after the Last Battle: no more One Power

[Mystica]

I've just finished my re-read of the last three books and a thought occurred to me. You know how every so often a reference is made to something that the current population of Randland thinks is a remnant from a long ago age? Things that we easily recognise from our Real World or our history? I don't mean the major, wonderous things like flying transportation devices but mundain stuff. Such as Elayne referring to the word 'Princess' being an old fashion frase or Ter'Angreal or Angreal doing things that we can recognise like 'talking to people at great distances without needing the ability to channel' and stuff like that.

 

What if.... the Last Battle somehow starts a process that eventually leads to a total block to the Source? Let enough time go by and the ability to channel will cease to exist even in those that would otherwise be born with it. This may take a long time (like thousands of years if not more) but it could dwindle to the point where all that is left is a very very watered down remnant of it. In the form of what we now would call the alternative or supernatural stuff: telekineses, hypnoses, ability to read people's aura, clairvoyance, etc. Even going further and linking it to a hightened talent for something such as numbers, languages, science, etc.

 

Since there is talk in the books of 'ages long gone, ages yet to come' and things that turn to legend and legend turning to myth and ages long forgotten before they come again.... Wouldn't it be just typical if our world were part of those ages of the wheel? 

[Ashaman Kovan]

I'm pretty certain RJ said specifically that our modern age was one of the Ages in WoT. The one before the AoL if I remember correctly. Or the one before that...Anyways, I'm also pretty sure that it's inevitable for the world to eventually forget that Channeling exists. Until whichever Age it's discovered in comes around again.

[Mr Ares]

I'm pretty certain RJ said specifically that our modern age was one of the Ages in WoT.

He did, but he didn't specify which. Usually, our Age is taken to be the First, based on Thom's stories and similar. The OP will fade away eventually, although this needn't have anything to do with TG.

[nnokwoodeye]

I think that the "weakness in the pattern" that was later turned into the bore, is what allowing people to touch the OP. when the dark one would be sealed the power would be sealed with it. At some point after our age something would weaken the pattern (without releasing the dark one) to the point where the OP would become accessible again.

[Ashaman Kovan]

I think that the "weakness in the pattern" that was later turned into the bore, is what allowing people to touch the OP. when the dark one would be sealed the power would be sealed with it. At some point after our age something would weaken the pattern (without releasing the dark one) to the point where the OP would become accessible again.

 

Actually, I think Channeling has quite a bit to do with Genetics.

[mb]

The books (and Robert Jordan's statement) seem to imply that the One Power would last forever and that channeling would always exist.  Just the memory of either would be gone.

 

[OptimusPrime]

Yeah RJ said our Age could be either our future or past. Didnt Rand see streamers in the sky like a plane leaves behind it in a reflection/possible future somewhere in TGH?

[safwd]

Im sure that as Ter'Angreal or Angreal are created that do the same things for you that channeling can do people will slow down and probably cease channeling all together. Once people no longer need to channel because they have inventions that do the same thing it will be forgotten, still there, but forgotten.

 

That is after all what happened to magic in our world. :o)

[nnokwoodeye]

I think that the "weakness in the pattern" that was later turned into the bore, is what allowing people to touch the OP. when the dark one would be sealed the power would be sealed with it. At some point after our age something would weaken the pattern (without releasing the dark one) to the point where the OP would become accessible again.

 

Actually, I think Channeling has quite a bit to do with Genetics.

 

Yes, but in a stedding you can't feel the source even if you have the ability. What if steddings are places were the pattern is stronger? What if after the sealing the whole world would be a stedding?

[Phariah]

Atlantis was destroyed in the age before ours started it was the last bastion of channelers and when they died it was forgotten.  ;D  ;)

[Durinax]

Insert Quote

Atlantis was destroyed in the age before ours started it was the last bastion of channelers and when they died it was forgotten.   

Atlantas and Mu :D they where even said to be devastated by a comet that 'spit' hundreds of comets into earth.

[OptimusPrime]

That is after all what happened to magic in our world

 

Was that serious?

[Durinax]

there never was magic, it was said that they used technology in coordination with nature to do 'supernatural' feats such as typhoon protection using stones. It is quite interesting, you should find a book on Mu, it is really awesome, but unrelated

[ROB_88]

That is after all what happened to magic in our world

 

Was that serious?

 

he's right though.

real magic ended in our world when the Leprechauns were hunted down to extincion for theire gold, and the delicios Leprechaun-meat.

due to that the closest thing to magic we have now is the tricks given to people by the easterbunny

[Phariah]

ya i have always liked the Atlantis theories and stories i will have to check up on MU. i enjoyed Graham Hancocks book "Fingerprints of the Gods" it talks about alot of the ancient wonders, great read if your into the ancient cultures. his theories into the great pyramids was used in the movie 10000BC. and its cool there is a piece about a port city on the top of a land bound Mountain range in south America, i forget the spelling i think it was called Machu Pichu. it reminded me of the port city (the one high up in the mountains) Rand asks Asmo about when the were leaving the Waste.

[Blackhoof]

I think that our age WAS the age of legends, but instead of electricity we had the One Power and ter'angreal that acted like batteries and stuff. There were planes (sho-wings) cars (sho-jumpers) guns (shocklances) weapons that could reach for miles (missiles, nuclear) It was modern times, with magic.

[Paviel]

The problem with electricity being the One Power is that men and women can use electricity in much the same way. The same cannot be said for the One Power.

 

In any case, who numbers the Ages? The series takes place in the Third Age, supposedly (or rather, the end of the Third Age and the beginning of the Fourth Age), but who decided where the First Age fell?

 

And given the changes that happen from Age to Age, and how history turns to legend, which turns to myth, how can anybody figure out that every seven Ages repeat themselves?

[ROB_88]

the numbering of the ages is not universal, that's not the wheels doing. it's strictly of human making.

 

they call it the third age simply because they remember the AoL and they the have legends of the age before it.

they only have a record of two ages before them, therefore they call this one the Third age.

 

i don't think they really should be numbered as they are, cause that gives a sense of beggining and end in the wheel, where there shouldn't be

[Ashaman Kovan]

i don't think they really should be numbered as they are, cause that gives a sense of beggining and end in the wheel, where there shouldn't be

 

Ahh but there was a beginning. And there will be an end soon.  :D

[Blackhoof]

The problem with electricity being the One Power is that men and women can use electricity in much the same way. The same cannot be said for the One Power.

 

yes, but what if the AS made ter'angreal that acted like batteries for the sho-whatevers. they activated when you pressed a button or something.

[Swigaro]

Though one power batteries, certianly exist, in the form of Wells, like Nyneave and Cadsuane possess.  They actually had standing weaves in the AoL.  I think they are mentioned either by one of the Forsaken, or in the Rhuidian flashback.  I took these to meany, basicly a One Power equivilant of the electrical power grid we currently have.  One could "plug in" and use a Ter'angrael, whether they could channel or not.  Likely, Sho-Wings and Jo-cars were basicly big Ter'angrael used for transportation.  The benifit of the standing weaves was that you wouldn't need an Aes Sedai for more mundane tasks like transportation.  Non-channelers could handel these tasks leaving Aes Sedai to focus on more appropriate persuits.

[Blackhoof]

thats even better.  :D