It seems whenever someone brings up the "Dumb Evil" problem, someone else refutes it with some version of the old "The Dark One intended this all along," excuse.

So let's go through a quick list.

I guess the Dark One wanted Rand to resists Ishamael's temptations and kill Aginor and Balthamel in the Eye of the World (Don't ask me why he reincarnated them then.)

The Dark One wanted the good guys to find the Horn of Valere in Book 2.

The Dark One wanted Rand to capture the Stone of Tear in Book 3.

He REALLY wanted Rand to be named He Who Comes With The Dawn, capture Asmodean and acquire the Choedan Kal in Book 4.

He had planned for Rand to kill Rahvin in Book 5.

The Dark One absolutely wanted the Light to acquire the Bowl of Winds, Heal the weather and kill Sammael in Books 7 and 8.

And oh yes, most of all, the Dark One was delighted when Rand cleansed saidin in Book 9.

Let's see, where are we now? I guess the Dark One wanted nothing to happen in Book 10, because that's indeed what transpired, and according to some, everything happens in accordance with the Dark One's plans. So when he plans for nothing to happen, then voila, nothing happens for a whole book.

Now based on the above trend, it wasn't really surprising when a host of theorists jumped on the band wagon and immediately professed that the Dark One wanted Rand to kill Semirhage and Graendal in Book 11.

I'm no Nostradamus, but if all of the above is true, then I'm pretty sure he's really gonna want Rand to reseal him into his prison in Book 14 as well.

The fact is, RJ cannot write villains effectively. It is a glaring weakness of his series.