[thesalus]

Adore rank, amen.

I think a lot of it is in the name itself alongside the sheer number of variations in his name and his worldwide renown.

As well as Elder Gods having an emergency contingency plan especially for Rake.

[Fiddler]

Rake is interesting mainly because we NEVER see his POV, just his actions, it makes his mind that unknowable chasm that can only inspire imaginiation.
For instance, if Rake had a POV in the books and was constantly going on in an interior monologue about how to use his power for the good of his people, we'd still like him, but might think he's a touch whiny. Or even liken him to outspoken and idiotic fundies. Or even worse, Rake's interior monologue shows us his doubts and fears and he ceases to be the very stuff badassery is made of!

[Dancer+]

Fiddler, I agree with your analysis. It works far better when we only see Rake from a third person perspective, the moment we see Rake from an internal monologue is the moment that will continue continuity or break him as a character.

Xander has a good point

[cauthon]

I think he is quite honourable, in his own way. A cold kind of justice. He cares about those he calls friend, even though he had been fighting them only a little while before (Whiskeyjack). The way he honoured the fallen Bridgeburners is simply ... humbling.

[Mcflury]

well... the honouring of the fallen BBs is also a matter of perspection really.

Put it like this: He put their dead bodies in a broken piece of rock and dumped them into the sea... Doesn't sound that humbling anymore, does it?

(off course, it was humbling and beautiful... and Rake's a good fellah... diserves a nice death... )

[Aptorian]

When he walked with Picker and the other survivers up the hill with the wagon of the fallen. It was such a small gesture but it was all that was needed.

[Optimus Prime]

I'm expecting his death to be perhaps even more gut wrenching than WJ

*worries*

[caladanbrood]

He'll either go out in a huge blaze of glory or, more likely, get flu or something;)

[Optimus Prime]

caladanbrood;245256 said:

He'll either go out in a huge blaze of glory or, more likely, get flu or something;)

Ooooo...maybe it will be some sort of super special dragon flu!

[Dancer+]

That would ruin aspects of the story if that were the case. Ascendants are supposed to have a certain resistance to disease and illness.

[Mcflury]

then perhaps it's a special ascendant flu?

[caladanbrood]

Otataral-aspected flu

[The Crippled God]

The sword....it's 100% the sword

[caladanbrood]

I, for one, was being entirely serious. Knowing Erikson's deaths, Rake will either take half the world with him when he dies, or he'll trip and impale himself on a spear, that sort of thing.

[Dancer+]

My thought for the day: Maybe TtH will refer, to a reasonable extent, to the plight of the Tiste Andii, and their loss of their fatherly figure Rake. TtH has the potential to go down that route along with Osseric/Tiste Liosan etc.

I'm not sure what to expect. My preemptive thoughts do not lead me to any revelations.

[Thelomen Toblerone]

Rake seems such a pivotal figure that it seems to me that something major is going to kill him, like purposefully allowing himself to be imprisoned along with the CG inside Dragnipur to provide enough power to subdue him in the sword and keep the world moving away from chaos, etc.


SPOILER:

Spoiler

That being said, I expected more from Iccy than dying from a faulty machine in some rubble. Although I strongly suspect he's not actually dead, and will reappear, if not in TtH, then the prologue after.

[Optimus Prime]

Rake fills all the requirements for awesomeness.

1. Mysterious
2. Cool
3. Freaking ultra-powerful
4. interesting Personality (He fights for causes...but also will do whatever is necessary when it is needed)
5. Visually he is described in a "cool" way. Tall, dark striking figure.
6. Is obviously an important figure in this series history.
7. Is spoken of by other characters in mixtures of (hate, respect, awe, fear, admiration, etc)

[Adjutant Stormy~]

Rake possesses depth, and has been cast as a very life-worn, near-immortal, unwilling savior figure. Chicks dig that

But seriously, as a character we actually interact directly with (as readers) so little, he casts a huge shadow (so to speak) and leaves a striking impression on everyone else- and we are similarly overawed.

His mystery really doesn't hurt either.

[redJAKO]

Noone mentioned that if he feels he needs to act, he is willing to go through masses of powerful Ascendants to do so, evidenced in MOI, and about to go after Silverfox over Caladan, Whiskey, etc.

I wish post-GOTM Rake still possessed, even to high mages, that "pressure" that incapacitated people when he arrived..such was his powa