The Dark One's Real Agenda

[Bentrudagi]

Hello all, I am long time reader, but new to the forums.

I am currently in my 4th (I think) readthrough, and I am working on focusing on the nature of the more existential elements of the series this time, so I will be asking a lot of thoughts concerning the nature of the Creator/DO, the pattern/wheel, the bore/DO's prison, and that sort of thing.

First, what do you see as the Dark One's true agenda? As I understand it, the pattern is made as a wheel destined to repeat itself over and over for all eternity.

Perhaps the dark one doesn't necessarily want to destroy the pattern, but just the  Timewheel itself, creating more of an ever evolving Timeline instead. I believe Moridin may be the only person who grasps this.

While I don't necessarily agree with the "evil" means to get to that end, I can at least sympathize with the goal.

Any thoughts to this?

[Samt]

As you elude to, I think this question is really part of a bigger set of questions.  In particular, what is the actual purpose of the universe?  Why did the creator create it and what did the creator hope to gain or achieve by doing so?  If the wheel really just makes the same things happen over and over again, the universe seems kind of pointless. 

 

The books are somewhat vague as to what it actually means for ages to come and go forever and I think that RJ's understanding of that probably evolved as the series progressed.  For instance, early on it seems to be implied that Rand's soul in particular is locked in a repetitive conflict with Ishamael.  But later statements by RJ seem to imply that various things might change in each turning of the wheel and that there might be other dragons or no dragon at all in some turnings.  In this context, the flicker flicker visions are probably possible alternate realities rather than actual things that happened in other turnings of the wheel.  

 

In this context, the wheel is some type of iterative training for souls to reach some higher state as is the case in some real world eastern religions that believe in reincarnation.  In other words, this would imply that although the wheel is cyclical it doesn't preclude the possibility that progress can be made.  

 

In regards to the DO in particular, I think there is an important distinction between the creator's purpose in the existence of the DO and the Dark One's own agenda that he as a consciousness holds and tries to enact.  The simplest explanation is that the DO exists as an oppositional force to give souls a way to struggle, overcome, and grow.  Of course, this would not be what the DO himself believes.  If, as you suggest, the DO's purpose is to break the wheel to allow for more evolution, does he himself see this as his purpose? 

[Bentrudagi]

I think there may a difference between the Dark One's purpose, and the DO's goal or agenda. 

His purpose, given to him by the Creator, may be to give balance to the universe as in good/bad, although that may be beyond even the DO's understanding.

I guess, what I am wondering boils down to, Does the DO want to destroy everything, destroy the wheel leaving the pattern intact, or rule the world in his own evil way? 

[Sabio]

Without the DO everyone would be forced to good, the DO balances things by giving people a choice, as Rand saw, killing the DO would be just as bad as if the DO won.  Since being good would be forced on everyone.

 

RJ did say LTT and Ishys souls are linked, like brigette and her man.  It's rare but the souls are linked.  I don't remember if RJ said LTT will always be the good guy and Ishy the bad, or if sometimes Ishy is the Dragon.