Rand's Newfound Ability/Power

[babuada]

I think none of the abilities we see in Rand is new. He is somehow channelling Light (the essence of One Power). He did that once in TEoTW. I also think his channeling at Maradon reminds exactly of Tarwin's Gap fight. Somehow he got access to a well like the Eye. All effects he is showing now was already there in LTT. We know LTT was called Lord of the Morning, my guess is because he brought sunlight. And he played part in seed singing crop growing, etc. So, growing apples is nothing new to him. Most of all he was loved by people. I can easily see people loving him if he brought this kind of effect.

 

He was as destructive as he was at tarwins gap, something he had never repeated elsewhere. Maybe at that time he was integrated and after that he split himself.

He was destructive at tg but I doubt he was integrated at that time. New Rand has the skill of LTT that was missing before.

[Jon Paul]

Lews Therin is just that bad ass. He was the most powerful man of his Age for a damn good reason he has over four-hundred years of experience. What we saw was Lews Therin pushing himself to the absolute limit.

[babuada]

Lews Therin is just that bad ass. He was the most powerful man of his Age for a damn good reason he has over four-hundred years of experience. What we saw was Lews Therin pushing himself to the absolute limit.

LTT is bad ass. But that is not his true strength. Rand now knows that. I wonder what wonders he can do constructively because that is his true strength. I hope we would see some in AMoL.

[Jon Paul]

LTT is bad ass. But that is not his true strength. Rand now knows that. I wonder what wonders he can do constructively because that is his true strength. I hope we would see some in AMoL.

 

Oh I agree, as with Mo', the Dragon's ability with the Power means nothing. It is not what he is about. I think Maradon greatly reinforces that. Sure, it's cool, but.. meh.

[Kingtriton92]

I think you are all missing something big here. The prophecy says that the blinded man will stand upon his grave, wield the light and then the three shall become one. In Min's reading, she also found a passage that says the three shall be united (scholars thinking it refers to cities). I think that there will be no physical battle in the end because the true battle is internal for Rand since he is Rand, Lew's Therin and the Dark one.

The Dark One is called sight blinder, Rand is referred to as the blind man and Rand burns the eye's out of dark friends. Remember the black aura around Rand?

I think that when Lew's Therin sealed the dark one into his prison, he actually sealed his soul away with the forsaken which is why he went mad and killed all those close to him. That is how the forsaken know him so intimately. Remember when Rand first wielded the true power and Lew's Therin went crazy saying "Not that" and then whimpered for days? It's because he knew that Rand, like himself was letting the dark one take hold.

The last battle will be one for control of Rands body and soul.

[Jon Paul]

I think that when Lew's Therin sealed the dark one into his prison, he actually sealed his soul away with the forsaken which is why he went mad and killed all those close to him. That is how the forsaken know him so intimately. Remember when Rand first wielded the true power and Lew's Therin went crazy saying "Not that" and then whimpered for days? It's because he knew that Rand, like himself was letting the dark one take hold.

The last battle will be one for control of Rands body and soul.

 

Lews Therin couldn't have sealed his own soul away.. he couldn't have been reborn again if he did. Lews Therin and Rand are the same soul, the same person. The voice in Rand's head wasn't Lews Therin, it was Rand's madness. Lews Therin went mad because of the Taint. And remember also that the majority of the Forsaken, ten of them, eleven for the most part, were in a dreamless sleep. They couldn't have come to know Lews Therin in that state.

 

They are so intimate with him because he was literally the most important and popular man of his Age and the Forsaken were for the most part the same. Demandred and Sammael surveyed a hundred battle fields and maps with Lews Therin, Lanfear shared his bed and Ishamael spent his free time debating theology and philosophy with him. Aginor was an important scientist and Semirhage was the greatest Healer.. ever. Be'lal was by all accounts a close friend of Lews Therin's.

 

And the battle for Rand's soul has already been fought and the Shadow lost. That's what his moment on top of Dragonmount was. The games are over. The Dragon has made his choice. It's open warfare now.

[Kingtriton92]

Good points but I'm not sure Lew's Therin and Rand are the same soul, nor do I think that Lew's Therin is a symptom of Rand's madness. I have just started Towers of Midnight so I don't know if Rand ever figures out how Lew's Therin sealed away the Dark One but I do know that after a re-read of the series, the more the Dark Ones prison weakened the more Lew's Therin voice became a stronger part of Rand. I guess one could argue that this was due to the madness but, "the three become one" part of the prophecy makes me doubt that. Based on that tidbit of prophecy, I think that Lew's Rand and the Dark One all inhabit the same body.

At first I viewed Rands time on top of Dragon mount as a victory as well but now I am not so sure. I guess we wont know for sure until the final book is read but I think that the last battle will be more of an internal struggle with external ramifications. I'm excited that we are finally in the end times of this series and that so many unanswered questions are about to be revealed.

[A Rant Lord]

I think it is pretty obvious. Remember when he was EMO Rand? Everybody saw an 'aura of darkness' around him. At the time he was strugling with himself and the DO and becoming darker, thus the aura appearing, now that he is all pro light, why is everyone WTH DF's are scrathing their eyes out? Ofcourse if he could have had an aura of darkness around him, he now has a wicked blazing aura of light around him. He is just the dragon reborn, chosen champion of the creator, ofcourse a meazly darkfriend can't handle his appearance:P

[Suttree]

Good points but I'm not sure Lew's Therin and Rand are the same soul, nor do I think that Lew's Therin is a symptom of Rand's madness. I have just started Towers of Midnight so I don't know if Rand ever figures out how Lew's Therin sealed away the Dark One but I do know that after a re-read of the series, the more the Dark Ones prison weakened the more Lew's Therin voice became a stronger part of Rand. I guess one could argue that this was due to the madness but, "the three become one" part of the prophecy makes me doubt that. Based on that tidbit of prophecy, I think that Lew's Rand and the Dark One all inhabit the same body.

At first I viewed Rands time on top of Dragon mount as a victory as well but now I am not so sure. I guess we wont know for sure until the final book is read but I think that the last battle will be more of an internal struggle with external ramifications. I'm excited that we are finally in the end times of this series and that so many unanswered questions are about to be revealed.

 

LTT and Rand are the same soul. This has been made very obvious in RJs interviews and the books.

[babuada]

Good points but I'm not sure Lew's Therin and Rand are the same soul, nor do I think that Lew's Therin is a symptom of Rand's madness. I have just started Towers of Midnight so I don't know if Rand ever figures out how Lew's Therin sealed away the Dark One but I do know that after a re-read of the series, the more the Dark Ones prison weakened the more Lew's Therin voice became a stronger part of Rand. I guess one could argue that this was due to the madness but, "the three become one" part of the prophecy makes me doubt that. Based on that tidbit of prophecy, I think that Lew's Rand and the Dark One all inhabit the same body.

At first I viewed Rands time on top of Dragon mount as a victory as well but now I am not so sure. I guess we wont know for sure until the final book is read but I think that the last battle will be more of an internal struggle with external ramifications. I'm excited that we are finally in the end times of this series and that so many unanswered questions are about to be revealed.

 

LTT and Rand are the same soul. This has been made very obvious in RJs interviews and the books.

And now they are completely integrated. (the discussion with Min)

 

But True Power may have something to do with Taint and Madness. May be LTT was forced/tempted to channel TP while sealing and got the taint in saidin in the process. But I think LTT just knows that TP is what is used to turn (13x13) and that is why he was so afraid.

[RedVanilla]

hence 3 made one. LTT, Rand, and the person who is both of those. Has anyone else wondered about why Moridin is also supposed to resemble Rand? I think at some point, Rand will die and be transmigurated of whatever into Moridin's body. Just my guess.

[Fel]

As an off the wall option, could the Eye of the World have not been all used up, but somehow stored inside Rand at that time? The Eye had all kinds of strange things about it (aginor getting younger/stronger, strange voice in his head), most of which i attributed to it being the first book and all and things still being fluid...

 

But, could the eye have stored itself inside of rand and only in VOG did he learn how to tap it. Basically, it turned rand into some kind of Well of pure one power. It would explain the light holding off the darkness in his brain, could explain the light aura around him, and the scene in maradon did remind me of the tarwins gap scene in EotW. It also explains why the Eye was important...another thing that has not really ever made sense in the series.

 

Not saying it is likely, but as valid as any completely crackpot theory could be...

[babuada]

As an off the wall option, could the Eye of the World have not been all used up, but somehow stored inside Rand at that time? The Eye had all kinds of strange things about it (aginor getting younger/stronger, strange voice in his head), most of which i attributed to it being the first book and all and things still being fluid...

 

But, could the eye have stored itself inside of rand and only in VOG did he learn how to tap it. Basically, it turned rand into some kind of Well of pure one power. It would explain the light holding off the darkness in his brain, could explain the light aura around him, and the scene in maradon did remind me of the tarwins gap scene in EotW. It also explains why the Eye was important...another thing that has not really ever made sense in the series.

 

Not saying it is likely, but as valid as any completely crackpot theory could be...

 

The light inside his mind is similar to the Light he felt from his PoV while channeling Light in Eye.

[rand4747]

I think none of the abilities we see in Rand is new. He is somehow channelling Light (the essence of One Power). He did that once in TEoTW. I also think his channeling at Maradon reminds exactly of Tarwin's Gap fight. Somehow he got access to a well like the Eye. All effects he is showing now was already there in LTT. We know LTT was called Lord of the Morning, my guess is because he brought sunlight. And he played part in seed singing crop growing, etc. So, growing apples is nothing new to him. Most of all he was loved by people. I can easily see people loving him if he brought this kind of effect.

 

He was as destructive as he was at tarwins gap, something he had never repeated elsewhere. Maybe at that time he was integrated and after that he split himself.

He was destructive at tg but I doubt he was integrated at that time. New Rand has the skill of LTT that was missing before.

 

 

ok not quite integrated, but he because he wasn't consciously in control so much had access to LTT skill with the power, that he later regained with the integration where he consciously knew that time, its just like other stuff he gained from lews therin its just because at that time he had no control he couldn't remember how/what he did and the skill he used.

[jemron]

Love this discussion. Keep it up.

 

I like more an more the thought that somehow Rand is just using pure Light (like what was at the Eye of the World as many have already said). The similarities between ToM Rand and Rand at the Eye are strong enough for me to believe that there is something unique/special about Rand's current ability that is similar to the Eye, if not exactly the same.

 

I don't know yet exactly what that is or how it works, but I'm confident it will all make more sense after aMoL.

 

I like the fact that many people for years have said "RJ didn't entirely know what he was doing yet when he wrote the Eye of the World" and yet, in the last two books, things are coming full circle and even some of the strangeness from tEotW is taking on new meaning/making more sense. I think we will all be very amazed by just how much foreshadowing for the very end is hinted at in the end of tEotW.

 

So, so far the general consensus is, Rand's "new/old/better" Power is NOT the True Power. Is probably NOT a new power. Is probably the OP or an enhanced OP combined with his complete "being in-tune with" his ta'veren nature. Right?

[Sentinel78]

So, so far the general consensus is, Rand's "new/old/better" Power is NOT the True Power. Is probably NOT a new power. Is probably the OP or an enhanced OP combined with his complete "being in-tune with" his ta'veren nature. Right?

 

I think Rand has two new 'powers' that should be addressed separately:

 

(1) Super-Channeler.

 

Rand is a super-channeler now due to his re-integration with LTT. For a while, a few LTT-weaves would 'leak' into Rand's subconscious and be available for his use, and then LTT took over during the Trolloc-raid in KoD and did some amazing stuff, but Rand himself started to improve dramatically during Rand's descent into terminal madness in tGS, when his psyche starts to become in-sync with LTT's. For example, Rand's trick of Traveling to a close location so learn it so you could Travel instead of Skim is remarked upon by Nynaeve as very clever.

 

Now that LTT and Rand are fully integrated, Rand has access to 400+ years of channeling experience directly (not via 'leaks'). Remember, LTT and Ishy were the two strongest male channelers in the AoL, and yet LTT still kicked Ishy's ass at Paaren Disen. In other words, I think Rand's channeling ability has a few books of set-up, is consistent with LTT's prowess from the AoL and isn't a dramatic new shift.

 

(2) Light Aura.

 

Firstly, I think the Light-aura is a ta'veren pattern correction mechanism. Remember, Rand had no aura at all before touching the TP, after which he had a Dark aura. Ta'veren is about balance. Rand was pulled in one direction towards evil, and when Rand psychologically realized this he allowed the pattern to pull him back the other way. Perhaps the Light-effect was an overcompensation to the Pattern trying to right itself via ta'veren. Similarly, Rand was making food go bad even stronger than called for by the DO's effect on the pattern, and the pattern is now overcompensating for this by making food appear wherever Rand goes.

 

This is supported by the fact that Nynaeve still senses a great evil mass in Rand's brain, it is simply offset (balanced) by the mysterious Light. Since Rand himself is now back on the side of the Light, this is sufficient to counter the DO's attempt to control Rand psychologically and the Light-aura effects are a bonus.

 

Secondly, Rand has learned that his gaze (and from Storm of Light, to a certain extent his channeling or presence) can cause discomfort or pain to local Darkfriends. However, Rand's 'Light' aura is not specific to Darkfriends since Nynaeve sees it in her Delving, Bunt sees a Light-warp effect and Ituralde thinks Rand looks exceedingly bright during Storm of Light (when the Torkumens off themselves).

 

However, Rand cannot simply 'detect' Darkfriends; he simply leverages his gaze-effect and figures out Weiramon is a DF when he can't meet his eyes. Thus, 'direct' Darkfriend-detection is not a new ability of Rand's. To me, this sounds like an inverse-Fade effect. I must admit that it is troubling that this occurs because the only other individual that can do this is Fain. Fain can both see or sense Darkfriends and his gaze cannot be met by Fades. However, Fain's just a different spectrum of Evil so I wouldn't draw too many parallels there.

[NetSlider]

He's the creator's Champion, so i'd say a combination of all of the above (b/c creator is DO, mmhhhhhaaaaaa.... but no, seriously, he really is).

[jemron]

So, so far the general consensus is, Rand's "new/old/better" Power is NOT the True Power. Is probably NOT a new power. Is probably the OP or an enhanced OP combined with his complete "being in-tune with" his ta'veren nature. Right?

 

I think Rand has two new 'powers' that should be addressed separately:

 

(1) Super-Channeler.

 

Rand is a super-channeler now due to his re-integration with LTT. For a while, a few LTT-weaves would 'leak' into Rand's subconscious and be available for his use, and then LTT took over during the Trolloc-raid in KoD and did some amazing stuff, but Rand himself started to improve dramatically during Rand's descent into terminal madness in tGS, when his psyche starts to become in-sync with LTT's. For example, Rand's trick of Traveling to a close location so learn it so you could Travel instead of Skim is remarked upon by Nynaeve as very clever.

 

Now that LTT and Rand are fully integrated, Rand has access to 400+ years of channeling experience directly (not via 'leaks'). Remember, LTT and Ishy were the two strongest male channelers in the AoL, and yet LTT still kicked Ishy's ass at Paaren Disen. In other words, I think Rand's channeling ability has a few books of set-up, is consistent with LTT's prowess from the AoL and isn't a dramatic new shift.

 

(2) Light Aura.

 

Firstly, I think the Light-aura is a ta'veren pattern correction mechanism. Remember, Rand had no aura at all before touching the TP, after which he had a Dark aura. Ta'veren is about balance. Rand was pulled in one direction towards evil, and when Rand psychologically realized this he allowed the pattern to pull him back the other way. Perhaps the Light-effect was an overcompensation to the Pattern trying to right itself via ta'veren. Similarly, Rand was making food go bad even stronger than called for by the DO's effect on the pattern, and the pattern is now overcompensating for this by making food appear wherever Rand goes.

 

This is supported by the fact that Nynaeve still senses a great evil mass in Rand's brain, it is simply offset (balanced) by the mysterious Light. Since Rand himself is now back on the side of the Light, this is sufficient to counter the DO's attempt to control Rand psychologically and the Light-aura effects are a bonus.

 

Secondly, Rand has learned that his gaze (and from Storm of Light, to a certain extent his channeling or presence) can cause discomfort or pain to local Darkfriends. However, Rand's 'Light' aura is not specific to Darkfriends since Nynaeve sees it in her Delving, Bunt sees a Light-warp effect and Ituralde thinks Rand looks exceedingly bright during Storm of Light (when the Torkumens off themselves).

 

However, Rand cannot simply 'detect' Darkfriends; he simply leverages his gaze-effect and figures out Weiramon is a DF when he can't meet his eyes. Thus, 'direct' Darkfriend-detection is not a new ability of Rand's. To me, this sounds like an inverse-Fade effect. I must admit that it is troubling that this occurs because the only other individual that can do this is Fain. Fain can both see or sense Darkfriends and his gaze cannot be met by Fades. However, Fain's just a different spectrum of Evil so I wouldn't draw too many parallels there.

 

I like this.

 

As to Rand's ability to "detect" or "effect" DFs, we obviously don't know enough about this, but one thing that I think is very important to note is that Rand had this ability before (in tSR), though it wasn't as "perfected."

 

Remember when Rand shows up in the Waste, and Kadere and his wagonloads of DFs show up and Rand is certain that they are not only DFs, but that Lanfear and a Male Forsaken are among them. He tells Mat something like, "always look at the eyes" or something like that. Anyway, I think, as Rand became more tainted/came closer to the DO's grasp, he lost that ability. Now that he seems confident that the Shadow CANNOT have him (belief gives strength or something) his ability to detect and remove DFs is working perfectly.

 

Again, I believe this ability is part of his "gifts" that he receives as the most powerful ta'veren ever.

[moratcorlm]

I like more an more the thought that somehow Rand is just using pure Light (like what was at the Eye of the World as many have already said).

Well, one person said that anyway. The Eye was saidin. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Sentinel78]

Remember when Rand shows up in the Waste, and Kadere and his wagonloads of DFs show up and Rand is certain that they are not only DFs, but that Lanfear and a Male Forsaken are among them. He tells Mat something like, "always look at the eyes" or something like that. Anyway, I think, as Rand became more tainted/came closer to the DO's grasp, he lost that ability. Now that he seems confident that the Shadow CANNOT have him (belief gives strength or something) his ability to detect and remove DFs is working perfectly.

 

I never thought that Rand picked up on Kadere being a Darkfriend from some kinda 6th-sense. I think Rand simply suspected him as the most likely Asmodean suspect, since Kadere constantly implied that he had special knowledge to 'sell' Rand that Rand mistook for being saidin-channeling lessons. Rand picked up on Kadere acting disingenuous in the sense that he was acting afraid but didn't really show it 'in his eyes', but that was just Rand picking up on Kadere's acting performance when he was pretending to be going somewhere else instead of deliberately intercepting Rand near Rhuidean.

 

Again, I don't think Rand is 'directly' detecting Darkfriends like Fain does. Rand evaluated the line of Tairen nobles with curiosity until Weiroman couldn't meet his eyes and then a lightbulb went off. If this is Darkfriend detection, than anyone with Rand would have the same ability for detection, i.e., just look for the person sweating near Rand.

 

I like more an more the thought that somehow Rand is just using pure Light (like what was at the Eye of the World as many have already said).

Well, one person said that anyway. The Eye was saidin. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

According to Moiraine anyway. Moiraine doesn't always know as much as she thinks she does. I don't have the Companion book handy but it is unclear if the Eye had an additional purpose aside from being a Well of clean saidin and protecting the banner/Horn/seal.

 

It's also totally unclear how the seal ended up at the Eye when the Amyrlin supposedly had all 7 seals until the Trolloc Wars at which point they were scattered. *shrugs*

[jemron]

I like more an more the thought that somehow Rand is just using pure Light (like what was at the Eye of the World as many have already said).

Well, one person said that anyway. The Eye was saidin. Nothing more, nothing less.

Or so we think. What I mean is, we know that the saidin in the Eye had to be specially made, and those who made it died to make it, if I remember correctly... So, you're probably right. The Eye was probably nothing more or less than pure, clean saidin. But what if it was more than that? Something SO pure that it gave Rand extra strength/ability/contact with the Creator?

[capuga]

As to Rand's ability to "detect" or "effect" DFs, we obviously don't know enough about this, but one thing that I think is very important to note is that Rand had this ability before (in tSR), though it wasn't as "perfected."

 

Remember when Rand shows up in the Waste, and Kadere and his wagonloads of DFs show up and Rand is certain that they are not only DFs, but that Lanfear and a Male Forsaken are among them. He tells Mat something like, "always look at the eyes" or something like that. Anyway, I think, as Rand became more tainted/came closer to the DO's grasp, he lost that ability. Now that he seems confident that the Shadow CANNOT have him (belief gives strength or something) his ability to detect and remove DFs is working perfectly.

 

Again, I believe this ability is part of his "gifts" that he receives as the most powerful ta'veren ever.

 

I always took his knowledge that Lanfear and a male forsaken (likely Asmo based on his conversations with Lanfear) were in the Waste as him just anticipating his enemies actions. I don't think this was actually any kind of power. Just a correct assumption of what Lanfear would do based on their conversations and his knowledge of her.

[Fel]

I like more an more the thought that somehow Rand is just using pure Light (like what was at the Eye of the World as many have already said).

Well, one person said that anyway. The Eye was saidin. Nothing more, nothing less.

We really don't know what the Eye was. Channelling that behaved completely different than any other channelling we have seen in the series. Could it be because it was the first book and things were not set in stone yet from the author? I've always assumed so. But, it also could be because it WAS something different. Think about some of the stuff done in that chapter (don't have the books, so this is just from memory)

1. The power comes through some kind of conduit that rand can see (you can't see Saidin)

2. It made the forsaken (aginor?) go from insanely old to young and healthy (holding Saidin would not do that)

3. Why would the forsaken need it at all if it was just Saidin? - he could channel already and had done so in the chapter to beat on Moraine

4. The forsaken burns himself out and is reduced to charred remains instead of just burning out like normal people (this could be like saidin, but was unusual)

4. Rand destroys an entire ARMY of trollocs in Tarwins Gap, something that would have burnt out even him prior to VoG. If it was just Saidin, he could not handle that much of the power even when fully trained.

 

Like I said, I always assumed the Eye was just what Moraine said, but she has been wrong before and the work in Maradon seemed closest to the Tarwins Gap channelling than anything else. Also, there was a strange statement after A Storm of Light that said that Rand should not have done it because it exhausted him beyond what he should have allowed. Given that channellers tend to recover in a day or so, why would he be so worried about being exhausted unless he was using up some fixed amount of power... Also, it makes the Eye something useful to the story which it never was before.

 

(I only half believe this theory, or even less, but I think that it definitely has merit and you can't just say that the Eye of the World was Saidin, nothing more or less. You just don't know. It *could* be responsible for the light aura, super channelling and light in the brain thay Nyn saw.)

[Brevsparv]

Again, I don't think Rand is 'directly' detecting Darkfriends like Fain does. Rand evaluated the line of Tairen nobles with curiosity until Weiroman couldn't meet his eyes and then a lightbulb went off. If this is Darkfriend detection, than anyone with Rand would have the same ability for detection, i.e., just look for the person sweating near Rand.

 

Why not? Rand told Weiramon that his type (darkfriends) couldn't hide from him (=Rand) anymore. Perhaps the darkfriends can't meet his eyes because he shines to them, but then again, as you said, "anyone with Rand would have the same ability for detection". This is still a mystery (perhaps that is why we are discussing it).

 

Concerning the channeling of light in TEotW, I think that Rands thoughts about this light was only his first reaction to channeling saidin.

[moratcorlm]

Channelling that behaved completely different than any other channelling we have seen in the series. Could it be because it was the first book and things were not set in stone yet from the author? I've always assumed so.

I think part of it is that, and probably the bigger part is that Rand didn't have the slightest idea what he was doing. Most of the oddities are echoed in his other channeling in EOTW through TDR.

1. The power comes through some kind of conduit that rand can see (you can't see Saidin)

This is the big one that isn't seen elsewhere. On the other hand, it makes a kind of sense; the True Source, we're told, is not a place but:

There was nothing to see, no grand weaves sweeping down from the sky. The Source lay at the heart of creation. The Source was everywhere, even in Shadar Logoth. The conduit covered distance beyond his imagining, and had no length at all.

On the other hand, the Eye is definitely a place, so it makes sense for "grand weaves" to be seen.

2. It made the forsaken (aginor?) go from insanely old to young and healthy (holding Saidin would not do that)

3. Why would the forsaken need it at all if it was just Saidin? - he could channel already and had done so in the chapter to beat on Moraine

These are written badly in the book (among a number of reasons I dislike EOTW) but Jordan clarified them in interviews:

I asked him about Aginor getting younger at the end of The Eye of the World, and he said 'no, he doesn't get younger, he dies'. So I actually looked up the reference and read it to him. He said 'oh, that,' and then went on to explain that it is actually the True Power, not the saidin from the Eye, that rejuvenates him. He did describe the saidin in the Eye as a 'mother-load', however, I didn't think to ask him what he meant by that until I was in the car going home. I instead asked him whether the True Power was the source of the Forsaken's immortality. He said: yes.

Why was Aginor so interested in the Eye of the World? He could channel clean saidin anyway so it shouldn't have been an issue?

 

Robert Jordan Answers: He was able to channel clean saidin, true, but only through the "filter" which had been provided by the Dark One just a short time previously, which meant the Dark One would be aware of him channeling wherever he was. Remember, Aginor was the creator of the Trollocs; he is quite able to reason things out clearly, at least in a scientific sense. Also, he wasn't certain whether or not the Dark One also would know what he was doing when he channeled, too. For someone as secretive, competitive, and generally untrustworthy as the one of the Forsaken, the Eye of the World amounted to a valuable asset if it could be secured. To put it simply, Aginor saw a means of channeling without the Dark One looking over his shoulder, and maybe a way to increase his own power at the expense of those who didn't have that advantage. Balthamel might well have been for the long drop, administered by Aginor, if things hadn't worked out differently.

4. The forsaken burns himself out and is reduced to charred remains instead of just burning out like normal people (this could be like saidin, but was unusual)

I'm pretty sure he was actually killed by Rand somehow there and not literally burned out. There's nothing I can find that really nails this down, but Sanderson does say: "if you were burned out and transmigrated you would still be burned out, is my guess."

4. Rand destroys an entire ARMY of trollocs in Tarwins Gap, something that would have burnt out even him prior to VoG. If it was just Saidin, he could not handle that much of the power even when fully trained.

I don't really think we know enough to say for certain.

channellers tend to recover in a day or so

Like Grady and Neald? Besides, even a day or so unable to defend yourself could be problematic (i.e., fatal) when you're the prophesied savior and the end of the world is coming.

Also, it makes the Eye something useful to the story which it never was before.

There's definitely that. Have I mentioned how much I dislike that book yet? I'm just glad I don't give up on series easily.