As I remember, a dragon killed him. Never underestimate the ancients (or early mediaevals) when tragedy is on the line. 
Regarding Lovecraft, well, I always put him in the "horror" subgenre, which means you don't expect good to win a lot. Perhaps that's part of why I like reading him. You don't know how it's going to end.
Regarding WoT, I don't see the Shadow as poised to win. Everything that they've done seems to fail. Aginor and Balthamel were killed by a tree in Book 1 and the Trolloc army was routed. In Book 2 we have Rand's big victory at Falme in the clouds. In Book 3 two Forsaken were offed and the Stone of Tear fell to the Aiel. In Book 4 Rand took charge of the Aiel. In Book 5 he wasted Rahvin. It was prophecy fulfillment after prophecy fulfillment, with good consistently winning. Book 6 is my favourite because Rand WASN'T in control. The Shadow actually seemed to have a strategy for the first time in the whole series. I'm not sure how effective it is, but it's there.
However, we haven't seen that bone-chilling moment when good realises that it was duped. I'm reminded of the second book of Mistborn - I won't say more if you haven't read it but I highly doubt that. You sit there and realise that things that seemed hard were just staged to seem hard...that some incredible force has been TOYING with people all along.
We haven't had anything remotely like that in Wheel of Time. It's all been a bit two-dimensional, really. Of course, that could change now. I'm hoping it will. A great cliffhanger at the end of Towers of Midnight would make people start to wonder if evil really will win (because good is dumb).
Regarding Lovecraft, well, I always put him in the "horror" subgenre, which means you don't expect good to win a lot. Perhaps that's part of why I like reading him. You don't know how it's going to end.
Regarding WoT, I don't see the Shadow as poised to win. Everything that they've done seems to fail. Aginor and Balthamel were killed by a tree in Book 1 and the Trolloc army was routed. In Book 2 we have Rand's big victory at Falme in the clouds. In Book 3 two Forsaken were offed and the Stone of Tear fell to the Aiel. In Book 4 Rand took charge of the Aiel. In Book 5 he wasted Rahvin. It was prophecy fulfillment after prophecy fulfillment, with good consistently winning. Book 6 is my favourite because Rand WASN'T in control. The Shadow actually seemed to have a strategy for the first time in the whole series. I'm not sure how effective it is, but it's there.
However, we haven't seen that bone-chilling moment when good realises that it was duped. I'm reminded of the second book of Mistborn - I won't say more if you haven't read it but I highly doubt that. You sit there and realise that things that seemed hard were just staged to seem hard...that some incredible force has been TOYING with people all along.
We haven't had anything remotely like that in Wheel of Time. It's all been a bit two-dimensional, really. Of course, that could change now. I'm hoping it will. A great cliffhanger at the end of Towers of Midnight would make people start to wonder if evil really will win (because good is dumb).
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
Shadow win?
- 01/12/2009 04:20:36 PM
979 Views
The Shadow kind of has a big trump card
- 01/12/2009 04:30:38 PM
746 Views
If the Dark One wins, and destroys the Pattern, becomes the Creator and the Creator becomes the DO
- 01/12/2009 06:36:47 PM
536 Views
I used to hope for that, but the DO quotes and his choice of followers make it hard to like him. *NM*
- 01/12/2009 07:21:01 PM
233 Views
Fact is, people don't enjoy reading about doom and gloom.
- 01/12/2009 04:33:35 PM
794 Views
Yes they do. They're called the Malazaniacs ... They love emo to the max ...
- 02/12/2009 06:57:42 AM
554 Views
The DO is the real threat
- 01/12/2009 04:46:32 PM
619 Views
This is why fanfiction of soap operas and comics can be more entertaining than the real thing.
- 01/12/2009 06:09:17 PM
620 Views
Only if the DO isn't quite what we think he/it is.
- 01/12/2009 07:19:44 PM
648 Views
No, there is no sense that the Shadow can or will win.
- 01/12/2009 09:23:47 PM
550 Views
And RPA Reiterates Part of My Response.
- 02/12/2009 12:10:40 AM
659 Views
Beowulf did end badly, though
- 02/12/2009 05:40:52 AM
742 Views
With the Deck So Heavily Stacked in the DO's Favor, the Rest Just Makes Things Competitive.
- 02/12/2009 12:24:18 AM
646 Views
I always had the sense that the DO's minions are really just meant to be distractions
- 02/12/2009 06:30:27 AM
559 Views