in the end, partially wasted. You can't even give him much credit for that "foresight." he wanted everyone after him to just pick up where he left off, as if what he did wasn't the horror, the abomination that it was.
The first victim of the Ritual, afterall, was Kevin himself, don't you think? He struck down that which he loved.