Logain Ablar

Logain Ablar
Biographical Information
Nationality	Ghealdanin
Date of birth	971 NE
Current status	Alive
Physical description
Gender	Male
Height	6'2"
Hair	Dark, curling, shoulder length
Chronological and political information
First mentioned	TEOTW 3
First appeared	TEOTW 39
Last appeared	AMOL 48
Affiliation	Dragon Reborn
Occupation	Asha'man
Title	Sealbreaker
Rank	Asha'man

Logain Ablar (loh-GAIN; /loʊˈgeɪn ˈæb.ɫɑɹ/) is an Asha'man of the Black Tower as well as a former False Dragon and a minor Ghealdanin noble. He has recently taken to wearing his sigil, three golden crowns in a field of blue.

Appearance

He is tall, with dark curling hair to his broad shoulders. He is dark and handsome.

Strength

In "The Wheel of Time Companion" his level of strength in the One Power is described as ++2, making him one of the most powerful channelers ever, but still below Rahvin, Moridin, and Rand al'Thor.

Activities

History

Logain was born as a Ghealdanin noble in 971 NE. He began channeling saidin in around 992 NE to 993 NE, and declared himself to be the Dragon Reborn in 995 NE, when King Johanin and the Crown High Council of Ghealdan stripped him of his land and titles. He began slowing in 998 NE, just prior to being captured by the Aes Sedai.

As a False Dragon, he was captured in a great battle near Lugard, trying to move his army from Ghealdan to Tear. Aes Sedai died in the battle defeating him.

Gentled

The False Dragon, Logain, being paraded through Caemlyn.

Rand al'Thor first saw Logain in Caemlyn as he was being taken to Tar Valon to be gentled. After the gentling he was kept on the grounds of the White Tower and observed at all times. However, after the deposing of Siuan Sanche as Amyrlin Seat, Min Farshaw rescues Siuan and Leane Sharif (the former Keeper of the Chronicles) from the dungeons of the Tower; along the way, they find Logain, who has also escaped, and take him with them to Salidar to join the rebel Aes Sedai. On the way there under name Dalyn, he gets them into trouble with Gareth Bryne when he starts a fire in Admer Nem's barn and steals some gold to help them. He runs away and Siuan, Min and Leane are caught and put to trial. They believe he has abandoned them, but when they are being driven to Gareth Bryne's manor after the trial to serve out their punishment, Logain knocks the driver unconcious with a rock from a sling and rescues them.

Conspiracy?

Once they are in Salidar, he tells the "Little Tower" that he was set up as a False Dragon by the Red Ajah. This story is a lie concocted by Siuan as part of her personal revenge against Elaida; this causes a stir, to say the least, as the Red's ostensible purpose is to find and gentle men who can channel. His story never changes substantially.

Once Nynaeve al'Meara and Elayne Trakand arrive, Nynaeve studies him, Siuan, and Leane, claiming she can find a way to Heal the separation from the One Power they all have suffered. The Aes Sedai permit her to try simply to appease her, because they believe there is no way she can find a way to Heal such a thing; in fact, no one ever has, even in the Age of Legends. However, she does in fact discover a way to do so; restoring his, Leane's, and Siuan's connection to the One Power, although the two women suffer a huge loss in their capacity to channel for reasons unknown to the characters. (Robert Jordan has stated that this is due to being Healed by a woman; a man Healing them would have restored full strength in the One Power. This was confirmed in a later book when an Asha'man restores stilled Aes Sedai to full strength.) After having his ability to channel restored he is shielded at all times by six Aes Sedai. As the newly raised Amyrlin of the rebel Aes Sedai, Egwene al'Vere faces the unwelcome prospect of ordering Logain's re-gentling in keeping with her official duties, knowing that her inaction may undermine her tenuous position. She avoids the dilemma by staging his escape from Salidar. She and Siuan Sanche arrange it so that of the six Aes Sedai shielding Logain, only three have Warders. Mint tea is brought to the Aes Sedai and the Warders as they guard the tent holding Logain and the six Aes Sedai, containing a "small addition" that cannot be tasted, presumably forkroot.

Logain portrait done by Jeremy Saliba

Asha'man and Beyond

After finding the Black Tower and becoming an Asha'man he finds himself at odds with Mazrim Taim and sets out to locate the Dragon Reborn, taking some of his strongest followers with him. His purpose is to inform Rand that there is trouble brewing back at the Black Tower. Some time before departure, Logain bonded two Aes Sedai: Toveine Gazal from the Red Ajah and Gabrelle from the Brown Ajah, who were sent to capture the Asha'man. Gabrelle tries to manipulate him using sex, making Toveine quite uncomfortable.

On his way to locate Rand, Logain comes across Lord Davram Bashere in Andor, who agrees to accompany him. In search of the Dragon they arrive in Cairhien where they find Loial and Karldin Manfor. While there they obtain the fundamental help of Samitsu and some Warders left there by their Aes Sedai, who are sworn to Rand. Using the Warders' bond, Logain and Bashere are finally able to locate Rand in the east of Tear at Pendaloan estate.

Logain and Bashere bring with them also a quite formidable force consisting of many channelers and soldiers:

1. Donalo Sandomere and Ayako Norsoni
2. Welyn Kajima and Jenare
3. Mezar Kurin and Adrielle
4. Arel Malevin and Aisling Noon
5. Naeff and Nelavaire Demasiellin
6. Karldin Manfor
7. Samitsu Tamagowa
8. Loial
9. Bashere and a hundred Saldean light horse
10. Sarene's, Erian's and Elza's Warders

Logain reports to Rand that Taim has gained control of the Black Tower and some of the Asha'man are now following his orders. Rand listens to this news and tells Logain that he has cleansed saidin, Logain seems to believe that the cleansing was a mercy of the Creator and not an act by Rand al'Thor and Nynaeve al'Meara.

Almost immediately, Logain and Bashere's formidable force is integral in repelling a huge horde of Shadowspawn sent against Pendaloan Manor. During the fight Logain learns a number of deadly weaves from Rand (or rather, from Lews Therin after Rand loses control). When Lews Therin won't let go of saidin Logain reveals to everyone present that Rand is drawing in too much of the One Power.

After this battle Logain starts to act as Rand's lieutenant, although he demonstrates a strong degree of independence of spirit. Initially Rand sends Loial, Bashere, and Logain to negotiate with the Seanchan in a meeting with the Daughter of the Nine Moons. During this meeting Logain is one of the six to accompany Rand, but a fight soon breaks out when the Daughter of the Nine Moons is revealed to actually be Semirhage in disguise.

Later, Logain is sent by Rand as his ambassador to the Sea Folk. He calls on the Sea Folk's part of the Bargain, which is to provide as many ships as possible and to supply over one million people with food and supplies in Arad Doman. News of the Amayar mass suicide arrives, for which Logain doesn't show much remorse, reminding them of their priority to the Bargain first.

Troubles of the Black Tower

Back at the Black Tower, Logain's prolonged absence is considered a frightening mystery. A divide forms between the men who support Taim and the men who support Logain. Mezar Kurin, a man described as previously "fiercely loyal" to Logain, has returned to the Tower changed. According to reports among Logain's followers, Mezar is not Mezar, but some twisted, dark replacement. To underline his strange transformation, Mezar has also been spending time with Taim's lackeys, throwing further tarnish on his character.

This is problematic because when Mezar returned he reported that Logain was fine and that all would soon be resolved between himself and Taim. The men loyal to Logain at the Tower are desperately trying to contact Logain to ask for guidance, but they are stymied in whichever direction they turn. Mezar's report has panicked them even more. They fear that Logain may have been taken, though there is no outside evidence that this is so. When Androl and Pevara discover that both Aes Sedai and Asha'man have been changing, they suspect that men and women are being Turned to the Dark One, which requires 13 Dreadlords and 13 Myrdraal.

Androl Genhald and the final group of men loyal to Logain manage to finally deduce Logains whereabouts. The men then launch a rescue attempt and find him in one of the hidden rooms in the Black Tower foundations. Logain is weak and cannot channel as they try to escape, and they are pinned inside the cell when Taim and his men discover the rescue attempt. Taim pulls down the roof above the group knocking Logain and his followers unconscious.

The Last Battle

Logain Ablar Portrait by Seamus Gallagher

Taim's men again try to Turn Logain, but being strong of will he still manages to resist it. While he is unconscious, Evin Vinchova is taken away and Turned fairly easily. In the end he is rescued. But one of his bonded Aes Sedai, Toveine, is not, so he releases his bond to her.

When Elayne's army is nearly overwhelmed by Trollocs near Cairhien, Logain and the other Asha'man arrive and defend her just in time, decimating the opposing forces. Logain tells her that when he found out that the Shadow had devised this particular trap, he came to her first. He tells her "The Black Tower stands with the lion of Andor".

At the start of the battle on the Field of Merrilor, Logain and his Asha'men temporarily dry out the river Mora to allow the cavalry to charge against the Trolloc hordes before they engage the Dreadlords.

Logain personally challenges Demandred in duel, using the little fat men angreal that Rand has sent to him, but after being defeated and injured he has to retreat, to be healed by Gabrelle.

Eventually Logain goes in search for a sa'angreal that he knows Demandred had. He believes that with a sa'angreal he himself will never be overpowered again, as he was when he was Gentled, and when he was taken to be Turned. It is revealed that something has broken inside him. He has faced Demandred face-to-face, but barely escaped with his life, and Gabrelle appears genuinely worried about him. Once Demandred is killed, he tells the Asha'man they have new orders to find the sa'angreal that Demandred gave to Taim.

Logain is given the unbroken seals by Androl, who has secretly taken them from Taim. He is approached by Leilwin after Egwene's death who passes along Egwene's instructions to break the seals when he sees the Light. He initially states that the seals are his now and he will do what he wishes with them, but Gabrelle tells him that he must do the right thing when the time comes.

Logain is then confronted with the choice to find the sa'angreal, or to save helpless refugees from being slaughtered by Trollocs. He chooses the latter and immediately regrets the decision, as the place where the sa'angreal rested was destroyed. However, he is surprised when the refugees appear gratefull and adoring, promising to send their sons for testing when they are older to see if they have the gift of channeling. He is taken aback that they refer to the ability as a gift and not a curse, and his regrets seem forgotten.

When the Last Battle is nearing an end, he and the rest of his group see the Light shooting from Shayol Ghul and he breaks the seals at Gabrelle's urging, thereby allowing Rand to seal the bore for good. For this act, Gabrelle names Logain "Sealbreaker".

Other

• Min has viewed numerous times that Logain carries an aura of a golden halo over his head indicating that he will one day attain great glory. Also, Egwene once had a dream in which Logain steps over what she believes to be Rand's corpse, sits on a throne and laughs maniacally, while Rand's corpse collapses into leaves.
• Logain also has the ability to see ta'veren. He states as much when he describes seeing Rand surrounded by light. Other characters such as Nicola and Siuan Sanche have also described ta'veren this way.

Trivia

• In the TV series, Logain Ablar will be played by actor Álvaro Morte .