I think one thing that people miss from Jordan's "The Wheel of Time" series is the intentional flaws in the women and the men to show the need to work together to restore balance in an imbalanced world. Sure, he turns power dynamics on their head, but at the end of the day, the sexism, racism, classism, and many other examples of imbalance in "The Wheel of Time" are intentionally plotted out. Those who get "the lesson" change in the story and begin to work together by the end to defeat the greater foe. Jordan's commentary on society as a whole, "division makes us weaker, the idea there is a "better" way or a "better" type of person is a lie". Unity, balance, smart application of everyone's good attributes is what wins the day. 

This theme plays out in a large world, not reading to the end,  you'll miss it. 

Many characters act as foils for others. 

Example:

Siuan and Elaida are foils for Egwene. Sure, Egwene has faults, but by the end of the series she learns some valuable lessons that Siuan didn't learn until too late and Elaida never learns. The lesson, they don't always know the best or only way to achieve something. Egwene gets it, she sacrifices herself for the greater good. She comes to embrace the Aes Sedai "servant of all" attitude rather than the "bully everyone into our way" behavior. 

Aram is a foil to Perrin.

Gawyn and Galad are foils to Rand.

Mat is a foil to all of them, an excellent contrasting character that challenges prejudices, attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs as compared to Rand, Perrin, Egwene, Nynaeve, Tuon, Aludra, Birgitte, Thom, Jain, Gawyn, Galad, and many more. 

Nynaeve actually changes in remarkable ways. Learning to work with others rather than browbeat or lead. Learning to defer instead of always rule. Learning when leadership is needed from her and when cooperation is best. She is amazing as a character.

The greater foils are whole nations, cultures, and societies. Look at how many of the countries in the Westlands are ruled by monarchs. They have an attitude about the Aiel, the Sea Folk and the Seanchan, but many of the ruling class in the Westlands are horrible to the common class, even as they have an attitude about how the Seanchan treat female channelers and how the Aiel seem like "savages" and ignorant. The whole of the westlands shows ignorance and ill treatment of others. These different and prejudiced groups must come together or die apart at the end. It's awesome how he builds this world of separateness and differences and turns them into conduits of balance and cooperation.

I think what Robert Jordan does with women is excellent. He gives them flaws and room to grow on a level that many writers are afraid to touch or perhaps don't delve that deeply. FYI, he did have a woman who helped him with every female character - his wife. 

Since 1990 those original covers defined the series for me. While the ebook covers are artistic, they are like close up, zoomed in digitally enhanced images of someone's face for the most part. The UK covers are boring. There is nothing to them. For me they're designed like self-published covers I've seen, simple, because they can't afford an artist. 

Sweet's covers have landscape, characters and a scene depicted. The Eye of the World stands out as one of my favorite fantasy covers of all time. It's too bad Tor didn't realize how great they are for the most part. A few of the later books aren't as favored, but many of the digital ones don't really grab my interest with the exception of a few that were done fairly well, but that's only a few. 

Since 1990 those original covers defined the series for me. While the ebook covers are artistic, they are like close up, zoomed in digitally enhanced images of someone's face for the most part. The UK covers are boring. There is nothing to them. For me they're designed like self-published covers I've seen, simple, because they can't afford an artist. 

Sweet's covers have landscape, characters and a scene depicted. The Eye of the World stands out as one of my favorite fantasy covers of all time. It's too bad Tor didn't realize how great they are for the most part. A few of the later books aren't as favored, but many of the digital ones don't really grab my interest with the exception of a few that were done fairly well, but that's only a few.