In the books spanking by the Aiel was for lying (at the request of the person receiving the punishment, to help her meet her Toh for having lied). Aviendha in the show would have been asking her fellow maidens to help her meet Toh for having been captured (which would be considered more shameful that being killed - at least by maidens - Gaul in a similar position in the books does not appear to feel similar shame, but there are stated to be differences in how different societies view things). Similar to how Sulin and the new leading maiden resolved their differences in the run up to Dumai's Wells with a fist fight.

Also the use of the mindtraps on Moghedien and Cyndane, destroying the physical appearance of the vain Graendal, the decision to resurrect Ishamael as Moridin (when he would rather have ceased to exist). In book 1 Rand's dream about the deceased Howel Gode suggests that he received some form of punishment after death rather than a reward. The only definitive reward is the apparent offer of immortality to the forsaken, and even then if the dark one actually wins this would destroy existence outright so no real benefit from this.

It is also mentioned that in Amadica the practice of non-channeling medicine and herbalism is carried out by men rather than "wisdoms" (who are referred to by a variety of names depending on the culture). This is presumably due to the risk any female healer would run of being accused of channeling by the whitecloaks. In other cultures the study of healing appears to be almost entirely carried out by women (although I do not think there was any book mention either way for the Seanchan).

Cadsuanne did have the minor advantage of a ter'angreal that not only detected male channeling but revealed the exact direction it was occurring in.

Genghis is usually referred to as having the largest continuous land empire - empires of the colonial era included widely separated territories. However as much of Genghis' territory was largely uninhabited steppe and desert the simple size of it is largely irrelevant.

Although some cultures appear to incorporate some of the more unpleasant aspects of religion - particularly the Seanchan and the whitecloaks.

The mention of fire welling up inside his amorphous form suggests that Rand channels to drive him off. Rand then has a reaction to the channeling while on Bayle Domon's boat (reckless action of balancing on the masthead) in line with the process for unguided channeling described by Moiraine to Egwene earlier (the information seemed extraneous at the time...). This was his second channeling (first was strengthening Bela and the reaction was his reckless action of goading the whitecloaks in Baerlon).

You should try reading the "Recluse" saga by LE Modeset. He uses white for chaos aligned (superficially evil) and black for order aligned (usually benign). This makes a certain amount of sense as it uses white for energy and decay and black for stolidity and stagnation.

How do you define success? If you mean achieving the dark one's goal of making Rand despair to the point he might choose to do what the dark one wanted (which appears to be ending time during his contest in the bore) then Semirahage due to collaring Rand and nearly forcing him to kill Min (which ironically taught him the command of the dark one's "true power" needed to correctly seal the prison). If you mean achieving their own goals (which vary considerably) then Moghedian (who at least survived and may still get free of the collar). Demandred's main goal was to best Rand (as Lews Therin reborn) in a direct contest, and Rand did not directly face him.

That part could be unreliable narrator - Aes Sedai were not bound to the three oaths until the war of the hundred years, and it stretches credulity to think that no Aes Sedai made power wrought weapons for use during the Trolloc wars given how close things came to a total victory for the shadow. On the point of Lan "sharpening" the sword he was a master at levels of intimidation, sharpening it is a useful way of calling attention to the weapon without anything which could be considered an open threat. He liked to talk quietly but carry a big stick.

It is more that the effect of the taint on him, combined with his long period severed from the power, meant that he became obsessed with increasing his personal power to prevent being impotent again. He was able to break that effect at the last battle by recognizing that he could not best Demandred and as mentioned above by choosing to aid the refugees rather than take the chance to obtain the sa'angreal that Taim had been using.

The content of the letter itself explains the apparent lack of urgency - Moiraine explicitly instructs Thom that Mat has to ask about the letter before being shown it. Thom flaunts the letter in front of Mat for a long time before he asks. When re-reading the books you should get a sense of Thom's frustration at the delay which he has to hide from Mat since the best way to get him to ask is to make him think you do no want him to ask.

She would have been in the tower for up to 6 months in The Great Hunt (leaving Fal Dara in late spring for a very rapid trip to the tower and not being tricked into the ways until early autumn). I know it does not feel like it compared to the hunters POV but that is due to the time lapse during their portal stone trip. Then again in the tower for a shorter period (up to a month) in The Dragon Reborn and also thinking of herself as Aes Sedai (or AS affiliated) from being guided by Moiraine in Eye of the World up to being apprentice to the wise ones and then again from traveling to Salidar - overall it feels like long enough to belong, especially as the tower would be attempting to indoctrinate any novice to reduce any attempts to leave.

If you want to explore the concepts of cyclical non-identical repetition you could read the Fencer and Scavenger trilogies by K J Parker (although there are some fairly sickening events in each of those).

It is never directly stated that the ages follow identical paths of growth and destruction. Indeed Thom's reference to "Merk and Mosk fighting with spears of fire" and other oblique references to events up to the 70's in the opening chapters suggests that the 20th century in the world of the wheel was an "age of legends" based on technology rather than the one power, and the cataclysm which ended it would have been a nuclear war rather than the release of the dark one. The cycle of ages could occur following a pattern of similar themes rather than near identical events, with the one power merely being the most recent foundation for an age of legends and succeeded by the most fundamental cataclysm.