History TheWheelOfTime / TropesAToF

* FullNameBasis: The Aiel always call outsiders by their full first and last names. In their culture, using a shortened nickname is a sign of great intimacy, usually between lovers, so using only "half" a stranger's name makes them feel weird. Further {{justified}} by the fact that instead of last names, the Aiel have a list of affiliations, and so they are unfamiliar with the concept of last names.

* FantasyCounterpartAppliance: In the Age of Legends, they had {{Magitek}} counterparts for almost everything. Curious, since they seemed to have the technical know-how to make mechanical versions if they had been so inclined.
* FantasyCounterpartCulture: ''Lots'' of them. Andor is essentially a landlocked version of England, having a "Lion Throne" and ruled by a queen. Cairhien and Mayene bear similarities to France (Cairhien has the Sun Throne; Mayener names are reminiscent of French). Arad Doman resembles Arabic countries and Iran. The Aiel are based off the Zulu (spears, tactics), Irish/Scottish (appearence,Clan organization/height), and Bedouin tribes(desert dwellers) with a dash of Native American and Japanese and a strong hint of [[Franchise/{{Dune}} Fremen.]] Also, Altara is like Italy; Amadicians are like Puritans; Illian like to Greek Mediterranean; Malkier is like Tibet and Nepal; Saldaea and Arafel have influences from Middle Eastern culture and areas around the Black Sea; Seanchan is a mixture of empires (Chinese, Byzantium, Japanese, Persian, Ottoman); Shienar has a mix of Japan and feudal Medieval Europe (knights, chivalry and castles); Tarabon is like to Arabic cultures; Tear like Spain. And those are just the countries that exist in the series' present.

** Getting gentled/stilled/severed. Cut off from the Power, that is: channelers are evidently as good as addicted to its wholesomeness.
** Liandrin, for being [[TheStarscream too stupid and treacherous]], isn't even mentally allowed to be DrivenToSuicide (really, she got brainwashed that way), as she's not only forced into servitude but cut off from the Power--though not severed, giving her eternal false hope--indefinitely.

** Snakes and Foxes is a board- and dice-based game that most children love until they realize it's UnwinnableByDesign. The present age has all but forgotten that the game's true purpose is to warn people about the [[TheFairFolk Aelfinn and Eelfinn]] and to hint at how to beat them by trickery.

* FictionalEarth: The world of the series is strongly implied to be a distant and different future Earth, as the setting has an Eternal Recurrence of seven Ages that fade into history and come anew. Thanks to the Breaking of the World, the maps look completely different; but there are quite a few references to Earth history and myth, as well as a few ancient artifacts that originate in present-day Earth.

** In the previous Age, both sides stopped using Balefire - a weave that [[RetGone erased people from existence retroactively]] - after reality literally started unraveling from its overuse. Thousands of years later, the weave is still banned, and Aes Sedai are appalled by Rand's liberal use of it.

** It is at least fairly regular. No one ever translates what ''Sei'cair'' means, because we've already seen the ''Seia Doon'', the "Black Eyes," amongst the Aiel; ''Al'cair'rahienallen'', "the Hill of the Golden Dawn" ([[PleaseSelectNewCityName today shortened to Cairhein]]); and ''Al'cair Dal'', "the Golden Bowl." The fact that the speaker uses the term to address Lord Perrin [[SupernaturalGoldEyes Goldeneyes]] is almost unnecessary.

** When Nynaeve goes through the Aes Sedai's admission test, she finds herself in an illusion where she's in a happy marriage with Lan.

** In book 14, [[spoiler: The Dark One offers Rand a "compromise" in which all reality is unmade. Rand considers it. Eventually it's noted that, surprise, the Dark One was lying.]]

* ForegoneConclusion: The first paragraph of the first chapter of every book makes it perfectly clear that this story takes place in both an age long past and an age yet to come, and even the title of the series implies that time is cyclical.

** TheForce: The One Power is not only {{mana}}, it's the force that turns the Wheel of Time.

* TheBeautifulElite: [[EvilIsSexy Lanfear]], [[ShelteredAristocrat Galad]], and [[TheVamp Berelain]] are frequently described in this way. And [[spoiler:the latter two will probably have ridiculously adorable babies.]] Less mentioned is that Rahvin was said to be as handsome as Lanfear was beautiful.

* ConcentrationBoundMagic: Channeling the One Power takes focus and [[CastFromStamina stamina]]. By default, maintaining a spell relies on the channeler to feed it power, though it's less taxing than actively casting a spell. ZigzaggingTrope in that there's also an option to "tie it off" and make it self-sustaining. Because concentration is so important, the UltimateFinalExam to become [[MagicalSociety Aes Sedai]] is a sequence of 100 difficult spells in chaotic, dangerous environments.

* CastFromStamina: Channeling in large amounts or for long periods of time is as tiring as intense or prolonged physical activity. Channelers in a prolonged battle have to work in shifts so they can rest, while some push through and drain themselves to the point that they can barely stand. Channeling past the point of exhaustion can cause a HeroicRROD and sometimes a permanent DePower.

* TheCavalry: Two of them in the same battle, actually. One of them is led by [[spoiler:Faile]], [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome as if it wasn't awesome enough already]].
** Preemptive Cavalry: [[spoiler: in ''Towers of Midnight'' the Whitecloaks see Perrin suddenly appear on a hill about to charge down and slaughter them. All hope seems lost and the Whitecloaks prepare for a final stand when a [[OhCrap whole army of Shadowspawn appear]]. The Whitecloaks feel like they're about to get crushed between both forces when [[BigDamnHeroes Perrin's army charges in]] and saves most of them, finally convincing them that he was [[EnemyMine their ally after all]].]]
* CessationOfExistence: [[spoiler: Offered to Rand by the Dark One as a compromise. Rand experiences it as TheNothingAfterDeath so that he can experience it at all, of course.]]

* ChivalrousPervert: Mat. "He'll steal a kiss from you, and whatever more you're willing to give, but he would never hurt you."

* ChurchMilitant: The Children of the Light, a.k.a Whitecloaks. Think "Spanish Inquisition" on a bad day. They believe that Aes Sedai are evil witches, and anyone who disagrees with them (the Whitecloaks, that is) must be a servant of the Dark One. Extremely militant.
** This is somewhat deconstructed with [[spoiler: Galad leading them]]. Not ALL the the Whitecloacks are completely like this, and [[spoiler:''Towers of Midnight'' indicates their general attitude might be changing]].

** Rand's journey slowly deconstructs TheChosenOne in basically every way possible. Once Rand accepts his destiny, gains powerful allies and begins to amass an allied force against the Dark One, things are looking up. Unfortunately, even though Rand is indeed the [[TheMessiah Dragon]], not everyone is jazzed about serving him. Rand spends a lot of time balancing the political needs of his allies, and in general spends a lot of time past book four needing to manage his different wants and needs. Rand slowly starts to get frustrated with all the politicking, and soon comes to resent his position as the chosen one purely because of all the stress forced onto him. [[spoiler: It even gets to the point where he nearly ''destroys the world'' in the throes of despair, only being saved at the last minute by an ArmorPiercingResponse from Lewis Therin about the nature of the Wheel.]]

** Special mention must go to [[spoiler: Rodel Ituralde, who, like the other 4 Great Captains, had Compulsion placed upon him during the last battle. Unlike the other 3 Captains, Rodel managed to resist, and recognize its effects on his own, without even once betraying the forces of the light. He held out so long, that he STILL hadn't succumbed to it when he was forcibly removed by wolves. He did it all through pure force of will. He knows the right move, damnit, and he isn't going to listen to some voice in his head telling him different, no matter how loud it gets or that it takes away his ability to speak.]]

** Special mention must go to [[spoiler: Rodel Ituralde, who, like the other 5 Great Captains, had Compulsion placed upon him during the last battle. Unlike the other 3 surviving Captains, Rodel managed to resist, and recognize its effects on his own, without even once betraying the forces of the light. He held out so long, that he STILL hadn't succumbed to it when he was forcibly removed by wolves. He did it all through pure force of will. He knows the right move, damnit, and he isn't going to listen to some voice in his head telling him different, no matter how loud it gets or that it takes away his ability to speak.]]

** Nynaeve is literally the most powerful female channeler alive in the current Age (barring the very evil Lanfear). Naturally, she too performs ''many'' badass feats throughout the story and even [[spoiler: becomes an official Aes Sedai, the strongest in the White Tower]]. She doubles as a CombatMedic.

** Reference is made to a story from the First Age about two giants, Mosk and Merk, who warred with each other using spears of fire. This is a garbled retelling of the Soviet Union ("Mosk" = Moscow) and the USA ("Merk" = America) getting into a nuclear conflict with intercontinental ballistic missiles. Elsbet, Queen of All (Queen Elizabeth II of England) was also involved somehow. Only a few scattered legends from that time remain, along with some ancient artifacts.