On a purely practical level, why would Shai'tan allow it? The True Power is not an impersonal power source like the True Source, it's Shai'tan essence. Even if you contend that his link with Moridin will allow him access, even Ishamael needed to beg Shai'tan's support, see their confrontation at the end of The Dragon Reborn.
In D&D terms, one is Wizard magic and the other is Cleric magic.
In D&D terms, one is Wizard magic and the other is Cleric magic.
Rand didn't just touch the TP in TGS as part of a lure by the DO. I'm sure it serves a greater purpose.
Actually, it served a lower purpose. It was an indication of how far Rand had fallen at the time. That part of the story was all about how dark Rand was becoming, and that Shai'tan was granting him direct access to the power of pure evil is indication enough of that.
As I said, something has to touch the DO. Unless you have a theory on what could be used to prevent the taint occurring again, I think the TP is a good alternative.
I don't know how they're going to fix the prison, but that doesn't make your suggestion any more feasible. The burden of proof is on your claim, and you haven't addressed either of the evident flaws I mentioned in the previous post.
That Rand would use the True Power in those scenes seems to contradict everything it's all about.
The subtext in the scene where he used it was that he had embraced evil and was in communion with Shai'tan himself. He bathed in his presence through him, its power, its ectasy. This was also the state of mind completely opposite to the one Rand experienced at his epiphany, which made him decide to go on and save the world. It was a dark, evil, nihilistic state of mind. Rand can't be in that state of mind and wish saving the world. Through several books, Rand's loss of feelings and humanity has been presented as his great weakness and a grave danger for the world. It's what Min, Cadsuane and co. all feared, going as far as saying a Dragon like that would be as bad as victory of the DO... It goes way back, the first sign of soemthing "wrong" with Rand and his emotions came from Asmodean, who told him it isn't normal that he felt no emotions once he's connected with saidin. That Rand would now need to embrace that evil state of mind at SG is in flagrant contradiction with many of the themes. He couldn't maintain that state and use his bonds to his women or his connection to Perrin Mat. It's a utterly evil, unhuman and nihilistic state of mind.
Another logical problem with the theory is that it manages more or less to explain that Rand can draw the TP from his connection to Moridin. That's all well and good, but it combines this with the fact Rand will use Callandor with two women. We don't even know if it's possible to form a circle using the TP (and personally I highly doubt it... the whole themes surrounding the Shadow is "every one for himself", but let's say it is for the sake of it. What we know, though, is that a channeler must be placed on the verge of embracing the source to enter a circle. With which two women Rand could possibly do this using the TP? Which two women near Rand could put themselves in the proper evil state of mind to embrace the True Power? Moiraine, Nynaeve, Egwene, Alivia, Cadsuane? LOL! Rand trying to explain to Nynaeve that in order to defeat evil they must agree to fully embrace it and be in communion with Shai'tan himself, and let his essence run through them would make for a rich scene, one that would end with Nynaeve (or Moiraine, Egwene, Cadsuane... take you pick) kicking the hell out of Rand. The whole thematic structure of this doesn't work and contradicts Rand's epiphany. Rand had to become one with Creation and with humanity, which began by fully embracing his feelings for his loved ones and friends. The TP is the opposite, a utter rejection of all that, cold as ice hatred and nihilism.
What's so special about Callandor?
06/03/2012 07:31:40 PM
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Honestly, I'm more curious about the "Dragon-only" barrier that surrounded it
06/03/2012 09:16:15 PM
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I also think the flaw might be deliberate
06/03/2012 09:56:02 PM
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Re: I also think the flaw might be deliberate
07/03/2012 04:11:21 AM
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RJ addressed this ... I had a similar thought several years back and this quote was floated my way
07/03/2012 04:18:01 AM
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Using the True Power to win Tarmon Gai'don goes against every moral in the series.
07/03/2012 07:00:02 AM
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actually self-sacrifice is one of the Dragon's principle virtues
07/03/2012 10:36:03 AM
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Re: actually self-sacrifice is one of the Dragon's principle virtues
07/03/2012 06:02:48 PM
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Re: actually self-sacrifice is one of the Dragon's principle virtues
07/03/2012 06:18:16 PM
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Re: actually self-sacrifice is one of the Dragon's principle virtues
07/03/2012 11:38:56 PM
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Re: actually self-sacrifice is one of the Dragon's principle virtues
10/03/2012 11:52:23 AM
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Re: actually self-sacrifice is one of the Dragon's principle virtues
10/03/2012 06:40:00 PM
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Have to agree with you on this
12/03/2012 01:17:06 AM
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Re: Have to agree with you on this
12/03/2012 02:36:13 PM
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Fain has become so much more than human. We have no real sense of the limits of his power
18/03/2012 11:21:54 PM
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Shai'tan is the opposite half of the Creator.
19/03/2012 01:44:31 AM
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I actually don't see it that way
19/03/2012 03:37:26 AM
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depends how you look at it
19/03/2012 10:41:28 AM
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Re: depends how you look at it
19/03/2012 01:07:21 PM
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The DO did not not destroy Mashadar alone
19/03/2012 11:42:21 PM
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That's not correct.
20/03/2012 01:55:05 AM
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Saidin and the True Power both touched Mashadar
20/03/2012 01:11:17 PM
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RJ Quote:
19/03/2012 06:52:12 PM
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Exactly
19/03/2012 08:54:22 PM
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Personally I view it more as Creation v. Destruction
19/03/2012 11:48:20 PM
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Re: Personally I view it more as Creation v. Destruction
20/03/2012 01:06:20 PM
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My point with imagination is simply that destruction only does 1 thing
20/03/2012 01:14:55 PM
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Re: Personally I view it more as Creation v. Destruction
20/03/2012 04:35:17 PM
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Re: Personally I view it more as Creation v. Destruction
20/03/2012 04:59:13 PM
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Re: Personally I view it more as Creation v. Destruction
20/03/2012 08:57:35 PM
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Re: actually self-sacrifice is one of the Dragon's principle virtues
14/03/2012 12:15:36 PM
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I totally agree with you on both issues Ben
07/03/2012 11:44:42 PM
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No, I don't agree
10/03/2012 12:11:37 PM
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That makes no sense...
10/03/2012 09:21:19 PM
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Re: That makes no sense...
11/03/2012 12:25:53 AM
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Name an existing well that has that much power, though.
11/03/2012 01:11:40 AM
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He makes a good point though.
11/03/2012 05:49:59 AM
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Yes, but...
11/03/2012 06:17:25 AM
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Re: Yes, but...
11/03/2012 06:47:43 PM
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How the Three can become One using the True Power...mindtraps of Moggy and Cyndane...
12/03/2012 06:04:22 PM
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Whether it happens or not, it might explain the choice of mind trap victims
13/03/2012 06:43:45 AM
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Re: Whether it happens or not, it might explain the choice of mind trap victims
13/03/2012 05:19:21 PM
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