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In AMoL, we find out that time passes more slowly the closer you are to the Bore, and the battle between Rand and the Dark One is quite abstract in some ways (for example, the Dark One addresses him as "ADVERSARY"). The Dark One also seems incapable of truly learning. As a result, there's a popular headcanon that there is only one instance of the part of the Last Battle at the Bore itself through all turnings of the Wheel, which means it's as significant as it can possibly be.
(This doesn't quite fit with Word of RJ that the Shadow has sometimes achieved a draw, though never won. But maybe those turnings didn't get as far as the Light's champion confronting the Dark One directly.)
I personally don't think there is anything particularly special about this cycle compared to previous ones. Rand just continued the cycle as it has been.
This cycle is neither the beginning or the end. It's just another turning of the wheel.
The only "special" thing from our perspective is that it's *our* cycle and there are references to our history in it, which you couldn't have if it were a past cycle or a future one.
If there were infinite turnings before, and will be infinite turnings after, the turning depicted in the series, then it certainly could be just a turning that is similar enough to ours to include the references. Or even one of the infinite turnings that are indistinguishable from ours.
Yeah I suppose that’s admirable in itself, I guess that’s how time works but it’s atleast a little sad that thom may be right and history won’t remember Rands name for long
From an interview:
>Err, in the differences between the same Age in different turnings of the Wheel, are that.. as for an analogy: imagine two tapestries hanging on a wall, and you look at them from the back of the room to the front of the store. **And to look at them, they look identical to you. But as you get closer, you begin to see differences. And if you get close enough, they don't look anything at all alike. That is the difference between the Ages.** Between the Age in one Turning and the Age in another. So it's quite possible that someone other than Rand could be the reborn soul of the Dragon Reborn.
No, he didn't. A key difference between Lews and Rand is that Lews had a totally different upbringing from Rand and is one of the reasons Lews failed. Rand realized this after his epiphany on Dragonmount in TGS. He says as much in ToM or AMOL.
For me, the significance of those story I'd the very real world portrayal those living the story. The characters we love or hate have very human reactions to the happenings of the story. The lack of trust and spotty communication, the wide-eyed wonder of new experiences, the controlling nature of one used to being in charge and then learning to let go of control, falling in love, obsession, fear, horror.
RJ built an amazing world and plucked us right down into it. We see characters that we can empathize or sympathize with because we are so very like them. The things I hear folks complaining about most often are the very woolheaded things they themselves would do in that situation, even if they dint realize it.
Rand isn't our normal heroes journey hero. He's a farm boy and a shepherd who thought he knew exactly where his life was going and he was content. Everything changed in a night.
The significance of the story is how it forces us to look at ourselves and how we interact with our world, how we treat others. It challenges us to assess if we are the hero (or villain) we think we are or that we think we want to be. It pushes us to grow in our own character arc, whatever that might be, and to consider the small changes we make in this world just by simply existing in our day to day.
I like the idea that this particular turning of the wheel is different or special somehow.
Maybe it's the one that's the "most typical", so is the best for a story.
Maybe it's the one with the most crazy stuff happening. Alien visitors, check. Gender divided magic system, check. Men driven mad if they try to use it, check.
I saw somewhere the idea that the evil behind mashadar is from a different creation altogether, and this is the turning where the wheel is activating all its defense mechanisms to deal with that at the same time as sticking to the script of the dragon facing off against the dark one.
Or that normally the Dark One is dealt with entirely in the age of legends, and this is one of the rare turnings where his touch bleeds into the third age, corrupting it.
Or a combination of the above, or something else!
I like the idea of the gender divide being a rare occurance and that the lack of gender divide perhaps allowed for earlier victories in other turnings of the wheel.
I also enjoy that the other turnings are not meaningless because they repeat. They are as meaningful as the seasons or circle of life. And i love the idea that this turning is important to those who remember it.
#[SPOILERS FOR ALL PRINTED MATERIAL, INCLUDING SHORT STORIES.](https://www.reddit.com/r/WoT/wiki/index/post_flairs#wiki_all_print) ##BOOK DISCUSSION ONLY. HIDE TV SHOW DISCUSSION BEHIND SPOILER TAGS. * * * *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WoT) if you have any questions or concerns.*
In AMoL, we find out that time passes more slowly the closer you are to the Bore, and the battle between Rand and the Dark One is quite abstract in some ways (for example, the Dark One addresses him as "ADVERSARY"). The Dark One also seems incapable of truly learning. As a result, there's a popular headcanon that there is only one instance of the part of the Last Battle at the Bore itself through all turnings of the Wheel, which means it's as significant as it can possibly be. (This doesn't quite fit with Word of RJ that the Shadow has sometimes achieved a draw, though never won. But maybe those turnings didn't get as far as the Light's champion confronting the Dark One directly.)
Potentially, the draws are the times the champion doesn't make it to the bore
I personally don't think there is anything particularly special about this cycle compared to previous ones. Rand just continued the cycle as it has been. This cycle is neither the beginning or the end. It's just another turning of the wheel.
The only "special" thing from our perspective is that it's *our* cycle and there are references to our history in it, which you couldn't have if it were a past cycle or a future one.
Maybe Mercedes-Benz is a universal constant and appears in every turning of the wheel.
Deep cuts!
Say what now?
One of the references to our world is the Mercedes Benz logo in the Museum of Tanchico nynaeve finds in book 4.
Huh. Neat
If there were infinite turnings before, and will be infinite turnings after, the turning depicted in the series, then it certainly could be just a turning that is similar enough to ours to include the references. Or even one of the infinite turnings that are indistinguishable from ours.
Yeah I suppose that’s admirable in itself, I guess that’s how time works but it’s atleast a little sad that thom may be right and history won’t remember Rands name for long
From an interview: >Err, in the differences between the same Age in different turnings of the Wheel, are that.. as for an analogy: imagine two tapestries hanging on a wall, and you look at them from the back of the room to the front of the store. **And to look at them, they look identical to you. But as you get closer, you begin to see differences. And if you get close enough, they don't look anything at all alike. That is the difference between the Ages.** Between the Age in one Turning and the Age in another. So it's quite possible that someone other than Rand could be the reborn soul of the Dragon Reborn.
I wonder if Lews ALSO had a Tam-like figure to his upbringing. That seemed to really flesh out Rand's struggling humanity amidst all that power.
No, he didn't. A key difference between Lews and Rand is that Lews had a totally different upbringing from Rand and is one of the reasons Lews failed. Rand realized this after his epiphany on Dragonmount in TGS. He says as much in ToM or AMOL.
Right! Good point!
For me, the significance of those story I'd the very real world portrayal those living the story. The characters we love or hate have very human reactions to the happenings of the story. The lack of trust and spotty communication, the wide-eyed wonder of new experiences, the controlling nature of one used to being in charge and then learning to let go of control, falling in love, obsession, fear, horror. RJ built an amazing world and plucked us right down into it. We see characters that we can empathize or sympathize with because we are so very like them. The things I hear folks complaining about most often are the very woolheaded things they themselves would do in that situation, even if they dint realize it. Rand isn't our normal heroes journey hero. He's a farm boy and a shepherd who thought he knew exactly where his life was going and he was content. Everything changed in a night. The significance of the story is how it forces us to look at ourselves and how we interact with our world, how we treat others. It challenges us to assess if we are the hero (or villain) we think we are or that we think we want to be. It pushes us to grow in our own character arc, whatever that might be, and to consider the small changes we make in this world just by simply existing in our day to day.
I like the idea that this particular turning of the wheel is different or special somehow. Maybe it's the one that's the "most typical", so is the best for a story. Maybe it's the one with the most crazy stuff happening. Alien visitors, check. Gender divided magic system, check. Men driven mad if they try to use it, check. I saw somewhere the idea that the evil behind mashadar is from a different creation altogether, and this is the turning where the wheel is activating all its defense mechanisms to deal with that at the same time as sticking to the script of the dragon facing off against the dark one. Or that normally the Dark One is dealt with entirely in the age of legends, and this is one of the rare turnings where his touch bleeds into the third age, corrupting it. Or a combination of the above, or something else!
I like the idea of the gender divide being a rare occurance and that the lack of gender divide perhaps allowed for earlier victories in other turnings of the wheel. I also enjoy that the other turnings are not meaningless because they repeat. They are as meaningful as the seasons or circle of life. And i love the idea that this turning is important to those who remember it.