I never fully bought RJ's comment about no red herring. Sort of like "it is intuitively obvious who killed Asmodeam" ... But that's a moot point to argue.



We have no idea when Moridin was actually brought back ... Could have been immediately following his death. We don't see him on screen for several books, and don't know for sure who he is for a while after he appears. I always got the impression we were supposed to think he had been lurking about for a time long before we saw the others brought back. As the DO's foremost follower it makes sense that he would be the first to return.



That I agree with ... Taim was clearly sent to gain Rand's trust and given the Seal as part of the role. Who sent him is the mystery. Given that the BA knew of plans for Taim as far back as TSR (earlier really since a junior member knew at the beginning of the book), I favor Ishamael as the puppet master. He may well have set it up before his death in TDR as a precaution should Rand gain Callandor.



The new Prologue seems to contradict this. Taim is being rewarded for seizing the opportunity and creating the BT. Why would this be seen as an accomplishment if Demandred set it up and also outstripped it in his own right? Maybe it's a move calculated to keep Demandred in his place, but as Nae'Bliss with access to the True Power Moridin doesn't need to play these games ... And in fact seems to get easily bored with them.

Too many of our number threw themselves into contests with al’Thor when he was presumed to be weak. M’Hael instead earned Lews Therin’s trust, then took charge of the training of his weapons. He has been raising a new generation of Dreadlords to the Shadow’s cause. What do the three of you have to show for your work since being released?”

There is an emphasis on HE from the text, alluding that Taim alone did this. Demandred immediately starts boasting of his nebulous achievements as though to prove what he has done is even more impressive. If it was just finding more Channelers I doubt this would have played out this way.



We shall have to RAFO I suppose. I have a hard time believing Demandred would have used someone else's pawn in his scheme without finding a way to dispose of Taim if he betrayed Demandred. Why abandon such a potentially powerful pet project to one of your chief rivals without any kind of fight? I will be disappointed if Demandred appears with an army of Channelers from out of nowhere. That would dilute the field so much as to be boring in the extreme. I think it would be much more interesting if he came to the party with armies equipped with things like shock lances gathered from mirror worlds or some other AoL twist. He's a field general, he should be thinking of surprising things that will give him an edge the Light cannot match or prepare for!

I would be surprised in Alviarin was named Chosen ... She's far to weak and uneducated to be seen as an equal, Moghedien commented on it with Taim even, if he didn't have an abundance of Strength I doubt he would have been elevated.

M’Hael…was said to be strong, perhaps as strong as the rest of them, but elevating one from this Age, with all of their ignorance…. It galled her to consider that this M’Hael would be regarded as her equal.