Hi everyone,

So here are my 2 cents concerning the use Callandor in the LB. It is in part a theory and in part a series of hypotheses. I could not get to final conclusions. There are just too many options the way RJ set everything up. Nevertheless, what I propose would link several quotes regarding Callandor as well as a teaser from BS regarding ‘great foreshadowing in TDR chapter 27’. There was just a post by Fionwe1987 on ‘the three must be one’ issue but i try to be more general.

My main idea hinges on the proposal that a key quote refers to Callandor without explicitly mentioning it by name:
Min is researching the purpose of Callandor. Therefore, I think that the quote on page 504 hardcover of ToM also refers to that topic: “Light is held before the maw of the infinitive void and all that he is can be seized.” I propose that ‘light’ refers to Callandor, ‘infinite void’ is the bore and ‘all that he is’ refers to the TP (and hence the DO). Rand will use Callandor at SG and pull all the TP out of the world. Callandor is particularly suitable for this task: it magnifies the taint. The AS see this as a flaw but it was designed with that property in the AoL, so there must have been a purpose. I consider it unlikely that the purpose is to give control to a woman. I interpret ‘magnifies the taint’ as Callandor attracting the TP, which will allow Rand to suck the TP out of the world. To do what? Either to direct it into the void before sealing the bore or to thrust the sword into Mordeth. The second would be quite similar to the cleansing of saidin. In any case all TP must be removed from the earth before sealing the bore. Only then will there be a future age without knowledge about the DO.

'He shall hold a sword of light, and the three must be one':

First, I would like to point out that the way the sentence is phrased there need not be any important connection between the two half sentences. It could be a list of facts (like “Rand will hold Callandor, and Mat will play dice with a serving maid”. In 2012 it will rain a lot, and in 2013 it will be very hot). Therefore, the sentence could mean a lot of things. I don’t see how ‘the three shall be one’ could refer to Rand in a circle with 2 women. Unless ‘the three shall be one’ paraphrases the circle. I offer three alternatives. There was very recently another hypothesis, namely that the sentence refers to Rand’s three ladies. My three options are: Saidin, saidar and true power? Or Rand, Moridin and Mordeth? Or Rand, Mat and Perrin?
Saidin, saidar and TP: independently of whether ‘the three must be one’ refers to the three powers, there is the issue of how to seal the bore and hence touching the DO while avoiding his counterstroke. In this context I propose the solution to BS’ teaser that there is great foreshadowing in TDR chapter 27. I propose it is the following quote from page 315 paperback: (Egwene) “the only way to help him is to gentle him” she muttered. “As well go ahead and kill him”. Her stomach twisted and knotted. “I’ll never do that. Never!”. Egwene will gentle Rand. Rand will then wield the true power. I think that this is possible. I think it applies to Moridin or at least before to Ishamael (has it ever been asked whether Rand gentled Ishamael early in the series?). Rand’s comment in ToM about the guardian of Far Madding also hints in this direction (it blocks the one power only; which implies that the TP could be channelled, which implies that different rules govern its use). The advantage of a gentled Rand touching the TP would be that there cannot be a counterstroke. RJ has pointed out that if the women had joined LTT during the AoL then saidar would also have been tainted. One cannot touch the TP without that risk. A severed Rand does not face that problem. The main fight for him will be with Moridin over the access/control over the TP. Because they will apparently fuse at some point it has been so important that Rand had his epiphany: it will be a fight of will over values: love and passion against nihilism. That would fit Verin’s comment that TG will be quite different from what Rand expects. It would also explain why the dark Rand would have been a disaster for the world: he would have gained control over Moridin but then would have worked FOR the DO.
I wonder whether a circle of three channelers TP-saidin-saidar would be possible with Rand leading. Maybe with Nynaeve and Narishma (to ‘follow after’; which still seems to be rather unclear in its meaning). The advantages would be: Rand leads rather than a woman (he was always so worried about being trapped) and all three major powers are involved. I have no idea why a circle would be better than just Rand. But because one topic of the series has been that the greatest achievements were made by collaboration between men and women... As far as I understood channellers are protected if they are just members of a circle rather than guiding the flow. In which case the TP cannot corrupt saidin/saidar if a gentled Rand leads the circle. Also, this way MAYBE the Jendai Prophecy that says 'and the Blade will bind him by twain' will be fulfilled: in the sense that it is HIM (the DO) bound by saidin and saidar through rand as buffer.

Rand, Moridin and Mordeth: I always found it irritating that the power of shadar logoth is the opposite of the TP. Somehow I would have preferred if the TP was opposite to Saidin/Saidar. But also the increase in Mordeth’s powers seems to mirror the increasing influence of the DO (=increased presence of TP in the world). Mordeth definitely has a major role to play in the end. Either against SH or against Rand in control over the TP. Nevertheless, as Min’s viewing was about Rand fusing with one other person rather than with two other persons I would consider it very unlikely that ‘the three must be one’ refers to Rand, Moridin and Mordeth.

Rand, Mat and Perrin: In favour of this interpretation of “the three must be one” I note that their minds fuse more and more as indicated by their visions of each other. It would make sense if the three taveren should act properly together at some point rather than independently. It is not very obvious to me what their complementary roles would be. Rand is clear, and I can see why Mat is helpful (bending chance, dicing with the dark one). Perrin, however, is less clear. He is pictured as the builder (and maybe the one who will find the song) but Rand seems to be in a very similar mind set after his epiphany. I can also see why Mat could easily be physically present with his foxhead medaillon (though we don’t know whether it protects against the TP as well) while Perrin should be blasted away by any channeller. One possibility is that the LB will take place in the world of dreams. And then Perrin would be the master. The general idea has been proposed many times, I just want to add one argument in favour of important parts happening in the world of dreams: the dead wolves like Hopper celebrated the approach of the last battle. But the dead wolves could only participate IF some fighting will happen in the world of dreams.

So after all this speculation I would like to return to one main proposal, namely that a severed Rand will battle with Moridin over access to the TP, using Callandor to magnify its use. Rand will win but then faces the seduction of the TP. He will need all the moral support to get this job done: the other two taveren and the bond to his three ladies. Very unclear what the bond with Alanna would do. In any case, the vision/interpretation of Min that Callandor will weaken Rand would not be surprising in my scenario: it is the risk he has to take in order to remove (‘seize’) the TP from the world. A final mystery is the statement by Min on page 746 ToM (hard cover): ‘Callandor, held in a fist. The hand looks to be made of Onyx.’ Any ideas to whom that hand might belong and whether that fits or speaks against my theory?