Theory: Structure of the Wheel

[dexterryu]

I have heard this also, although Moridin says that Rand has been converted to the Shadow before, so apparently he's not very effective as the DO's pawn.

I have a feeling that Moridin was lying.

[jack of shadows]

sabio,the borderlanders were not much of a failsafe,when rand stood on

top of dragonmount and almost destroyed the world,they were cowering

inside the guardian's influence at far madding,a month later,when rand

finally decided to meet them,they were(to him)nothing more than a big

nuisance,so he handled the rulers properly by indulging their incredibly

stupid schemes and an hour later,gave then their marching orders.

[Sabio]

They were a failsafe as the fortelling told, if he showed up as mad crazy rand, they were to try and kill him.  So the final days can come.  Since a crazy/mad Rand trying to the save the world would of been a disaster.  But he went to dragonmount before visting them so he passed their tests.  They were more then a nuisance, he needed them and their army.  He couldn't simply have an army that size sitting out the fight.  But he also knew they were desperate to get back to their lands so they would agree to his terms.  But he knew he couldn't simply ignore them forever.

 

The point about champion of light is, how?  Say Rand turned and is now on team evil.  The pattern isn't simply going to suddenly bestow for example Mat with the powers and knowledge to stop the DO.  Rand needed Ltt's memories to work out his plan, Mat would of had none of that.  We know the creator wouldn't take an active hand and the wheel can't just spin out a new adult champion ready to go.  RJ never says a new champion would or wouldn't be spun out. Since IShy and LTT are linked, it could be if Rand went over Ishy may defect, sort of a balance.  But if right before entering the cave, Rand said I am joining the DO, I really doubt there would be time for a new champion to come about.  My issue is simply, even if the pattern somehow made a new champion, without LTT's memories what are they going to do?

[Kesiera_Sedai]

I think Rand if became a Forsaken, he would be killed before the Last Battle, if neither side has a champion, there is no FINAL battle, Rand would be reborn again in a thousand years as the Light's Champion

[LapisPharaoh]

As for LTT's memories, it was obviously helpful that Rand had them, but how important are they really? The memories were important to get the Dragon to TG but what happened during TG, no one could foretell. What if the visions of the future that the DO showed Rand were able to manipulate him into joining the Dark Side? What if he decided to completely open the bore?

[LapisPharaoh]

 

As for the Bore itself, Min (through the philosopher whose name I'm forgetting) did too discover that the seals were to be broken and many other people agreed with it. Even Egwene had to see sense in it. On how to completely seal the bore, yes LTT'S memories were important to know 'why' the seals were flawed and how to correct the mistake. But remember, Rand told people what went wrong the first time so people knew how to correct it...

[LapisPharaoh]

As for the Ta'veren-ess, as I remember people are not born Ta'veren and dont stay Ta'veren forever e.g In the ending of aMoL, Perrin says he's probably not Ta'veren anymore. I do think a channeler is required to seal the bore, so if Rand failed, I don't think either Perrin or Mat could take his place. I think if Rand had failed, the Patter would have turned Egwene into a Ta'veren.

[Sabio]

As for LTT's memories, it was obviously helpful that Rand had them, but how important are they really? The memories were important to get the Dragon to TG but what happened during TG, no one could foretell. What if the visions of the future that the DO showed Rand were able to manipulate him into joining the Dark Side? What if he decided to completely open the bore?

 

I agree, but LTT's memories at least gave him an advantage no one else would of had.   Anyone else would of walked in there and been pretty clueless what they were suppose to do.  No one else would of known the seals Egwene held were fakes.

 

Also the Champion needs to be able to channel.  All three powers were needed to seal the bore.  Without the male half there, the best they could of hoped for was another, probably even weaker seal.

[Orderofolde]

I think Rand if became a Forsaken, he would be killed before the Last Battle, if neither side has a champion, there is no FINAL battle, Rand would be reborn again in a thousand years as the Light's Champion

Or the war would drag on another twenty years or so with nations crumbling and capitols being destroyed one by one, and a new Dragon soul/champion would be reborn.  If you look at the fighting LTT endured, as well as the length of the Trolloc Wars, it is clear that they went on for a long time.  Our current entrance into RJ's story has a very short time span.  If you look at the broad picture, the forces of light managed to come together to stop the invasion of the southlands in record time.  Things came to a head pretty quickly, if over the course of many books.

 

But very true, if neither side has a champion, then it would just be a precursor for things to come, a Final Battle down the road.