Rand Al'Thor, Dragon, Man or Monster?

[BlakeD'Amico]

Has the man gone partially mad?

Did he only go mad for a little?

Or one day will he weep again?

[MatBloodyCauthon]

He will weep

He is mad

and....he is still mad

but................................he's got this shinny stuff in his head now and that will save us all :)

[Jon Paul]

He was mad. He isn't any more. The white light is protecting him from the taint's touch. He's perfectly sane and has full embraced his past life as Lews Therin. Simple as that.

[Southpaw89]

^ something tells me he may not be completely. There's the link with Moridin we gotta remember.

[Jon Paul]

^ something tells me he may not be completely. There's the link with Moridin we gotta remember.

 

Darkfriends claw their eyes out at the sight of him. I don't think Rand is the one who has to be worrying about that link right now.

[FarShainMael]

Moridin is the one who will be worrying!

[Luckers]

Sudden mood swings are a sign of drug abuse. The Dragon Reborn is therefore an addict. You heard it here first, folks.

[FarShainMael]

Either that or he's going through the menopause.

 

(Been there, done that.. )

[Hopefire]

I suspect that the shiny white light will fade in the Pit of Doom.

[damandred]

Maybe it'll come out his mouth so he breaths fire!

[Never]

Sudden mood swings are a sign of drug abuse. The Dragon Reborn is therefore an addict. You heard it here first, folks.

 

 

Two Rivers "tabac"..

[Kahsm]

Was never crazy, clinical depression caused by stress is not "crazy" in WOT the universe, I don't care how many episodes of Dr.Oz you've watched.

[Southpaw89]

hmm FarshainMael you raise an interesting question. What if Rand was linked to Lanfear? Would menopause be a reason for mood swings then? ;)

[FarShainMael]

hmm FarshainMael you raise an interesting question. What if Rand was linked to Lanfear? Would menopause be a reason for mood swings then? ;)

 

Does it happen to Warders?

[OptimusPrime]

^ something tells me he may not be completely. There's the link with Moridin we gotta remember.

 

I think the merge is responsible for his newfound immunity to the Taint. The Forsakens immunity is the only thing we have heard of that can account for it, other than the Creator taking a hand, and I dont see any reason to believe that happened.

[Guest PiotrekS]

Was never crazy, clinical depression caused by stress is not "crazy" in WOT the universe, I don't care how many episodes of Dr.Oz you've watched.

 

I agree. He was getting crazy though, but considering the enormous amount of stress he was under and the Taint, it was happening very, very slowly. Rand was a remarkably sane indivudual to behave as he did in the circumstances.

[MasterAblar]

^ something tells me he may not be completely. There's the link with Moridin we gotta remember.

 

I think the merge is responsible for his newfound immunity to the Taint. The Forsakens immunity is the only thing we have heard of that can account for it, other than the Creator taking a hand, and I dont see any reason to believe that happened.

 

If that's the case, then it would be rather odd of Nyneave to desribe it as: "Light given form and life".

[OptimusPrime]

^ something tells me he may not be completely. There's the link with Moridin we gotta remember.

 

I think the merge is responsible for his newfound immunity to the Taint. The Forsakens immunity is the only thing we have heard of that can account for it, other than the Creator taking a hand, and I dont see any reason to believe that happened.

 

If that's the case, then it would be rather odd of Nyneave to desribe it as: "Light given form and life".

 

Thats been said before, and while it is understandable to say that I think it is only a semi-valid point. We all have this pre-concieved "blackness" associated with the True Power, granted, but Rand never noted anything of that sort when he channeled it in TGS. All he thought was that it was another Power.

 

That being said, Im basing the idea on the fact that I dont know of any other "likely" thing to cause Rands immunity, so I can see why you and others dont agree.

[MasterAblar]

^ something tells me he may not be completely. There's the link with Moridin we gotta remember.

 

I think the merge is responsible for his newfound immunity to the Taint. The Forsakens immunity is the only thing we have heard of that can account for it, other than the Creator taking a hand, and I dont see any reason to believe that happened.

 

If that's the case, then it would be rather odd of Nyneave to desribe it as: "Light given form and life".

 

Thats been said before, and while it is understandable to say that I think it is only a semi-valid point. We all have this pre-concieved "blackness" associated with the True Power, granted, but Rand never noted anything of that sort when he channeled it in TGS. All he thought was that it was another Power.

 

That being said, Im basing the idea on the fact that I dont know of any other "likely" thing to cause Rands immunity, so I can see why you and others dont agree.

 

Oh, I'm not saying it's impossible, just sort of unlikely, even though it would make sense. And it is, so far, the only seemingly realistic reason for why Rand could have a protection against the taint.

[LazyMonk]

The taint on saidin physically damages\alters the brain, we have Nynaeve's testimony for that. So yes, Rand was more than a little insane -- He channeled the entire taint through himself in the cleansing. It's a wonder he remembered how to breath after that accomplishment.

On top of that, Rand was farther made unstable by the extreme pressure duty and events placed on his shoulders. Also, he was remembering bits of of his past life and LLT WAS insane at the end of his life.

 

Right now Rand literally manifests the battle between Light and Dark, they're both actually\physically opposing one another inside his brain. The light is currently stronger, but Rand is on his way to confront the DO directly at the Bore. It's anyone's guess what will happen then.

[FarShainMael]

^ something tells me he may not be completely. There's the link with Moridin we gotta remember.

 

I think the merge is responsible for his newfound immunity to the Taint. The Forsakens immunity is the only thing we have heard of that can account for it, other than the Creator taking a hand, and I dont see any reason to believe that happened.

 

If that's the case, then it would be rather odd of Nyneave to desribe it as: "Light given form and life".

 

Thats been said before, and while it is understandable to say that I think it is only a semi-valid point. We all have this pre-concieved "blackness" associated with the True Power, granted, but Rand never noted anything of that sort when he channeled it in TGS. All he thought was that it was another Power.

 

That being said, Im basing the idea on the fact that I dont know of any other "likely" thing to cause Rands immunity, so I can see why you and others dont agree.

 

There was Rand's 'dark aura' sensed by Tuon and others after he used the TP.. but now he has a 'light aura' perceived by Min in ToM 13 - the air seeming to distort around him, she wondered if it was a trick of the sunlight. That, to me, argues against its being granted by the DO. As for the Creator - well, Rand is the 'Chosen One' (EotW51). To face the DO, he will need something more than purely human ability.

[OptimusPrime]

^ something tells me he may not be completely. There's the link with Moridin we gotta remember.

 

I think the merge is responsible for his newfound immunity to the Taint. The Forsakens immunity is the only thing we have heard of that can account for it, other than the Creator taking a hand, and I dont see any reason to believe that happened.

 

If that's the case, then it would be rather odd of Nyneave to desribe it as: "Light given form and life".

 

Thats been said before, and while it is understandable to say that I think it is only a semi-valid point. We all have this pre-concieved "blackness" associated with the True Power, granted, but Rand never noted anything of that sort when he channeled it in TGS. All he thought was that it was another Power.

 

That being said, Im basing the idea on the fact that I dont know of any other "likely" thing to cause Rands immunity, so I can see why you and others dont agree.

 

There was Rand's 'dark aura' sensed by Tuon and others after he used the TP.. but now he has a 'light aura' perceived by Min in ToM 13 - the air seeming to distort around him, she wondered if it was a trick of the sunlight. That, to me, argues against its being granted by the DO.

 

The black aura was only partially due to him using it, according to Brandon. Plus, when Tam saw it around Rand, he was channeling saidin. The aura itself-be it a dark aura or shimmering air-is to do with his frame of mind, not what Powers he has access to.

 

Aside from that, even protection from the Taint has nothing to do with True Power use. I dont see how True Power talk is relevent to Taint immunity.

[FarShainMael]

Neither do I. The only taint-immunity we've ever seen was those 'black cords'. I was challenging your comment about 'pre-conceived' blackness.

[Goramier]

Has the man gone partially mad?

Did he only go mad for a little?

Or one day will he weep again?

 

I haven't read the responses...only responding to the OP.

 

Really? RJ literally beat the crap out of Rand over and over and over and over and over and over and over... I promise that you cannot find a more tortured character anywhere in literary culture. Who else has taken the kind of punishment Rand has? He has been literally kicked around to the point where it was very nearly beyond accepting that he could come back. He was battling EVERYONE. You mentioned "abrupt" changes through the series....

 

Before I continue let me first say I am not attacking you or those who disagree with me...

 

...anyways...he changed about as slowly as an author could possibly change a character. He spent the entire series having his head kicked in, having everyone fight against him, having to fight his own Dark One granted madness, to the madness via the culture he was raised in, to his own friends feeling unsafe around him, to every country he went to wanting him dead for there own benefit, to Egwene wanting to basically chain him up like all other Aes Sadai, to being cut, broken beaten and scarred...

 

Honestly the scene where he is on Dragonmount is absolutely mind blowing when you really get it. It is the absolute climax of insanity v. sanity, the absolute battle of where Rand will either become even worse than the Dark One himself or become something the likes of which have never been seen before. I cannot understand how so many people can call him the "new" zen Rand. It is laughable. There is nothing "new" about it. It is Rand. The Rand who finally, finally defeated the demons within, accepted his fate, became one within himself and is now ready to move on. Any other author would have done that by chapter 9.

 

Rand is one of the longest developing characters I have ever heard of. One could spend ten thousand pages outlining how much abuse he takes from his author. If Rand was a real person he would probably want to punch RJ in the face for what he put him through.

 

As for your posts question...IMO, Rand was SUPPOSED to be totally mad but he managed to fight it off against all odds. He only managed to stave off the madness like he did because he had a greater cause to fight for. He found that his survival was more important then everything else, not because of selfish reasons like Egwene but because if he died or lost himself into insanity, the world would die... When Rand leaves Dragonmount he isn't some new Rand...but a Rand who has finally come full circle.

[Suttree]

I promise that you cannot find a more tortured character anywhere in literary culture.

 

 

If you truly believe that I promise you have to read more.

 

I cannot understand how so many people can call him the "new" zen Rand. It is laughable. There is nothing "new" about it.

 

Maybe because he has totally integrated LTT's past life memories and experiences that he didn't have previously? Two different incarnations of the same soul now exist within him with a whole other life to draw from that shapes his outlook and decisions. That isn't exactly coming back full circle to good old 2Rs Rand. You said it yourself, he "become something the likes of which have never been seen before". How is that possible if it's not something new?