Re: I also think the flaw might be deliberate - Edit 1
Before modification by Sidious at 07/03/2012 10:33:00 AM
That's kind of stating the obvious don't you think? How they could possibly know it magnified the effects of the Taint before saidin got tainted?
They may have noticed the flaw and thought it was insignificant, which it might have been, until the taint came along. This sort of thinking can be applied to most modern technologies.
As for the magnification you're making a series of assumptions. Cadsuane doesn't even know what the True Power is. When she said it magnified the taint, she meant the effects of the taint on a channeller's mind, no more.
It's all assumption, no one knows what's going to happen. Cadsuane also says it lacks a buffer that makes other sa'angreal safe to use. Callandor is the only sa'angreal or angreal that actually magnifies an effect of the taint. Even drawing through the CK keeps the taint proportional and doesn't magnify it. Its possible the flaw is the lack of a buffer that protects the mind, and opens it to other potential sources of energy.
Thenin an in an answer to a question about that angreal Moridin said he could use, Jordan said that angreal/san agreal made for the OP wouldn't work with the TP (so it was to use it to channel saidin Moridin could have a use for it).
Callandor may be a special case due to the flaw. The flaw has a point and I doubt its redundant now that the taint is gone. The 'three becomes one' is a reasonable theory that the three powers unite to form a new seal. Lews Therin said that something has to touch the DO, and we know that if saidar had been used in the first Strike, it would have been tainted too. The TP is a reasonable alternative that cannot be backblasted by the DO while Rand uses the other two to form a seal.
The flaw isn't mysterious let alone deliberate, Jordan explained quite well it's shabby manufacturing caused by the war conditions.
Its mysterious because the crystal sword clearly has a role to play at the LB, and not the CK or any other sa'angreal. Its a big mystery to Min and Cadsuane certainly.
Finally, about Rand using the TP again, it sounds absurd that he would (remember the state of mind Rand had to be in to be able to embrace it.... It's the opposite of how he must be to face the DO...haven't you noticed how Rand's power and even its nature is magnified after he embraced the complete opposite of the state he was in when he touched the TP? ) but even more that Shai'tan would let him draw it again anyway, especially so that Rand could fight him. This is about as well reasonned as Lanfear's stupid belief that she could destroy the Creator with the OP. Whatever BS said obliquely not to confirm Shai'tan let Rand access the TP, Jordan flat out said access to the TP depends strictly on the DO letting you.
Its more than likely that his link to the TP is through Moridin. The DO may be caught by the decision to cut off the Nae'blis from the TP leaving him ultimately defenseless, or the chance that Rand could draw on it again.