The Return of the Dark Rand

[Durinax]

Does anyone hope to see Dark Rand make a few appearances in the upcoming book, personnally I feel that a complete and utter change is unrealistic and would spoil the series somewhat for me. I want to see soem backsliding. After all rands psyche has to deal with moridins psyche also so I hope to see some backsliding and struggling with the way he was and the way he is after his epiphany sotospeak

[kamros]

i think it would be more amusing to see moridin being kind, and having a sense of humor.

[Barid Bel Medar]

He definitely wont be EotW Rand, but we must realise that it was tGS Rand that was extreme. (he was a big step up in Darkness from KoD) so a certain amount of rapid turnaround is not unexpected.

 

I dont think we will see anything half as bad as tGS Rand now. He will  most likely go back to a LoC, CoS Rand. Possibly FoH

[Durinax]

I just hope to see him strugglign to be good, but backsliding back to evil when theres a bit of trouble

 

[Loony Theory Trolloc]

I really think, Rand will get ever darker than before.

 

While in Bandar Eban he thought, he could only avoid using the Choden Kal or the True Power because of having the other one. Now, given that Rand's thought is in a way evident, the Choden Kal is gone and nothing can stop him from using the True Power - what certainly will make Rand become much darker, and maybe Rand will do some much darker things.

To be honest, we don't know if Rand's thought was definitely true, or if something changed about that after veins of gold, but we know, that the True Power is highly addictive and it's very likely, that only the Choden Kal hold Rand from using it - and now he maybe isn't able to withstand the temptation. And every usage of the True Power will certainly push Rand a bit more to the dark side.

 

And hi to everybody here  :).

[Barid Bel Medar]

I really think, Rand will get ever darker than before.

 

While in Bandar Eban he thought, he could only avoid using the Choden Kal or the True Power because of having the other one. Now, given that Rand's thought is in a way evident, the Choden Kal is gone and nothing can stop him from using the True Power - what certainly will make Rand become much darker, and maybe Rand will do some much darker things.

To be honest, we don't know if Rand's thought was definitely true, or if something changed about that after veins of gold, but we know, that the True Power is highly addictive and it's very likely, that only the Choden Kal hold Rand from using it - and now he maybe isn't able to withstand the temptation. And every usage of the True Power will certainly push Rand a bit more to the dark side.

 

And hi to everybody here  :).

 

hey, welcome to the forums. Your name certainly fits!!

 

It is fairly logical, but it wont really happen, IMO.

 

Rand being hard has been a theme ongoing since tDR, and him needing to remember laughter and tears has been around since at least aCoS.

 

This is the final book(split into three) of the series, the revelation was genuine, while brandon said there would be reprucussions of Rands use of the TP, but he wont get darker.

[Shadow Rider]

I think the Great Lord won't stop trying to turn Rand, VoG didn't do anything for the Taint, thats still there, but....Rand has the answer now he knows how to defeat the Great Lord, he saw all of his lives through out eternity, and he would have seen how he did it before.

 

I like DarkRand .... he's cooler than "I don't want to be the bloody Dragon Reborn" 'sob, sob' the cry BabyRand.

[Duskfire]

I am not sure why so many people seem to enjoy DarkRand. He spent the entire book alienating his allies and basically being suspicious about everyone. Dobraine, Narishma, Rhuarc; all staunch supporters of him and all were people one way or another he grew paranoid over. Not to mention meeting Tuon and ordering her to make a truce; yeah ordering the leader of not only an army but an entire culture has always worked so well before. Darkrand was basically retarded, paranoid Rand and if it had continued eventually he would have had no allies left except for Min and Cadsuane.

 

You can still be a badass and not be a total dick to everyone. Such as Lan or Rhuarc. How Rand was in LoC was pretty good I thought, a nice balance. He started to go a bit extreme in WH, which was part of the point of the book really.

[OptimusPrime]

Does anyone hope to see Dark Rand make a few appearances in the upcoming book, personnally I feel that a complete and utter change is unrealistic and would spoil the series somewhat for me. I want to see soem backsliding. After all rands psyche has to deal with moridins psyche also so I hope to see some backsliding and struggling with the way he was and the way he is after his epiphany sotospeak

 

Heres what I think-well, wouldnt mind seeing.

 

Rand feels that he is fixed, and yet once in a while he suffers from Ishamael syndrome, where he becomes Dark Rand and food rots around him and whatnot. Min, Aviendha and Elayne begin to feel it, and Alanna begins to have a breakdown. Big time.

 

Mat and Perrin do their stuff, Mat brings Moiraine back. When they arrive, Mat is all "Whoa Rand, you've got this dark aura thing going on?" and Moiraines like "Dont worry about that Mat." Then Rand and Moiraine talk in private.

 

RAND: Moiraine, I-

MOIRAINE: I can help you defeat Ishamael.

RAND: Wha-what!?!? I havent told anyone about-

MOIRAINE: Remember Rhuidean? I saw it all Rand, I know you are connected to him.

RAND: I dont know what to do Moiraine. I think our threads are merging, and that might mean that when I sacrifice myself the Dark One could resurrect me just like he did to Ishamael.

MOIRAINE: Yeah well I can help you with that but I have to do something first. Alone. But let me tell you this; remember when I told you you would do well? Well I told you that AFTER I had seen the future in the Rings of Rhuidean, and at that time I was incapable of lying. Keep that in mind boyo. *goes to see Alanna*

 

ALANNA: Moiraine! You're alive! You've become a legend you know, having killed Bel'al AND Lanfear, thats really quite a-

MOIRAINE: Mask your bond to Rand.

ALANNA: What, its always masked, not that Im about to take orders from you, you cant even channel anymore. Burnouts are Unhealable apparantly.

MOIRAINE: Rands frame of mind is too dark, he is going to destroy us unless we do something. And as long as you are in his head, he will let that betrayal taint his jjudgement of Aes Sedai and continue to darken his thoughts whenever he senses you. Pass it to me, and I will free you of being responsible for the worlds destruction.

ALANNA: But you cant even channel-

MOIRAINE: DO IIIIIT!!!

ALANNA: Um, okay *passes bond*

 

From then on Moiraine takes it upon herself to battle Dark Rand whenever he shows up, using her own frame of mind as a weapon and the unmasked bond to Rand is the battlefield. Moiraine senses that Rand is having a Dark spurt, and to counter it she schools her thoughts, thinking of things that will convey the emotions she thinks Rand will respond positively to. Moiraine thinks about what Elayne, Min and Aviendha will think of Rand if they see him like this, and the emotion that conveys through the link is what brings Rand out of the momentary Ishamael spurts, stopping  food from rotting for the moment.

[Fains nose]

I think(hope) there will be elements of tEotW Rand, he will be more relaxed, calm, confidant, happy, and practical. I think he will start to dominate Cadsuane, as he realises what a pathetic joke she is. He wil start to laugh her off when she tries to bully him, but he will keep her in line to keep the other Aes Sedai in line. And i hope he starts showing the clan chiefs and dobraine the respect they deserve.  If these things happen i will lick Brandon Sandersons face.

[Dams1986]

I think(hope) there will be elements of tEotW Rand, he will be more relaxed, calm, confidant, happy, and practical. I think he will start to dominate Cadsuane, as he realises what a pathetic joke she is. He wil start to laugh her off when she tries to bully him, but he will keep her in line to keep the other Aes Sedai in line. And i hope he starts showing the clan chiefs and dobraine the respect they deserve.  If these things happen i will lick Brandon Sandersons face.

 

I agree fains nose, I hope Rand doesn't start to see Cadsuane as his beloved aunty who dandles him on her knee and pats him on the head for being such a good boy.  If that happens, then truly the world would be a better place if the Dark One were to win Tarmon Gaidon!

[Tiinker]

Dam i thought Light Rand(?) was way cooler then Dark Rand. Dark Rand was all like "im emo guys leave me" which kinda gave it a bit of a buzz kill IMO

[Bowden]

You can still be a badass and not be a total dick to everyone.

That sir, is gold! XD lol

 

I'm not sure what to expect of Rand after VOG. He's remembered so many past lives that there's no way he can go back to being just "Rand". But I'm pretty sure Dark Rand is gone.

 

I did have a lot more to this theory, but I'm only on my first cup o joe and can't put it into words :P

[Shadow Rider]

I am not sure why so many people seem to enjoy DarkRand. He spent the entire book alienating his allies and basically being suspicious about everyone. Dobraine, Narishma, Rhuarc; all staunch supporters of him and all were people one way or another he grew paranoid over. Not to mention meeting Tuon and ordering her to make a truce; yeah ordering the leader of not only an army but an entire culture has always worked so well before. Darkrand was basically retarded, paranoid Rand and if it had continued eventually he would have had no allies left except for Min and Cadsuane.

 

You can still be a badass and not be a total dick to everyone. Such as Lan or Rhuarc. How Rand was in LoC was pretty good I thought, a nice balance. He started to go a bit extreme in WH, which was part of the point of the book really.

 

In the words of John Travolta From the Movie Broken Arrow, "Ain't it cool to be bad"

[grayring]

Yeah, it's cool to be bad. But Dark Rand spends almost all of his time being stupid bad, not cool bad.

[Shadow Rider]

He's not really stupid bad, sometimes I think he's the only sane character, everyone else seems to be stupid.

[Durinax]

well this could be the perfect way to introduce the foursome. Rand slips into dark rand once again and all efforts to bring him out of his melancholy state fails, so his three women come up with the perfect plan. . . haha jk

 

but I dont think Rand should be fully healed. . . I sincerely hope there is some backsliding into evil because its like if a chronically depressed person realizes love is the solution to all ailments and works to fix themselves, they will backslide and struggle to get back into the happy way that they were.

[Loophole]

I have a feeling that he will be a lot more like he was in his meeting with Morridin in tGS.

 

Calm and collected but still strong and determined. He remembers why he is fighting now, not just because he has to and he has sorted out most of his mental problems. fantasies of mass destruction, general craziness etc...

[TheBeerPatriot]

I don't think we'll see Rand as dark as he was in TGS.  I suspect his personality will be more in line with TSR/TFOH prior to Moiraine exiting stage left.

[Sentinel78]

The only thing that 'may' bring Dark Rand back (briefly) is Alanna's assassination.  She's an obvious and easy target, and enough people know about the link now that you cannot assume Moridin does not know about it.  Even Verin may have disclosed the bond to her 'friends', despite her overall 'good' leanings. 

 

Nynaeve's obsession with Healing the death-absorption effect associated with the Warder bond could then come into play.

[ravenfier]

wasn't it stated by BS that a good portion of ToM will be before Rand's revelation on the top of Dragonmount? if so then well will probly see-or hear about that is, Dark Rand in this one.

[Mr. Micawber]

Dark Rand was, overwhelmingly, Rand effectively insane.

 

He has now experienced reintegration. He's had a breakthrough. He's had this:

 

Sean: Will, you see this, all this sh**?

[Holds up the file, and drops it on his desk]

Sean: It's not your fault.

Will: [softly, still staring off] I know...

Sean: No you don't. It's not your fault.

Will: [serious] I know.

Sean: No. Listen to me son. It's not your fault.

Will: I know that.

Sean: It's not your fault.

[Will is silent, eyes closed]

Sean: It's not your fault.

Will: [Will's eyes open, misty already] Don't fu** with me Sean. Not you.

Sean: It's not your fault.

[Will shoves Sean back, and then, hands trembling, buries his face in his hands. Will begins sobbing. Sean puts his hands on Will's shoulders, and Will grabs him and holds him close, crying]

Will: Oh my God! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry Sean!

[Will continues sobbing in Sean's arms]

 

He literally *can't* go back to being Dark Rand.

 

In fact, that internal struggle we saw was *part of the Last Battle*

 

The Dark One doesn't want to *remake the World* the way the Chosen think. Or rather, all the Chosen save one.

 

Elan Morin gave us the complete explanation in the last book. It's quite simple. The Dark One wants the complete destruction of time, existence, everything. What Rand almost did *was exactly what Shai'tan wants*

 

If we *ever* see Dark Rand again, it will have meant that Shai'tan wins. Moreover, from a narrative perspective, it obliterates what Jordan and Sanderson did in the last book, and thus would be totally out of place.

[Silentvoice]

If he does not show that dark side of his, it doesn't mean he's fixed. I think it'll show up, but if it doesn't I wouldn't call it cheap. Rand still has to learn to be human again.

[Mr. Micawber]

If he does not show that dark side of his, it doesn't mean he's fixed. I think it'll show up, but if it doesn't I wouldn't call it cheap. Rand still has to learn to be human again.

 

You're confusing reintegration with him rediscovering his humanity.

 

Ask members of, say, Das Reich, who'd almost certainly have PTSD like other troops but also the ruthless breakdown of conventional morality deliberately engineered by the Waffen SS, how easy it was for them to reenter German or Austrian society after the War.

 

Dark Rand, the Rand of most of TGS, by contrast, was the final culmination of Rand's building *insanity* - which is fairly well demonstrated by his near decision to obliterate existence and unravel time. That isn't the action of an inhuman person, it's the action of a *CRAZY* one.

 

His reintegration removed his latent insanity. Does that mean he'll be nice? No, just recall what Lanfear and Elan Morin have said - along with others of the Chosen - about LTT's arrogance. Lews Therin was never an *easy* person to get along with, and I doubt a reintegrated Rand is going to stop being a military warlord.

 

But, Dark Rand was the purest form of his insanity, and if it returns, it means we're all going kablammo.

[jemron]

Don't forget that the plot of TGS and ToM overlap somewhat, so while we may not see DarkRand post VoG, we probably will still see him in ToM.

 

That way, you get your fix, and he is (in the current timeline) fixed too!

 

Everybody wins.