Very well thought out and explained.
One additional theory I want to plug about Rand lighting his pipe: Thinking a thing makes it real in the World of Dreams.
The Aiel phrase for death is "waking from the dream." Rand has died. He has woken from the dream. But being infused with the power of the creator, weaving the pattern itself during his fight with the dark one, has shown Rand the code of the Matrix, if you will. He lives within the Pattern but he is now greater than it.
He can bend the real world to his will with a thought, just as mortals can Tel'Aran'Rhiod. (This also explains why the World of Dreams was such an important concept for the whole series.)
A related question nobody has addressed is how Rand will use this potentially awesome power in the future. Despite many criticisms I have for RJ, I think this passage is brilliant because it conveys all we need in few words.
Rand didn't even think of channeling until he realized there was no conventional flame. He showed no interest in testing this new power on other things. He has far to travel, but no interest in gateways.
This new power, the most awesome in Randland, will only be used for the most mundane things. And even then, only when necessary. Rand will not light pipes with a thought in the future if he has a flint. He will mend plows and plant crops with his bare hands, but occasionally a tool will be missing, and a tug at the pattern will give Rand what he needs.
It's like mundane superpowers we discuss with friends, like the power for the dishes to always be done, only Rand's use will be even MORE subdued and mundane.
That is the ultimate avatar of the generosity of the creator: To have power the Dark One himself would crave, and not to rule, and barely to use it at all. Only for convenience when you can't ask anyone at your funeral for a light.
