Which means nothing for the immediate crisis of the Last Battle. And in addition, this argument relies on a fallacious assumption - that without the Tower, female channelers would not have a place to build and share their knowledge. In fact, by seizing a monopoly and rigorously enforcing that monopoly over female channeling, they have allowed the art to stagnate and their skills to wither. That is why most of the advance in channeling in the serieshave come from outside the Tower or from non-traditional/rebellious Tower personnel. The few things that standard Aes Sedai have managed (such as the male-detecting weave demonstrated in KoD) have come about in response to competition from other channeling influences. The Tower's existence then could be said to have done the opposite. Everyone got along fine with the Black Tower while the Tower was too busy to fuss over it. Now that their attention can be turned to the outside world, we have the first real occasion of trouble arising.

BUT, how useful IS that leadership anymore? The Borderlanders are seeking their own rapproachment with the Dragon Reborn, and he or his sworn vassals or close friends rule everything outside of Seanchan. That leadership is more or less irrelevant.

Part of the problem. The world needs to fall into line behind a male channeler now, and that respect that female channelers have come to assume is their due has interfered with their cooperation with Rand. Here's something to think about - without the Tower coming back together, or if it collapsed into a disastrous round of bloody internecine war, there would be a leadership vaccuum for that neutral 1/3 of the Tower, with Rand in the best position to fill it, through the powerful or respected Aes Sedai already aligned with him.

I remain unconvinced that this is a given, but even if we stipulate it, it is hardly an urgent matter that needs to be resolved before making any contribution to Rand or the cause of the Light.

Without the Tower's aid or interference, I might add.



I just don't see why the Tower issue has to be elevated to some crucial piece, rather than a sidebar like the others. It is treated like the number two story, second only to Rand's mission.