Demandred's Arc (Full Spoilers)

[Mr Ares]

 

The problem is that we've had over a dozen books of build up to a Light v Shadow fight, then a very abrupt change to a Light v Shadow & Shara fight - and at times veering towards Light v Shara, with some assistance from the Shadow. Raymond Feist often did the same things with his books - there'd be a big battle at the end, and then a Keshian army would show up from nowhere to save the good guys. Granted, an army from nowhere works better in a world with Traveling, but the problem is that the fight we got wasn't the fight we were promised. For the sake of a surprise, the Shadow was at risk of being sidelined. If the Sharans had, for example, been used to make sure that no reinforcements were available, while the Last Battle was Mat's forces against Demandred and the Shadowspawn (with Dreadlords), there wouldn't be a problem. The problem lies with Shara being centre stage when it should only be a bit part after so little build up. The problem isn't in the surprise, it's in the handling afterwards, and it comes across as unlike Robert "foreshadow everything" Jordan, and not even that much like Brandon Sanderson, who usually manages to do a better job of setting things up.

 

Indeed, I agree. I think RJ kind of shot himself in the foot with Demandred, which was magnified by the bluntness of Brandon Sanderson. 

 

It seems clear that RJ wanted Shara to be a big surprise, and if it were in the works of GRRM or Erikson (I chose these because they are generally considered to be at least half-competent fantasy authors, barring individual opinions) it would not be half as troubling as it was in WoT. 

 

But RJ, as you said, has the middle name of "foreshadowing". Everything he did was foreshadowed very well. Shara - while it was foreshadowed - was not sufficiently foreshadowed for anyone to make that conclusion. Again, it's clear that it was intentional on RJ's part - he wanted the big surprise in aMoL. It may have been done more subtly if he had written it - it may have been made more tolerable with extra info added explaining things more than it did - however, it obviously missed the intended mark with fans who liked to theorize. 

 

Having said that though, it seems petty to hate the arc simply because RJ decided not to foreshadow it, and made it a big surprise. Yeah, it was blunt and all, but it's not really that big of a deal overall. 

 

It had vast potential IMO, which RJ wasted. There should have been far more hints about Demandred's changing personality, more of his struggle, his completion of Prophecy, love affair and strange "bonding" to the Sa'angreal which obvious impacted on his personality. It could have been one of the best plots in the series - the Mysterious Adventures of Bao the Wyld and his Beautiful Sidekick Shendla - however, RJ took a different route, and it was done. 

 

I can fully understand being unsatisfied and irked when reading it for the first time - but after the initial reading, it seems entirely petty to maintain a hatred (or dislike) for the plot arc merely because it wasn't foreshadowed enough for some's liking. 

 

(Although I quoted your post Mr Ares, the majority was not directed at you directly, just feeding of a point in your post.) 

I think the idea was better than the execution, in many ways - the same set up, the same surprise, could have worked better had it been handled differently. A big part of the problem was the way Shara overshadowed the Shadow at times, and that could have been rectified. Also, Demandred's adventures in Shara would have been perfect for an outrigger novel. Maybe that was the plan on RJ's part. Some of the problems that arose after his death were unavoidable. In part, this was one of them. Brandon was in a corner and couldn't quite get out of it.

 

I thought the (literary device of the) use of Shara was weak.  The entire book, the same thought haunted me:

 

Taim was Demandred.

 

I am utterly convinced.  I think RJ scrapped that plan when readers guessed it, and what we were left with was nothing important for Taim to do in the LB.  Additionally, we were force fed a new super-powerful nation as an adversary that we knew next to nothing about.  The whole Demandred arc seemed both contrived and pandering.  Throughout the series we were continually told "Demandred is gunna be awesome, just wait!" but the payoff just wasn't there for me.

Taim was absolutely not Demandred. Ever. Right from his first appearance, we are given information which undermines the whole idea, and really this just bears it out. Taim's corruption of the BT and his fight with Egwene gave him plenty to do, and while Demandred in Shara didn't receive enough foreshadowing for the role it went on to play, it does make sense - the references to Shara did lead to plenty of speculation that something was going on there. Taimandred makes no sense, and it makes no sense to claim it was once the plan and the plan changed.

[Gisli]

Wiskyjack,

 

I disagree.

 

1. Every other Forsaken knew that Rand were fighting with the DO in SG. What about him? The Prophecies (he should have read them some extent) again clearly state it. Even disregarding the previous thoughts he noticed that the enemy general was leading his troops in a different way as LTT had done. Furthermore he targeted Elayne, Rand lover to draw out him, but he didn’t get any reaction for it. Combining these facts he should have known that something isn’t right. Or was he a craving lunatic only?

2. It is clear from the book (see Mat’s and Egwene’s POVs) that the Light side were very concerned about Demandred, they knew that he should be neutralized somehow for them to win. Nevertheless they didn’t work out any reasonable strategy for this purpose.

In general Lan’s (and at least Galad’s) plan should have failed way before they reached Demandred. I mean he has a lot of troops and bodyguards in his vicinity. So these scenes were totally unreal for me.

3. Demandred was a failure as a general he could have used his troops and ring (saangreal) a much more meaningful way. He should have crushed the Light’s army with his advantages. And killing of Egwene would have made a perfect sense. She was the leader of the WT and more importantly (for Demendred) she was Rand’s childhood darling. Attacking her would have caused Rand’s intervention if he had been there at all.

[Gisli]

Barid,

 

"Mat's ability as a General again further cemented Demandred's belief. He had all the Great Captain's accounted for via Graendal and Moghedien. That Mat was able to match him stroke for stroke was further confirmation. None could be that skilled - only Lews Therin was left that could possibly do that, now that the Great Captains were disposed of. "

and

"For a random former villager to - in two years - become one of the greatest tactician of all time is impossible for all intents and purposes - nobody could have suspected. Thus, the far more logical conclusion was that Lews Therin was commanding."

 

For the both points he was a taveren and the Shadow knew it. Furthermore there were several example which showed his ability as a commander (campaign against the seanchan groups etc.), so either they have a very sloppy intelligence (somehow I doubt it) or it didn't make any sense to underestimate him so completely.

 

"I agree with Wiskyjack. Demandred's thoughts regarding Rand's presence were not moronic. They were tainted, certainly, but not stupidity."

 

I can accept it for some degree.

 

 

"Lastly, Demandred was correct. It is exactly what Rand would have done! It is exactly what he wanted to do. If he were not locked in battle with the DO - he would have went to face Demandred. Demandred knew Rand's mind. It is yet another example of Moiraine's importance. While we didn't get much screen time, there are lots of things she did that turned out to be vital. Convincing Rand to allow others to command the battle. Convince him to leave the others to fight the war - that saved him from facing Demandred."

 

It is a good point but Demandred should have realized that Rand were not present at Merrilor after some time. See my earlier post about it (no reaction after targeting Elayne etc.).

 

 

 

"In any case, speculation aside, the point being is if Moiraine hadn't managed to somehow persuade Rand, Demandred's assessment was correct in every detail."

 

I agree with it.

[Barid Bel Medar]

Mr Ares - Totally agree with everything in your post. 

 

I would say RJ had very extensive notes on the doings in Shara. 

 

I don't want to be too presumptuous, but I believe that it may have been a "casualty of war" so to speak. The story and the multiple character arcs he created through the middle books ran away from him. Before he knew it, it simply spun out of control. When he realised this, it was too late, and he made the decision to cut down the arcs. Since Demandred's wasn't developed at the time, he would have had no choice but to decide to go with the "big surprise", when he realised he needed to reign everything in and get back to the story. We can see it happening - slowly. In KoD is is evident. As such, it was something that Brandon was left with - as you said. Basically, with RJ's untimely death, Brandon got dumped with the whole "surprise! Shara!" mess. I would have like to have seen his face when he realised what THAT meant he had to do. 

 

 

Gisli - While I think that Demandred's reasoning was sound enough considered the evidence, I have to agree with your reasoning as well. Ultimately, I think it was another result of the lack of pre-aMoL development of the arc. 

Ultimately, with the forces he had, and the time which RJ decided to reveal him, it left Brandon with a difficult chance. He had to compromise the integrity of the story to make sure Rand won. If Demandred turned up at Shayol Ghul - Rand is dead. The army would have been completely destroyed by the Sharan's and Demandred's sa'angreal. He would have walked into the Pit of Doom and Rand would be alone without an army. Demandred may have discarded the sa'angreal etc.. like he said he would do, and Rand may have killed him, but then he would face not only the DO, but an army of angry Sharans. 

 

As simple as that, I think Brandon/RJ needed a reason to keep Demandred away from Shayol Ghul. But they wanted him to do enough that it looked like the Shadow was winning. So they patched together a semi-plausible arc wherein Demandred becomes convinced that Rand is on the battlefield. 

 

Similarly, the duels were also plot-armour. There is no way a channeler could have killed Demandred in a plausible way. With his hundreds of channelers and his sa'angreal, death by channeling would have been too unbelievable. But of course, they needed Demandred to die, the Shadow can't win after all. 

 

So they have him accept duels with the blade, plus the foxheads.

 

The failings of writing a character in who is TOO powerful. It is very hard to make their death realistic. 

 

I believe it worked well enough, you can certainly tell it was a plot-shield, but it was a decent enough one that I could ignore and enjoy. 

 

Edit: re Ta'veren. Yeah, it is a point, but ta'veren only stretches believability so far. If Mat got lucky (hah) and managed to avoid Demandred's traps for a while, it could be explained. However, ta'veren doesn't explain how he became a military genius in under two years. Obviously, it makes it more believable, but it is still a highly unlikely probability. As far as Ta'veren go, they are not granted special abilities innately, the only thing ta'veren does is bends luck and the Pattern. 

 

Of course, he could have thought of ta'veren as an implication. Indeed, he does start to doubt LTT is on the field. However, logically, it is much more valid to assume that Rand is controlling the battle either directly or vicariously, than to assume that through ta'veren, Mat's life was twisted to the point he becomes a total genius tactician overnight. 

[pmtang]

For those who believe Demandred was Taim, when did he become Taim?  It seems the major turning points in Taim's life was when he declared himself the Dragon Reborn, when he was caught by Aes Sedai, when he escaped Aes Sedai, when he joined Rand and helped create The Black Tower, and when he finally betrayed Rand.

[gregweum]

 

>I thought the (literary device of the) use of Shara was weak.  The entire book, the same thought haunted me:

 

Taim was Demandred.

 

I am utterly convinced.  I think RJ scrapped that plan when readers guessed it, and what we were left with was nothing important for Taim to do in the LB.  Additionally, we were force fed a new super-powerful nation as an adversary that we knew next to nothing about.  The whole Demandred arc seemed both contrived and pandering.  Throughout the series we were continually told "Demandred is gunna be awesome, just wait!" but the payoff just wasn't there for me.

Taim was absolutely not Demandred. Ever. Right from his first appearance, we are given information which undermines the whole idea, and really this just bears it out. Taim's corruption of the BT and his fight with Egwene gave him plenty to do, and while Demandred in Shara didn't receive enough foreshadowing for the role it went on to play, it does make sense - the references to Shara did lead to plenty of speculation that something was going on there. Taimandred makes no sense, and it makes no sense to claim it was once the plan and the plan changed.

 

what information?

 

For those who believe Demandred was Taim, when did he become Taim?  It seems the major turning points in Taim's life was when he declared himself the Dragon Reborn, when he was caught by Aes Sedai, when he escaped Aes Sedai, when he joined Rand and helped create The Black Tower, and when he finally betrayed Rand.

 

After he was caught.  My assumption (before we "knew" from RJ that Taim wasn't Demandred) was that Demandred took his place after Taim was caught by the AS, probably with the aid of the black ajah.  The real Taim was removed (probably killed), and Demandred began posing as Taim.

[funabashi]

Taim was Demandred.

 

 

I am utterly convinced.  I think RJ scrapped that plan when readers guessed it, and what we were left with was nothing important for Taim to do in the LB.  Additionally, we were force fed a new super-powerful nation as an adversary that we knew next to nothing about.  The whole Demandred arc seemed both contrived and pandering.  Throughout the series we were continually told "Demandred is gunna be awesome, just wait!" but the payoff just wasn't there for me.

 

I agree. Every single hint in LOC clearly pointed at this - from the "hooked nose" description to his sneering dismissel of "So-called Aiel" and other Age of Legends verbage. Even the exisiting conflict between the two (first vs. second best) is easily paralled and played out between the two under those positions. Taim was Demy for LOC, fans called it, then RJ got pissed, changed it last minute, and decided to kill Sammuel in a stupid unclear way at the end of Crown of Swords out of spite. Gee, no wonder I dropped this series for 10 years.

[Entreri]

RJ scrapping Taim being Demandred because the readers figuring it out, I would not be surprised.  

 

The role the Asha'man played in AMOL was completely insignificant...and they were being protrayed as being rival to the WT. 

 

The Sharan Army came to the field and I was like, meh, whatever.  I think it would have been much better to introduce them in the Towers of Midnight, to build them up and introduce Demandred as their leader in the final book. 

[Barid Bel Medar]

All of the evidence that points to Taim-Demandred can be easily explained. He was trained by the Forsaken, and adopted their scorn of the Aiel to sound more superior. Demandred isn't the only one in the world who has a hooked nose. Saldaen's all have hooked noses. Taim is not the only one "nearly as strong as" Rand. So is Logain, All Darkfriends resent being second to anyone. Demandred never smiles, yet Taim does. Lews Therin doesn't recognize him as Demandred. He recognizes all of the other Forsaken though ( at this point in LoC he has enough memory to remember). 

 

Despite that I can understand why some have come to the conclusion that Taim=Demandred and was scrapped, it is a distant possibility, although I believe it is was always clear that Taim wasn't Demandred, I can understand the sentiment. However, this is not the place to discuss it at length. 

 

This thread is about Demandred's arc in aMoL. However unbelievable or annoying it is, he turned out to be the leader of Sharan forces. RJ said multiple times that Demandred was never Taim, and that he was surprised that people thought of it. So this thread is a focus on what actually happened. 

 

Whether or not Taim was supposed to be Demandred is not a topic that should be discussed in this thread, if you wish to continue the debate, take it over to the quality thread, and you can argue that the quality was changed due to this. However, I might add that the topic is pointless really. There is little real evidence to suggest that this is the case, and no answers will be found unless someone manages to get the notes or Team Jordan reveals it - although I suspect that no matter what anyone says or the evidence that is presented, many won't be willing to abandon the Taim=Demandred theory. 

[Cliff Chambers]

I feel like Demandred was captured pretty well. In considering any character in WoT, you must realize the following:

 

1. What a character says is not necessarily the truth but merely what they think or believe or have interpreted. This leads to conflicting reports of many things that seem like plot holes but really just reflects our own world where hearsay becomes fact.

 

2. Most characters seem to have an inflated sense of themselves, the Forsaken more than most. All of the Forsaken except Moridin believed themselves to be the best at nearly everything, when in reality, they were "good" and just happened to be the ones that managed to survive the longest.

 

3. Most people are unable to see their own weaknesses in this series (as with real life.)

 

4. Goes hand in hand with #1, people believe what they are being told. Demandred believes Moridin, Moridin believes what the DO tells him etc.

 

5. RJ's secrecy can sometimes hurt. In this case, it felt like Demandred came from nowhere and was completely out of character but we saw so little of him in previous books that we couldn't possibly judge that for ourselves.

 

Sword duels: I don't feel like the Demandred sword battles answered anyone's questions about who was the best swordsman. We knew Gawyn wasn't the best. We knew that he was kinda stupid and he proved it at every opportunity. He got himself hopped up on superjuice then went off to fight someone he had no business fighting. Increasing a person's speed like that would lead to a serious decrease in grace. That's why he was so easily defeated. He was unbalanced and in the RJ world, well he might as well have just stabbed himself in the face because he had zero chance of winning even with the rings. Galad (who was far from fresh) was much better than Gawyn, but to me it just seemed like his body betrayed him in the worst possible moment. Lan, also exausted, would not have been at his best, but was willing to give up everything to win and had the knowledge and experience that made him more deadly. This is why I have always felt that Lan would beat Galad even though every hint I've read from interviews with the authors seemed to say that Galad was the best. Perhaps in a perfect setting he would be, but Lan's experience enabled him to win where Galad could not.

 

Demandred clearly showed that he was so blinded by his own hatred that he couldn't see what was obvious. He couldn't see that Moridin lied to him, he couldn't see that Mat was leading the army, he couldn't see that Rand had gone into the Pit of Doom when there was no other place for him to have gone. He was so arrogant and blind that he really thought the entire last battle was a chess match between himself and his arch enemy. Unfortunately, Lews Therin was never his arch nemesis. Demandred was just the bitch that thought he was better than Lews Therin when he was never even on the Dragon's radar as being something he needed to worry about.

 

He was still a great general, swordsman, channeler but his extreme arrogance led to his downfall, just like it did for so many of the others. However, besides Moridin, I still think he was the best of the Forsaken. Moridin, of course, just had a higher understanding of the truth and didn't seem to fall prey to the idiocy that most of the Forsaken did. In the end he was just thrilled to die, and who could blame him?

[Suttree]

Not sure if i missed something but how did Demandred notice the "foxhead artifact" on sight and know its use? We know they are breaking era devices that didn't exist in the AoL. Lanfear has never heard of one and was shocked such a thing could exist in WH.

[Entreri]

I think Demandred had more right to be big headed than the other Forsaken. He was the consensus #2 in AoL.  If not for his insane jealousy of #1, the Light forces would have been doomed in AMOL. 

 

I always knew Lan was #1 from EoTW, greatest blademaster ever, yes, I never got the feeling Galad was #1 even after reading FoH (he only took out rabble), Lan has been fighting Myddraaal and Trolllocs routinely, not to mention Aiel in the War. 

 

All the Light forces were exhausted, but even if Galad was fresh, Demandred was several leagues above in skill and experience.  Lan on the other hand: "Lan had been fighting for an entire day"..."Perhaps if they had come ot the fight evenly, it would be different".  There isn't a blademaster in any Age that Lan cannot defeat, with the possible exception of LTT ta'avern. 

 

Demandred: "No one of this AGE has such skill".  "Lews Therin?" "It IS you behind that face, isn't it?".

 

Demandred was lucky Rand Sedai was not there to spank him, but instead was wrecking Shai'tan. 

[pmtang]

For the last 20ish years since he became Morraine's warder he hadn't had a lot of opportunity to do major fighting.

[Mr. Micawber]

For the last 20ish years since he became Morraine's warder he hadn't had a lot of opportunity to do major fighting.

 

That's so ridiculous I don't even know where to begin

[Barid Bel Medar]

Not sure if it was sarcasm, but I will treat it as serious. 

 

Lan has had more fighting in those years than most people. Searching for the Dragon Reborn, avoiding the Shadow's minions and such, going to the Eye of the World (when Moiraine went the first time) through the Blight. 

 

I would say that afforded Lan plenty of opportunities at battle. 

[pmtang]

Not as much as if he'd been fighting on the front lines (in the blight) the entire time.

[Elan Tedronai]

@whisky jack

You better stop because you are sounding like a demandred lawyer on here. Let's see. Demandred is from another age. That age was ended by the strike at shayol ghul. All the armies all the trollocs all the power on earth mattered nothing when the dark one was cut from the world by lews therin and the hundred companions.

 

 

Fast forward 3000 years later and the dark one is back in buisness again. What is the logical thing the first thing that springs to mind?

 

Guard shayol ghul. Guard it with your life. Guard it and let no one approach it at the pain of death.

 

Instead we get demandred running around clowning around sending the one power and troops to decimate such irelevant forces of light when the real end game is materialising in shayol ghul

 

All the while he is telling us WHERE IS LEWS THERIN WHERE IS HE I WANT TO FIGHT HIM!!!!

 

Am i the reader meant to think wow what a tactician and a general. Wow what a number two to LTT!

Seriously. if this clown of a forsaken took his sangreal and his 72 circle jerk with him to shayol to protect the dark one and fight rand then i might have said yes at last a thinking forsaken.

 

 

Instead he turned out to be such an ineffectual pointless forsaken like the rest of his kind. It says alot when graendal caused more damage in the book.

[Mr. Micawber]

You better stop because you are sounding like a demandred lawyer on here. Let's see. Demandred is from another age. That age was ended by the strike at shayol ghul. All the armies all the trollocs all the power on earth mattered nothing when the dark one was cut from the world by lews therin and the hundred companions.

 

 

Fast forward 3000 years later and the dark one is back in buisness again. What is the logical thing the first thing that springs to mind?

 

Guard shayol ghul. Guard it with your life. Guard it and let no one approach it at the pain of death.

 

Instead we get demandred running around clowning around sending the one power and troops to decimate such irelevant forces of light when the real end game is materialising in shayol ghul

 

All the while he is telling us WHERE IS LEWS THERIN WHERE IS HE I WANT TO FIGHT HIM!!!!

 

Am i the reader meant to think wow what a tactician and a general. Wow what a number two to LTT!

Seriously. if this clown of a forsaken took his sangreal and his 72 circle jerk with him to shayol to protect the dark one and fight rand then i might have said yes at last a thinking forsaken.

 

 

Instead he turned out to be such an ineffectual pointless forsaken like the rest of his kind. It says alot when graendal caused more damage in the book.

 

I said this the other day.

 

You know who turned out to be the most effective Shadow general?

 

*Couladin*

 

So you have any idea how angry that makes me?

[Barid Bel Medar]

I think I can safely say that nobody can fight along the Blightborder, much less in the Blight for 20 years consistently. 

 

Along the Blightborder pre-EotW a raid of 1000 trollocs was considered a huge event. Even the Borderlanders didn't fight consistently. They watched the borders, and fought more than many to be sure, but they didn't spend even half of their time actually killing Trollocs. Most of a soldiers life is waiting and watching. 

 

Fighting constantly doesn't make you better, it usually gets you killed. 

 

Most of the skill comes from practise and dedication. Real combat is essential in making a veteran. One can't truly understand war until they have fought in a battle. However, skill is honed by practise - experience only bolsters the ability. 

[MarkDiLillo]

Ishamael and Asmodean actually were the most effective of the Forsaken in terms of spreading chaos and furthering the Shadow's goals.

 

Ishamael obviously because of 3000 years of being a dick.

 

Asmodean and the direction he sent the Shaido off towards really caused more chaos in the world and hurt Rand more than anyone else could possibly have.

[Mr. Micawber]

Also, for the nth time, Demandred and his super circle should have hit the command headquarters without warning, respite, or mercy. Mat should have been dead within thirty minutes of the battle's first moments.

[MarkDiLillo]

Also, for the nth time, Demandred and his super circle should have hit the command headquarters without warning, respite, or mercy. Mat should have been dead within thirty minutes of the battle's first moments.

 

Ya, I agree.  If Demandred had a sa'angreal that was even close to Callandor he could have flattened the entire Light army in moments.  Only Egwene would have been able to have a chance to stop him.  Instead of shooting random lasers all around, he could have done what Rand did against the Seanchan.  Remember how he sent out 1000 lightning bolts and basically annihilated their army in SECONDS?  That was the power of Callandor.  Demandred's sa'angreal and circle strength really was scaled down for plot convenience.

[Elan Tedronai]

 

 

You better stop because you are sounding like a demandred lawyer on here. Let's see. Demandred is from another age. That age was ended by the strike at shayol ghul. All the armies all the trollocs all the power on earth mattered nothing when the dark one was cut from the world by lews therin and the hundred companions.

 

 

Fast forward 3000 years later and the dark one is back in buisness again. What is the logical thing the first thing that springs to mind?

 

Guard shayol ghul. Guard it with your life. Guard it and let no one approach it at the pain of death.

 

Instead we get demandred running around clowning around sending the one power and troops to decimate such irelevant forces of light when the real end game is materialising in shayol ghul

 

All the while he is telling us WHERE IS LEWS THERIN WHERE IS HE I WANT TO FIGHT HIM!!!!

 

Am i the reader meant to think wow what a tactician and a general. Wow what a number two to LTT!

Seriously. if this clown of a forsaken took his sangreal and his 72 circle jerk with him to shayol to protect the dark one and fight rand then i might have said yes at last a thinking forsaken.

 

 

Instead he turned out to be such an ineffectual pointless forsaken like the rest of his kind. It says alot when graendal caused more damage in the book.

I said this the other day.

 

You know who turned out to be the most effective Shadow general?

 

*Couladin*

 

So you have any idea how angry that makes me?

i feel you brutha. Demandred was an epic waste. 14 books building him only to waste him like a fool.

 

I am glad sammael and rahvin died long ago otherwise they would also ended up dead in equally pointless fashion.

[Mr. Micawber]

The Luftwaffe destroyed roughly 4000 Soviet aircraft in the first three days of Barbarossa. They did that against far greater relative opposition, but with about the same amount of surprise. Demandred didn't even need to destroy the Light armies before hitting Shayol Ghul. He just needed a decapitation strike

[batcaver]

I didn't have any problem with Demandred thinking Rand would be at the big battle first, but Sanderson could have easily made it a lot more plausible.  Moridin and presumably Shai' tan know that Demandred is going to go after Rand wherever he shows up and all Sanderson really needed to do was have a scene (or have Dem remember a scene, as he likes to do) where one of the two of them did something to leave Demandred with the impression that this would be his opportunity.  It would be totally in line with the way the forsaken are always manipulating each other.  Rand had the dagger, so no shadow eyes and ears should be reporting Rand in Shayol Ghul or anywhere else.  I don't think his calling Rand out at the big battle was ridiculous, it was just under explained.