Before modification by Joel at 20/08/2013 03:34:45 AM
I doubt that would accomplish Shai'tan's aims. In the final confrontations, as in Veins of Gold, as in Ba'alzamon's rantings in the first books, the point is quite clearly that Rand must choose to accept Shai'tan's reality. Turning removes choice.
I thought of that, but am not entirely sure either way. KILLING him is a forfeit, because it eliminates him as a player for either side, but he could still act after turning, just not freely.
I always figured killing the Dragon would just result in a reboot: The Pattern does something or other to delay the DOs release, prolong his imprisonment, until it can spin the Dragon out again for the inevitable climax that MUST occur for the DOs release or reimprisonment to be determined either way, because, once again, the Dragon MUST be there.
However, there is no deterministic requirement he ACT any particular way; acting as the DOs servant would be entirely valid and is therefore fully on the table. He can do that just as well (better) turned as he could as free agent. And if he did all the exact same things to release the DO there would be no practical difference between doing them willingly or by irresistible subversion. Indeed, the difference might be negligible in any sense; remember, those turned and Compelled alike always find reasons to rationalize their out of character behavior as in character.