History Characters / TheWheelOfTimeTheBlackTower

* EleventhHourRanger: [[spoiler:The Dark One names him a member of the Chosen in the prologue to Book 14, with the Last Battle imminent, for his [[TheCorrupter services]] with regards to [[BrainwashedAndCrazy the Black Tower]].]]

* SnowballingThreat: Rand entrusts the Black Tower to him despite immediate misgivings and doesn't follow up on evidence that Taim is TheMole. Over the course of nine books, Taim [[spoiler:builds a personal power base within the Tower to subvert Rand's control, forcibly [[BrainwashedAndCrazy Turns]] many people there to the Shadow, becomes the first new Forsaken in over 3000 years, and brings a force of Asha'man Darkfriends to the FinalBattle on the Shadow's side.]]

* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: [[AllThereInTheManual According to the companion]], rape is the only crime that Taim [[EvenEvilHasStandards despises utterly]]. Taim goes out of his way to kill rapists. [[NightmareFuel Slowly.]]

* RedHerring: [[spoiler:Taim is introduced in the same book as Demandred, only a few chapters after Demandred gets an important task from the Dark One. When he and Rand come face to face for the first time, Lews Therin starts screaming about killing the Forsaken in Rand's head. At the end of the book, after Taim plays an integral part in the climax, Demandred is lauded for the success of his plan by the Dark One. The two also have a physical resemblance, most obviously in their hooked noses. Despite the hints, Robert Jordan confirmed that Taim is not Demandred in disguise, one of the very few times he ever {{Jossed}} something. So why the red herring? ''Jordan changed plans'': his notes have confirmed that Taim ''was'' supposed to have been Demandred, as well as Asmodean's killer, but that fans figured it out earlier than he would have liked.]]
** [[spoiler: Also, his mutual hatred with Logain is built up so much that a fight between the two False Dragons is expected. Instead, Logain fights Demandred in the Last Battle, while Taim faces off with his White Tower counterpart Egwene.]]

* TakenForGranite: [[spoiler:Turned to crystal by Egwene during the Last Battle by her anti-balefire "Flame of Tar Valon" weave.]]

* TheMedic: Joined the Black Tower so that he could learn to heal. He's quite good at it, [[spoiler:to the point where he saves Rand from a wound caused by the Shadar Logoth dagger (though, like everyone else, he can't heal the scars), and discovers the ''saidin'' cure for [[FateWorseThanDeath severing]]]].

* PuttingOnTheReich: Assigns titles blatantly stolen from the Germans. His own title - ''M'Hael'' - means leader; however his use of it as an unqualified title actually translates more to "Führer".

* DarkMessiah: The most powerful and dangerous False Dragon who ever lived.

* EvilCounterpart: To Logain.

* ManipulativeBastard: Knows how to manipulate people, as any good [[TheMole Mole]] on his position should.
* MeaningfulRename: [[spoiler:Originally, M'Hael was just his title. After he became a Forsaken, it became his name.]]

* TheAce: One of the most powerful male channelers alive, led a nearly successful campaign as a false Dragon, cunning, can see Ta'veren, and commands his own faction within the Black Tower.

* BrokenAce: After being Gentled. He recovers from it before joining the Asha'man. In [=AMoL=]: [[spoiler: after being captured by Taim, tortured and subjected to the 13x13 trick (which failed to Turn him), he becomes a bit unhinged and obsessed with gaining power. He gets better.]]

* GoodFeelsGood: For most of the story he is only nominally on the good guys side due to being opposed to Mazrim Taim. After he saves a group of refugees during the Last Battle and they start heaping praise and adoration on him, he decides that he genuinely wants to be the hero they take him for.
* InformedAttribute: His rivalry with Taim, despite being one of the focal points of the Black Tower story, happens entirely offscreen. Logain and Taim share only ONE scene together in the entire series [[spoiler:and by that point, [[TheStarscream Taim's true loyalties]] have been laid bare.]]

* MissedTheCall: Laments the fact that he was "too early" to be the Dragon Reborn, though acknowledges that [[ItSucksToBeTheChosenOne he wouldn't want that burden anyway]].

* MarsAndVenusGenderContrast: Their use of the power is so alien to Aes Sedai that it is impossible to teach one gender how the other uses it effectively.

* NoodleIncident: Androl tried to play the [[DecadentCourt Game of Houses]] in the past. And that's all he will say on the subject.

** There is also a degree of irony in this double-bonded boost in weave creation and reading capability on both ends. Remember when Mierin Eronaile Sedai hoped to find a power greater than either side of the Power alone? Turns out, it was always right there to be found, no exotic Bore-drilling required: the discovery of the double-warder bond.

%%* {{Bishonen}}

* DudeLooksLikeALady: Or his giant pretty eyes do.