OMG, I just finished =)

Well, a lot has been mentioned before, but here are my thoughts. All in all I liked it, but a few things bother me.

a) How did they figure out how to use Callandor. Min's role in this has been on stage for so long and to have the final pieze of the puzze off stage was really, really disappointing. Anti-climactic.

b) The body swap. When did it happen? How did it happen? They were dying together in the tent, but suddenly one was dead and one alive and kicking? All the soulmigrations we have been shown have happend after the person dies. Does that mean that they really did die and then someone (The Creator?) migrated Rands soul into Moridins body? Or did it happen in the fight, and if so why would Moridin carry Rand out of the cavern? Or did it happen just as he came out? Did Nakomi do it? And again, if they both were dying, what is "Nwe Rand" suddenly up and kickin? Too many questions to something that really should have been explained a little more. Else it would have been better to leave him dead.

c) Lighting the pipe. WTF was that all about? If his sould was migrated into a new body, shouldn't he still have his ability to channel? It is connected to the soul isn't it? And why is he suddenly Neo, who can make anything happen by wish. Weird.

d) Over all, even if it was the Last Battle, wasn't there a bit too much of the fighting? Som eof that space could have been used for other means, things that just "happened" or were mentioned as an aside.

Oh well,it was not the perfect ending, but it was A ending.

One of the theories about how Mesaana did that the Aes Sedai research team suggested to Egwene in Chapter 15 was the correct one, according to Brandon.

 

These three theories are:

 

1. Linking herself to a second 'oath rod' while taking the oaths, so they don't hold;

 

2. Send a 'look-alike' wearing the MoM to take the oaths in her stead;

 

3. Use a weave to alter her voice, so that what people hear is not what she said.

 

Later on, in ToM 37/38, Mesaana places a weave on Katerine to disguise her and sends her to face Egwene in her stead.

 

So it looks as though most likely Mes used method 2 to defeat the Oath Rod.

If she sends someone else to do it in her stead, wouldn't that have had to be a black sister? If so, how could she take the oaths? If she used compulsion for such a complex "task" wouldn't it have been noticed?

Probably is stupid but I thought of this when posting for the newbie about to start WOT.

 

I seem to remember that New Spring was to be one of 3 prequels. After RJ died I was so devo that I wouldn't google about him at all because not only was I not going to get the ending, but I wasn't going to get the full back story either.

 

When I finally came to terms with my grief years later and thought I might try an earlier series of RJ's, I was ecstatic to hear that Brandon was finishing RJ's work. God bless that man!

 

So is my recollection about the other prequels correct? To tell the truth I'd forgotten about it because I was so happy about the series getting finshed.

 

Also, if yes, has Brandon ever said anything about those books? I know the outriggers have been ruled out but maybe an arm can be twisted...

RJ did have plans for two more prequels and a few outrigger novels. Afaik it hasn't been fiinally determined (BS will leave to Harriet to decide) but the comments do far point to these boooks not beeing written. I think they mentioned that they don't want to "exploit" RJs legacy.

Do we know that swearing to the DO involves the OP and thus will be affected by stilling/gentling? Non-chennelers swear to the DO as well, and it would make sence that they were just as bound to their oaths (to DO) as the channelers were.

 

Yes, we know they bind themselves with the Dark Oaths on the Oath Rod. That's why the Black Ajah hunters use it to remove the oaths and reswear them on their suspects and why Verin was looking for the Oath Rod before committing suicide.

Another thought. Wasn't Verin aware that stilling can now be healed? If so, wouldn't stilling and healing be a better way to remove her oaths to DO rather than suicide? Since she had such a good knowledge of BA, she would have been able to find sisters to trust to help her with this.

Can non-chennelers be bound by the oath rod as well? Iirc the channeling isn't made by the swearer when the AS swear their oaths. Or do I remember wrong?

Do we know that swearing to the DO involves the OP and thus will be affected by stilling/gentling? Non-chennelers swear to the DO as well, and it would make sence that they were just as bound to their oaths (to DO) as the channelers were.

 

I think there's pretty good indications that Sorilea opened the box and Elza took out the guards. ... If Casuane made a mistake it was in allowing Sorilea to see how to open her trunk safely.

Hhm, this went by me completely. Is Sorilea believed to be a DF? Can't remember even seeing that mentioned? Or did yo uimply somthing else?