Character Connection: Perrin Aybara from The Wheel of Time

I've been wanting to participate in Jen's (Introverted Reader) Character Connection feature ever since I first learned about it forever or so ago, but every time I think about it, I get overwhelmed with the vast list of characters I'm in love with! Then I chicken out on the post because I want to make it be some really cool creative thing.

So I've decided to just go for it, try not to stress and simply tell you about whatever character I'm totally obsessed with at that very moment. Then eventually, maybe I'll go back in time and catch a few from the past.

Anyway, the idea is to gush about a favorite character every Thursday and then link up over at The Introverted Reader. Click here for Jen's more detailed explanation.

So today, for my first character highlight, I bring you Perrin Aybara. I'm guessing he's not a very familiar character to most of you, only if you have braved the hugeness that is this Wheel of Time series. But, since that's where I'm at right now, meaning completely wrapped up yet again in a Wheel of Time book, and since this particular book is total Perrin for me, he's definitely my current obsession.

So who is Perrin?

When the series starts, he is a blacksmith apprentice. That should tell you something about him right from the start! He is one of Rand's best friends, along with Mat Cauthon.  (Rand, of course, being the major star of the whole show.) They are from a small farming village, minding their own business when suddenly all three of them get swept off on a big adventure, similar to the hobbits in Lord of the Rings. They are all very sheltered, naive, and clueless, but ready to take on the world and do whatever it is they are destined for.

Perrin stands out to me because of several traits that I just love:

• very vulnerable and sensitive
• extremely loyal 
• self-doubting and unsure
• shy with a capital S
• his uncanny connection with wolves
• his physical strength (the blacksmith thing? Think shoulders and arms here.)
• dark curly hair, I mean, hello
• socially awkward
• loving and kind
• a quiet, yet powerful leader

In Googling him, I've found several interesting depictions of him, both drawings and fans' celebrity choices. None that I'm especially loving however. In fact many have totally cracked me up. But this one is some celebrity that I've never heard of (Paul Telfer... he played Hercules once or something?) that comes close. Give him curly hair, and yellow eyes and maybe he's almost there.....

What character are you obsessing over at the moment?