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Impossible to say, but I doubt he intended to keep his inner circle perpetually in the dark. Joel Send a noteboard - 14/01/2013 11:25:47 AM
If he just wanted to ensure EVERYONE thought him dead he probably would have offed Cadsuane when he realized he (yet again) completely failed to fool her even for an instant. His PoV shows he knows his Warder Sedai are quite aware of his little Face Off maneuver. Speculating on whether any or all will trail after him and (yet again) considering the morality of continuing a relationship with more than one of them demonstrates he is not just abandoning them. Regarding Elayne specifically, you pretty much stated why it is unthinkable he meant to abandon their kids before they were even born (because "deadbeat dad" makes the most sympathetic Christ figure, right? :rolleyes:) Likewise, all the grief/relief of his separation and reunion with Tam makes it unlikely he would simply let his father believe him dead either.

I think the whole thing was meant to be a temporary arrangement, possibly combined with a solitary and long overdue vacation. His three lovers provoked universal surprise and some disgust with their nonchalant reaction to his death (which was kind of stupid if they want to convince peoples his death was genuine.) Multiply that by Tam, Mat, Perrin, Moiraine, Thom, Loial and all the rest of his close friends/family and he would be Randland version of Elvis. Moiraine, Thom, Tam and Elayne could fake it convincingly, and maybe Mat, too, by this point, but... Min? Nynaeve? They suffer the weakness common to painfully honest blunt people: They literally cannot dissemble to save their lives.

There is a reason the women who Bonded him immediately start plotting how to convince everyone he is really dead. An anonymous stranger having private chats with each member of his inner circle in the first days following his death could not help drawing suspicion. That would be bad enough by itself, but there is the added risk that any surviving but undetected Darkfriends/Dreadlords/Forsaken like Moghy might recognize Moridins face. That is a potential problem whatever he does and wherever he does it, but the closer he is to the various centers of power the more likely he is to encounter a Shadow mole high ranking enough to have met Moridin on multiple occasions. For that matter, it is not even certain he knows Graendal and Lanfear are dead—but he DOES know any surviving Forsaken are likely to seek vengeance against him, and seek him at the rarefied levels of power to which the Dragon Reborn and his consorts are accustomed.

On that note, there is no reason to think he means to abandon Elayne or Min forever (and his final speculations about them suggest just the opposite,) but every reason he would not want to immediately jump into the center of Andoran and/or Seanchan court life. Many people already openly discuss their apparent apathy toward his death before his body is even burned; it would be deeply suspicious if either took up with a new paramour the next day, and the eyes of ever Andoran and Seanchan noble will be on them for the rest of their lives (unless, of course, they fake their own deaths, too.) In the specific case of Tuon, integrating Rand as her Doomseers husband without her summarily executing all involved to save face would be a delicate and extended process.

My personal view is that Rand intends MOST of the world to believe him dead, but is only leaving his inner circle out in the cold long enough for a solitary stress free sabbatical. I would not be surprised if his harem ends up letting Tam, Nynaeve and the other ta'veren in on the secret pretty soon, but they probably want to give him time to exit stage left lest anyone is tempted to follow.

Anyway, Egwene is dead, so why are you complaining? :P
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This message last edited by Joel on 14/01/2013 at 11:27:41 AM
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So, is anyone else thinking that ending was a bit of a dick move.... - 10/01/2013 04:40:55 AM 3195 Views
Because, to quote the series... - 10/01/2013 05:01:51 AM 1595 Views
I had hoped a lot more people would have died. - 30/01/2013 03:28:26 PM 986 Views
Frankly, it seemed out of character. - 10/01/2013 05:08:48 AM 1298 Views
double post thanks to daughter *NM* *NM* - 10/01/2013 06:16:01 AM 511 Views
I could be wrong, but... - 10/01/2013 06:16:02 AM 1310 Views
Except... - 10/01/2013 06:54:04 AM 1303 Views
Re: Except... - 10/01/2013 06:56:43 AM 1053 Views
If the World finds out he's still alive - 10/01/2013 08:05:18 AM 1229 Views
I can agree with keeping it secret from just about everyone, BUT his father and closest friends. - 10/01/2013 10:56:58 AM 1215 Views
Re: I can agree with keeping it secret from just about everyone, BUT his father and closest friends. - 10/01/2013 04:00:57 PM 1197 Views
Why Mat in particular? - 10/01/2013 04:07:19 PM 1055 Views
Re: Why Mat in particular? - 10/01/2013 04:20:37 PM 1162 Views
This is because I tend to assume the best in Rand - 10/01/2013 04:28:20 PM 997 Views
I don't fault Rand for any of it, at the moment.... - 10/01/2013 04:49:25 PM 1135 Views
Re: I can agree with keeping it secret from just about everyone, BUT his father and closest friends. - 11/01/2013 02:34:16 AM 1060 Views
Re: I can agree with keeping it secret from just about everyone, BUT his father and closest friends. - 13/01/2013 09:01:38 PM 1016 Views
I got the impression Egwene knew releasing the Source would instantly kill her. - 14/01/2013 11:42:03 AM 1153 Views
Re: I got the impression Egwene knew she was dead the moment she released the Source. - 14/01/2013 05:59:21 PM 1003 Views
Even if she would just have been burned out there was no reason to think it permanent. - 14/01/2013 06:49:00 PM 958 Views
Where do people get that only Rand was right on the Seals? - 14/01/2013 10:03:19 PM 1139 Views
One point- the DO didn't break free, Rand dragged him out into the Pattern, specifically to kill him - 15/01/2013 03:03:43 AM 836 Views
Nope.. - 15/01/2013 03:19:02 AM 934 Views
Re: Nope.. - 15/01/2013 03:33:06 AM 1197 Views
The quote Shai'tan doesn't try and deny: - 15/01/2013 09:41:24 PM 956 Views
From Egwenes insistence they NEVER be broken. - 15/01/2013 07:26:36 AM 1116 Views
Agree 100%. Tam and Nynaeve deserve to know. - 10/01/2013 05:47:04 PM 1018 Views
Re: So, is anyone else thinking that ending was a bit of a dick move.... - 10/01/2013 07:13:52 PM 1357 Views
You don't think Nakomi did it? - 10/01/2013 07:54:20 PM 1640 Views
Maybe - 10/01/2013 09:46:39 PM 1304 Views
Re: Maybe - 10/01/2013 11:08:32 PM 1143 Views
Nope.. an agent of the Wheel - 10/01/2013 11:53:54 PM 1239 Views
IDK, I thought the body switch was a side-effect of the link between them - 11/01/2013 02:38:33 AM 1099 Views
*NM* *NM* - 11/01/2013 06:51:10 PM 503 Views
I've a suspiscion that the Rand scene of Epilogue was probably drafted already - 12/01/2013 12:11:13 AM 1123 Views
That makes a great deal of sense. - 15/01/2013 07:45:55 AM 1080 Views
Re: That makes a great deal of sense. - 15/01/2013 09:37:47 AM 911 Views
Impossible to say, but I doubt he intended to keep his inner circle perpetually in the dark. - 14/01/2013 11:25:47 AM 1104 Views
I agree. Hell, he's still bonded to the women - 28/01/2013 03:42:47 PM 950 Views
More the three sisters - 20/01/2013 04:55:36 PM 846 Views

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