This is an interesting question and goes to the heart of Ishamaels predeterminate nihilism. Ishamael believes that because the Dark lord can infinitely attempt to break the wheel, that he eventually will, that the Dark One, is predetermined to win. However what Ishamael fails to understand is that if the Dark One has infinite attempts, alongside infinite turnings and hasn't already broken the Wheel then the Wheel can never be broken because he has already attempted, infinite times amongst infinite turnings. If the DO breaks the Wheel in any reality then all of Creation is undone, but in order to undo Creation the Dragon must be moved to the Dark. Rand acts as a creative force to balance the destruction - the destruction being that either the wholly Good or wholly Evil paradigms are not true to reality. Considering Jordans background I do think that branch MWI with a core timeline is what he had in mind. Ishamael was right, he was just right in the wrong direction, predeterminism does exist to some extent in Wheel of Time.

Yeeeeaaaahhhh.... disregarding everything that Aes Sedai know - that the male half is tainted, that Saidin is touched by the Dark One as a result of the failure of the hundred companions Did Moiraine just ignore and disregard Gitara Morosos foretelling? The Karetheon Cycle? Not to mention all of the other gendered foretelling. You may not be a fan of gendered features within story, it appears Rafe wasn't, unfortunately that's a core component of the Wheel of Time. We are annoyed at an attempt to insert modernity into the story, especially considering it runs entirely at odds with what every single book reader understands about Wheel of Time Canon... Do you honestly, believe that the EF5 all being in the running for the title of the Dragon adds anything positive to the story? Or does it just piss people off that know it is only inserted for modern political reasons. It's funny, people in the thread getting pissed off about people bringing politics into the discussion, whilst completely disregarding the fact that Rafe was the one who pushed modernity and his own politics into the show - if he didn't then the prophecies wouldn't have been completely disregarded and ignored. Moiraine is very clear in the books who she is looking for. I feel like you are clutching at straws to provide some reasoning to something pretty stupid. The most annoying thing is - I think Wheel of Time is a very progressive story, there are different cultures and views on sex and morals and values, matriarchies, polyamory and all sorts of unique peoples, the show could have explored all of this without self inserting. I am disappointed though, I think the show was getting better and was hoping for some sort of conclusion.

Which books were Maksim adapted from? What story was being told with Maksim that couldn't have been told via other characters? I don't deny that Rafe may love the books, but he also, clearly, sought to improve and modernise them and tell his own story, unfortunately he can't craft an insert like Sanderson could, in trying to flavour the story in his own way it results in a less than authentic product. Of course others can and will disagree.

I'm actually really disappointed, despite my criticisms I think the show was getting better every season. I really wanted to see some sort of conclusion to the story and the last season I enjoyed the most of all 3. Wish all the best to the actors and production staff.

Lets follow this logic chain to its conclusion. "They sincerely understood" from reading the Wheel of Time that the Dragon Reborn could have been a woman and inserted a mystery into the show to demonstrate that sincere understanding? Despite the Karetheon cycle, despite all of the other prophecies, despite no false dragon ever being a woman, despite this contradicting the basic lore of the Jordan world with how Saidin and Saidar function. I'm not denying that they didn't love the Wheel of Time, maybe they do, but to try and defend some of the decisions as being sincere to the story in their adaption is just not true in all instances. They may have inserted it because they think it improves the story, but it isn't sincere to the source - that's just one instance.

It was really, really stupid, it ignored all of the Prophecies of the Dragon, ignored that only men can channel Saidin and therefore go mad, just contradicted so much lore in the opening gambit for no good reason...

Sorry - you're right, I just checked this.

I hope they renew for a 4th season - would love to see the show progress to its conclusion. Whilst I have my criticisms of the show and some of the direction it has taken I think S3 was the strongest season so far. They just need to pull things back on track a little more, respect the source material and nod to it where they can. I feel like they could do with a small committee of readers they bounce things off. So overall, I wish the show well, but I do wish they would focus more on Wheel of Time how it was meant to be, not how the showrunner intends it to be - but again, my opinion and ymmv.

Suian did know that the Oath Rod shortens lives - the Kin lived longer than Aes Sedai bacause of this - it was stated explicitly in The Gathering Storm. Although yes - tv version probably doesn't know. Very true - the continuities are becoming increasingly separated unfortunately.

I think the Oath Rod used by the Aes Sedai was used during the AoL as a Binding Rod to deal with criminals - remember the Oath Rod has very negative effects for Power Users. I think the Oath Rod is just a surviving ter'angreal relic from the AoL that during the AoL was much more common - I think they were part of a law keeping hardware stock, perhaps with each one being owned by a local governance.