Tuon...oh...Tuon... you are a hypocrite!

[rpggal she/her]

Tuon is such a hypocrite! What does Mat see in her?

Confronted with the fact that she herself can channel, she still tried to train damane and enjoys it.

I totally despise her and feel so sorry for Mat.  

 

(Currently reading the part where she tried to train Joline, Teslyn etc)

[The Sovereign]

Look at it from her perspective; She truly believes that Channeling is a terrible thing and that those who channel are actively a danger to those around them. She believes the A'dam is the only way to protect people and in her world view does not view a Sul'dam Channeling through a Damane via A'dam as Channeling . At one point in the series (I believe in "A Memory Of Light") someone directly address that she can learn to channel (Egwene maybe?) and she responds with something along the lines of although she may be capable of learning to channel, she wouldn't in the same way that while she is capable of committing murder she wouldn't do that either. It can be viewed in the same light as people who are adamantly against abortion in all cases, because they believe it is murder and therefore cannot be allowed. I don't agree with the sentiment, but if that truly is what you believe, then it isn't difficult to follow the logic chain. I think the Seanchan get a bit of the same treatment that people nowadays view people from the past; While it doesn't excuse their actions people are subject to the world they live in. Tuon grew up, was educated in, and was constantly exposed to an echo chamber of ideas that told her that what she was doing was right. Frankly speaking, subjecting people to your own morality is flawed logic. The reality is, that the entire Seanchan view of Channeling is the summation of centuries of policy and conditioning that stemmed from Ishamael's manipulation of Artur Hawkwing. While I obviously agree that the enslavement of anyone is Evil, I don't think despising Tuon and her nation for being thoroughly manipulated for centuries is a fair reaction to her character. While her world view is a very warped one, we see throughout the series she isn't completely hardwired into what she believes and can have her opinions changed when presented with new information. This is mostly seen through her interactions, with Mat, Setalle, and later Min.

Regarding what Mat sees in her; she is capable, intelligent, decisive, organized, and interesting. In addition, the implication is she is physically attractive. That is probably what he sees in her.