To survive the Last Battle, Rand must die.

[Kelandon]

I always thought Guardians balancing the Servants had something to do with bonding.

That's possible. As many Asha'man have bonded Aes Sedai as Aes Sedai have bonded Asha'man? But then what's up with the scales tipping one way and then the other? It seems like it has to have a little more meaning than just a straight numerical balancing. Is there something important about the number of bonds?

I find it highly unlikely Rand "deals" with the Seanchan. I mean, Aviendah's second trip kinda shuts that one down.

I would agree, except the scene afterwards, in which she twice asks (into the void) whether she can change it and then resolves to.

If I can't, she thought, will that stop me from trying?

 

The answer was simple. No. She could not live without doing something to avert that fate. She had come to Rhuidean seeking knowledge. Well, she had received it. In more abundance than she had wanted.

 

She opened her eyes and gritted her teeth. Aiel took responsibility. Aiel fought. Aiel stood for honor. If she was the only one who knew the terrors of their future, then it was her duty—as a Wise One—to act. She would save her people.

This balances against her earlier reaction.

This was not like the events she had seen when passing into the rings during her first visit to Rhuidean. Those had been possibilities. This day's visions seemed more real. She felt almost certain that what she had experienced was not simply one of many possibilities. What she had seen would occur. Step by step, honor drained from her people. Step by step, the Aiel turned from proud to wretched.

It seems pretty clear that BS is putting forward two interpretations: it will happen, no matter what she does, or it would happen, if she did not take specific steps to avoid it based on her new knowledge. My bet is on the latter. (Aviendha being one of the women who saves Rand from death makes his involvement in dealing with the Seanchan at least possible, given what we know so far, though I'm not vouching for how probable it is.)

That thing with the boats, wasn't that taken from Arthurian legend? Something about Avalon methinks.

Yes. Yes, it was. But is there any obvious parallel to Avalon in WoT? Tar Valon, I guess, which is an island and thus could involve a boat. Oh, duh: Rand dies at Caemlyn, gets taken overland a short hop to Aringill and then up the Erinin to Tar Valon, where he might be healed. But, uh, why aren't they just Traveling there? How odd.

[Dagon Thyne]

I always believed that the "to live you must die" part of the prophesies dealt with Rand's link with Moridin. I feel that Rand and Moridin will face off and that it will either end with Rand being mortally wounded, but Moridin being the one who dies, in that their link causes the other to receive the effects of a fatal wound and not the one who actually receives the wound, or that Rand will kill Moridin and through the link, part of himself will die along with Moridin, such as his ability to chaennel.

[funsize]

@Kelandon

 

I don't think it so much numerically important as the implications - Aes Sedai have always been top of the food chain (or at least considered themselves so) and I daresay they're being continually disabused of this notion. So maybe it means they'll finally start acting like servants. But the scales tipping one way then the other, I think this would be connected to Taim somehow. Just a hunch though, I don't have any evidence to back it up. I just like double meanings and stuff.

 

About Aviendha, that does seem likely given RJ's theme.

 

As Arthurian legend goes, Avalon was where Arthur was taken to be healed after being mortally wounded by Mordred (but he also killed Mordred) at the battle of Camlaan (Avalon was also where Excalibur was forged). Apparently Arthur never dies though (or something) and will return to lead his people against their enemies (or something)(paraphrased from Wikipedia). But he hands down his crown to kinsman Constantine.

 

Apparently Avalon is a magical place otherwise known as "the Isle of Apples" where the fields produce of themselves without need of ploughs and farmers and such. Didn't Rand kind of do that in some harvest? I forget the exact scene. So I dunno. Maybe the exact location isn't important so much as the implications. I should think it would have some connection to Callandor though. Or at least Aes Sedai. Maybe it'll be some big event where he makes it obvious that he has broken the Dark One's touch.

[Mattthecoolfish]

Maybe this has been said but...

 

Maybe Going along with the dream about Logain, Rand, and "The Black Rock" Rand Finally returns to the Black Tower and stands on the Black Rock to make a Speech and Taim Kills him (Could Taim be a forsaken? I can't think of anything that proves he is not.) then Logain kills Taim (thus his laughter) If this Black Stone is The Rock from Shayol Ghul then him dying on it could be the blood spilled.

eh?

[Terez]

Figured I'd bump this, in case anyone wants to get in a last-minute vote, or change their vote.