I think my theory fits her development better, for several reasons:

1. It's not what we expect.

2. Alivia wants to kill Seanchan. This will be her last opportunity, as the truce will happen soon after.

3. Alivia is the girl with the toys. They always give them to her because she is the strongest of the women, and also because she is the most skilled in battle. It's a reference to her love for children's games, as well (just the toys bit).

4. It's the only way to make the Mat-Judas parallel work. Since the other parts of the Judas parallel are already set up (hanging, price, kiss), it makes sense to think that it will play out.


Gawyn has always been crucial. He was introduced in book 1, and there was even a bit of foreshadowing in the fight against Mat at the Tower. Rand is expecting to be killed by someone like Moridin or Fain, someone with great nasty powers, but in the end he'll be killed by someone who is supposed to be on his side.

Elaida Foretold that pain and division would come to the whole world, and with a slightly alternative reading of her words, we get that Caemlyn will be at the heart of it. With another Foretelling, we get that the royal line of Andor is important, which could refer to all of them: Rand, Elayne, Gawyn, and Luc too. Also, there are two prophecies about the boat: Nicola's Foretelling and the Wise Ones' dream. Min saw the same scene with a funeral bier, so perhaps the Sea Folk will have something to do with that. Their women will go out on a boat to give birth even if only a rowboat is available, and they also must give the dead to the water. I figure it might be a parallel to Doubting Thomas...the Aes Sedai will need to see his body to know how dire the situation is. That's just a guess, though. Also, the paper puppet might refer to the fact that Rand won't be coming back in that body. When he gets ripped out, he'll have a new body.


Most of them say that he is buried, and some say he will come back from the dead to lead his armies against the enemies (kinda like the Heroes, you know...both Arthur parallels, Rand and Hawkwing, are Heroes). Others say he occasionally shows up in the forests with his hunting dogs.


Doesn't fit the Aelfinn prophecy. They say he has to die, not that he will fake his death. Also, Min says that Alivia will help him die, not that she will help him fake his death.