The ONLY battle worth winning...

[MrWOTjunkie]

Quite new at posting guys but thought I would put this out there as I haven't seen this touched on at all.

 

In Chapter 32 of TOM 'A Storm Of Light" we hear Rand say "In Maradon, I saw what had been done to men who followed me. I saw Light in them, Min. Defying the DO no matter the length of his shadow. We will live, that defiance said. We will love and we will hope. And I saw him trying so hard to destroy that. He knows that if he could break them, it would mean something. Something much more than Maradon. Breaking the spirit of men......he thirsts for that. He struck far harder than he otherwise would have because he wanted to break my spirit. And so I stood against him.

 

While I am struggling to properly articulate my 'grand point' I believe the only key to victory for the DO hinges on Rand NOT being prepared mentally to deny the DO and sacrifice himself and his friends for the Lights' cause.

 

With Verin stating this battle is not being fought the way we think it is (IMO matches the quote above) I believe the only battle of importance is the battle for Rand's mental ability. His ability to embrace life, love and then ultimately deny the dark one.

 

My theory due to the above points is this: I think Rand need only deny the DO in order to gain victory. The sacrifice of himself (and multiple light side friends IMO) will ultimately deny the DO victory and 'his blood on the rocks of Shayol Ghul' will reseal the bore.

 

 

I would love to hear everybody's thoughts.

 

and also: G'day from Adelaide Australia!! Love the site, thank you and congrats to the efforts of all people involved with Dragonmount.com

[condonmc]

Good theory bru... there is just so many things happening that pinning a theory down as correct is near impossible, but thats a well put together thought.....Good on ya!

[Randommer]

I tend to think along the same lines; it seems to me that Rand has a way bigger part in everything than just being a really strong channeler. It would explain a whole lot

[mbuehner]

I think you're probably right. My theory is Rand already won the last battle atop Dragonmount and all that is left is for the DO to reset the wheel and try again. But Fain is the wild card.

[Duskfire]

I think you're probably right. My theory is Rand already won the last battle atop Dragonmount and all that is left is for the DO to reset the wheel and try again. But Fain is the wild card.

 

Then why are Mat and Perrin needed? Its been stated many times throughout the books that all three need to be at TG for the good guys to win. However if all it was in the end was a personal mental struggle of Rands they wouldnt need to be around.

[Tyzack]

I think you're probably right. My theory is Rand already won the last battle atop Dragonmount and all that is left is for the DO to reset the wheel and try again. But Fain is the wild card.

 

Then why are Mat and Perrin needed? Its been stated many times throughout the books that all three need to be at TG for the good guys to win. However if all it was in the end was a personal mental struggle of Rands they wouldnt need to be around.

 

Mat is needed for luck - I can't figure out how to make that more transcendant, Perrin is needed to remake the pattern (not just seal it), and rand is needed fight the DO when the seals are broken?

 

I don't know, my only true theory in that sentence is perrin remaking the pattern w/o the DO (as was originally the case)...how Mat and Rand play into it...

[msbee]

 

Then why are Mat and Perrin needed? Its been stated many times throughout the books that all three need to be at TG for the good guys to win. However if all it was in the end was a personal mental struggle of Rands they wouldnt need to be around.

 

We still have a book to go. The DO hasn't quite got Rand how he wants him yet.

Perrin is specifically needed to save him one more time, according to Min's viewing (LOC 46)

Twice he's going to have to be there, or you... If he's not, something bad will happen to you. Very bad. It will happen if he is not there, but nothing I saw said it won't because he is. It will be very bad, Rand

 

Both can affect circumstances to foil DO's plans. They could foil some new set-up to mess with Rand's mind, take away distractions (like commanding armies in Randland), make some random remark that changes Rand's attitude to something (the way Tam did at VoG), the list of possibilities is endless

[Guest egitan]

NEW to this so have me patience... I agree on the points for the most part, I do believe the fight for Rand's mind on the top of Dragonmount was just a preparation, giving Rand the tools to fight and that there will be a new confrontation coming soon. A couple points I would like to throw out there for your consideration:

 

1. The wolves will fight the last battle, and they are still gathering

2. there is a chapter where Ninaeve is trying to remove the insanity of Rand's brain and notices the darkness infinite and also the light balancing out that darkness, so there is a battle between darkness and light on his brain

 

This points both to the final battle coming up and also to the fact that part of the battle will be on Rand's head (or so I think) it might also be that the light is now protecting Rand of the darkness and that Rand needs that darkness there for something else.

 

Also something was mentioned about Perrin fixing the pattern, I believe we saw a taste of this within the last book where Perrin is growing increasingly strong in Telarianrod (mispelled?) where he tries to right the darkness of the World of Dreams and hold it there, in this chapter Perrin gets a taste of his limits (cant create life) but we notice that he might be able to affect the reality of the pattern from here

 

Just my 0.02$

[msbee]

1.I am looking forward to finding out how the wolves fit in. Presumably something to do with Darkhounds but it will be interesting to see the context

 

2.It would fit rather nicely with the whole black-and-white Fisher theme from TPOD Pr, and “the two must be as one", and the Moridin link, etc. I must say I've not really thought of it that way round, but it does make sense in terms of balance. hmmm...

 

Not sure what you mean about Perrin fixing the pattern though

[bbarrett90]

We still have a book to go. The DO hasn't quite got Rand how he wants him yet.

Perrin is specifically needed to save him one more time, according to Min's viewing (LOC 46)

Twice he's going to have to be there, or you... If he's not, something bad will happen to you. Very bad. It will happen if he is not there, but nothing I saw said it won't because he is. It will be very bad, Rand

 

What if perrin was already there twice, once when he had to save rand from the box, and twice when he witnessed rand on top of dragonmount from TAR. I remember him saying that he knew he had to keep going, that someone needed to witness what was happening. When Rand was almost completely consumed, perrin whispered "please Rand..." or something to that effect, cant remember exactly. But i think that maybe min's viewing already came true. She said that perrin had to BE there, not that he had to save rand.

[msbee]

 

What if perrin was already there twice, once when he had to save rand from the box, and twice when he witnessed rand on top of dragonmount from TAR. I remember him saying that he knew he had to keep going, that someone needed to witness what was happening. When Rand was almost completely consumed, perrin whispered "please Rand..." or something to that effect, cant remember exactly. But i think that maybe min's viewing already came true. She said that perrin had to BE there, not that he had to save rand.

 

Hmmm, not convinced. If Perrin's presence is required (whether he does anything or not) then it seems to me that he has to be there to affect Rand's circumstances somehow.

He didn't at Dragonmount and Rand was completely unaware of his presence.

[coolpool]

i have sorta simular thoughts... i believe that the DO can only win if he turns Rand to the shadow... like at VoG... if Rand had given in to the darkness.. he would have ended the pattern which is sorta what the DO ultimatly wants... but i think after VoG, thats when the last battle began... Rand holding of the shadow was almost liike the first attack and when that failed... the attack on everyone else for the pattern comenced... if u get what i mean like...

[Pygmalion79]

I wrote a theory a year back, which basically argued this point. In fact I said that the DO would lose even if he overwhelms humanity if Rand dies "spitting in Soulblinder's eye", not giving in to despair and the temptation of the dark.

 

http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/57800-is-the-story-already-over/page__p__1787299__hl__story+already+over__fromsearch__1#entry1787299

 

I don't entirely believe my own theory, but I wrote it because I think that it gets at the single most crucial element in the narrative.