Mazrim Taim
From Wotpedia
Mazrim Taim (pronounced tah-EEM [1]) is a character in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He is from Saldaea, in the Borderlands.
Taim has black hair, is above average in height with a dark face, tilted eyes, hooked nose and high cheekbones of a Saldaean. When introduced to Rand al'Thor he is judged to be around thirty-five, but Jordan has subsequently confirmed he is in his late twenties. [2]
Taim can channel Saidin, the male half of the One Power and declared himself the Dragon Reborn . During the events which unfolded during The Great Hunt and when Rand al'Thor declared himself the true Dragon, Taim was thrown from his horse in battle and was captured by Aes Sedai. He escaped and now leads Rand al'Thor's male channelers, the Asha'man, and calls himself the M'Hael, which means Leader in the Old Tongue. He is notably arrogant, forgoing normal Asha'man ranking markers for blue-and-gold dragons on his coat sleeves, paying homage to Rand's arm markings while apparently mocking him at the same time.
Taim came to Rand in Caemlyn shortly after Rand announced an amnesty for men who could channel, carrying one of the seven seals on the Dark One's prison. He was pursued by Davram Bashere, who became one of Rand's highest generals. For all the speculations of his treachery, Taim turned the Black Tower from a small farmhouse with around a dozen men into the powerhouse of the One Power that it is.
Although it hasn't been entirely confirmed Taim is most likely a Darkfriend; he secretly sent four Asha'man (Charl Gedwyn, Manel Rochaid, Peral Torval, and Raefar Kisman; all Darkfriends) to kill Rand near the end of The Path of Daggers. It should also be noted that he is at odds with the Asha'man Logain, also a former False Dragon, who holds more loyalty to Rand than Taim does. These events have led to reader speculation that Taim is actually one of the living male Forsaken in disguise, particularly Demandred. However, Robert Jordan has denied that Taim is Demandred in disguise. References made in the Dragon Reborn may also suggest that Taim was converted into a Darkfriend by a circle of thirteen sisters channeling through thirteen Myrddraal.
In Knife of Dreams, Taim met with the White Tower Aes Sedai and agreed to allow the bonding of Asha'man by sisters of the Red Ajah. His justification for this was to "Let the Lord of Chaos rule," a phrase unknown outside the circle of the Forsaken and high-ranking Darkfriends (further evidence that he is a Darkfriend). Ominously, the hall full of Asha'man rippled with laughter.
Should Taim prove to be a Darkfriend, it is likely that he will lead at least the male, if not the female Dreadlords in Tarmon Gai'don.
Logain claims that Taim has a small sect of followers, most likely Darkfriends as well, whom he personally teaches weaves that no other Asha'man know. Taim refuses to believe that Rand was responsible for the cleansing of saidin.
Cultural References
The organization Mazrim Taim built up from the motley crew of stragglers Rand provided him reminds one, as of Winter's heart, of the SS. Both wear black uniforms and the ranks in the organization are unambiguous in their origin. E.g attack leader or storm leader. Also the Black Tower bears a resemblance to the "Waffen SS" in that it accepts volunteers from most nations provided they fulfill the specifications to form a multi-nation army united under one banner and ideology. A less striking resemblance is that like some divisions of the SS, the Black Tower is undoubtly the elite of Al'Thors army. Also Taims position as a bureaucrat running a para-military organization under the command of a "Leader" can signify Taim as being the equivalent of Heinrich Himmler.
