The One Power (Full Book Spoilers)--No Balefire!

[Mr Ares]

The continent's 7million sq miles and blanketed in rivers and fertile. Even half empty it should have that many people. There's no way that the massive armies quoted could exist and be supported elsewise. Medieval France had twenty million people before the Black Death hit.

And is not randland about the size of Europe?

No, it's significantly larger.

[Kelitor]

I don't know if this has been mentioned already or if its even new, but apparently the size of the halo of someone channeling Saidar is directly dependent on how much you channel, as Adelorna noted that Egwene was surrounded by a "Enormous" aura of the Power when she was using the sa'angreal and saved her from the sul'dam.

[coteaz]

The continent's 7million sq miles and blanketed in rivers and fertile. Even half empty it should have that many people. There's no way that the massive armies quoted could exist and be supported elsewise. Medieval France had twenty million people before the Black Death hit.

And is not randland about the size of Europe?

No, it's significantly larger.

 

If that is the case then, in medieval europe there were over 250 million people, so randland would have 100 million + easily.

[richnewton82]

.

[Nightstrike]

If the population in all countries of Randland is so large and the "too old" novices are a typical representation of all potential channelers, then why did Egwene think "...most by far would never wear the shawl..."?!? She couldn't possibly know that, if she wasn't talking about their strength.

???

[moffwolf]

Long time lurker, first time poster.  

 

I have a theory on the one power that I haven't seen yet on the boards.  

 

RJ has made it obvious that every thing in his books is circular. For every white, there's a black.  Yin and Yang, Saidin and Saidar, etc.  

 

We know that there is a dark one, and we also know that there is a Creator.  

 

The Dark One has a power associated with him, what the Forsaken call the "True Power".  My theory is that there is an opposite source of power, the power of the creator.  The Forsaken call the Dark One's Power the "True Power" much like they call the dark one the "Great Lord".  Why not have a power that's associated with the creator?  Wouldn't that be logical given the mirror themes so prevalent?  

 

Taking this theory to the next step- I think that Rand has access to both powers, but simply hasn't accessed the creator's side of it yet.  When he accessed the dark one's power, it obviously had consequences.  Only the dark parts of his taveren were working when he accessed the dark, thus things like the spoiled food. I believe in the future books Rand's prophecy of the land reflecting him will be shown in how much he uses the dark one's power versus the creator's power.  Perhaps when he uses the creator's power the good things will start happening.  

 

 

Just thought I'd throw that out there instead of discussing the population of randland.  

[Nightstrike]

The One Power is associated with the Creator. Saidin and saidar is the power that drives the Wheel.

[moffwolf]

I guess that makes sense, nightstrike.  I guess I was thinking that the one power is neutral and wasn't associated with either the dark one or creator.  There have been tons of references to the one power and creator though that I probably should have picked up on. Thanks- I think my theory has successfully been shot to hell. 

[Nightstrike]

:)  I don't know for certain, of course. Maybe the Creator has more tricks up his/her sleeve? I think the saidin/saidar thingy is it.

 

[clu7ch]

there was a stormleader report from recently that they asked whether or not RJ had ever explained the origins of the one power, seeing as he was a physicist (if im not mistaken) and i believe the answer was something to the extent of 'it's been worked out, but beings no-one in the series had need to ponder the subject, it's never been brought up.' and 'the power comes from somewhere but the characters don't know where'

 

So I don't think it's associated with the light or dark, as both sides can wield it without ramifications. The TP on the other hand is a different story.

[moffwolf]

I guess that would be a great question to ask BS.  The One power is obviously accessed by every one, but is it necessarily associated with the creator as the creator's power? 

[garion]

Maybe the Creator's Power is being able to use both halves of the One Power at the same time?  AS  in the prophecy of making the two into one?

[Nightstrike]

Copied from Theoryland:

America On-Line chat #1 1996 ("The Two AOL chats after ACOS")

Shosh001 asks: Mr. Jordan, you've outdone yourself with A Crown of Swords. My question concerns the True Power. How is it distinguishable from the One Power?  

RJ: It's fairly self-evident from the book. What can be done with the True Power is very similar to what can be done with the One Power. Except that where the One Power is drawn from the True Source and is the force that drives the Wheel of Time and powers the universe, the so-called True Power is drawn from the Dark One. There are limits in the same ways there are limits to the One Power. It would be very long if I went into it too much, but some of those limits and costs of drawing on the Dark One are shown in A Crown of Swords.

 

 

 

[moffwolf]

Copied from Theoryland:

America On-Line chat #1 1996 ("The Two AOL chats after ACOS")

Shosh001 asks: Mr. Jordan, you've outdone yourself with A Crown of Swords. My question concerns the True Power. How is it distinguishable from the One Power?  

RJ: It's fairly self-evident from the book. What can be done with the True Power is very similar to what can be done with the One Power. Except that where the One Power is drawn from the True Source and is the force that drives the Wheel of Time and powers the universe, the so-called True Power is drawn from the Dark One. There are limits in the same ways there are limits to the One Power. It would be very long if I went into it too much, but some of those limits and costs of drawing on the Dark One are shown in A Crown of Swords.

 

And this is why we have message boards, ladies and gentlemen.  Please ignore my first post. 

 

 

 

[saidarisnowtainted]

if the One Power really is through the Creator as the True Power is through the DO, then how can the DO taint the OP??  this makes no sense to me.  What if the OP really is neutral?  If the DO could taint the creator's power, then that indicates the TP is stronger than the OP, which makes no sense b/c then there is no balance. 

 

and then, why cant the Creator "taint" the TP?

[Aleron688]

he probably can if the circumstances were right.

 

but, like God, he is God, and doesn't interfere.  Even if you pray.  Even if he should.  lol

[MatrixM]

One Power is neutral.

[Aleron688]

One Power is neutral.

 

^^ person is on crack

 

OP is Creator's. TP is DO's

[smileyman]

One Power is neutral.

 

^^ person is on crack

 

OP is Creator's. TP is DO's

 

Depends on whether the Creator is a Deist type Supreme Being. Lots of really evil things are being done with the One Power. If it was a force for good you would think that the Creator would withdraw it from those who are evil (like how the DO controls access to the TP). I kind of agree that the OP is neutral.

 

It may have originally been from the Creator but he/she/it leaves people to their own devices. Just like free will actually.

[Aleron688]

It may have originally been from the Creator but he/she/it leaves people to their own devices. Just like free will actually.

 

The creator def leaves people to their own devices... It can of course be withdrawn by the creator if he so chose, but he doesn't interfere... not in the least.

[jemron]

We just don't know if the OP comes from the Creator.  Period.  We can speculate that it does, but there isn't enough substantial evidence to claim that it is fact.

 

I personally think that the Creator is either (a) an entity unlike humans or (b) an entity that looks like a man or woman or © is actually two entities in one (male and a female) similar to how some religions believe that god is actually plural and God is a man and a woman working in harmony to create.

 

The DO is the antithesis of this.  The OP is neutral, but it comes from the Creator, in my opinion.

[clu7ch]

Do we think we'll be seeing weapons of the power being made in one of the last two books? I surely would.

 

AND It's terribly simple but my theory as to how they are made is as follows:

You make a sword of fire, and have someone turn in to cuendillar.

[Jemlin]

The Creator and the Dark One work in different ways, as they are not the SAME type of being...so why would you think something would have to work the same for each?

 

Meaning, if th eTrue Power is drawn FROM the Dark One...whydo you have to keep trying to deduce that the One Power is drawn also FROM the Creator? 

 

I think its fairly obvious that the Creator's realm of power is very different...its more along the lines of a Power, devided by two, left to neutrally be used by forces of good and evil, birth and destruction.  The Creator obvious does not directly influence things, like the Dark One can, however, it can passively influence through use of things it has already set into creation (One Power, Tave'ren, Prophesies/Fortelling/Dreaming, Viewings, Talents, etc). 

 

They work in different ways, as do the Powers.  So, there wouldn't be a third mysterious power drawn directly from the CReator, as his forces work much differently than the Dark One.

[arby64]

The DO was potentially able to taint the One power because since it was only men at the sealing it was 1/2 creator power vs full Dark One power.  It does not prove that the Dark One's power beats the Creators power.

[Jemlin]

The DO was potentially able to taint the One power because since it was only men at the sealing it was 1/2 creator power vs full Dark One power.  It does not prove that the Dark One's power beats the Creators power.

 

Aye

 

Which also helps me further my point about we need to think of the two working very differently.

 

The Dark One DIRECTLY tainted the One Power through Sadin.  At the time, the Creator's forces had no DIRECT way of cleansing it.  Over time, the Creator was able to create a way to cleanse the Source through the actions of people (Aridol and the creation of the Evil through the attempt to destroy the DO at all costs).  All of the patterns in the Wheel serve as the in-direct actions of the creator.  Think about how many "unfortunate" things occurred...but in the end, they turned out to be beneficial?