Something I find to be a bit anticlimatic

[Jblaylock]

Throughout the series, Rand has been a powerful channeling badass, whether he knew it or not. So much so, even, that he dueled it out with several Forsaken and managed to kill them. Now (referring to TOM) he has had a breakthrough with his power and seems to be vastly superior to his former self. So... with all this seemingly new power, strength, and understanding, it doesn't seem like he should find it challenging at all to deal with the rest of the Forsaken. I mean, young, weak (comparitvely), inexperienced Rand managed to beat Ishy in the sky, as well as Sammy, Rhavy, Semmi,and a couple others. New, super Rand should have no problem with the rest. And that is what I find to be a bit anticlimitic. I mean, it leaves me with a sort of, "okay, what now?" feeling in my gut. He's almost too strong.

[MasterAblar]

Throughout the series, Rand has been a powerful channeling badass, whether he knew it or not. So much so, even, that he dueled it out with several Forsaken and managed to kill them. Now (referring to TOM) he has had a breakthrough with his power and seems to be vastly superior to his former self. So... with all this seemingly new power, strength, and understanding, it doesn't seem like he should find it challenging at all to deal with the rest of the Forsaken. I mean, young, weak (comparitvely), inexperienced Rand managed to beat Ishy in the sky, as well as Sammy, Rhavy, Semmi,and a couple others. New, super Rand should have no problem with the rest. And that is what I find to be a bit anticlimitic. I mean, it leaves me with a sort of, "okay, what now?" feeling in my gut. He's almost too strong.

 

He can be as strong as he wants it doesn't matter, the DO will be stronger. Which is why it's a good thing that it's not strength that will defeat the DO. Besides I don't think Rand is any stronger than he was before. He's just at peace with himself now. His fighting ability is, I imagine, equal to what LTT's was at his greatest.

[mb]

I have read Encyclopaedia's pages of the book.

 

Rand could be waiting for one or more of these::

-the remaining Forsaken to strike

-them to "slip" and reveal their locations

-his followers to find out their locations

-another servant of the Forsaken to be captured

[Elan Tedronai]

That's the fault of the author. basically there is no way a bunch of farm boys and girls should be beating legends from another age. If ishy could not beat rand in books 2 and 3 then there is no hope for him when he faces Rand 2.0 in AMOL

[Sleeper]

His fighting ability is, I imagine, equal to what LTT's was at his greatest.

I agree with this. I don't think Rand has become a minor god or anything, he's simply become what he always was, the reincarnation of LTT, meaning that he has all those skills that he had in the AoL. However, the Forsaken existed back then too, and both Demandred and Moridin were just a hair below him in power. It should still be a good fight.

 

Besides, Rand won't just be fighting Forsaken, he'll also have to find a way to fix the Bore, that should take all the power he can muster.

 

And lastly, Rand beating the Forsaken in those earlier encounters was probably just a way for RJ to continue writing the books. It would have been just a little bit unfulfilling if Rand gets his ass kicked in the first book and dies. Additionally, he had the assistance of the Eye in one book and Callandor in another. The first time he really goes head to head with a Forsaken on equal footing without much aid is with Asmodean I think, and by then he's starting to improve his ability.

[PhoenixUK]

Well how have the forsaken been defeated?

- Aginor and Balthamel were both weak and hideously aged from not being sealed properly, and were defeated by Moiraine and the Green Man, not Rand

- Ishamael was injured at the battle of Falme by Rand

- Rand defeated Asmodean on his own.

- Rand was unable to defeat Lanfear on his own due to his own chivalry carried to a fault. Plus Lanfear was armed with an angreal. But it took Moiraine to stop her.

- Be'lal was killed by underestimating that Moiraine could use balefire. Ishamael was killed by Rand using Callandor.

- Rand almost died fighting Rahvin, was only saved by Nynaeve's intervention.

- Moghedien was defeated and shielded twice by Nynaeve.

- Rand wasn't doing that great against Sammael, he may or may not have killed him (via mashadar) without Moridin's help, debatable.

- Elza using callandor in a circle killed Aginor reborn as Osangar/Dashiva

- Rand using the Chodan Kal killed Belthamel reborn as Arangar/Halima

- Nynaeve, Cadsuane and co shielded Semirhage after she blew off Rand's hand.

- Rand used the True Power to balefire Semirhage.

- Egwene broke Mesaana's mind.

 

If you look at that list, Rand has only really defeated Asmodean on his own in a proper fight, and maybe you can include semirhage and sammael, The others he had superior sa'angreal or others to help him.

[A2597]

I'd grant him Sammael, but really it came down to Sammael thinking to use the world of dreams to his advantage, and underestimating Rand in that regard. Hubris was defiantly his downfall. And Asmodean...well, both point blank range...makes things a little more interesting I think. And Asmodean never favored combat.

[icspots]

Well how have the forsaken been defeated?

- Aginor and Balthamel were both weak and hideously aged from not being sealed properly, and were defeated by Moiraine and the Green Man, not Rand

 

Aginor actually burned himself out (and to a cinder) whilst fighting Rand for control of tEotW so Moiraine wasn't really involved in the actual defeat. She was pretty much out of that fight as soon as it began. Then again I suppose you can say that Rand didn't really kill him aside from causing him to overextend himself during the fight.

[A Rant Lord]

I think the we shouldn´t forget the fact that the forsaken, up to this point, have never taken Rand seriously and always underestimated the ´farmhand´. Furthermore it is important to know that he is Ta´veren (misspelling), that can be one hell of an advantage in fights, tide is always likely to turn in his favour.

[Mr Ares]

I'd grant him Sammael, but really it came down to Sammael thinking to use the world of dreams to his advantage, and underestimating Rand in that regard. Hubris was definitely his downfall.

Rand faced Sammael in Shadar Logoth. He faced Rahvin (and Ishamael) in T'a'r.