Rand's Arc (Full Spoilers)

[jwillis7]

just because there are some foreshadowing to an event does not mean that it can happen with no explanation at all. Heck i thought Rand and the thee girls were going to go in a boat off to TAR like in the Arthurian legend. That was set up. I feel you cannot end a book with such with key plot points left out. Yes the idea of having Rand's soul put in a new body was set up so that when it happens it does not just come out of left field. But just a little more explanation would have gone such a long way.

[Richmond]

My problem with the body switch is not metaphysical or anything like that.  The problem is that there was no explanation in the text as to what was going on for the "casual" reader.   The whole crossed-balefire-streams thing is a creation of US on this forum and others like it.  You can't just assume that someone reading WOT without participating in all this online craziness is going to know or remember anything about that.  I guess I'm being a bit critical of the way it was written - assuming the reader is too much of an online fan.

 

I don't necessarily love the plot device, but I wholeheartedly disagree with the notion that the reader HAS to understand how and why everything happened.  Some questions can remain unanswered, and it's completely reasonable to think that perhaps Rand isn't even sure what happened.

[XXX]

I always figured that Rand's lighting the pipe at the end was just him bending the pattern to his will, similar to the way he threatened to stop Cadsuane's heart in TGS.

 

I always thought he bluffed with Cads.Rand atleast could not make things happen with people.He tried with Tuon at their first meeting and it failed.

[Sabio]

 

My problem with the body switch is not metaphysical or anything like that.  The problem is that there was no explanation in the text as to what was going on for the "casual" reader.   The whole crossed-balefire-streams thing is a creation of US on this forum and others like it.  You can't just assume that someone reading WOT without participating in all this online craziness is going to know or remember anything about that.  I guess I'm being a bit critical of the way it was written - assuming the reader is too much of an online fan.

 

I don't necessarily love the plot device, but I wholeheartedly disagree with the notion that the reader HAS to understand how and why everything happened.  Some questions can remain unanswered, and it's completely reasonable to think that perhaps Rand isn't even sure what happened.

@Dirk, well we do know that when they crossed balefire it did link them somehow.  Moridin was upset that Semir almost killed Rand and Moridin feels docomfort when Rand loses a hand.  Moridin cuts hi own hand making Rand drop the sword.  So they were linked, how that had to do with body swapping is anyones guess.  BS might not of went into any depth on it because it is possible it didn't quiet understand it himself.

[Richmond]

 

 

My problem with the body switch is not metaphysical or anything like that.  The problem is that there was no explanation in the text as to what was going on for the "casual" reader.   The whole crossed-balefire-streams thing is a creation of US on this forum and others like it.  You can't just assume that someone reading WOT without participating in all this online craziness is going to know or remember anything about that.  I guess I'm being a bit critical of the way it was written - assuming the reader is too much of an online fan.

 

I don't necessarily love the plot device, but I wholeheartedly disagree with the notion that the reader HAS to understand how and why everything happened.  Some questions can remain unanswered, and it's completely reasonable to think that perhaps Rand isn't even sure what happened.

@Dirk, well we do know that when they crossed balefire it did link them somehow.  Moridin was upset that Semir almost killed Rand and Moridin feels docomfort when Rand loses a hand.  Moridin cuts hi own hand making Rand drop the sword.  So they were linked, how that had to do with body swapping is anyones guess.  BS might not of went into any depth on it because it is possible it didn't quiet understand it himself.

 

Hell, he may not have even liked the concept but did it b/c that's what RJ wanted.

 

It also fulfilled the "two become one" portion of Rand's second answer from the Aelfinn, right?  Or is there a consensus answer for that one already?

[Guest aegreen]

Going in a different direction from all the metaphysical and transmitigation talk, and focusing moreso on Rand's character and his future: I noticed a good many reactions in the "OMG I just finished thread" had to do with surprise at how Rand could leave Min, Elayne, and Aviendha and his soon to be born children for an indefinite amount of time. I think this is necessary for 3 reasons:

 

1) The Dragon Reborn and the role he played is for all intents and purposes dead. It can be assumed Rand is also no longer ta'veren and so does not have the same pull on people he once did. I feel that, to some extent, the love he experienced with all three women was real, but they also served a role in teaching him something/preserving him for the Last Battle. Rand no longer has to do what he -needs- to do now but can do what he -wants- to do. And one thing that has remained somewhat constant with his character throughout the series is his humility (Tuon's comment on Mat's humility comes to mind here), hence why LTT's arrogance caused him to fail and he had to be reborn and be humbled. Whereas the women he loves retain their positions of influence in society.

 

2) The experience outside of time probably changed Rand more than anyone can ever know, and would be an interesting book in and of itself. He played with the fabric of creation, utterly dominated the Dark One, and apparently retains some control over the Pattern. While I think his personality probably remains the same, how he sees himself now is probably vastly different. This jives with the "letting go" comment someone astutely made earlier. I think because of the aforementioned humility, and his respect of free will, he will not attempt to alter reality too much, but he may nudge events in the world along in his envisioned direction: maintaining the Dragon's Peace, setting up schools, the flourishing of the Two Rivers, etc.

 

3) New body. While this might not be as significant as some may think, I do think it would have an impact on those he loves. One sort of needs to "fall in love again" if your significant other looks like a completely different person. (Anyone ever seen Ghost Whisperer?) Although Moridin was described as handsome, so I'm sure he won't have too much difficulty with the ladies... There is also the issue that everyone in the world except for a handful of people thinks he is dead. It would be highly suspect if he resumed his relationship with all 3 women, even if he does look different.

 

The way I imagine an extended epilogue is Rand meeting up individually with the people he loves at different points in the future, specifically Min, Elayne, and Aviendha, similar to the resurrected Jesus analogy someone posted. And also "watching over" his children, but I do not see how he could be their father directly.

 

Since he no longer can channel the One Power, there is also the question of Rand's lifespan, and two of the three women possibly outliving him. Honestly, I see him being closest to Min for this reason (and her being with him since he was "sheepherder"), but it may be a while until she can become unentangled with the Seanchan and keeping Mat out of trouble.

[Vin21]

I see all these posts about how Rand should have destroyed the Dark One, how Shai'tan had no place in the world, and I feel like everyone of those people was reading a different story than I was.  So much of WoT was based around the idea of balance.  Removing the Dark One essentially turned everyone into "turned" versions of themselves, the fact that they were turned for the light only put it half a step above being turned toward the dark, without the ability to choose there was no point.

 

Rand was able to bring them back to an Age of Legends type world.  By using the true power, he didn't just patch the bore, he completely re-did the damage that those in the Age of Legends had done.  We can see this, though not directly, through Moghedian being collared.  There was no longer access to the True Power, because the DO was completely shut away again.

 

Also, while Rand may have set them back on another rotation that will eventually lead to another confrontation with the DO, the next Dragon will be equipped with the memories of how to do exactly what Rand just did. 

This guy gets it.

 

I think that some of you read too fast and missed out on a really great book.  I get that you were excited....we all were.  But some of the comments im reading are leaving me shaking my head.

 

PS....first post here at Dragonmount.  I look forward to engaging in discussion with you guys!

PPS...im sad that its over :(

[jwillis7]

 

I see all these posts about how Rand should have destroyed the Dark One, how Shai'tan had no place in the world, and I feel like everyone of those people was reading a different story than I was.  So much of WoT was based around the idea of balance.  Removing the Dark One essentially turned everyone into "turned" versions of themselves, the fact that they were turned for the light only put it half a step above being turned toward the dark, without the ability to choose there was no point.

 

Rand was able to bring them back to an Age of Legends type world.  By using the true power, he didn't just patch the bore, he completely re-did the damage that those in the Age of Legends had done.  We can see this, though not directly, through Moghedian being collared.  There was no longer access to the True Power, because the DO was completely shut away again.

 

Also, while Rand may have set them back on another rotation that will eventually lead to another confrontation with the DO, the next Dragon will be equipped with the memories of how to do exactly what Rand just did. 

This guy gets it.

 

I think that some of you read too fast and missed out on a really great book.  I get that you were excited....we all were.  But some of the comments im reading are leaving me shaking my head.

 

PS....first post here at Dragonmount.  I look forward to engaging in discussion with you guys!

PPS...im sad that its over :(

and again... his soul has done this dance before.  LTT did not remember how he sealed him up in the last "3rd age".   Someone will bore the prison "LTT" will seal it poorly and then "Rand" will make it right again.  Its a Wheel

[Edynol]

Rand only had those memories because of the Taint.  The next dragon won't have those memories so he won't remember how to defeat the DO.

[Vin21]

I'm having trouble grasping a lot of the end.

 

The biggest issue I have with this whole book (the only really big glaring issue to me) is Rand's portion of the epilogue.  I just can't believe that he can finally live in peace and decides to not tell Nynaeve, Tam, Mat, or Perrin and abandons his children and Min, Elayne, and Aviendha.

 

Now, into what happened with the dark one itself.  I agree with the 'world without evil' being a horrible place.  Rand explains this by telling the Dark One that he never wins, because only the fight for something you believe in can bring out the best in people.  That implies that the best of everybody can't exist without the DO.  There would be nothing to fight for, nothing to challenge peace and make people treasure it.  So that makes sense to me.

 

What doesn't make sense is Rand's line about the Dark One never having been the issue, Alivia's role, the pipe and the finalization of the body swap.  Here are two theories from me, both somewhat crazy, I'll admit:

 

1.  Androl and Pevara gave us more insight than we'd think.  While they were linked, they entered each others' consciousness.  They became ONE PERSON.  Pevara's POV says she was able to pull back into her own body afterwards.  Is that what Rand and Moridin did, except Rand intentionally pulled back into Moridin's body instead?

 

2.  The DO exists outside the pattern and is a constant force for evil, but isn't necessarily bad.  He's like gravity, he's just contantly present.  The true source of upsetting balance is the Dragon Reborn himself.  LTT inspried many of the Forsaken.  He rejected Mieren, he was a source of fixation for Elan, Demandred seems to be completely unhinged by being 'nearly LTT'.  Sammael and Bel'al are both known to have been jealous of his power.  LTT's Aes Sedai were the ones who drilled into the Bore, craving more power.

 

We see a repeat of this in Rand.  Everywhere he goes, he breaks ties, causes war, incites jealousy, brings out both the best AND worst of the people around him.  In TGS he goes mad and nearly kills everybody atop Dragonmount, proving he could be either the destroyer or the savior.

 

This could explain why Rand wants the world to go on without the Dragon.  He WANTS the dragon to be dead in everybody's mind, because so long as he exists, the threat could come again.  The Dragon is the problem and always has been.

 

---------------------

 

Thoughts?  I know it sort of flies in the face of the good vs evil mantra this series seems to hold, but it did occur to me after putting the book down.

I really like this theory of yours.  Well thought out.  Im buying it.......for now :)

[Sabio]

Rand only had those memories because of the Taint.  The next dragon won't have those memories so he won't remember how to defeat the DO.

True but if it starts over and is a wheel it stands to reason a hole wil l be drilled in the bore, another LTT will partially seal it, then another last battle will happen.  The dragon at the last battle will be LTT reborn and it will happen again and again, and again

[Vin21]

Im not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet.....(im only 4 pages into the thread)....but as far as rand lighting the pipe out of thin air....

 

Didnt Nakomi pull the most delicious meal out of thin air?  Something about that meal was extraordinary and inexplicable to Avihenda.  Apologies for not remembering exactly what it was.

 

The point is that people are making connections between Epilogue Rand and Nakomi and both of them being an "avatar", if you will, of the creator.  The point of this post is to point out similarities between the way Rand lit the pipe and what Nakomi did with Avihenda in the desert.

 

Feel free to toss this out the window or look into it further.

[Edynol]

 

 

I see all these posts about how Rand should have destroyed the Dark One, how Shai'tan had no place in the world, and I feel like everyone of those people was reading a different story than I was.  So much of WoT was based around the idea of balance.  Removing the Dark One essentially turned everyone into "turned" versions of themselves, the fact that they were turned for the light only put it half a step above being turned toward the dark, without the ability to choose there was no point.

 

Rand was able to bring them back to an Age of Legends type world.  By using the true power, he didn't just patch the bore, he completely re-did the damage that those in the Age of Legends had done.  We can see this, though not directly, through Moghedian being collared.  There was no longer access to the True Power, because the DO was completely shut away again.

 

Also, while Rand may have set them back on another rotation that will eventually lead to another confrontation with the DO, the next Dragon will be equipped with the memories of how to do exactly what Rand just did. 

This guy gets it.

 

I think that some of you read too fast and missed out on a really great book.  I get that you were excited....we all were.  But some of the comments im reading are leaving me shaking my head.

 

PS....first post here at Dragonmount.  I look forward to engaging in discussion with you guys!

PPS...im sad that its over :(

and again... his soul has done this dance before.  LTT did not remember how he sealed him up in the last "3rd age".   Someone will bore the prison "LTT" will seal it poorly and then "Rand" will make it right again.  Its a Wheel

This is true, but not entirely accurate.  We don't know if it will happen exactly like that.  We don't really know what happened in previous turnings.  Perhaps Saidar got tainted once and the Dragon used some super well to seal the bore so saidin didn't get tainted as well.  Then the next Dragon had a device like callandor to seal the DO with his own power or protected the OP in some other way to creat a new prison.  We'll never know.

[Vin21]

 

My problem with the body switch is not metaphysical or anything like that.  The problem is that there was no explanation in the text as to what was going on for the "casual" reader.   The whole crossed-balefire-streams thing is a creation of US on this forum and others like it.  You can't just assume that someone reading WOT without participating in all this online craziness is going to know or remember anything about that.  I guess I'm being a bit critical of the way it was written - assuming the reader is too much of an online fan.

 I disagree completely. Anyone who read the series had to see what was coming. The transmitigation was no suprise at all to me, I expected it. It was almost a let down because it was exactly what we expected.

i also couldnt disagree more.  You dont need a forum to know that something happened when balefire crossed.  i would say that at least 50% of the readers suspected that rand and moridin would merge or switch bodies during the last battle.  

 

My theory, for years, was pretty much exactly what happened.  That Rand would somehow take over moridins body during the last battle.  that the "3 women over a funeral byre...with you on it" viewing was actually a dead Moridin in rands body.  And i came to this conclusion without ever visiting the message board.

[orient]

This has undoubtedly been noticed, but it seems like Rand no longer has LTT's memories at the end of the book. At least that's what I take from the 'Rand al'Thor--just Rand al'Thor--woke in a dark tent by himself' line to start his second to last pov. Which I think is nice. No longer does he have to be haunted by a life that ended horribly for himself and all he loved and the world in general.

I took the 'just Rand al'Thor' bit to mean that he wasn't "the Dragon Reborn" and "King of Illian" and all that anymore, not that he lost his memories. Throughout the books as people heaped titles on Rand it was like one burden after another for him to carry. After his triumph at Shayol Ghul, he didn't need to be the world's saviour anymore. That's my take on it, at least.

 

Although not having LTT's memories would be good too.

[mbuehner]

Im not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet.....(im only 4 pages into the thread)....but as far as rand lighting the pipe out of thin air....

 

Didnt Nakomi pull the most delicious meal out of thin air?  Something about that meal was extraordinary and inexplicable to Avihenda.  Apologies for not remembering exactly what it was.

 

The point is that people are making connections between Epilogue Rand and Nakomi and both of them being an "avatar", if you will, of the creator.  The point of this post is to point out similarities between the way Rand lit the pipe and what Nakomi did with Avihenda in the desert.

 

Feel free to toss this out the window or look into it further.

 

Huh. Good call. Given the importance of balance to the pattern, it would make sense that there should be some female equivalent to The Dragon existing somewhere in the turning of the wheel. Maybe they take turns ;)

[Richmond]

 

Im not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet.....(im only 4 pages into the thread)....but as far as rand lighting the pipe out of thin air....

 

Didnt Nakomi pull the most delicious meal out of thin air?  Something about that meal was extraordinary and inexplicable to Avihenda.  Apologies for not remembering exactly what it was.

 

The point is that people are making connections between Epilogue Rand and Nakomi and both of them being an "avatar", if you will, of the creator.  The point of this post is to point out similarities between the way Rand lit the pipe and what Nakomi did with Avihenda in the desert.

 

Feel free to toss this out the window or look into it further.

 

Huh. Good call. Given the importance of balance to the pattern, it would make sense that there should be some female equivalent to The Dragon existing somewhere in the turning of the wheel. Maybe they take turns ;)

 

And they both come from the Aiel, at least this time around. 

 

It's simultaneously awesome and frustrating to still have so many things on which we can speculate.

[jwillis7]

 

Im not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet.....(im only 4 pages into the thread)....but as far as rand lighting the pipe out of thin air....

 

Didnt Nakomi pull the most delicious meal out of thin air?  Something about that meal was extraordinary and inexplicable to Avihenda.  Apologies for not remembering exactly what it was.

 

The point is that people are making connections between Epilogue Rand and Nakomi and both of them being an "avatar", if you will, of the creator.  The point of this post is to point out similarities between the way Rand lit the pipe and what Nakomi did with Avihenda in the desert.

 

Feel free to toss this out the window or look into it further.

 

Huh. Good call. Given the importance of balance to the pattern, it would make sense that there should be some female equivalent to The Dragon existing somewhere in the turning of the wheel. Maybe they take turns ;)

Quote

Interview: Dec 12th, 2000

CNN Chat

(Verbatim)

Jonan

Mr. Jordan, is it possible that in another age, another turning of the wheel, that

saidar

could be tainted instead of

saidin

? This relates to the Female Dragon Theory.

Robert Jordan

That is not something I intend to explore.

[Richmond]

 

 

Im not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet.....(im only 4 pages into the thread)....but as far as rand lighting the pipe out of thin air....

 

Didnt Nakomi pull the most delicious meal out of thin air?  Something about that meal was extraordinary and inexplicable to Avihenda.  Apologies for not remembering exactly what it was.

 

The point is that people are making connections between Epilogue Rand and Nakomi and both of them being an "avatar", if you will, of the creator.  The point of this post is to point out similarities between the way Rand lit the pipe and what Nakomi did with Avihenda in the desert.

 

Feel free to toss this out the window or look into it further.

 

Huh. Good call. Given the importance of balance to the pattern, it would make sense that there should be some female equivalent to The Dragon existing somewhere in the turning of the wheel. Maybe they take turns ;)

Quote

>

Interview: Dec 12th, 2000

CNN Chat

(Verbatim)

Jonan

Mr. Jordan, is it possible that in another age, another turning of the wheel, that

saidar

could be tainted instead of

saidin

? This relates to the Female Dragon Theory.

Robert Jordan

That is not something I intend to explore.

 

 

Talk about an Aes Sedai answer.  Doesn't dismiss the idea in the slightest.

[morkhon]

 

This has undoubtedly been noticed, but it seems like Rand no longer has LTT's memories at the end of the book. At least that's what I take from the 'Rand al'Thor--just Rand al'Thor--woke in a dark tent by himself' line to start his second to last pov. Which I think is nice. No longer does he have to be haunted by a life that ended horribly for himself and all he loved and the world in general.

I took the 'just Rand al'Thor' bit to mean that he wasn't "the Dragon Reborn" and "King of Illian" and all that anymore, not that he lost his memories. Throughout the books as people heaped titles on Rand it was like one burden after another for him to carry. After his triumph at Shayol Ghul, he didn't need to be the world's saviour anymore. That's my take on it, at least.

 

Although not having LTT's memories would be good too.

Well, I immediately took it to mean that Rand is basically...just Rand and not Rand/LTT anymore. He gets to live his life now, without the burden of the memories of another life. I don't think it's coincidence that he makes no reference to remembering anything from his past life as LTT from beyond that point. I am absolutely convinced he no longer has the memories of his life as LTT. Which makes a lot of sense to me. It's a gift in many ways, it's also not necessary to remember that past life anymore to aid him in what he has to do. Whatever was causing the breakdown that 'merged' two lives of one soul into one body has been reverted. In any event, I'm pretty sure Rand doesn't have the memories anymore.

 

 

I'm still debating the significance of the single dragon fang saa.

[jwillis7]

 

 

 

I see all these posts about how Rand should have destroyed the Dark One, how Shai'tan had no place in the world, and I feel like everyone of those people was reading a different story than I was.  So much of WoT was based around the idea of balance.  Removing the Dark One essentially turned everyone into "turned" versions of themselves, the fact that they were turned for the light only put it half a step above being turned toward the dark, without the ability to choose there was no point.

 

Rand was able to bring them back to an Age of Legends type world.  By using the true power, he didn't just patch the bore, he completely re-did the damage that those in the Age of Legends had done.  We can see this, though not directly, through Moghedian being collared.  There was no longer access to the True Power, because the DO was completely shut away again.

 

Also, while Rand may have set them back on another rotation that will eventually lead to another confrontation with the DO, the next Dragon will be equipped with the memories of how to do exactly what Rand just did. 

This guy gets it.

 

I think that some of you read too fast and missed out on a really great book.  I get that you were excited....we all were.  But some of the comments im reading are leaving me shaking my head.

 

PS....first post here at Dragonmount.  I look forward to engaging in discussion with you guys!

PPS...im sad that its over :(

and again... his soul has done this dance before.  LTT did not remember how he sealed him up in the last "3rd age".   Someone will bore the prison "LTT" will seal it poorly and then "Rand" will make it right again.  Its a Wheel

This is true, but not entirely accurate.  We don't know if it will happen exactly like that.  We don't really know what happened in previous turnings.  Perhaps Saidar got tainted once and the Dragon used some super well to seal the bore so saidin didn't get tainted as well.  Then the next Dragon had a device like callandor to seal the DO with his own power or protected the OP in some other way to creat a new prison.  We'll never know.

Quote

 

Interview: May, 2001

Marcon Report - Sorilea

(Paraphrased)

Question

At one point in the story we see Ishamael talking to Rand, and telling him that they have fought countless times in the past, but this is the final time.

Is there anything about his Age that makes it special?

Robert Jordan

"No...every Age is repeated, there is nothing that makes this age any different from any other turnings of the Wheel. The Wheel is endless."

SORILEA

This leads me to believe that this will not be the LAST BATTLE ever. It probably just comes about every turning of the Wheel, and since it has been such a long time ago, no one ever remembers it.

ROBERT JORDAN

RJ explained that that is what a lot of the WOT is about, the source of Legends, and how some legends are based in such a small bit of real history, that no one really knows where they came from. If they are real, or just made up.

[Richmond]

I'm still debating the significance of the single dragon fang saa.

 

At first I thought it was the remnant of Moridin's use of the TP, but his eyes were completely blackened.  So definitely not that.  Then I considered it being a mark from when Rand channeled the TP through Moridin and Callendor, but that doesn't make sense b/c Rand wasn't channeling it and wasn't even really touching it himself.

 

I re-read TOM last week, but I don't recall: Is there any mention of Nakomi having a white spot in her eye?  Perhaps this is the mark of being able to manipulate the Pattern itself, and Rand is the male half of it?

[Ruth]

 

Rand only had those memories because of the Taint.  The next dragon won't have those memories so he won't remember how to defeat the DO.

True but if it starts over and is a wheel it stands to reason a hole wil l be drilled in the bore, another LTT will partially seal it, then another last battle will happen.  The dragon at the last battle will be LTT reborn and it will happen again and again, and again

Someone posted elsewhere, possibly in Egwene thread, that the DO will likely find his next entry where Egwene died. She patches what Taim's balefire had weakened and thinks that it should last for awhile and then dies. This patch is weak and could be used by the DO to reach in the next turn of the wheeel.

[driedraspberry]

 

 

 

My problem with the body switch is not metaphysical or anything like that. The problem is that there was no explanation in the text as to what was going on for the "casual" reader. The whole crossed-balefire-streams thing is a creation of US on this forum and others like it. You can't just assume that someone reading WOT without participating in all this online craziness is going to know or remember anything about that. I guess I'm being a bit critical of the way it was written - assuming the reader is too much of an online fan.

I disagree completely. Anyone who read the series had to see what was coming. The transmitigation was no suprise at all to me, I expected it. It was almost a let down because it was exactly what we expected.

i also couldnt disagree more. You dont need a forum to know that something happened when balefire crossed. i would say that at least 50% of the readers suspected that rand and moridin would merge or switch bodies during the last battle.

 

My theory, for years, was pretty much exactly what happened. That Rand would somehow take over moridins body during the last battle. that the "3 women over a funeral byre...with you on it" viewing was actually a dead Moridin in rands body. And i came to this conclusion without ever visiting the message board.

The problem is that we've been given no explanation at all of the mechanism through which it occurred. I always knew body switch was a likely possibility, but I was keen to learn just how it would happen. The only way we've seen characters body hopping simply doesn't work in Rand's case due to the warder bonds. Some explanation was necessarily. I accept mysteries like Rand and the lit pipe remaining that way, but the body switch should have been explained. I wonder if BS was left no clue as to how it did happen, maybe RJ hadn't even worked it out yet.

[MrMatrim]

 

I'm having trouble grasping a lot of the end.

 

The biggest issue I have with this whole book (the only really big glaring issue to me) is Rand's portion of the epilogue.  I just can't believe that he can finally live in peace and decides to not tell Nynaeve, Tam, Mat, or Perrin and abandons his children and Min, Elayne, and Aviendha.

 

Now, into what happened with the dark one itself.  I agree with the 'world without evil' being a horrible place.  Rand explains this by telling the Dark One that he never wins, because only the fight for something you believe in can bring out the best in people.  That implies that the best of everybody can't exist without the DO.  There would be nothing to fight for, nothing to challenge peace and make people treasure it.  So that makes sense to me.

 

What doesn't make sense is Rand's line about the Dark One never having been the issue, Alivia's role, the pipe and the finalization of the body swap.  Here are two theories from me, both somewhat crazy, I'll admit:

 

1.  Androl and Pevara gave us more insight than we'd think.  While they were linked, they entered each others' consciousness.  They became ONE PERSON.  Pevara's POV says she was able to pull back into her own body afterwards.  Is that what Rand and Moridin did, except Rand intentionally pulled back into Moridin's body instead?

 

2.  The DO exists outside the pattern and is a constant force for evil, but isn't necessarily bad.  He's like gravity, he's just contantly present.  The true source of upsetting balance is the Dragon Reborn himself.  LTT inspried many of the Forsaken.  He rejected Mieren, he was a source of fixation for Elan, Demandred seems to be completely unhinged by being 'nearly LTT'.  Sammael and Bel'al are both known to have been jealous of his power.  LTT's Aes Sedai were the ones who drilled into the Bore, craving more power.

 

We see a repeat of this in Rand.  Everywhere he goes, he breaks ties, causes war, incites jealousy, brings out both the best AND worst of the people around him.  In TGS he goes mad and nearly kills everybody atop Dragonmount, proving he could be either the destroyer or the savior.

 

This could explain why Rand wants the world to go on without the Dragon.  He WANTS the dragon to be dead in everybody's mind, because so long as he exists, the threat could come again.  The Dragon is the problem and always has been.

 

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Thoughts?  I know it sort of flies in the face of the good vs evil mantra this series seems to hold, but it did occur to me after putting the book down.

I really like this theory of yours.  Well thought out.  Im buying it.......for now :)

I like the first part of this too--the two becoming one, and Rand pulling back into Moridin.  Another part to consider is this: Deep down, Rand wanted to survive, and deep down Moridin WANTED to die--wanted oblivion.  I can see both their desires making it easier to pull back into the other, taking advantage of the balefire link, or even with a little "nudge" from the Creator (which might explain the woman Rand sees right outside of Shayol Ghul). I can see the Creator granting Rand this "reprieve" as a reward for all he's sacrificed.  At first I thought that was really a dickish move to do to Moridin, but then again, he's been serving the Shadow, plus he really wanted to die.  He kinda gets what he wants too--a rest, and then a rebirth with no prior memories.

 

I thought the true upsetting source was the Bore itself, which allowed the Dark one more influence and threw things out of whack.  The three ta'veren were the corrective mechanism.  The Dark one is a force of nature---chaos, corruption, something outside our true comprehension or ability to categorize.