One of the biggest twists in the Gathering Storm is when, in Ch. 22 “The Last That Could Be Done” Rand channels the Dark One’s True Power. Aside from possibly being the most terrifying and gripping chapter in the entire series, this resolution to the situation was completely unexpected. It has also sparked a lot of debate among fans as to exactly how Rand was able to do this. Many believe that Rand was allowed to channel the TP by the Dark One as part of some plot, which could be somewhat true, but they also think that he was simply able to channel it on his own. However, there is textual evidence that definitively points to Rand’s channeling of the TP being directly related to his connection with Moridin. This is what happens when Rand very first detects and reaches towards the new source of power in his desperation:
“A clouded face flashed before Rand’s own, one whose features he couldn’t quite make out. It was gone in a moment.” – tGS, Ch. 22, p.354
Sound familiar? Throughout the past few books Rand has had a man’s face appear in his mind, the man who helped him at Shadar Logoth, and earlier in tGS (Ch. 15) it is confirmed that this is Moridin. In addition, we know from meetings of the Forsaken that Moridin is the only person who is being allowed to wield the TP by the DO. This conclusively points to Rand’s channeling of the TP being directly tied to his connection with Moridin.
However, this still leaves the issue of whether or not this event was part of a plot by the Dark One. I personally like to think not. Semirhage was given the Domination Band (the male a’dam) as the result of the intervention of Shaidar Haran. All this time, going back to the first book, the DO’s main goal has been to have Rand playing on his side and the Domination Band would do just that. Allowing him to escape (albeit by corrupting and mentally scarring him) doesn’t seem to make sense when Rand was already completely helpless in their hands – Rand even thinks to himself that they’ve won and pictures the horrific consequences that would be wreaked by his hands as a tool of the DO. It seems to me strange then, that the DO would provide him the means of escape willingly when he had him so perfectly trapped.
On the other hand, to play devil’s advocate (or in this case, Dark One’s advocate), it could be part of a very intricate plot by the DO. His purpose would be the same – to control Rand and have him working for the dark. The DO could have intended for Semirhage to fail all along (and thus be killed as punishment for her prior failure in KoD) by allowing Rand access to the TP and forcing him to use it by putting him in an impossible predicament. This would mean he was counting on Rand’s encounter with the TP to corrupt him in the way it started to in the book, and just maybe was hoping to push him towards the scene in tGS ch. 50, “Veins of Gold” where Rand very seriously considers destroying the entire Pattern for all time, stopping the turning of the Wheel, the DO’s deepest desire. If this is the case it was some extremely prescient thinking on the part of the Dark One. I question if this precise prediction of Rand’s actions would be possible from a being so cut off from the world and of whom Demandred even thinks in the prologue of LoC,
“He was never sure how much the Great Lord knew of the world. He had been as startled by ignorance as by knowledge.”
However, Occam’s razor would suggest it would have been much simpler for the Domination Band to simply be used to force Rand to fulfill the DO’s whims. The only support I can see for the “Dark One planned it” theory would be that you need two women to control the Domination Band and, while the DO has several female Forsaken at his disposal, perhaps none of them would be able to be talked into destroying the entire Pattern – a world that they would much rather rule than destroy.
This brings me to my final point – what will all of this mean for Tarmon Gai’don? Whether the DO has intentionally or unintentionally allowed Rand access to the True Power, he may have just handed Rand the key to sealing the Bore. Earlier in the very same chapter (Ch. 22 tGS) Rand remembers through Lews Therin how the Bore was sealed in the Age of Legends:
“We used saidin, but we touched it to the Dark One. It was the only way! Something has to touch him, something to close the gap, but he was able to taint it. The seal was weak!”
Could Rand use the Dark One’s own True Power against him by using it to seal the Bore instead of saidin? It seems a tempting theory, and could tie in with various merging/body swap theories about the Moridin link. This kind of resolution to the series would also have some very pretty figurative meaning as Rand would use the Dark One’s own evil power against him, causing evil to destroy itself. Though perhaps it’s too obvious since it’s mentioned right there in the same chapter... or maybe I’m just getting too suspicious from reading so much WoT.
Quote of the Day:
“Till shade is gone, till water is gone,
into the Shadow with teeth bared,
screaming defiance with the last breath,
to spit in Sightblinder’s eye on the Last Day."
-Aiel saying
