That's what I think, too. It's the only way to avoid re-tainting the Source. Rands question to LTT about whether the Taint was caused by the absence of women misses the point. If the women had been involved it simply would've tainted both halves of the One Power.

I tend to agree here as well, even though I don't think the DO can be killed and existence preserved. It looks like in Jordans world the Creator needs the DO in much the way saidin needs saidar. After I read that section, however, I found myself thinking that if the One Power is that of the Creator and the True Power is that of the DO, and if the two are coeval, then the total strength of the Creator is just equal to that of the DO--but they're combined strength is twice as great. Using both in concert might be able to destroy him--if Rand can find a way to channel the True Power and the One Power at the same time.

I doubt that's how things will go though. My suspicion is Jordan's just setting up for lots of nastiness now that Rand is evidently linked to the DO himself via the TP. I can't help wondering what will result from that if he forms a circle with other channelers. What's odd, and says something about how closely Ishy and Rand are linked, is that you can't channel the TP without the DOs permission, and he definitely never gave that to Rand.

No, here I disagree. I don't think they're all that close at all, Rand's just linked to Ishy now, and the two of them are becoming very close in many ways. Given that, no surprise Rand's developing an affinity for the DO in some ways, too, but the real link is with Ishy.

Maybe, but I doubt it. That basically means souls can be split and recombined into other souls, and that doesn't track for me. Doesn't square with most views of transmigration, and blows the concept of "The Dragon Reborn" into tiny shards. No, if anything I'd say Elayne is Ilyena Sunhair Reborn. However, the fact LTT has never shown any recognition of that makes it dubious.

No, I think that's exactly what it is. In any but a fictional setting it would be monumentally stupid, but since Jordan's writing the plot Rand didn't just kiss off any hope of victory.