and I was just like...what
With the whole "switch bodies I have super special powers" thing, even in a world full of magic, that was totally out of left field. Like a car flying off at the end of the day. I'd have been less confused if aliens showed up. And then it's just over, like a wink at the audience then ride off into the sunset for the next adventure. No, come back, I'm going to need some explanation.
There are a lot of problems with WoT, but as others have stated, I love it, I've always loved it, I started reading it when I was 14, it's been with me for over a decade, it could have been the worst thing ever written and I'd still have a soft spot for it.
THAT BEING SAID. I just feel there are too many extremes. Like, as someone stated above, magic being just this completely amazing thing, and yet after thousands of years, no one's done anything super useful to mankind with it. Another is how much longer Aes Sedais live compared to normal people. Like...not just 1-200 years like some think, no, they could reach middle age at like 500 years. They're like completely different species. And they're super magic. It's a wonder more haven't gone evil and taken over the world. I know aes sedais have it good with intimidation and stuff, and sort of rule all countries, but it's a damn good thing none went super rouge and just took over everything.
I don't know why but with all of it's failings, I was ok with how things ended, even with how abrupt everything was, but the whole Rand switching bodies and this weird magic woman helping him (same bitch from the aiel waste that aviendha met perhaps?) was just too much. TOO MUCH. I'd have rather he died than that. I think he should have died, as sad as that would have been.
Look, I'm not smart, I'll sit through a movie and only notice the very top surface events, or read 13 books and be like "story of good and evil, got it", character development and plot holes are lost on me, I'm just not very smart, I read it for entertainment. And even I found Egwene to be an insufferable twat. Some 18 year old being way smarter than these 200 year old bitches who have been playing at manipulation since before her mother was born, and Egwene just coming in and messing up stuff, outsmarting them, being all knowing and stuff. Bah. I'm glad she died. I liked her in the beginning, I did, but I dont know if it was Sanderson or what, but she just annoyed the crap out of me one too many times.
And (again, as others have said better than I) the whole Moiraine coming back was so anticlimactic. With her and Lan being weird, her and Siuan never meeting, I was like...I've been waiting for years for this (because it took years for the books to come out) and I was just so excited for a reunion and it never happened.
Mat died a long time ago to me. I hated what Sanderson did to him, but the scene where Mat was like "I wrote everyone back stories!" I was done. Totally done. I was like, no, Mat, you died, you're dead. He was just some caricature of what RJ did. I can forgive some, but not Mat.
This is something that not many have experienced I'm sure, but I listened to all of the books on audiobooks. One of the most infuriating thing was the narrators pronounced the words "Damane" and "Domani" the EXACT SAME WAY. They'd say "the Domani woman" and I'd have no idea if she had on a revealing dress or a collar. Like, come on. Very frustrating.
I'll always love it, but I'll also always be confused. I'll defend it to people, but also damn it with others (but only if they also secretly, deep down, love it as I do)
~Del
As far as channelers taking over goes... They kinda have in some cultures. The Aiel for one.
Personally, what I think you are over looking though is the difference between "people want power" and "people randomly selected from the population will all be just fine with perhaps having to butcher their countrymen in order to maintain that power".
Channelers at large aren't the Forsaken. They aren't just lone super knowledgeable channelers popping out of thin air. They need some one to train them. Thus they form groups. Thus said groups form rules and police themselves.
As for the body swap thing... Honestly, I have no problem with it. Who even knows what was going on there, but it's not like the Power is the only "magic" in the setting, and their connection had been built up for a long time.
Hell, in case you(as I somehow did myself) missed it, it was HEAVILY implied that Rand was in some form acting as an out and out avatar to the Creator in the manhandling and sealing of the Dark One(giant column of the Light pouring from him and all)...
As for whats her name... My two cents is that she is another Chosen One from a past Age who under went that same transformation that Rand did. What with her seeming to show abilities/aspects like his... Which would in turn mean that God-Rand is basically immortal now.