The Radiation Theory

[szilard]

(courtesy of Tar Valon)

 

For example, the tale of the two great giants, Mosk and Merk, who fought with huge spears of flame. Mosk - Moscow... and Merk - America...who fought with huge spears of flame...likely rockets or nuclear missiles. America at war with Moscow/Russia? It seems likely, and it would account for our Age ending and the 1st Age beginning, and how channelers developed - radiation and great need.

 

So, here is our theory at the way the Wheel of Time has gone:

 

1st Age - Due to the radiation and the hard times (we likely lose all technology), channeling is rediscovered and used. We do all sorts of strange things with it, including making Portal Stones. Since the world was pretty much destroyed, everyone forgot the old religions - including the existence of a Dark One.
2nd Age - Age of Legends. A new society and government is formed, replacing the one in the 1st Age.
3rd Age - Rand's time. The Dark One tries to break free and the Dragon Reborn prevents him.
4th Age - Stories, songs, and marginally accurate accounts of Rand are written. The Dragon Reborn is highly known.
5th Age - Something happened to Break the world again, changing the landmasses into what we know now. The people are reduced to tribes of hunter-gatherers, and knowledge is only preserved as stories. Channelers are the shaman and Wise Women of the various tribes and religions. This Age ends perhaps as late as 33 AD, with the death of the last channeler, Jesus.
6th Age - From 33 AD to perhaps 1700 AD. This is the medieval and renaissance times, with high society around, but little in the way of technology or comfort for anyone but the rich. This ends with the Industrial Revolution.
7th Age - Our Age, the Age of technology and no channelers. America and Russia get into a nuclear war, Breaking the world yet again, and ending the 7th Age.

 

 

Opinions?

[Manel Rochaid]

It's a nice theory, and as plausible as any other, given that the original quote continues to refer to John Glenn and Sally Ride (Salya and her father Lenn).

 

Luckily (for me at least) we'll never know for sure, as it will always remain a mystery.

[Elsalvador]

It's a nice theory, one I haven't heard before. I like this particular aspect of WoT the most I think -that there are sooo many different theories people can come up with.

[mb]

The upcoming Companion might have info of each Age.

 

about our Age, there might be some chance of it being any Age.  and some chance of our time being in a different cycle than the series.

 

about the First Age, not sure how it would begin or end.  the first paragraph of each Chapter 1 tells Third Age, but that could be no more than character belief/opinion/etc.