Lan Mandragoran

Al'Lan Mandragoran, (pronEng|mændrəˈgɔrən [http://www.dragonmount.com/RobertJordan/?p=21] ) is one of the main characters of the "Wheel of Time" fantasy series by Robert Jordan. Quite notably, Lan is very similar in characterization to Aragorn from "The Lord of the Rings" by J. R. R. Tolkien.

Jordan described the character thus: "Lan is simply the man I always wished I could be." [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rpdsoFTQpw]

Al'Lan Mandragoran is the last survivor of the royal line of Malkier; his kingdom was overrun by the Shadow when he was but a baby. Lan is often described as having a face of stone and chilling blue eyes. Few can defeat him in physical combat. His symbol, the symbol of the Malkieri Kings, is the golden crane.

Youth

Lan was born in 953 NE, the year Malkier was betrayed to the Shadow. When he was an infant and Malkier was falling, his parents placed the sword of the Malkieri kings in his hands, named him "Dai'shan" of Malkier, which literally means "Diademed Battle Lord" in the Old Tongue, and swore the ancient oath of Malkieri kings and queens in his name. His mother placed a locket around his neck for remembrance, his father the ring of Malkieri Kings, and twenty of Malkier's best swordsmen carried him to Fal Moran in Shienar. Only five reached the city alive, all wounded. The surviving men then began teaching the child all they knew, learning weapons and the Blight for a childhood.

At age sixteen, Lan was given the "hadori", a thin strip of braided leather holding his hair back, and became a man. He began his one man war against the Shadow that he could not win, with the oath graven on his mind. "To stand against the shadow so long as iron is hard and stone abides. To defend the Malkieri while one drop of blood remains. To avenge what cannot be defended". He has nothing left to defend, only to avenge. He will court death itself without a second thought.

Malkieri heritage

The al' on the front of his name is the Malkieri honorific for "king"; his wife, Queen of Malkier by marriage, is sometimes called "el'Nynaeve" by the same custom. This caused some confusion when Rand al'Thor visited Shienar; in his case, the al' prefix merely meant 'son of'. Lan is greatly respected by citizens of the other nations of the Borderlands, both for his status as the last (and uncrowned) King of Malkier, and for his prowess in combat. It is said that if he ever said the word and raised the Golden Crane of Malkier, an army of Borderlanders of all nationalities would join him in a fight to reclaim lost Malkier from the Great Blight. Knowing this, Lan refuses all efforts to crown him at the head of a dead nation. He will not lead other men to their deaths, believing that if life is to be lost in Malkier's memory, it should be his alone.

Despite his fatalistic streak, Lan keeps several customs of Malkier alive, even at the cost of personal discomfort or endangerment; his wearing of the "hadori" is just one of these. His coming-of-age according to Malkieri traditions is detailed in the prequel novel "New Spring".

As Moiraine's Warder

Moiraine Sedai newly raised Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah and noblewoman of House Damodred in Cairhien, searching for the Dragon Reborn, met Lan in Kandor soon after the Aiel War. He managed to throw her into a pond, after which she dumped the contents of the pond onto him. After a battle with the Black Ajah and losing the last of the men that carried him to Shienar, Bukama, he left Moiraine to continue his never ending battle with the shadow. Moiraine, however, caught up with him and convinced him that his talents would be in better use as her bodyguard, so he joined her quest and became her Warder. From there, he accompanied her on her search for the Dragon Reborn. After roughly two decades, their search brought the pair eventually to Emonds Field, where Moiraine had narrowed the identity of the Dragon Reborn to three boys Rand Al'Thor, Perrin Aybara and Matrim Cauthon.

Lan's skills as a Borderland warrior have served him well in service as Moiraine's Warder. He once rode a horse to death, and continued the journey on foot, carrying her to Anaiya Sedai for Healing. During the events of "The Eye of the World", he and Nynaeve al'Meara fell in love, but his duty was ever to Moiraine; when Lan and Nynaeve's paths split after Tear, he went with his Aes Sedai to the Aiel Waste, sending Juilin Sandar after Nynaeve to "look after her". This sequence of events led to Moiraine's and Lanfear's apparent demise at the doorframe "ter'angreal" on the docks of Cairhien.

When a Warder's Aes Sedai dies, the Warder is hurt grievously in some psychological way, and usually goes on a suicide mission to avenge the Aes Sedai's death. Moiraine prevented this by altering their bond so that, upon her death, it would pass to another. This use of near-Compulsion infuriated him at the time, especially considering his uncertainty regarding his feelings for Nynaeve. Almost the moment Moiraine was lost, Lan set out to find this other, specifically Myrelle of the Green Ajah, who happened to be with the Salidar rebels under Egwene's command. Myrelle has promised to release Lan of his bond in order that he may bond as Warder to his wife, Nynaeve al'Meara, an Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah.

Rand's Tutor

He has also been influential in Rand al'Thor's life: he was the Dragon Reborn's first regular tutor in the use of the sword, and has also passed down a good deal of advice and general wisdom regarding the difficult situations Rand has had to deal with as the Dragon Reborn.

At Fal Dara in Shienar at the beginning of "The Great Hunt" we learn through Rand's narration that Lan has taught him many forms vital in sword combat. Indeed, Rand reverts to these forms on many occasions throughout the series, and they have proven life saving. In "The Fires of Heaven" Rand tells us that Lan believes him to be close to the level of Bladesmaster. Lan himself is most likely on par with the Blademasters, as he has in fact faced and defeated one of them (Toram Riatin at Far Madding in Winter Heart) and his experience in facing different opponents that quite often outnumber him means that he is probably one of the most experienced warriors in the world..

Lan's regard for the Two Rivers' youthful "ta'veren" has not lessened over the course of the series; he regularly intervenes with his own strong opinions when he feels that they are being pushed along a course not of their choosing. Somewhat contradictorily, Lan also feels that "death is lighter than a feather,and duty heavier than a mountain"; regardless, he sees doing one's duty as paramount, even if some small choices are available along the way (according to him, even if you have no choice in what happens, you can still "face it on your feet").

Nynaeve

In "The Eye of the World" the unlikely romance of Nynaeve al'Meara and Lan took its first uneasy steps. At first, Lan spurned his feelings for Nynaeve, claiming that he could not dress her in widows garb for a bridal gown. Nynaeve’s persistent streak prevailed however and he soon succumbed to his love for her. When they parted in Fal Dara Lan gave Nynaeve his signet ring, embossed with the Golden Crane, the symbol of the Malkieri Kings. In times when Nynaeve is especially alone or frightened she looks to Lan’s ring for comfort.

After the death of Moiraine, Lan’s former Aes Sedai, he left in search of Myrelle Sedai of the Green Ajah, to whom his bond was passed. Egwene al'Vere, The Amyrlin Seat of the rebel Aes Sedai in Salidar, discovered him there and told him that Nynaeve was in Ebou Dar, hunting the Bowl of the Winds.

Egwene transported Lan there by Skimming so that he could protect Nynaeve from harm. However, before he could reach her, Moghedien attempted to kill Nynaeve with balefire (though she missed and instead sliced through the boat Nynaeve was in), nearly drowning her. When Lan pulled her from the water, Nynaeve’s mental block from "Saidar" was gone. Later that day, they were married on a ship according to Sea Folk customs and thus Nynaeve became uncrowned Queen of Malkeir, earning her the honorific el’Nynaeve. The Sea Folk have a custom regarding marriage which was imported into their vows: since a husband and wife may change rank in relation to each other many times, the spouse who gives the orders at any given time in public must take them in private. This has resulted in Nynaeve, who is very much used to giving orders, losing quite a bit of her bossiness, and tempering their relationship from being quite so volatile.

Nynaeve remedied this in "Knife of Dreams" however. Lan felt that Rand didn't pay enough attention to the Borderlands, especially considering that the Last Battle, which was coming ever nearer, would almost certainly be fought in the Blight. So, Lan decided to ride to Shienar to fight, and Nynaeve made him pledge to take on any who would wish to ride with him. She then sent him to Saldaea on the coast of the Aryth Ocean at World's End, so he would have to travel hundreds of miles to reach his destination. She then travels to village after village in the Borderlands to find the scattered remnants of Lan's Malkieri countrymen, who then leave to join Lan in the ride to the Blight.