The rebels had no idea that Elaidia was gone. Egwene specifically confronted them at the bridges on in they were deposing another Amyrlin and was only then informed that Elaidia had been captured by the Seachan.

It could have been written that way but I am not sure it is better. You lose the drama of the stand off at the bridges when Egwene with extreme reluctance moves her forces into position to take the tower and then holds them back. In no way is the scenario of Egwene being forced into attacking the tower at that moment far fetched. She had defended the tower from the external threat but the time for delaying the reunification was now over and the rebels had their best chance to take the tower with the lowest cost to lives. You miss the pay off of having the rebels being successful. The tower was not in a state after the attack to deal with a Black Ajah purge and Egwenes place was not as established as it was within the Rebel camp. Siuan and co would never have been folded into the defence of the tower and would have been almost useless as they were a small squad of soldiers (2 boats maybe 20 to 30 soldiers and 1 weak channeler) even if they were. Egwenes being a hero was secure with or without her waking in the Tower. You may have liked the immediate pay off but I thought the chapter following the attack was great with the purge of the Black sisters and the tension of the decision to finally move the troops forward.

Could have been worse.

@Ogier Jr. I never thought that Elan balefired LTT from recollection he was not at dragonmount till after the mountain was formed and the description was of a lightning strike. So unless we are going down the unreliable narrator track it is not what happened. On self-balefire it could be similar to healing in that you are simply unable to use it on yourself. In my opinion the actual weave would be nullified at the moment of creation so it would not matter what amount of power was actually used and you would remain alive.

I am aware that the whole thing is conjecture, but I am not sure that the 2 different ways the power emerges are ever linked directly to bloodlines in that way.

I am no fan of the show, your comments which have been solely attempting to get a rise from show supporters with shallow attacks months after the announcement are pathetic. In no way did my response miss the point of the post quoted.