I always thought that every woman in this series is childishly entitled and/or insane. So the deal didn't come that out of left field for me. Though maybe if we'd had a scene that shows off exactly how good the Seafolk are at haggling it may have gone down smoother. I still wish we could see the Grey Ajah in successful action beyond merely being told of their accomplishments.

Or, in the case of the map Perrin needed for that attack, the odds of someone having that map were incredibly unlikely but not impossible, so fortune twisted in his favor and it turned out that someone did have it after all.

See this is my issue. Did the Pattern give him that map months before Perrin met him to set up the meeting where he gave Perrin the map? Or did he get it by coincidence and the pattern guided Perrin to him?

See, probability alteration like this doesn't work when it comes to things that had to have been going on MONTHS or YEARS in advance. Or did the Pattern warp reality to give him the map then gave everyone memories of the Banner General receiving it?

Question about Ta'vereness.

Okay, so a  character becomes Ta'veren when the pattern needs them to become Ta'veren. From what I can gather Ta'veren-ness has an area of effect. Now, people who are Ta'veren have coincidental stuff just happen to befall them. A recent example I can think of is that Seanchan Banner General just happening to have the world's greatest map of the exact area Perrin was going to attack. Now, did the Pattern contrive to give that guy the map in the first place? Or did Ta'vereness guide Perrin to the guy who had the map? Where do you draw the lines between "Actual coincidences/Ta'verenness guiding people into genguine coincidences/The Pattern planning this out months in advance"?

so when you become a Darkfriend how do you do it? Like where do you go and take your oaths? Can you do it in your backyard?

I think BS definitely had some influence on how Rand turned out because I think there are some quotes suggesting that Harriet and team Jordan were a bit concerned about the Jesus-like direction he went in ToM.  I think this was more in relation to his powers than his personality though, i.e. many of the things that Rand seemed to have suddenly developed a miraculous ability for (like growing things, seeing darkfriends, etc.) were actually tricks.  In my opinion, I think the overall direction for Rand's character would have been determined by RJ.  

wait so how boringly unstoppable and god mode sue-y does Rand get in Towers? because he's teetering on the edge of being overpowered all the time. But at least he's normally too stupid to not make a mistake every 9 seconds so it evens out.

1)  Lan comment on Rand's natural ability from the start.  Now, how much of this is Rand and how much is LTT bleedover is unknown, at least to me, but you figure LTT at least made learning easier, the same as he did with the OP

Okay, so where does this bleed come from? The taint?

Because if not, then did Lews have a bleedover from the Dragon before him and that's why HE was so amazing at everything?

2 questions:

1.) what's up with rand's swordsmanship?

It's just a thing that bothers me. I really never got the impression that Rand was the second best swordsman IN THE WORLD! (or does RJ's list refer to just Randland)

Didn't that lord who ended up with Padan Fain fight Rand to a draw in Crown Of Swords? It just seems like Rand was stated to be the second best swordsman just because.

2.) Why didn't the pattern choose a more experience adult to do this job.

It just, I don't get why the pattern made Rand the Ace at everything except the main thing he needs to win. Politics. Oh it tries, but Rand's most consistant problem and the source of all his problems post becoming the Dragon is that he's inexperienced and has terrible judgement. The Dragon last time was good at literally everything. One, that's really annoying from a tension point of view and two, if it can do that then why didn't the pattern do it this time as well? It contrived the world to make Tam find Rand on the slopes of Dragonmount, it couldn't have made that happen like 20 years before? The pattern must have had warning about the Forsaken breaking out, it started churning out really strong channelers in advance.

I'm in one of my trademark bad moods again.

Whenever I find out that I hate something and I've wasted my time playing it it always drives me mad and ruins my mood for hours

Doesn't it still no sell attacks that aren't foxhead medalion based?

Then if the bore was created... how come the DO didn't reach through and wreck shit. Or could he only reach a certain distance?

Could the Gholam have beaten the Choedan Kal? If so then shame on Sammael for putting it on the wrong scent, the WH fight would've been teh perfect place for it

But he's Ta'veren. The pattern obviously isn't going to let that happen. Rand has used the logic of "I doubt the Pattern would let me die here" in the past

And what in the name of hell does that mean? Dangerous how? Hell the Black Tower are dangerous, you don't see him fearing to use them.

I know the reason is that the story wouldn't happen if it was, but now that Saidin is clean why doesn't Rand use the Choedan Kal? Like, that could probably end any physical conflict before it happened. It'd make the last battle a cakewalk.

 

Wait, how did the war go. Did they create a whole in the Dark One's prison THEN start fighting. Or was the Bore created near the end of the war. If it's the former, then how come the DO didn't reach through and stomp everything, and if it's the latter, then how did the DO communicate to them?

 

The bore was created by Lanfear, before she turned to the shadow of course and a male Aes Sedai named Beidomon, who would later kill himself.

 

Following that there was a period of around 100 years called the collapsed. During this period generally got darker, more dangerous, and generally amoral. Many of the Forsaken, join the Dark One during this period either secretly like Graendal, or openly like Ishamael.

 

Then the war started, Demandred joins the shadow in the third year of the war, Sammael in the 4th. Ironically it was during the first 3 years that the Shadow gained a lot of territory, and in the next 3, if I recall correctly, that the Light under LTT regained most of the lost territory. In other words exactly when Demandred and Sammael joined the shadow. Then things got bad.

 

For chronology I find the seven spokes to be a pretty good source.

 

Wait, so Demandred and Sammael were responsible for Team Shadow losing all their headway?

then how did the DO talk with people?

Wait, how did the war go. Did they create a whole in the Dark One's prison THEN start fighting. Or was the Bore created near the end of the war. If it's the former, then how come the DO didn't reach through and stomp everything, and if it's the latter, then how did the DO communicate to them?

Also, how did Dark One get any followers? Who in their right mind would trust a man named THE FATHER OF LIES!!!? He's EVIL. He's pure unadulterated scum and yet all his men are convinced that he'll reward them. If no one followed him then he would have no army. So there'd be no reason to fear retribution for not siding with him.

What's the situation where Aginor managed to beat Lews again? How? Doesn't Aginor kinda suck?

Actually, why DIDN'T the pattern just make Demandred the one to become Ta'veren?

I get that with Rand, Mat and Perrin the PAttern needed a very versatile group of pawns who could fit themselves into multiple roles and have influence over many types of people. Rand has Aiel blood so is in a better chance to have sway over them but also grew up in Two Rivers so has more of a connection to Randland which is where the battle will take place. yadda yadda yadda.

But in this case it just seems like the Pattern is making more work for itself. Was there any reason why Lews has to be Ta'veren?

Can you even count Ta'veren as great people? Being Ta'veren is kinda like being on life steroids. Would Lews be as good as Demandred if he wasn't Ta'veren?

It actually makes it hard for me to hate Demandred.

Because the story itself pretty much says that natrual talent trumps everything and Lews was only better than Demandy because the Pattern wanted him to be.

Isn't Demandred better than Lews at war or something?

This is one that's been making me wonder for a while: Just how good is Rand at military strategy? Like, from everything I've seen he's more of an "That's so crazy it just might work" kind of guy. More prone to coming up with good ideas now and then rather than constantly.

I swear they also make really outlandish threats about boxing ears and tanning hides and breaking people in half that I don't think they should be able to say if they had to tell the truth.