I think that the white substance is the source of Rand's power, a direct manifestation of either the One Power or the Creator's hand on Rand's mind. It allows him to heal the Pattern, ward off the Shadow and its followers, and provides him with enormous strength as a channeler.
I don't know what it is, but it seems pretty clear that right now it is acting as a shield in Rand's brain and protecting him from the horrific madness that he should be suffering otherwise.
Hmm. I am not convinced that the white substance is the source of Rand's power, but if it is, I wonder if drawing on it to do feats such as wiping out the trolloc army uses the power up. That might be nasty and explain why Rand cannot just go to town with it in the blight or against the seanchan. He would weaken his defenses against the taint if he did.
I don't think Lews Therin ever had this power or this ability, and that the true Dragon nature was only awakened in Rand because this is a true Last Battle, unlike the last Age. Rand is now truly the Creator's avatar. He's a direct match for the Dark One, though he himself says that he's not a weapon, which probably hints at his ability to Heal the Pattern rather than challenge the dark entity.
I seem to recall RJ saying that this turning of the wheel was in no way different from all the others. So while Rand's victory would mean sealing the DO perfectly, it would not mean that the DO would be forever defeated and that this would truly be THE last battle, just A last battle. The wheel turns on.
No Forsaken is a match for him, and I'm glad I finally came to this revelation considering I once claimed in a debate with Cannoli that it was Rand vs Forsaken, and Creator vs Dark One. As an exception I would add that Moridin can match Rand. I think that Moridin will have Rand's powers, but from a Shadow PoV. We've already seen Ishamael wield enormous power in TDR when he asked the DO for aid. Rand said that it even pulled in the light of Callandor, and he got around this by cutting Ishamael off from the DO.
I am unconvinced that even the new Rand is truly any match for the DO himself. I think the DO fully unleashed would crush Rand like a tiny bug. Remember that even with the DO still partially sealed, Rand is still able to protect only a pretty small area around himself from the dark ones touch. I think the idea that Rand has become a champion or avatar of the Creator/light may very well be true, but that is still far from being able to take on the DO itself.
I think it may end up being that despite everything else, Ishamaels claims that this is a battle between the DO and Creator using human surrogates will turn out to be true afterall. I think Rand will merely repair the bore somehow and lock the DO up perfectly, atleast until the next time the wheel turns. However before that, he will have to face and defeat his opposite, the DO's avatar/champion in the world which will likely be either Moridin or Shaidar Haran.
1. The white stuff on his mind is merely a manifestation of the superpower from the Creator that makes him an embodiment of the Light.
Makes sense.
2. Lews Therin never experienced this change.
Agreed. I think the forsaken and others would have mentioned it. Hmm, I wonder if this would have protected LTT from the taint during the flawed sealing.
3. Moridin will have similar powers in the Last Battle and will be able to draw on enormous volumes of the TP, and do incredible things that will allow him and Rand to challenge one another.
That would be pretty cool actually. Though I wonder how that would work with Min's vision about Moridin and Rand merging. Unless this somehow suggests that the battle you speak of is happening on multiple levels, both physically and mentally.
4. Rand is a Healer, not a weapon, and that is what he refers to.
I think in this instance he will have to be a bit of both. Healer of the pattern and the bore yes, but also weapon against Moridin and/or Shaidar Haran.
Super-Rand and the meaning behind it
- 18/11/2010 01:33:44 PM
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Re: Super-Rand and the meaning behind it
- 18/11/2010 02:19:49 PM
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Re: Super-Rand and the meaning behind it
- 18/11/2010 03:02:41 PM
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Re: Super-Rand and the meaning behind it
- 18/11/2010 03:23:15 PM
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I think it's easy to figure out what SH is there.
- 18/11/2010 10:17:55 PM
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Re: Super-Rand and the meaning behind it
- 18/11/2010 11:06:43 PM
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