Possible meaning of "The Last Dark"

[dmMike7]

Hmm, I haven't thought about it before, but what Infelice's words translate to in layman terms is that this darkness they got is possibility or fear of change. Not evil. The Despiser is evil but they don't care about that. Being static beings change is automatically perceived as bad in their eyes. They decided that only visitors from other worlds can cause such changes so they are the enemy in the Elohim's eyes. Or maybe she's just lying through her teeth like you say.

I agree with this take on the shadow. Rite now, Jeremiah is a huge threat to the Elohim. And he is also from beyond time, making him a shadow on their hearts. Since Jeremiah could obviously enact some serious change on the Elohim, he's the biggest shadow. You could also consider Jeremiah the last person outside time to enter the land. If the "Dark" in "The Last Dark" applies to the shadow, then its most likely Jeremiah. We know what his special talents are and what they want him to do, so maybe the last book focuses hugely on Jeremiah.

Dear Watchers,

I am, maybe like many of you, having a great amount of difficulty in guessing what is coming next. This particular thread is giving me some problems, with respect to the issue of the Elohim. Within the confines of the Chronicles, I have learned not to trust them, which was a big disappointment from the First Chronicles to the Second. However, I think that it makes sense for the Elohim to resist Linden (and Covenant). They arose from the Earth and its creation as pure Earthpower. They represent, at least in a certain measure, the Earth's protection of itself. Within the 'being' of the Earth, they are its will. Although I can't explain it, the foreign-ness of Lord Foul is unapproachable to them as they are neither benevolent nor malevolent. They just are. Everything they do is about their own existence, and hence that of the Earth. That's why I also have a little trouble believing that any one of them would tell an outright lie. I just don't know if it is really in their character. Oh, they might explain things in a way that fools the hearer, but an outright falsehood?

With all this conisdered, I think the previous posters are onto something, with a little twist. I think that fear of the Elohim is as simple as fear of being extinguished. If they are changed any at all they will cease to be what they are. Lord Foul said that the Mastes serve him without knowing it. Cutting humans off from Earthpower is only a first step. Actually destroying it comes in at the end of the line.

The foreign-ness of beings from our world plays into this as well. But, I don't think that the Elohim see LA, TC, etc. as the enemy. If they did, why wouldn't they have prevented the translation of TC tot he Land? Some of his translations were expression of Earthpower. Or would they have seen that as futile, since LF would have just turned around and did it himself.

Also, would TC or LA participate in a new creation which would not have Earthpower as part of it?

I do not think that lying is beyond the Elohim, especially considering their personality. There's a thread somewhere that reveals a discrepancy in the Second and Last Chronicles. Findail said that when Berek came to the One Tree, their was no guardian. But we learn in FR that there was in fact an Appointed Elohim as a guardian, defeated by the Teomach. If Findail lyed aboutn that, what else could they lie about.

[wayfriend]

I think that fear of the Elohim is as simple as fear of being extinguished.

That's a really nice idea. Immortal beings confronted by mortality.

Beings from outside of Time lead to the inevitable end of the Earth. Hence, they associate them with their mortality. Plus it explains why they are always so snide with TC and Linden.

Also, I cannot help but think about Infelice's final line in Fatal Revenant. "She has roused the Worm of the World's End. Such magicks must be answered. Because of her madness and folly, every Elohim will be devoured."

While it may not yet be the end of the Earth, it is certainly the end of the Elohim. And Linden brought it about. So, again, a being from outside of Time represents their mortality.

[shadowbinding shoe]

This reminded me of Covenant's description of his journey into Melenkurion in IEW. The labyrinthine passages in these mountain are called timeless halls where earthpower had once granted the wishes of mortals. (To me that sounded like in the distant past Elohim held court in the mountain and met with mortals, probably before their debacle with the One Forest.)

Covenant says these halls are antithetical to his being because he is time.

Esmer mentions that elohim are outside time, as well, when he brings the demondim.

The opposition between earthpower and white magic is expressed throughout the series. In the destruction of the old stuff in TPTP and in the demand that Linden choose between her two power-objects.

Earthpower creates but time destroys it.

[spoonchicken]

At the beginning of "Against All Things Ending", Linden (& the resureccted Covenant) confront & defeat (without destroying) the Worm of the World's End, using both Earthpower & wild magic. In between there, and the end of "The Last Dark", Covenant destroys both Lord Foul, AND the Arch of Time. Linden has to put the universe back together again, after Covenant & Foul have their final battle (AFTER the Arch has been wrecked). The Last Dark refers to what the universe will truly look like if Lord Foul wins.Or, maybe it refers to what the universe looks like, after the Arch has been destroyed, but before Foul & Covenant go at it one last time. That would account for the still white future as seen with a ceasure by everyone. ??????

[sweetbread]

I think the "white" that everyone sees as they flow through a caesure is the essence of the white gold that is necessary to create a caesure.

And I can't help but think that "salvation" will be purchased by the Viles in retribution for their misguided past deeds. That, I think, is the seed that was planted by Linden when she fell into Garroting Deep in FR.....

[Andy Lane]

At the beginning of "Against All Things Ending", Linden (& the resureccted Covenant) confront & defeat (without destroying) the Worm of the World's End, using both Earthpower & wild magic. In between there, and the end of "The Last Dark", Covenant destroys both Lord Foul, AND the Arch of Time. Linden has to put the universe back together again, after Covenant & Foul have their final battle (AFTER the Arch has been wrecked). The Last Dark refers to what the universe will truly look like if Lord Foul wins.Or, maybe it refers to what the universe looks like, after the Arch has been destroyed, but before Foul & Covenant go at it one last time. That would account for the still white future as seen with a ceasure by everyone. ??????

I believe SRD has answered on his site that "...Despair can never be defeated."

I honestly don't KNOW what "The Last Dark" refers to, but, in the Sept. 26, 1997 interview in his "structured interviews" section, (before he even started Runes) SRD writes, in part: "... I call it the Last Chronicles of Covenant and there would be no later sequels since the world would end."

I'm curious to know if that was an early spoiler, a slip of the tongue, or something else entirely.

[thewormoftheworld'send]

Whatever's going to happen, I do know one thing: we're in for one hell of a ride!