Just now, DojoToad said:

Guess I'm having trouble with LTT couldn't do it despite knowledge and power because he was destined not to.  But Rand could do it despite two years of minimal training and knowledge because that was his destiny to complete.  Not a book or show problem, I guess.  Just trying to wrap my mind around it.

LTT had 0 clue there would be backlash that would taint saidin, and he would never use the True Source to block that rebound IF he even knew about it because it's the DOs power. And Callandor didn't exist. It was LTT losing that taught Rand how to win. Rand simply knowing about the backlash gave him the advantage LTT never had. Because they COULD seal him and did, they could have with both halves of the power, not known about the taint and doomed the world. To be effective LTT would have to know about the taint ahead of time. And have callandor, and be able to trap a strong forsaken using the true power with callandor to block the back stroke.

5 minutes ago, DojoToad said:

I'm fine with the in-show explanation as you have laid out - the women and men both went their own way because they thought they were right.

 

The point I'm trying to make is that LTT, LPD, and their contemporaries were on such a higher level for working with the power, knowledge, technology, etc. as to almost be superheroes compared to Rand and his contemporaries.

 

So how do Rand and all the 'baby' Aes Sedai manage what those from the AoL could not.  I don't know that the books were completely satisfactory in that way, at least for me.  Maybe AoL Aes Sedai were blinded by their own power, knowledge, and most important their personalities and competitiveness.  The books alluded to that to some extent.  Maybe the ones that saw most clearly didn't have the sway needed to persuade the leaders?  Then again, the books may not have been as satisfying had it been more obvious.  I might be convincing myself that Jordan had it right all along...

 

I'm wondering how the show will tackle this.

LTT was never meant to seal the DO completely. Their age is the age the bore is created. This is why he couldn't even if he was meant to.

1. The femal Aes sedai refused his plan and because of that the world broke, and survived. If the women had helped both halves of the source get tainted and the world is destroyed.

2. The access key for the two most powerful sa' angreal were lost/destroyed before they could use them. Their loss is what spurred LTT to finally act alone.

3. Callandor did not exist until after the breaking. And both its flaw of not having a buffer and it's ability to enhance the true source are critical for the end of Rands plan. 

4. LTT just isn't supposed to be that guy lol. It's the wheel of time. It's cyclical and his age was the age the bore is made. Rands is the age it's sealed. I imagine the next time the female half is tainted because of the way RJ was about balance. 

So the series is called Wheel of Time. LTT isn't meant to seal the DO. He's meant to die and become Dragonmount where Rand is born. The keys to the two greatest sa' angreal were lost/destroyed before they could use them, and the female aes sedai at the time refused to help resulting in a partial seal with the backlash to saidin. The DO has to be partially sealed so Rand can fully seal him so the bore can happen again as the ages turn. Ishmael says they've had this battle countless times. And so it is.