Origin
The son of the King and Queen of Malkier, Lan was born the year that his country was betrayed to the Shadow. His parents sent their infant son to the nearby country of Shienar where he was raised among soldiers with the sole purpose of avenging the loss of his country and the deaths of his parents. At sixteen he was declared a man and began his life-long, never-ending battle against the Shadow.
Creation
Lan was created by Robert Jordan for his book series The Wheel of Time, making his first appearance in the first book of the series, The Eye of the World. He made his first comic appearance in Wheel of Time: New Spring #1, written by Jordan and Chuck Dixon and illustrated by Chase Conley.Â
Major Story Arcs
New SpringÂ
In the Borderlands, Lan meets Moiraine Damodred, a young Aes Sedai newly raised to the shawl who is searching for the Dragon Reborn. Lan joins her in uncovering a member of the Black Ajah. He briefly leaves her company, but she is able to convince him that fighting with her is a far more important battle in his war on the Shadow. He allows her to bond him as her Warder.
The Eye of the World
Lan and Moiraine travel to the small village of Emond’s Field in the Two Rivers district of Andor, where Moiraine has determined the Dragon Reborn to be located. There they encounter three youths, Rand al’Thor, Mat Cauthon, and Perrin Aybara. When Trollocs attack the town he aids in repelling the invaders and leads the boys out of the town and towards Caemlyn, bringing Egwene al’Vere, Thom Merrilin and eventually Nynaeve al’Meara along as well. The group seeks refuge in the corrupted city of Shardar Logoth where they are eventually separated. Moiraine, Lan and Nynaeve eventually reunite with and rescue Perrin and Egwene, who were captured by Whitecloaks. After saving the pair, Lan and the others travel to the city of Caemlyn, where they reunite with Rand and Mat. Lan and the rest of the group then travel to the North in search of the Eye of the World, an untainted well of Saidin, the male half of the One Power. On the way he and Nynaeve admit mutual feelings of attraction, but he resists due to his dedication to fighting the Shadow. At the Eye of the World he is involved in the fight against the Forsaken.
Powers and Abilities
Lan is an exceptionally skilled combatant, the most gifted blademaster in the entire world. He is gifted with numerous other weapons, as well as being a skilled hand-to-hand fighter. As a Warder, he possesses extraordinary stamina and an enhanced healing capacity. He also has a colour-shifting cloak which provides camouflage, and which is given to all Warders. He wields a Power-wrought sword that is unmarked by the herons that would identify him as a blademaster.Â
Other Media
Literature
The Wheel of TimeÂ
Lan was originally created for the Wheel of Time series of books. He has thus far appeared in thirteen books in the series.