The Dragon's Blood...

[randsc]

...on the rocks of Shayol Ghul.

 

Not Rand's, necessarily. And not Elayne's babies.

 

The Aiel. Like, virtually all of them.

[Wool-headed lummox]

That certainly makes more sense than Rand's hemoglobyne and/or veneral diseases saving the world.

[skalors3]

That certainly makes more sense than Rand's hemoglobyne and/or veneral diseases saving the world.

 

Lol

[Ananta]

That certainly makes more sense than Rand's hemoglobyne and/or veneral diseases saving the world.

I dunno... I always figured that Rand would infect DO with HIV in the end, thus killing him for good.

[FarShainMael]

According to Albus Dumbledore, there are 12 uses of dragon's blood.

[hjustinpace]

That certainly makes more sense than Rand's hemoglobyne and/or veneral diseases saving the world.

I dunno... I always figured that Rand would infect DO with HIV in the end, thus killing him for good.

 

It depends. Can you catch the HIV from doing the hibbity pippity in a pond in TAR?

[OptimusPrime]

That certainly makes more sense than Rand's hemoglobyne and/or veneral diseases saving the world.

I dunno... I always figured that Rand would infect DO with HIV in the end, thus killing him for good.

That certainly makes more sense than Rand's hemoglobyne and/or veneral diseases saving the world.

I dunno... I always figured that Rand would infect DO with HIV in the end, thus killing him for good.

 

Ah, but who gave Rand HIV?

 

Tenner says Min did it.

[MasterAblar]

According to Albus Dumbledore, there are 12 uses of dragon's blood.

 

So apparently one of them is winning the Last Battle.

[Agitel]

As Rand's half-brother, Galad could be considered his "blood" in a way.

 

The emphasis on the whole blood saving the world thing is very evangelical Christian in a way. The few Baptist sermons I've attended liked to place heavy emphasis on Jesus' blood washing away our sins and it being our salvation.

[Nightstrike]

I don't know, the phrasing sounds kind of literal to me.

 

TDR,Ch5

• "The blood of the Dragon Reborn on the rocks of Shayol Ghul will free mankind from the Shadow."
  

TSR,Ch3

• "His blood on the rocks of Shayol Ghul, washing away the Shadow, sacrifice for man's salvation."
  

If the aiel are "the blood", then there's still "washing" and "sacrifice".

[jmniles]

I'm inclined to agree that it is specifically Rand spilling his own blood, whether or not it means he will die at Shayol Ghul. Though both Gawyn and Galad and Elayne are all technically his blood, along with many other Aiel he might be blood related too.

[FarShainMael]

According to Albus Dumbledore, there are 12 uses of dragon's blood.

 

So apparently one of them is winning the Last Battle.

 

That's the thirteenth!

[FarShainMael]

I don't know, the phrasing sounds kind of literal to me.

 

TDR,Ch5

• "The blood of the Dragon Reborn on the rocks of Shayol Ghul will free mankind from the Shadow."
  

TSR,Ch3

• "His blood on the rocks of Shayol Ghul, washing away the Shadow, sacrifice for man's salvation."
  

If the aiel are "the blood", then there's still "washing" and "sacrifice".

 

I'd agree that it's a literal meaning. We already know that blood on the rock of the Bloodrings activates them. Blood on Shayol Ghul rock might have a physical effect.

 

(Of course, the Bloodrings might be made of SG rock..)

[herid]

I don't know, the phrasing sounds kind of literal to me.

 

TDR,Ch5

• "The blood of the Dragon Reborn on the rocks of Shayol Ghul will free mankind from the Shadow."
  

TSR,Ch3

• "His blood on the rocks of Shayol Ghul, washing away the Shadow, sacrifice for man's salvation."
  

If the aiel are "the blood", then there's still "washing" and "sacrifice".

+1. I always thought that the meaning here is literal and refers to Rand's own blood. Sacrificing somebody else's blood (like Aiel's, Galad's or whoever) would be deeply wrong thematically. Messianic figures such as Rand sacrifice themselves, not somebody else.

[reson8]

I am Reson8, and I approve this Theory.

 

 

:)

[BNICK1026]

I think it could go either way. Clearly, Rand dying at Shayol Ghul fits the "his blood on the rocks....", but I have always thought that was too obvious. With RJ having so many clever forshadowing and small twists it could mean several different things. The Aiel, Gawyn, Elayne, Moridin, or Slayer. I'm sure I am missing some, but it just seems like there could be more secrets there.

 

Or just as a fan we are hoping, with the end so close, to be blown away with this book.

[Ananta]

+1. I always thought that the meaning here is literal and refers to Rand's own blood. Sacrificing somebody else's blood (like Aiel's, Galad's or whoever) would be deeply wrong thematically. Messianic figures such as Rand sacrifice themselves, not somebody else.

If this was written by GRRM, I'd see the end go like this:

 

Rand: LOL GALAD GO CHECK OUT THOSE ROCKS OVER THERE!

Galad: Wut? Why?

Rand: JUST GO BRO! I GOT YOUR BACK!

Galad: Okay...

Rand (Whispers to DO): DUDE NOW! YOUR TIME TO SHINE. SMITE THE BITCH LOL.

Galad: What's going on? Why Rand, why?

Rand: GALAD U JUST GOT SACRIFICED LOL. LIFE, I CHOOSE YOU! *Travels away*

[BFG]

+1. I always thought that the meaning here is literal and refers to Rand's own blood. Sacrificing somebody else's blood (like Aiel's, Galad's or whoever) would be deeply wrong thematically. Messianic figures such as Rand sacrifice themselves, not somebody else.

If this was written by GRRM, I'd see the end go like this:

 

Rand: LOL GALAD GO CHECK OUT THOSE ROCKS OVER THERE!

Galad: Wut? Why?

Rand: JUST GO BRO! I GOT YOUR BACK!

Galad: Okay...

Rand (Whispers to DO): DUDE NOW! YOUR TIME TO SHINE. SMITE THE BITCH LOL.

Galad: What's going on? Why Rand, why?

Rand: GALAD U JUST GOT SACRIFICED LOL. LIFE, I CHOOSE YOU! *Travels away*

 

If this was GRRM, Rand would have died end of book 1, Perrin when he married Faile for snubbing Berelain (not all bad :P), Tuon when she married Mat, Elayne would be prisoner of Forsaken, Eg would probably be a zombie, Thom would have been missing since Book 1, Fain rhymes with pain would be showing regret and we'd definitely feel sorry for him by now, would probably be under constant threat of death by Turak, At least one Forsaken would be shown to be 'not so bad' really, Cads would be turning into a tree. Gawyn would probably be dead, and Galad on the run with some rebels hiding in the woods or vice versa. Actually scrap that with Elayne and Forsaken, Elayne would be WC prisoner (Morgaise would be long dead) and Forsaken wouldn't appear until the end begins, dragons would be real though :) Even though it's morraly wrong and everyone's 100% against it, somehow Collaring would seem like a good idea.

 

I love GRRM as a writer, I even like aFFC, but I couldn't cope with him writing 2 epic tales of fantasy.

[Rafalou]

+1. I always thought that the meaning here is literal and refers to Rand's own blood. Sacrificing somebody else's blood (like Aiel's, Galad's or whoever) would be deeply wrong thematically. Messianic figures such as Rand sacrifice themselves, not somebody else.

If this was written by GRRM, I'd see the end go like this:

 

Rand: LOL GALAD GO CHECK OUT THOSE ROCKS OVER THERE!

Galad: Wut? Why?

Rand: JUST GO BRO! I GOT YOUR BACK!

Galad: Okay...

Rand (Whispers to DO): DUDE NOW! YOUR TIME TO SHINE. SMITE THE BITCH LOL.

Galad: What's going on? Why Rand, why?

Rand: GALAD U JUST GOT SACRIFICED LOL. LIFE, I CHOOSE YOU! *Travels away*

 

LOL that would be so funny ! A great epic book with 14 volumes, that end like this... Poor Brandon Sanderson would be killed by fans.

 

No seriously I think it cannot be someone else. It woud not fit. It has to be his blood. And like you said, that does not meen he has to die.

[Darksmoon]

I believe this will require his actual blood on the rocks after some sort of battle.

 

I expect the ending to be surprising.

[driedraspberry]

+1. I always thought that the meaning here is literal and refers to Rand's own blood. Sacrificing somebody else's blood (like Aiel's, Galad's or whoever) would be deeply wrong thematically. Messianic figures such as Rand sacrifice themselves, not somebody else.

If this was written by GRRM, I'd see the end go like this:

 

Rand: LOL GALAD GO CHECK OUT THOSE ROCKS OVER THERE!

Galad: Wut? Why?

Rand: JUST GO BRO! I GOT YOUR BACK!

Galad: Okay...

Rand (Whispers to DO): DUDE NOW! YOUR TIME TO SHINE. SMITE THE BITCH LOL.

Galad: What's going on? Why Rand, why?

Rand: GALAD U JUST GOT SACRIFICED LOL. LIFE, I CHOOSE YOU! *Travels away*

 

Lovely. :D

 

At least there would be a point to Rand's special snowflake mom not being a random spear maiden.

 

I actually really like Galad playing a part here. Be it killing Rand or being killed.

[TootThatHorn]

I think Galad knows what's up, he knows how important Rand is and backs him. Maybe he hasn't vocalized it yet but he knows exactly what is happening in the world and what it will take to survive.

[Valley of Death]

Galad, easily top 10 coolest characters. But i give him a 5% chance of surviving this book

[fyodor]

I don't know, the phrasing sounds kind of literal to me.

 

TDR,Ch5

• "The blood of the Dragon Reborn on the rocks of Shayol Ghul will free mankind from the Shadow."
  

TSR,Ch3

• "His blood on the rocks of Shayol Ghul, washing away the Shadow, sacrifice for man's salvation."
  

If the aiel are "the blood", then there's still "washing" and "sacrifice".

 

I'd agree that it's a literal meaning. We already know that blood on the rock of the Bloodrings activates them. Blood on Shayol Ghul rock might have a physical effect.

 

(Of course, the Bloodrings might be made of SG rock..)

 

The "washing" could be metaphorical. I always assumed that this wasn't going to refer to Rand's actual blood for the simple reason that all the characters have interpreted it to mean that.