Rands Pipe ~AMoL spoilers~

[Occams whiskey bottle]

If you haven't read the entire series turn away now!

 

No spoiler tags so I will pose the question in another post.

[Occams whiskey bottle]

 

 

By instinct he reached for the One Power to light [the pipe]. He found nothing. No saidin in the void, nothing. He paused, then smiled and felt an enormous relief. He could not channel. Just to be certain, he tentatively reached for the True Power. Nothing there either. 

... He inspected it for a moment in the darkness, then thought of the pipe being lit. And it was.

 

The only response I don't want to read is that RJ just put it in there for the sake of it. I don't believe that because there is just too much research and depth to the series that I doubt it was just thrown in there. With that being said what are your thoughts. What does it mean? Are there parts in the series that foreshadow this event, or was this something that RJ would have included but didn't because he passed away before completing the book. I also believe that BS and Harriet know what it means. You can't tell me that Harriet didn't read that line and think WTF and ask her husband how Rand lit the pipe.

 

Was this a residue of the body swap, the encounter with the Dark One, or possibly a power that was always there and that he had unknowingly used?

[Sabio]

Don't see how the body swap would of affected it, I assume it some lingering effect of being outside the pattern for a time.  Also is he can't channel anymore, since channeling is tied to the soul so it means he burnt himself out yet was showing none of the effects of being burnt out.  But lighting the pipe seems to be manipulating the pattern, so I always guess it came from his fight with the DO outside of the pattern. 

[randomh3r0]

In my opinion, this is one of the best debates / discussions left to have in the series, nice job! My personal beliefs are:

 

Yes, he swapped bodies and can't channel anymore, which is somewhat irrelevant. He was always talked about as basically being the Creator's avatar for good against the Shadow, and many passages including the prophecies of the Dragon and interpretations of such include bits about the Dragon being one with the land. I think this was a "power" granted after he accepted his fate and fought for the Light as needed. There are mentions of abilities from ages long past that people barely remember / know of (including Wolf Brothers, Min's viewings, etc) that could set a precedent for this being an old / new ability all together. 

 

The final possibility in my opinion, is that this is something to do with his experiences through the doorway. Like Mat's memories, perhaps this was part of a bargain he struck with them costing his life. Unsure. I like how open-ended it leaves it though, and I've taken it as a gift from the Creator for being his champion in the last battle, a way to still have power without The One Power, to enjoy his life and the land he saved. 

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

Brandon says he put it in as RJ structured it and he has only theories.

 

This is from the theoryland interview database, and it appears to be Brandon's theory

 

INTERVIEW: Feb 1st, 2013

AMOL Signing Report - TsorovanSaidin (Paraphrased)

TSOROVANSAIDIN

The only other thing we asked him was about a certain lighting of a pipe.

 

BRANDON SANDERSON (PARAPHRASED)

He said that he has no idea what the ending with Rand lightning the pipe truly meant. That was completely RJ. I asked him, based on my own theory, that what Rand did was a by product of him being almost a convergence of the Pattern. Since he wove with all three powers and wove the whole of the Age lace that he was now able to bend the Pattern and essentially "weave reality." Which would be more far helpful than the One Power. It may also explain why he's burnt out and not going crazy because of, he has a far better substation.

 

TSOROVANSAIDIN

Pops! Forgot to add! Brandon said he doesn't know for sure but, that is close to his own theory. And they ARE releasing the complete encyclopedia on the series. He estimates by sometime next year.

[Orderofolde]

I think this was discussed before, I remember volunteering my thoughts on the matter as being this:  Since Rand fought the Dark One and wrested back and forth with him taking the very threads of creation itself to form their own versions of perfect worlds and realities, Rand gained the ability to manipulate Creation, or the very pattern, itself.  He no longer needed to channel.  If he wanted his pipe lit, he only had to make it so by creating it alight.  This is highly suggestive that Rand's reward for all of his pain and sacrifice was a new life and an ability to touch the creator's own essence, that of creation.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

I don't think rand needs to channel any power to weave the pattern. He sort of is the pattern, or so much in tune with it that his thought is reality. The power is a third party, a middleman between thought and action, that he doesn't need anymore. Or sonething else. Idk.

[jack of shadows]

ah,the pipe thing,this was discussed to death in rand's arc thread lol.

 

during his battle with the dark one,rand and moridin bodies were locked

in stasis,frozen,sword against sword,not speaking or even blinking,but rand's soul,

stood outside of time,outside the pattern itself,to get a sense of reality,rand's

soul anchored itself to the pattern and the link between the two became permanent.

rand's 'real-time"battle with the dark one only took a few minutes,but in those

few minutes he learned how to manipulate reality,i.e.he saved lan's life.

post body swap,linkage between rand's soul and the pattern still exist,so now,

rand has the ability to manipulate reality,the same way dreamwalkers or wolf

brothers/sisters manipulate tel'ara'rhiod.

to be honest,i don't think that rand is even mortal anymore.

[jack of shadows]

Here are a few answers to your questions,

1.i don't believe the body swap had anything to do with rand's ability to light his pipe,nor his encounter with the

Dark one.

2.yes,one of min's viewing foreshadow the

Pipe,"two dead men on the ground,surrounded by ranks and ranks of trollocs,A pipe with smoke curling from it".

3.was the ability to manipulate reality always there?no,i don't believe so.

[flinn]

 The last couple of books on several occassion Rand threatened people by saying something like "If I were to will it to happen (stopping Cadsuane's heart) do you think it will happen?"  Rand learned that in some ways he could absolutely manipulate the pattern itself. He didnt need the one power or the true power, he could will something to happen. When he visited the White Tower and was shielded by thirteen Aes Sedai, he knew he didn't need the power to achieve whatever he might need. He could bend the power to suit his needs. In essence if lighting a pipe was what he needed, he could will the pattern to make it happen.

[jack of shadows]

@mrs. Cindy gill,

 

I described the connection between rand's

Soul and the pattern as a linkage,the way

You described it,as in tune with the

Pattern is even better,post last battle,

Our legendary hero IS the pattern and his

Inability to channel is completely irrelevant.

[Sabio]

 The last couple of books on several occassion Rand threatened people by saying something like "If I were to will it to happen (stopping Cadsuane's heart) do you think it will happen?"  Rand learned that in some ways he could absolutely manipulate the pattern itself. He didnt need the one power or the true power, he could will something to happen. When he visited the White Tower and was shielded by thirteen Aes Sedai, he knew he didn't need the power to achieve whatever he might need. He could bend the power to suit his needs. In essence if lighting a pipe was what he needed, he could will the pattern to make it happen.

 

Just because he thinks he can at that time, doesn't mean he can or it will succeed.  He tried to "bend the Pattern" on Tuon and failed.  So there is no guarantee his willing Casudane's heart to stop would work.  Especially when dealing with Pre sit on Mountain Rand and post sit on mountain Rand.  He was insane

[Kesiera_Sedai]

It is the true meaning if being ta'veren, to be able bend reality this way. Mat already figured it out After rescuing Moiraine he was able to cook by getting what he needed from the bushes, just because he KNEW what he needed to be there.

[Occams whiskey bottle]

Who was burnt out and when were they burnt out? What if Rand burnt himself out, but Moridan did not, or vice versa what if Moridan burnt out but Rand did not burn himself out before the body swap. Would that affect Rands ability to even sense sense the One Power? Could he have used the One Power without being able to sense it?

 

Also, if Rand used his Ta'veren nature to light the bulb then Rands journey hasn't actually concluded yet. We know from RJ's final notes, if you want to call them that, that Mat was no longer a ta'veren in the outriggers had they have been written. So by extension it should be the same for Rand and that now that the Dark One has been sealed away that Rand should no longer be ta'veren.

[Occams whiskey bottle]

I think this was discussed before, I remember volunteering my thoughts on the matter as being this: 

 

I remember this topic being discussed before, but couldn't find the thread where it took place, so decided to start a new one. What i remember most about that thread is that many people argued that the pipe meant nothing and that it was thrown in there for a final mystery with no meaning, and that Brandon Sanderson destroyed the Wheel of Time. I'm not saying either of those are incorrect though I still think BS did about as good a job as could have been expected considering the circumstances. I just wanted to concentrate on the meaning of the pipe without veering into negative real world topics. 

 

Is there any precedence in history regarding a magical pipe? 

[Sabio]

Who was burnt out and when were they burnt out? What if Rand burnt himself out, but Moridan did not, or vice versa what if Moridan burnt out but Rand did not burn himself out before the body swap. Would that affect Rands ability to even sense sense the One Power? Could he have used the One Power without being able to sense it?

 

Also, if Rand used his Ta'veren nature to light the bulb then Rands journey hasn't actually concluded yet. We know from RJ's final notes, if you want to call them that, that Mat was no longer a ta'veren in the outriggers had they have been written. So by extension it should be the same for Rand and that now that the Dark One has been sealed away that Rand should no longer be ta'veren.

 

Wouldn't matter, the ability to channel is tied to the soul, not the body.  Rand is burnt out, unless Nyn heals him.  So even if Moridin, with all that power being forced through him, wasn't burnt out.  Rand still would of been.

[rand4747]

I wonder if Rand's next adventure is into Shara, to fulfill the prophecys that Demandred hijacked.

Couse the "Hero" for the Sharans is meant to be someone who could "channel" without the one power.

Demandred used the TP which the Sharans didn't know about.

Or maybe that is past now and Rand can no longer fulfill them, but either way he was meant to.

[Sabio]

Can't see Rand carrying about Shara.  He just wants to explore the land, also he has no idea about prophecys over there.   Justl ike he isn't familair with Seanchean prophicies. 

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

That doesn't stop him from fulfilling them

[Occams whiskey bottle]

If Rand is still a ta'verin and he's meant to fulfill those prophesies then events will funnel him in that direction.

[rand4747]

Who knows what would happen in the future for Rand and co. Might have been nice to get additional stories had RJ survived but it seems he had no intention of any stories of what happens after except for Matt with his Seanchan adventures.

[Orderofolde]

I don't think rand needs to channel any power to weave the pattern. He sort of is the pattern, or so much in tune with it that his thought is reality. The power is a third party, a middleman between thought and action, that he doesn't need anymore. Or sonething else. Idk.

Then again his children we know won't even need to embrace the power to use it, they are sort of in a perpetual flux, the switch is always on, it is hard-wired in them.  This isn't what is happening to him, he can simply make small things happen with a thought.  Or who knows?  RJ might have given us this clue because Rand created the perfect world over the old one, accepting that the DO had to be a part of it rather than killing him and this is like a last little "wink" to make us blink and say, "Wait...WHAT!?!"

[Occams whiskey bottle]

I don't remember reading anything special about Rands babies channeling abilities. Was that in the book or notes?

[rand4747]

Aviendah's visions in the terangreal, she has a vision from one of her children's point of view. Who has always been able to channel and without much thought or effort into doing it.

[Orderofolde]

Yes, it was in her vision when she went through the Ter'angreal a second time, which gave her glimpses of the future through her children's eyes when she sees the ruin that will come to the Aiel at the hands of the Seanchan.  There was commentary that her children remained in a perpetual state of embrace with the source and do things with just a thought, no gestures and really no thought on weaves.  From what I took away from the scene is that they could USE the power for anything without old limitations the Aes Sedai had.  (If they couldn't think of a weave to do it, then it couldn't be done, loss of strength channeling at a distance, etc.  It became less of a force to use and became more like magic or THE force.)  No more failures to grasp the power and hold onto it, easier in a way, if not more risky in many others.