Re: We obviously disagree about the series - Edit 2
Before modification by DomA at 09/11/2012 10:53:56 PM
I also think the dragon motif is used precisely so that it can be inverted at the end to make it a traditional Western view.
I think it's the other way around.
Jordan made Rand a "dragon" so he could spend most of the series playing on the west vs. east conflicting interpretations to keep Rand's dual nature ambiguous, turn him into the slayer/tyrant/out of control beast aspects associated with the mythical western dragons, before making his benevolent/saviour aspects disappear almost altogether (the ultimate fire spitting unleashed dragon is Rand with his Choedan Kal in TGS, with the power to destroy Creation if he chose to, which he almost did) then having the epiphany out of which Rand emerged as the formidably strong and benevolent dragon of eastern tradition. Further evidence of this is how pre-epiphany Rand scoured and made the land die, balefire now his weapon of choice, images associated with western monster dragons, vs. how post-epiphany Rand is now associated with traditional images of chinese traditions, from Rand's new power over the elements (where he walks, the skies clear) and fertility (where he walks, things grow and ripe magically). A few more examples of chinese imagery occuring when Rand leaned the right way and took major steps toward becoming what he should be is when he made a lake appear at Rhuidean. Some chinese dragons have those powers to draw water out of the earth or make it rain.
So you have it upside down, I think. Don't forget for RJ AMOL was all one book, and Rand's epiphany chronologically happened at the end of act 2. The emergence of Rand as benevolent dragon is complete, at about 2/3 into the finale of the series. Things have moved now to Life vs. Death, the matter of Rand's nature is settled, there just remains the matter his allies accepting it fully.
The associations of Rand to Lucifer are related to Lews Therin and his nature as the greatest and his fall.
We have 4th age verses celebrating the Prince of Dawn and Lord of the Morning quite differently from all the fears surroundings Rand as "Dragon Reborn": "Let the Prince of the Morning sing to the land that green things will grow and the valleys give forth lambs. Let the arm of the Lord of the Dawn shelter us from the Dark, and the great sword of justice defend us."
Logain's the male half of Egwene as leader of the channelers. He's the one who will re found their organization on a new glorious basis after "the world's worst nightmares" about males channelling the One Power will become all too real when they emerge out of the Black Tower.
As for christian parallels, when these were brought up to Jordan he said some existed but warned that he conceived of Rand far more as a cultural Hero in the tradition of King Arthur than a close Jesus/Messiah parallel. Unless he lied, as far as we can tell he wasn't in the habit of in Q&A, it seems unlikely he overplays the Christian parallels in the finale, the way for instance J.K. Rowling has done. It's likely to be there, somehow, but more toned down.