WoT Character Analysis: Mesaana

Race: Forsaken

Sex: Female

Faction: Shadow

Overall Rating: 7.3

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Arena Status: Active (S2)

Mesaana, once known as Saine Tarasind during the Age of Legends, is a character shrouded in intrigue and darkness in the Wheel of Time series. As one of the thirteen Forsaken, she plays a pivotal role in the overarching conflict between the forces of Light and Shadow, bringing her own unique brand of malice and manipulation to the story.

Mesaana, One of the Forsaken

Who is Mesaana?

Originally a teacher disillusioned by her professional setbacks, Saine Tarasind’s turn to darkness was marked by a deep-seated resentment towards her perceived limitations in the Age of Legends. Renaming herself Mesaana, which hints at her malevolent transformation, she fully embraced the teachings and glory of the Dark One, orchestrating educational reforms that brainwashed generations.

Mesaana’s Role in the Wheel of Time

Mesaana's journey through the series is both secretive and destructive. Her release from the Bore saw her integrate deeply into the Aes Sedai's White Tower, sowing discord and steering the Black Ajah with a cunning that belied her quiet demeanor.

Release from the Bore and Integration into the White Tower

Mesaana's resurgence in the Third Age is marked by strategic placements and manipulations. Her guise as an Aes Sedai, though a well-kept secret for much of the series, allows her a level of influence that is both subtle and extensive. She leverages this position to orchestrate one of the most significant schisms within the White Tower, exacerbating the rift between the Tower Aes Sedai and the Rebel Aes Sedai.

The Battle in the White Tower

Mesaana’s downfall is as dramatic as her rise. In a climactic battle within the World of Dreams, Tel'aran'rhiod, she faces Egwene al'Vere, the series' protagonist who embodies the resurgence and unification of the Aes Sedai. Mesaana's defeat is not just physical but also mental, as her mind is shattered in the confrontation, symbolizing her ultimate failure and the disintegration of her meticulously laid plans.

Key Plot Points and Spoilers

Mesaana’s legacy in the Age of Legends was defined by her harsh educational reforms, which prioritized indoctrination over genuine learning, preparing young minds for the glory of the Dark One rather than the pursuit of knowledge.

Her infiltration and manipulation of the White Tower’s politics showcase her strategic acumen, as she played a long game that nearly saw the destruction of Aes Sedai unity.

Her final battle in Tel'aran'rhiod serves as a testament to the power of will over raw strength, as Egwene, not necessarily stronger in the One Power, overcomes Mesaana through sheer determination and mental resilience.

Parallels and Symbolism

Mesaana's narrative arc is rife with parallels to historical and mythical figures of betrayal and manipulation. Her character draws comparisons to figures such as Messalina, emphasizing themes of power corruption and moral decay. Her role is a powerful narrative on the consequences of unchecked ambition and the corrupting influence of absolute power.

Mesaana’s Legacy

Mesaana's impact on the world of the Wheel of Time is indelibly marked by her actions that ripple through the series. Even after her defeat, the consequences of her machinations are felt by all major characters, influencing their paths and decisions. Her story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of power and the depth of the human capacity for both good and evil.

Mesaana's Raw Power

Combining physical strength, exceptional magical abilities, and significant combat effectiveness—Mesaana’s overall raw power rating across all fantasy universes is an 8. This score places her as an incredibly powerful character but not at the pinnacle, primarily due to her physical limitations and the existence of even more overpowering beings in other fantasy realms.

Strength

Mesaana’s physical strength, like many channelers in the "Wheel of Time," is not her most notable attribute, as her prowess primarily derives from her magical abilities. In terms of pure physical power, she does not exhibit extraordinary strength; thus, her rating in this subcategory would be relatively low, around a 3.0. Her capabilities are typical of a trained but not physically dominating Aes Sedai.

Magical Ability

Mesaana’s strength in the One Power is formidable. She ranks as one of the most potent female channelers, surpassed by only a few such as Lanfear and Semirhage in their prime. Her proficiency spans a vast range of weaves, from devastating offensive spells to intricate manipulations of the mind and environment. Given the scale of her power and her adeptness in using it to further the Shadow's agenda, Mesaana earns a 9.0 in this subcategory. Her magical abilities are her primary asset, allowing her to exert her will and influence across considerable distances and situations.

Combat Prowess

While not often highlighted in direct combat, Mesaana’s abilities in a fight are undeniably potent. She combines her magical skills with a strategic mind, making her a formidable opponent in any battle scenario. Her combat effectiveness is augmented by her use of the One Power, through which she can control the battlefield, making her a critical threat to her enemies. Her rating in combat prowess is a strong 8.5, reflecting her capacity to dominate fights when necessary.

Mesaana's Tactical Ability

Combining her strategic mind, resourcefulness, and resource arsenal, Mesaana’s overall tactical ability across all fantasy universes is rated at an 8. This score positions her as an exceptional strategist, capable of influencing large-scale outcomes and manipulating complex plots to her advantage.

Strategic Mind

Mesaana's strategic capabilities are highlighted by her manipulation and control within the White Tower, arguably one of her most significant strategic achievements. Her ability to infiltrate and manipulate the highest echelons of Aes Sedai society without revealing her identity showcases her mastery in planning and execution. She successfully instigates a schism and prolongs internal conflicts, weakening her enemies from within. Her strategic mind, therefore, rates highly at 9.0, reflecting her adeptness at long-term planning and complex geopolitical maneuvering.

Resourcefulness

Mesaana’s resourcefulness is evident through her adaptive tactics and the efficient use of available resources to further the Shadow's goals. Her orchestration of the Black Ajah and manipulation of key Tower members without exposing her true identity demonstrates her ability to creatively utilize limited resources. However, her overconfidence and eventual mental breakdown in the face of unexpected resistance suggest limits to her adaptability. Therefore, she earns a 7.5 in this subcategory, as her resourcefulness is substantial but not infallible.

Resource Arsenal

In terms of accessing and leveraging strategic assets, Mesaana excels. Her control over significant portions of the Black Ajah and her infiltration into the White Tower provide her with critical intelligence and influence. Additionally, her alliances with other Forsaken and her utilization of Darkfriends and other shadowspawn as tools indicate a high capability in this area. Mesaana’s effective use of her assets grants her an 8.5 rating, showcasing her ability to wield her resources in various situations to maintain upper hand.

Mesaana's Influence

Taking into account her abilities in persuasion, the respect she commands, and her willpower, Mesaana's overall influence rating stands at a 7. This score positions her as a significantly influential character, capable of shaping events and allegiances around her to a great extent, though she has notable vulnerabilities that prevent her from reaching the highest echelons of power observed in fantasy literature.

Persuasion

Mesaana's persuasive abilities are evident through her manipulation of the White Tower's politics. As a hidden influencer within the Aes Sedai, she cunningly steers the decisions of the Tower's leaders and shapes the education of young novices, aligning them with the Shadow. This manipulation showcases her high proficiency in subtle persuasion and indoctrination, making her a pivotal figure in the Tower's division and the prolongation of internal strife. For persuasion, Mesaana receives a rating of 8.0, reflecting her exceptional ability to subtly influence and manipulate the thoughts and actions of others without their awareness.

Reverence

Despite her significant impact, Mesaana’s reverence among other characters is complicated. While feared by many within her immediate circle for her ruthlessness and strategic cruelty, she lacks the broader legendary awe or fear accorded to some of her fellow Forsaken, like Ishamael or Lanfear. Her influence is more insidious and less overt, relying on secrecy rather than widespread dread or admiration. Thus, in the category of reverence, Mesaana scores a 6.5, as her influence through fear and respect is substantial but not overwhelmingly dominant.

Willpower

Mesaana's willpower is a core component of her effectiveness as a Forsaken. Her determination to rise in the ranks of the Dark One’s followers, despite not being the most powerful in raw magical strength, underscores a formidable mental resilience. She overcomes numerous setbacks, including her initial lesser status among the Forsaken and her challenges within the White Tower. However, her breakdown in Tel'aran'rhiod against Egwene al'Vere shows a critical failure at a pivotal moment, suggesting a limitation in her willpower under extreme stress. Thus, she earns a 7.0 in this category, reflecting strong but not unbreakable willpower.

Mesaana's Resilience

When assessing Mesaana's overall resilience, it's necessary to weigh her physical and magical resistances with her longevity. Her ability to bounce back from magical and existential threats, combined with her long-term survival, gives her an overall resilience rating of 6.5. This score places her above average compared to many fantasy characters, recognizing her formidable survival through time and magic but also her significant mental vulnerabilities.

Physical Resistance

Physically, Mesaana is not portrayed as the most resilient among her peers. Her powers do not generally include superior endurance or stamina compared to other Forsaken, nor is she highlighted for her physical defenses. However, as an Aes Sedai of the Age of Legends, her inherent abilities provide her a baseline resistance to physical harm typical of powerful channelers in her world. Despite this, she does not display notable physical endurance in critical situations, such as her ultimate mental breakdown in Tel’aran’rhiod. Her rating in physical resistance is therefore a modest 5.0, reflecting average resilience for a character of her stature.

Magical Resistance

Mesaana’s magical resistance is considerably higher. Her proficiency in the One Power and her training from the Age of Legends make her formidable against magical attacks. This is evidenced by her ability to survive various magical confrontations throughout the series. However, her breakdown in the World of Dreams, where she is mentally defeated by Egwene al'Vere, shows a critical vulnerability under specific magical conditions that exploit her mental state rather than her magical defenses per se. Thus, her rating in magical resistance is 7.0, acknowledging her strength but also her limitations in magical confrontations.

Longevity

Mesaana has survived through the ages, from the War of Power in the Age of Legends to her involvement in events thousands of years later. This demonstrates a significant aspect of her resilience—longevity. She withstands the passage of time and the sealing of the Dark One's prison, although not without cost to her mental stability and strategic focus. This aspect of resilience, which includes her capacity to endure extended periods of stasis and return to active scheming and power, earns her an 8.0.

Mesaana's Versatility

Combining her adaptability, occasional luck, and the use of hidden advantages, Mesaana’s overall versatility rating is a 7. This score reflects her ability to adapt to different environments and situations, her effective use of strategic assets, and her capacity to leverage hidden skills at crucial moments. It places her above average in versatility compared to many fantasy characters, acknowledging her dynamic role within the "Wheel of Time" series.

Adaptability

Mesaana's adaptability is a key feature of her character. Originally a teacher who felt undervalued in her role, she embraced the Shadow not just for power but also for the opportunity to explore new realms of knowledge and influence. Her ability to adapt from a scholar to a formidable leader of dark forces showcases her flexibility. She adeptly maneuvered within the White Tower's politics while disguised as Danelle, influencing events without revealing her true identity. Her seamless transition into various roles within both the Shadow and the Aes Sedai hierarchy demonstrates a high level of adaptability, meriting a score of 8.0.

Luck

While not traditionally lucky, Mesaana's strategic placements and manipulations often positioned her advantageously until her ultimate downfall. Her involvement in key events, like the schism within the White Tower and her escape from numerous purges, often relied on fortuitous timing and circumstances, which could be construed as a form of luck. However, her eventual mental breakdown in Tel’aran’rhiod suggests that her luck has limits, particularly when facing equally adept opponents. Therefore, her score in this subcategory is a moderate 6.5.

Shaved Knuckle in the Hole

This term refers to possessing a secret or hidden advantage that can be crucial in critical situations. Mesaana's secret identity within the White Tower serves as her "shaved knuckle." This disguise allowed her to manipulate events from the shadows, influencing both the Black Ajah and Tower policy. However, the ultimate effectiveness of this advantage waned as she underestimated the capabilities of her enemies, leading to her exposure and defeat. Given the mixed results of her hidden advantage, she scores a 7.0 in this category.

Mesaana's Alignment

Mesaana's alignment can best be categorized as chaotic. Originally bound by the structured academic and social norms of the Age of Legends, her turn to the Shadow marked a definitive break from these constraints. As a Forsaken, she actively worked against the established order, seeking to undermine and destroy the societal structures of the world. Her methods were subversive and disruptive, aimed at creating chaos to foster the Dark One’s influence, which is a hallmark of a chaotic alignment.

Mesaana’s reorganization of educational systems to indoctrinate youth with loyalty to the Dark One illustrates her commitment to chaos. She corrupted the very mechanism—education—that was meant to uplift and enlighten, turning it into a tool of ideological warfare and control.

Her infiltration of the White Tower, assuming the identity of an Aes Sedai, further underscores her chaotic nature. Mesaana sowed discord and mistrust among the Aes Sedai, directly contributing to a schism and weakening her enemies from within.

Mesaana's actions and choices align squarely with an evil disposition. Her motivations are rooted in self-interest, power, and revenge against perceived injustices. Her allegiance to the Dark One and her actions as a Forsaken are driven by the desire to increase her own power and status, often at the expense of others’ suffering.

Mesaana's implementation of brutal educational reforms during the War of Power, where failure and disobedience were met with death, exemplifies her merciless approach. She exploited children for the Shadow's cause, showing a clear disregard for individual life and freedom.

Her pursuit of power is relentless, willing to betray, manipulate, and destroy anyone to achieve her goals. This ambition showcases her alignment with evil, as her actions are devoid of compassion or empathy, focused solely on her ascent within the ranks of the Dark One’s followers.

Mesaana’s alignment is definitively Chaotic Evil. This classification reflects her fundamental opposition to order and her methodical pursuit of personal power through any means necessary, including subversion, cruelty, and manipulation. Her actions and motivations throughout the "Wheel of Time" series consistently emphasize a rejection of any lawful or good constraints, embracing chaos and evil to reshape the world according to her vision and that of the Dark One. Her alignment not only illuminates her role within the series but also underscores the broader conflicts and themes of power and morality that Jordan explores throughout his narrative. Pride and Prophecy keeps an updated character alignment matrix across all planes of existence.

Mesaana's Trophy Case

PPET Rankings

Season	Rank
2 (2024-2025)	TBD (of 204)

Overall Conclusion on Mesaana and Position Across Planes of Existence

Mesaana’s evaluation at a 7.3 in the pantheon of fantasy characters reflects her significant but not supreme level of power and influence across multiple dimensions of fantasy literature. This ranking situates her as a formidable character within her own narrative universe and when juxtaposed against other fantasy universes, she holds a respectable but not unparalleled position. This rating is justified by several key facets of her character and her actions throughout the "Wheel of Time" series.

Mesaana possesses substantial magical abilities, making her one of the stronger channelers in the "Wheel of Time" series. Her strength in the One Power places her above many of her contemporaries, but below the most powerful beings in her universe, such as Rand al'Thor or Lanfear. 

Mesaana’s strategic mind is notably sharp; she orchestrated complex plots within the White Tower, demonstrating an aptitude for long-term planning and psychological warfare. Her ability to infiltrate and manipulate the Aes Sedai is a testament to her tactical acumen. However, her plans often require time and subtle manipulation rather than overwhelming force or immediate domination, which aligns with her ranking.

As for her influence, Mesaana wields considerable power through fear and indoctrination, particularly evident in how she manipulated educational systems to serve the Dark One’s purposes. Her influence is insidious and rooted deeply in the societies she corrupts. However, unlike leaders who command vast legions or nations through admiration or loyalty, Mesaana’s influence is more localized and based on deception and fear, limiting her scope when compared to more universally commanding figures in fantasy.

Her resilience, while notable, is not without limits. Mesaana's eventual downfall is precipitated by her underestimation of her opponents, particularly Egwene al’Vere, and her overreliance on subterfuge. Her mental breakdown after her defeat in Tel'aran'rhiod highlights a significant vulnerability, setting her apart from more resilient characters who can withstand similar defeats and return stronger.

It’s also crucial to note that Mesaana, for all her power and cunning, often operates behind the scenes. Her preference for manipulation over direct confrontation restricts her potential for absolute dominance, a strategic choice that aligns with her strengths but also caps her impact.

Mesaana's overall capabilities make her a dangerous and influential adversary in her own right, deserving of a solid 7.3 ranking. She excels in personal power and manipulation but does not reach the zenith of omnipotence or universal influence seen in some other fantasy universe titans. Her character offers a compelling blend of intelligence, power, and flawed ambition, representative of a significant but not insurmountable force within the wider fantasy genre. Pride and Prophecy keeps an updated power ranking across all planes of existence. This will only be sortable on desktop viewing. The below table shows a summary within the same plane of existence of this article.