Hadnt Semi been in Seanchan for a long time. IIRC not all the forsaken were released at the same time.

Another thing about the ancient sign of the AS. It is largerly forgotten among the public since it has been split for so long and the general fear of AS is based on what they know today. Knowledge of the unified male and female AS does not appear to be general knowledge and distrust of the White Tower and outright fear of Male channellers is based more on current history rather than anything remembered from the AOL. Even among AS its not neccissarily common knowledge that the flame of Tarvalon and the dragons fang have their roots in the ancient AS symbol. The fact that the seals on the DO prison have the same design is the more likely image in most peoples minds (if they know what the seals are supposed to look like at all) If they know anything they know that male and females onced worked together before the breaking but they know little of the insignia or the organization.

Another thing when dealing with "prophetic" language the obvious meanings for things are most often not the correct ones. Forgotten in this case would not neccissarily mean lost from memory but rather something disgarded or unused. We also have to understand what the broken tower would be kneeling to. It wouldnt be a submission to male power but fealty to an idea that they are stronger together. If anyone could accept this idea it would be Egwene especially with the changes regarding other female channelers. I see a catharsis comming in her future with regards to Rands plan.

I think from the epilog quote the serpent nestled in the bosom is refering to either the Black Ajah or possibly Taim. Im pretty sure that Taim is the exalted one cast down and Logain the cast down exalted. The Seanchan have always been represented by unseen storm clouds and the Seas Rage could very well be the Sea Folk anger

Beyond the horizon could mean a number of things but I believe this also refers to the White tower itself. There is the long ago statement about the sun never setting on the british empire that leads me to believe it may refer to something that doesnt have borders and is "beyond" the horizon as in not having a horizon. It could also refer to something very tall having to lift eyes above the horizon to see the top of it. (which conjures the dragon mount as well)

Order burns to clear his path is truely an interesting line. "let the lord of chaos rule" comes to mind.

Just thinking

My opinion is that the Children of the Dragon, from Avi at least, are in a small way a nod to Dune. I mean the Aiel have significant similarities to the Fremen of Dune and I think they were meant to conjure up that image to some extent.

Just thinking out loud.

Especially with the oddity of being holding the source continuously.

I always thought the twice dawns the day and living and dying twice would refer to the idea that Avi's gateways are time gateways. Also explains how she can get Rand back rather than TAR.

She (Moiraine) is the only AS that I think he really trusts. She will probably be able to provide significant information to the Tower AS concerning Rands plans and the verasity of them. I think Moridin's more recent despondancy will probably result in him freeing Lanfear. I think Ishy returning to the light is a real possibility. I think in some way the bond Rand has had with him has given him a perspective that he lacked before in all their confrontations and may be largely responsible for his new found "apathy" as he has been re-examining his choices.

As for Tenobia there is this saying about combat and being the point of the spear referring to being at the forefront of the battle but being used by someone else. I think this might be a good interpretation of Tenobia's role and Min's vision of her.

As for having darkfriend associates being enough to convict one of the same let us harken back to the Great Hunt and determine for yourselves how easily it is for a darkfriend to penetrate even the most strident of the light's supporers inner circle.

I think earlier in the series we were supposed to be suspicious (as in written that way for effect) of both Taim and Bashere but as time has played out we have more evidence that Taim has more to hide than anyone first suspected. Basheres reactions to him can probably be explained in that regard.

I think in many ways we are making more of Min's visions than they really are. The Broken Crown could be just another representation of his impending relationship with Faile. The falcon and hawk images portray portents about different aspects of his relationships with both Faile and Berlain.

Logain's glory will probably come as a result of his defeat of Taim and his forging some alliance with the WT in the end. After all he is the one male channeler that has had the most contact with the girls.

Min foresaw Children by Avi. So they would be even more of a remnant wouldnt you think.

Just a random thought here. Couldnt Perrin being Lord of the Two Rivers sort of be considered breaking of the Andor Crown?

He basically told Elayne to go stuff herself.

Also raising Manetherne(sp) , a broken crown in its own right, kind of fulfills it too in a way.

All though I do think the broken crown has more to do with Faile's assention to the Saldean throne and his, at the time, impending relationship with her than with an ruling position he may attain in his own right.

One thing to consider as a difference between Perrin and Rand and the blossoming trees. Where Perrin goes things endure growth happens, the shattered Two rivers has grown and rebuilt. He has forged alliances of trust between previously bitter enemies. When Rand comes along and heals things they return to their previous state after a time.

All that being said Rand is the one with the actual knowledge of the growing song. He, and other clan chiefs presumably, have heard it. The fact that the Tinkers do not believe the Aiel could have the "song" to me was a strong indicator that they do even before we learned of the connection between the two.

There is another possiblity to consider too. It wasnt Aiel alone singing the growing song Ogier were there as well. And the Ogier of Seanchan are very different from those of Randland. I think Loial has a bigger part yet to play too.

All in all I think Perrin will be the one to help build a lasting peace once all is said and done. (Though we may never actually see this in story form) I think he will be the one who "retrieves" the song from Rand. He is the only one of the three to never enter the Aiel waste or specifically hasnt visited Rhuidean. I think this fact will be very important in both rebuilding after TG and giving the Aiel new direction.

I actually have different perspective on the repeating history. Its not so much a cyclical thing as much as its the fade from memory. "Those who ignor (or dont learn from history) are doomed to repeat it". Our ability to pass information foreward in time is very limited and as has been illustrated in the series one persons observed facts do not often do not pass both time and distance very well. Part of this is language some of it is medium and a large portion of it is the gerneral idea that one trusts their own experience over the relayed experiences of others.

I cant speak to the rebirth of souls, in western cultures its not a widely held belief and there is little objective evidence to point to so Ill leave it be. However I will state that certain character traits are recognizable and repetitious and it may be that many of the "Leaders/Villans" of the past are recycled souls known more for their similar character traits in our current postion on the wheel.

But to get back to my earlier statement. I say this primarily because of the laws of cause and effect. Do X and Y happens. An extension of this is that close variations of X produce close variations on Y. If reality were to alter that X produces Y one time and Z the next we cant even begin to have ordered thought and society. If all knowledge of X is lost for a time then rediscovered and then that discovery is laid backwards against history we will find patterns that appear cyclical. And the real common element isnt that time is cyclical its that information is temporary. The length of a cycle is directly proportional to the pemanence of information.

This is a spin on the quote above

The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again…

Not so much that the age comes again as much as the condition of being completely forgotten has arrived. As we have noted the ages come and go with degrees of variation according to WOT. I would argue that the real cycle isnt time but the permanence of information being able to be carried from one age to another. When it is long forgotten it is ripe for discovery all over again.

So when we have some "Legendary" info and rediscover that and see patterns develop we begin to make the assumption that time is cyclical. I would not be so certain that the "Great Wheel" is not one of those beliefs that also falls with the "cycles of time" I mean the Dark one was "forgotten" in the AOL after all.

Just saying that what appears cyclical is only such because information survives if the information does not survive who is to say that there is a cycle at all.