Rank of those with "Talent"

[revengine]

Not sure if there's another thread on this, my apologies if there is. Just curious how the rest of you might rank those with "Talent" in the Belgariad/Mallorean series. I haven't really solidified any sort of list myself. I know each of them has different abilities that the others don't really share, but if they were all thrown into the ring together and told to go at it using the Will and the Word, who do you think would win? Or, if you just want to write a list ranking most to least powerful that's good as well. This is excluding gods, witchcraft and magic users. Obvious choice for most powerful would be Belgarath but I could be wrong. Thanks!

 

[The Ace]

Well, Belgarath did smother Polgara's will several times without breaking sweat at Cthol Mishrak, Torak brushed him aside like a fly and Garion killed Torak.

Belgarath and Ctuchik were so evenly balanced that it took Ctuchik's forbidden spell to decide the matter but Belgarath beat Zedar on several occasions.

This seems to be a fair ranking, especially as Torak should've been invincible.

 

[revengine]

Yes, Belgarath did take out Zedar fairly easily and then immediately afterwards smothered Polgara's will without much effort. And he was pretty evenly matched with Ctutchik. I think the main reason Belgarion took out Torak was because of the Orb of Aldur, although I know both Belgarath and Polgara have mentioned that he has a lot of talent. I wonder where Poledra fits in, she seems to be powerful - Polgara said that when she was merged with her at Vo Mimbre during her confrontation with Torak that she had never felt anything like the force of her mother's will, although apparently Poledra was also receiving aid from both Aldur and Belar at that moment. Belgarath has admitted that Beldin easily is much more intelligent than he but makes no reference to his other abilities (although Beldin caught on to the use of the Will and the Word much faster than Belgarath did). Belkira and Beltira have an unique ability in that their minds can work in tandem, that could be a distinct advantage.

 

[X'Nedra]

Belgarath is the oldest disciple, he is the "eternal man" - He'd whoop any of the others. I know Garion did his fancy schmancy thingy to the hierachs, but I still vote Belgarath.

Edit: My hubby just chimed in - he said that he thinks Garion would win. He has the Orb, and he's also generally quoting a part of the book that states Garion has unlimitless power.

Good points, but I still think Belgarath is better

 

[PTeppic]

Up to a point it would depend what they were trying to do. Belgarath has said himself (ISTR) that there are things that Polgara does better than he can, if not that he can't do. Stuff inside the mind, for example.

 

[devilsgrin]

I think its made fairly apparent from the beginning of Garion's evolution into Belgarion that he is without question the most powerful. The Orb of Aldur certainly lends him tremendous strength, but without it, Garion was doing things that Belgarath could never have. Creating LIFE with Horse for instance. Belgarath would have died trying. Garion succeeded.
I think its hard to rank the others, since they rarely faced eachother. Belgarath certainly had it all over Zedar... yet, Zedar didn't really try all that much... he was overcome with remorse... and dread at having finally committed the one unforgivable act of his eons long life.
((side-note... Zedar is perhaps, IMO, one of, if not the most important character in the books aside from Belgarion. He DOES the most things, aside from perhaps Belgarath...its not a stretch to imagine Zedar completing all the prophecised tasks in Mallorea whilst Belgarath was busy in The West.. and Mallorea is infinitely bigger that just the West. throw in his "finding" of Erriond, his crucial theft of the Orb, and the absolutely pivotal killing of Durnik... who for anyone paying attention was in no real danger of a heroic death... in fact Durnik was just plain STUPID for attacking Zedar at all- sorry for my pro-Zedar rant, back on topic)).

Belgarath is certainly far more powerful than most of the others, Ctuchik was only a challenge due to Belgarath's continually drawing on his will to help protect the party on their way to Rak Cthol. His confident arrogance in regard to the Magician of the Murgos is well founded.
I'd rank Beldin as being Belgarath's equal in all regards...Beldin is stronger physically and also FAR more intelligent, but the strength of their wills i assumed them to be practically equals.
Polgara is not as strong as either. her truest strength is the subtlety of her powers. Having said that, i would put her above every W&W wielder who is not a Disciple of Aldur.
Poledra is even more subtle than Polgara... so ranking her is impossible since we never see her actually do anything except transform into animals, and share Polgara's mind/body at Vo Mimbre.
Beltira and Belkira, indivually would be Polgara's better, but together as they would always be, far stronger... we see the effect of their dual power in the Battle of Thull Mardu... the twins are exhausted but conscious after generating the storm, and then continuing to have to fight all the heirarchs as well. Polgara is out cold.

Belmakor and Belsambar are hard to place since we see them so briefly... from what clues we are given, i would be happy to place them above Beltira and Belkira as individuals, and possibly about as strong as Belzedar (yes BELzedar as he was at the time). Each having particular strengths... Belsambar's unparallelled strength at illusions, Belmakor's brilliance in construction - not to mention his mind that had him debating with Beldin for eons... plus, he was Belgarath's favourite brother...so he get a bonus on his Talent ranking

Urvon and Ctuchik.... Urvon is pathetic, and we are given every indication of his weakness. Certainly for a jumped up Grolim he's awesome, but on an international stage... he's the Comedy Relief. Thanks to Beldin of course, and his white hot hook of terror.
Ctuchik, a threat, i'll give him that. Whilst i think he'd be a true challenge for Polgara; as i mentioned above, it was only Belgarath's exhaustion that gave him a remote chance of defeating the Eternal Man, and he certainly would have lost had the battle continued any longer. Beldin, as well as Belgarath is underwhelmed by Ctuchik's "power" when he met him...

Asharak/Chamdar, the Heirarchs perhaps, Salmissra possibly, Gorim of Ulgo, these would all come into a secondary tier of Talented people. The Grolims in the next below.

The trickiest question of course... is where do the various mystics of Kell. At the very least, on the same level as the Grolims, but probably more powerful. The hive mind thing would make them very formiddable.

 

[kirgi08]

As far as I can tell ya missed a few things.Poledra did go and "get" the orb of the "sword" and place it in Brands Shield.That equates power rt there.Poledra was more discreet than Polgara was and still got results with little effort.


Her knowledge of the Mrin/Darine codex gave her a great working knowledge of "what's coming next" UL/Aldur were her profs.

Heads up all things equal,My money is on Beldin.He'll go where the others won't.'08.

 

[ghost8772]

I'm sitting here reading this, as well as considering things. Each had their gifts, and limitations, depends on how they viewed the world. Garion did things without thought or plan, guided by the prophecy itself usually. Yes he has the orb, and has a considerable amount of power, but to use the phrase, Youth and vigor will never outmatch Wisdom and cunning. Garion going against the hierarchs wasn't him against people who had "will and Word" talent. they were Grolim Priests, they received power from Torak, not the universe itself.

As far as I can tell there are only a handful of people who have exercised that gift in his world.

Belgarath, Zedar, Belmakor, Belsambar, Beltira, Belkira, Beldin, Polgara, I don't know if Poledra ever really did, but its implied (marriage requirement) Senji (not sure of his name exactly), Garion, Chutchik and Urvon. Any one else performing magic seemed to be under the blanket of Demon summoning, Kell, or the priesthood of Torak.

Point is they all seemed to be fairly equal, the moment they hit will and word, their abilities were only limited by their ability to imagine the result. the battle between Chutchik and Belgarath was called to a halt by Chutchik doing a bad bad thing. Belgarath and Zedar's confrontations always had Zedar feeling guilt ridden, and lets face it, Belgarath knew Zedar a lot more clearly than Zedar knew Belgarath.

oops on rereading I forgot one, Chamdar. he definitely came across as lower powered.

 

[white_wanderer]

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most powerful.

1 - Senji
3 - Chamdar / urvon
4 - Poledra
5 - Polgara / Durnik (at marriage ceremony said that it was equal power. Polgara is more subtle than powerful)
6 - Zedar / Belmakor / Belkira / Beltira
7 - Ctutchik / Belsambar
8 - Beldin (although he's more intelligent than Belgarath)
9 - Belgarath
10 - Garion (he still has a lot to learn, but the power is there)

 

[myeah]

ThaI'm sitting here reading this, as well as considering things. Each had their gifts, and limitations, depends on how they viewed the world. Garion did things without thought or plan, guided by the prophecy itself usually. Yes he has the orb, and has a considerable amount of power, but to use the phrase, Youth and vigor will never outmatch Wisdom and cunning. Garion going against the hierarchs wasn't him against people who had "will and Word" talent. they were Grolim Priests, they received power from Torak, not the universe itself.

As far as I can tell there are only a handful of people who have exercised that gift in his world.

Belgarath, Zedar, Belmakor, Belsambar, Beltira, Belkira, Beldin, Polgara, I don't know if Poledra ever really did, but its implied (marriage requirement) Senji (not sure of his name exactly), Garion, Chutchik and Urvon. Any one else performing magic seemed to be under the blanket of Demon summoning, Kell, or the priesthood of Torak.

Point is they all seemed to be fairly equal, the moment they hit will and word, their abilities were only limited by their ability to imagine the result. the battle between Chutchik and Belgarath was called to a halt by Chutchik doing a bad bad thing. Belgarath and Zedar's confrontations always had Zedar feeling guilt ridden, and lets face it, Belgarath knew Zedar a lot more clearly than Zedar knew Belgarath.

oops on rereading I forgot one, Chamdar. he definitely came across as lower powered.

How could Grolims' power come from Torak and not from within the same way that the Alorn sorcerers do it, when Grolims used sorcery during the Malloreon? Torak was dead and they still had power. No, I think this is innacurate.
(thanks for a thought-provoking and well-written answer, though!)

 

[Boaz]

@myeah Welcome to the Chrons! I hope you find some enjoyment and some interaction to your interest in Edding's works.

Last week, I reread Pawn of Prophecy for the first time in forty years... and I was fairly pleased with it. Gonna hit a used bookstore on the way home and look for Queen of Sorcery.