Body Swap

“If you would live, you must die.” –KoD,Ch. 18

The Aelfinn tell Rand that in order to win the last battle and survive, he must die. Further, the Karaethon cycle states:

“Twice and twice shall he be marked,
twice to live and twice to die.” tGH, Ch. 26

This indicates that Rand will live twice, meaning he’ll live again after his death. This presents the possibility that despite all of the prophecies and foreshadowing that Rand has to die at the last battle he will somehow be able to survive. But how?

With an ever-strengthening connection to Moridin, the theory that the two will somehow swap bodies has become ever more popular. The reasons for the likelihood of this happening have been well explained elsewhere, so instead I will discuss how the actual body swap will occur – with a twist.

Many theorize that Rand and Moridin will swap bodies, then Rand or Alivia will kill Moridin (who is now in Rand’s body). I, however, believe that Rand will allow himself to be killed, but then through their connection he and Moridin will fight a battle of wills for control of Moridin’s body while Rand’s body is left an empty shell. This is indicated by Egwene’s dream:

“Logain, laughing, stepped across something on the ground and mounted a black stone; when she looked down, she thought it was Rand’s body he had stepped over, laid out on a funeral bier with his hands crossed at his breast, but when she touched his face, it broke apart like a paper puppet.” ACoS Ch10

The image of Rand’s face breaking like a paper puppet indicates that his body has become an empty shell and that it is no longer really him. Further, we have Min’s viewing:

“I saw you and another man. I couldn't make out either face, but I knew one was you. You touched, and seemed to merge into one another, and....one of you dies, and one doesn't.” ACoS, Ch. 33

This very nicely parallels the section of the Dark Prophecy in tGH about Slayer:

“One did live, and one did die, but both are.” tGH, Ch. 7

This indicates that Rand and Moridin will merge like Luc and Isam, and that one will live on in the body and the other will die, driven out.

Finally, there are many dreams and viewings of Rand from all different parts of the series that, when taken together, paint quite a picture:

“Three women standing over a funeral bier with you on it, black rock wet with blood…” tEotW, Ch. 15 (Min's viewing)

"The lion sword, the dedicated spear, she who sees beyond. Three on the boat, and he who is dead yet lives. The great battle done, but the world not done with battle. The land divided by the return, and the guardians balance the servants. The future teeters on the edge of a blade." LoC Ch. 14 (Nicola’s foretelling)

"Melaine and Bair dreamed of you on a boat with three women whose faces they could not see, and a scale tilting first one way then the other.” LoC, Ch.19

“A man lay dying in a narrow bed, and it was important that he not die, yet outside a funeral pyre was being built, and voices raised songs of joy and sadness.” ACoS, Ch. 10 (Egwene's dream)

As Rand and Moridin battle internally for Moridin’s body (which itself will be on the brink of death due to the internal struggle), Rand’s old body will be placed on a funeral pyre. The tilting scale seen by the Dreamwalkers represents this internal battle for Moridin's body, as does Nicola's foretelling that the future teeters on the edge of a blade - if Moridin's soul manages to hold onto the body instead of Rand, he could still unleash chaos on the world, but if Rand wins the Light will be able to hold on. For all purposes, the world will believe him dead, but he will live out his days in the body of his former nemesis.

Quote of the day:

"The Light shine on you, and the Creator shelter you. The last embrace of the mother welcome you home."

-Shienaran burial ceremony