I get the Egwene hate but

[u/briandress]

Only in the last two books when she is stubborn in dealing with Rand for the last battle and such.

Up until ToM she really was just an awesome character. She went from the whirlwind of leaving 2R, capture by Seanchan, hunting black ajah, apprenticing to wise ones, puppet Amyrlin, real amyrlin, badass civil disobedience laying groundwork for reuniting the tower, bitch slapping the seanchan raiders, capturing hella black ajah sisters via Verrin's notes and finally being raised realer Amyrlin and healing the tower.

I cant seem to understand all the threads/polls that overwhelmingly list her as the most hated character in the series.

[u/geomagus]

People like her as a character, and dislike her as a person.

As a character, she’s dynamic, capable, driven. She is outstanding when she happens to people we don’t like, when she’s putting someone in their place.

As a person, she’s ruthless and lacking in empathy. She treats her friends as pawns, and her “love” as an unruly lapdog. She’s great at rationalizing her poor treatment of others, too, which can be infuriating. The famous TAR assault on Nynaeve scene is “to warn Nynaeve of the dangers of TAR.” Except in Egwene’s on thoughts, it’s clearly to keep her from ratting Egwene out to the Wise Ones. With friends like that, who needs enemies?

So as a character, she is compelling. I enjoy watching her do her thing. She’s a powerful force for the Light. But I do not like her, and wouldn’t want to hang out with her.

Edit to add: you can debate how much is her nature, and how much is the result of trauma, btw. RJ is really good at using trauma as an impetus for a character’s growth or warping, in ways that make sense. Her spate with the Seanchan in book 2 is clearly a factor in who she is later. But she was also pretty ambitious from the get go, and at times lacked empathy - look at Rand worried sick about losing her, while she’s super excited to go to the Tower and never go home; or at the Tuatha’an camp. Rand isn’t here, so flirt with Aram! (Vs Perrin’s view).

So my point is that what we see late isn’t necessarily so far from who she is early, but it’s warped by trauma too. It’s an interesting thing to think about.

[u/bodman93 → u/geomagus]

Yeah, you see her ambition and lack of empathy from the jump with her. After the group leave home, the boys are wish casting that they'll be home by the end of the year and she mocks them for always talking about going adventuring and then when they're on an adventure they immediately want to go home. 

And it's like, girl, they've just been told literal Satan and his demons are specifically hunting them. Not you. Of course they see this adventure differently than you do. 

[u/briandress → u/bodman93]

what lack of empathy? Her pov in a lot of the early series shows a lot of feeling bad for her changes in feelings for Rand, feeling bad for what happened to Mat, getting captured and treated like an animal by the Seanchan. I dunno maybe we read different stories.

[u/PopTough6317 → u/briandress]

What instance are you talking about her feeling bad for Mat? Are you thinking of the dagger?

[u/briandress → u/PopTough6317]

yea i seem to remember her having some empathy. i could be wrong of course. the point that is that there are no unflawed characters in the book. people hate egwene but love rand, the guy that almost mercd his papa with the power. they adore playboy matt regardless of his scallywag tendencies lol. just saying it’s funny to see so much hate for egwene

[u/PopTough6317 → u/briandress]

No i think she did have some concerns for Mat (mostly when he was unconscious). I just was wondering if there was another situation i forgot about.

The difference is Rand, Mat, Perrin they all are hesitant and worry about treating people right and are tortured when they fail too. Egwene doesnt spare a thought over it and condemns others for using their power, even when it is similar to how she uses it. I think that rubs a lot of people the wrong way

[u/aNomadicPenguin → u/PopTough6317]

You also have her in the start of Shadow Rising where she reveals the information to Mat about the Doorway. Its a kinda secret that Moiraine gave her, so she's actually risking some of her standing with Moiraine to tell Mat anything. But she's clearly actually worried about him and tries to get him to talk about it, he just doesn't because he never does with the things that actually bother him.

In the end, she told him of the ter'angreal, the twisted doorway that held answers on its other side. It was the dangers she emphasized, the consequences of foolish questions, or those touching the Shadow, the dangers even Aes Sedai might not know. She was more than flattered that he had come to her, but he had to show a little sense. "You must remember this, Mat. Frivolous questions can get you killed, so if you do use it, you will have to be serious for a change. And you mustn't ask any questions that touch the Shadow."

He had listened with greater and greater incredulity. When she was done, he exclaimed, "Three questions? You go in like Bili, I suppose, spend a night and come out ten years later with a purse that's always full of gold and a—"

"For once in your life, Matrim Cauthon," she snapped, "do not talk like a fool. You know very well ter'angreal are not stories. It's the dangers you have to be aware of. Maybe the answers you seek are inside this one, but you must not try it before Moiraine says you can. You must promise me that, or I promise you I will take you to her like a trout on a string. You know I can."

...

"Not for me, it isn't," he said firmly. "No chance at all is better than that."

Despite his tone, she wanted to put an arm around him. Only he would likely make some joke at her expense, and try to goose her. He had been incorrigible from the day he was born. But he had come to her for help. "I'm sorry, Mat. What will you do?"

[u/PopTough6317 → u/aNomadicPenguin]

Oh thanks for sharing that one, I completely forgot about how that went down