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2.1.3: Is Mat still linked to the Horn?

In [TDR: 12, The Amyrlin Seat, 118], Verin and SS are discussing Mat and the Horn of Valere. Verin says, "So long as Mat lives, the Horn of Valere is no more than a horn to anyone else. If he dies, of course, another can sound and forge a new link between man and Horn." Later, SS tells Mat, "For anyone else, it is only a horn-- so long as you live." There are two points in the story where Mat could be considered to have died: when he was hung from the tree in Rhuidean, and when he got hit by lightning in the raid on Caemlyn in TFOH. So, is he still linked to the horn?

Firstly, in Tear, [TSR: 15, 253, Into the Doorway, 177]:

[Snakey Answers to "What fate?]:
"'To die, and live again, and live once more a part of what was!'

The first time Mat Died And Lived Again:

In Rhuidean, [TSR: 26, 437-8, The Dedicated, 306-7]:

Letting sword and Power go, he ripped the rope away from Mat's neck and pressed an ear to his friend's chest. Nothing. Desperately, he tore open Mat's coat and shirt, breaking the leather cord that held a silver medallion on Mat's chest. He tossed the medallion aside, listened again. Nothing. No heartbeat. Dead. No! He'd be all right if I hadn't let him follow me here. I can't let him be dead!

As hard as he could he pounded his fist against Mat's chest, listened. Nothing. Again he hammered, listened. Yes. There. A faint heartbeat. It was. So faint, so slow. And slowing. But Mat was still alive despite the heavy purple welt around his neck. He might yet be kept alive.

Filling his lungs, Rand scrambled around to breathe into Mat's mouth as strongly as he could. Again. Again..."

The Second time Mat Died And Lived Again (maybe):

Mat gets blasted by Rahvin's lightning in Rand's attack on Caemlyn. He is "brought back to life" when Rand BFs Rahvin. However, this is treading the knife edge of paradox, as does anything involving BF. The way BF works is that it "rewinds" time, so that the actions performed by a BF'd person never happened. Thus, Rahvin never shot lightning at Mat. Thus, Mat did not die. Thus, he certainly did not "die and live again." Or did he?

So, is he still tied to the Horn? We can agree that Mat actually died. I do grant that we can disagree and quibble over the binding of the Horn, but that's a different matter. And on that note, Judy is correct--the phrasing the Amyrlin used at any rate was "So long as you live." [TDR: 20, Visitations, 182] I just wonder if anyone ever actually linked themselves to the Horn before, then died and then came back to life. In other words, is their knowledge absolute in this matter, or is this just a turn of phrase? [John Novak]

If the Caemlyn incident is the only time Mat Died and Lived Again, then he is probably still linked to the Horn, due to the way BF works: Mat gets toasted, the link to the Horn breaks. Rand BFs Rahvin, making Mat not-having-died, and thereby unmaking the destruction of the link to the Horn. If the Rhuidean incident counts as Mat having died and lived again, then the question of his being linked to the Horn is still up in the air-- does restoring him to life restore the link?

Bill Garrett's report of RJ's appearance at Balticon 30 (April 1996) contains the following: "(Jordan noted that Mat's death by lightning and subsequent undoing of his death when Rand balefired Rahvin, fulfills a prophecy about living, dying, and then living again.)" Given that and the reasoning above, it seems likely that yes, Mat is still linked to the Horn.

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