Sammael

::This article is about Sammael, the fictional character. For the angel in Jewish mythology, see Samael.'

Sammael is one of the primary antagonists of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan. He is one of the Forsaken.

Blue eyes, blond hair, and a handsome face, other than the scar running from his hairline to his jaw. Tel Janin Aellinsar was not as tall as his friend, Lews Therin Telamon. Tel Janin truly believed that people were judged for their height and not their abilities; he always regretted the fact that the One Power he wielded could not make him taller. However, his jealousy of Lews Therin was small compared to Demandred's.

Tel Janin Aellinsar was a world-renowned archer and swordsman, second in that discipline only to his friend Lews Therin (the two essentially rediscovered bladework as a martial art, roughly the same as two sportsmen today taking fencing from watered-down sport to lethal combat). When the War of Power broke out, the two proved to be excellent generals, fighting together in support of the Light, but when Lews Therin became Commander for all forces of the Light, Sammael turned to the Shadow. Graendal herself escorted him to Shayol Ghul. His betrayal is chronicled as follows: "After Sammael betrayed the Gates of Hevan he carried the Shadow down into the Rorn M'doi and the heart of Satelle. Hope seemed to die that day. Culan Cuhan wept" (The Fires of Heaven).

After being released, he became Lord Brend, quickly taking over the Council of Nine in Illian. From here he was able to hunt angreal and sa'angreal, for reasons unknown. He also disguised himself as Caddar, a man who approached Sevanna and the Shaido and tricked them into being dispersed across the continent, causing damage to Rand's reputation. Finally, however, Rand came to Illian to root him out, and he was last seen in Shadar Logoth, with Mashadar almost upon him on one side and Rand's balefire on the other. Though Sammael was not described as escaping, neither was his death directly narrated, and readers continued to suspect he was lurking in the shadows until author Robert Jordan unequivocally announced him unequivocally dead. This is perhaps the most emblematic example of Jordan's (and readers') almost obsessive attention to detail.