Will Rand Fake Death? *Possible Spoilers*

[Avatar]

New Spring was actually pretty enjoyable, unless you hate prequels of course.

Great looks at Lan, Moiraine and Siuan.

Another one? Damn. I don't know if I can stand it.

--A

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Nicola saw "three women standing on a boat, and he who is dead yet lives".

Since I'm reading Lord of Chaos, I just came across this. You don't think she could have been referring to Mat here? He did die and live after all. And his memories are those of dead men...

Unimportant really, I still think you're onto something, and there have been enough independant hints I think.

--A

[Revan]

Mat has actually died twice... or once, depending on how you look at it... he got hung, and was brought back by Rand... and he was killed in the attack on Caemlym by Rahvin... undone, of course, by Rand's balefire.

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Good point Darth.

--A

[Revan]

Cheers Avatar.

[Nerdanel]

I have realized how WoT should end. I have no idea if Jordan is going to end it my way, but I hope for his sake that he will. Namely, and I'm not trying to sound egocentric here, a) my idea is something that I have never seen mentioned anywhere (including this thread) and thus should surprise the majority of readers, b) I think my idea is really good.

I have spoilered the description of my idea, so that you can avoid either reading the ending beforehands or avoid reading an ending better than the real one, resulting in even greater disappointment. Though, the quality of my ending has not been polled outside of a focus group of one (me), so your opinion may vary and you might read the spoilered part anyway!

Spoiler

The basic cosmology of the WoT universe bears significant resemblances to the Hindu cosmology, with the ages of the world repeating over and over. I think the ending of Jordan's series could really benefit from using one particular Hindu concept: the day and night of Brahma.

You see, THIS time the Dark One would win! But it wouldn't be the end of everything, only the beginning of a dark period comparable to Brahma's night. Rand & co. would be imprisoned somewhere just like the Dark One used to be. Then, after countless ages of trying to get out and failing, Rand & co. would finally succeed in escaping and binding the Dark One in their place, thus starting a new Brahma's day. They would recreate the universe much like it used to be, but better (or alternatively have the Creator do it, if there really is such a supernatural being). Nynaeve wouldn't only get to play a part in healing the death of a person (like everyone has been expecting), but the death of an entire universe. Now, wouldn't that be great? It would also explain all the god-allusions we have been seeing re: the main characters, such as Perrin's connection to Thor and Mat's to Odin.

"There are no beginnings of endings in the great Wheel. But it was a beginning."

Well, you can't say I can't think big.

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Haha, you thinking of a Dark Tower sorta ending?

I like it. But I'm not expecting that to be honest. Not explicitly anyway.

Spoiler

Obviously there must, as you suggest, be a form of continuation, because obviously, by the logic of this universe, the third age ust come again and again. However, I don't think that means the Dark Lord is going to win either though. Hell...there is no winning and losing. He'll be sealed in again, to be unsealed in some unimaginably distant future.

--A

[Nerdanel]

Spoiler

The idea is that during the "day of Brahma" the Dark One is imprisoned and nearly freed again and again until he finally manages to free himself. During the "night of Brahma" the Dark One is free and the souls that make up Rand & co. strive to get out of their prison, failing over and over until they finally succeed. The "days" and "nights" keep following each other ad infinitum or until a yet greater cycle puts a temporary stop to it. I feel this has all a nice symmetry to it that fits the basic yin/yang nature of The Wheel of Time, with the Dark One being free and imprisoned equal and repeating periods of time.

So obviously I used the word "win" in a strictly temporary sense, even if the win is total at the time.

So it would be a bit more comples thant the infamous Dark Tower ending. I prefer my idea to the simple version because the simple version of how the Wheel works has been revealed almost from the beginning and as a result is extremely predictable. My version would blindside quite a few people who thought they had it all figured out.

[Avatar]

Not bad. I quite like the idea, but I'm not sure Jordan is...controversial enough...something like that, to pull it off.

It's the kind of thing I could have believed that SRD could write, after reading the last of the 2nd Chrons. Jordan...well, I'd be impressed.

--A

[Wyldewode]

What I think, and haven't heard mentioned here (or elsewhere) is

Spoiler

Rand won't die, but Lews Therin will. I think he will appear to be dead as he is struck down, and then Logain will rise to glory in completing what Rand began. From a purely psychological perspective, he is functioning almost as someone with Dissociative Identity Disorder (in the past known as multiple personalities). He must integrate in some way, or expel the other awareness within him or continue to go mad. And I think that Alivia will help him in finding how to exorcise Lews Therin.

That's what I think, anyway.

And Xar, I personally believe that Aviendha's "quadruplets" aren't what they seem--there's something odd about them all right!

Spoiler

I believe Aviendha may have twins of her own and I personally believe that Elaine might die in the Last Battle, so Aviendha may end up being the mother to all 4 kiddos.

Just my opinion.