Rand al'Thor

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“He is born again! I feel him! The Dragon takes his first breath on the slopes of Dragonmount! He is coming! He is coming! Light help us! Light help the world! He lies in the snow and cries like the thunder! He burns like the sun!” — Gitara Moroso, Keeper of the Chronicles, Foretelling Rand's birth

EWoT: Rand al'Thor

Rand al'Thor
Race	[[]] [[Category:{{{race}}}]]s
Nationality	[[]]
Occupation	[[]] [[Category:{{{occupation}}}s]]
Rank	[[]]
Title	Dragon Reborn
Affiliation	[[]]
Gender	Male
Born	978 NE
Current Status	Alive
Died in
Height
Weight
Build
Hair	Red
Eyes	Gray
First Mentioned
First Appeared	TEOTW 1

Rand al'Thor is the Dragon Reborn, the prophesied savior of the world, who will save it from the Dark One. To the Aiel he is the Car'a'carn, or He Who Comes with the Dawn. To the Atha'an Miere he is the Coramoor. Other names include Shadowkiller, Lord of the Morning, Prince of the Dawn, and True Defender of the Light.

As the books have progressed, Rand has become less involved in the narrative while remaining the central character. In The Dragon Reborn, the story was in fact told almost exclusively from the points-of-view of Mat Cauthon, Perrin Aybara and Egwene al'Vere, despite all three parties eventually following Rand to Tear to be present when he pulls the sword Callandor from the Heart of the Stone, proclaiming himself the Dragon Reborn. Subsequent books have also followed the adventures of other characters, though Rand continues to have a perspective. The narrative has been said to be as much about the changing of the Ages as about any one man, no matter how great^[verify].

Rand al'Thor is potentially the most powerful channeler ever to be born, due to the fact that he is the Dragon Reborn. He has shown without much training that he could hold Egwene and Elayne captive in shields while weaving over a dozen other flows, without breathing hard. It is also hinted that he is particularly strong in both Fire and Spirit, because he can force his dreams on others, which requires strength in Spirit, and can weave things about Fire without effort.

Contents 1 Prophecy 2 Rebirth 3 From the Two Rivers 4 The Dragon Reborn 5 To Rhuidean 6 The Lord Dragon 7 The Crown of Swords and The Seanchan 8 Winter's Heart 9 The Taint and the Forsaken 10 Madness 11 Recent events 12 Viewings 13 References and similarities 13.1 To Tiwaz, Tyr, Zeus, and Jupiter 13.2 To Wiccan archetypes 13.3 To Paul Atreides 13.4 To Jesus 13.5 To King Arthur 14 Notes

[edit] Prophecy

Rand is special in that he is the only known soul to be woven out by the Wheel of Time for a specific rebirth. Although there are other known cases of rebirth, such as Birgitte Silverbow and Gaidal Cain, only Rand al'Thor's rebirth has been predicted. Most think of his soul as being Lews Therin Telamon, a male Aes Sedai from the Age of Legends who gained prominence in the Hall of Servants as the Dragon, the leader of the Forces of Light against the Shadow during the War of Power.

In TEOTW Prologue, Ishamael claims that he and Lews Therin have battled each other countless times since the dawn of mankind, suggesting that the Dragon is a prominent figure every time the War of Power occurs. But Rand hears Lews Therin's voice in his head, something that Lews Therin himself may not have experienced during his tenure as the Dragon. It is possible that Lews Therin and Rand are more strongly connected than were any previous forms of the Dragon.

[edit] Rebirth

Rand was born on the last day of the Blood Snow, 978 NE, during the famous battle at the end of the Aiel War, on the slopes of Dragonmount as prophesized. Gitara Moroso died Foretelling his birth, apparently due to the sheer force of the prophecy. His mother was Tigraine Mantear^[1], the former Daughter-Heir of Andor who had fled to the Aiel Waste to become a Maiden of the Spear. She had been convinced to flee by none other than Gitara herself, who said the world would be doomed if she did not. Tigraine, who renamed herself Shaiel, also died moments after giving birth. Rand's father was Janduin, the youngest clan chief in memory, who led the Shaarad, Reyn, Nakai and Taardad clans to kill King Laman of Cairhien for his sin. When Janduin heard Shaiel had died, he relinquished his leadership and went off to the Great Blight to fight Trollocs, where he was apparently killed by a man with Tigraine's face, believed to be her brother Luc. Rand was found and named by Tam al'Thor, a man who had joined the Illianer army seeking adventure, and fought at the Battle of the Blood Snow. He and his new wife, Kari al'Thor, took the baby back with them to Tam's home village, Emond's Field.

[edit] From the Two Rivers

On Winternight, 998 NE, Trollocs attacked Emond's Field. Rand, Perrin, Mat, Egwene and Thom Merrilin were led out of Emond's Field by Moiraine Sedai and her Warder, Lan Mandragoran, Nynaeve al'Meara following on her own shortly thereafter ostensibly to "bring the children home." (Thom was not a resident of the village, but a gleeman who happened to be in Emond's Field just then.) It is during this journey that hints are given that Rand can channel like when he gets goosebumps on his arms when Moiraine channels near him and when the group are healed from their fatigue but Bela is perfect as Rand unconciously already healed the horse. His first big use of Saidan is when the darkfriend Howal Gode tries to attack Rand and Mat. Rand blasts a hole in the wall, blinding Mat tempoaririly. He then suffers flu-like symptons after this heavy use of the True Source. Lan began teaching Rand the sword; Rand has since achieved a high enough level of skill to be known as a blademaster. Along with Loial, the Ogier, Moiraine led them to the Eye of the World in the Blight. Rand killed Aginor there, tapping into the Eye's pure saidin^[2]. He then defeated Ba'alzamon and was convinced he had killed the Dark One; he also helped out during the battle in Tarwin's Gap, helping the Shienarans win. They proceeded to Fal Dara, where he was told he was the Dragon Reborn, by Siuan Sanche, the amyrlin seat, which he did not believe. He was also told his true heratige.After the Horn of Valere was stolen, Rand, Mat, Perrin, and Loial accompanied Ingtar Shinowa and the Shienarians to reclaim it^[3]. During this journey, his palms were branded with two herons^[4], two of the marks of the Dragon Reborn. At Falme Rand and Ba'alzamon fought once again, this time in the sky. Meanwhile, down below, Mat blew the horn of Valere, summoning the heroes of old to fight against the seachan. This is where Rand reveals the Dragon Banner. During this battle, Rand received a wound in his side that has never healed^[5]. This battle proclaimed him as the Dragon Reborn, a fact Rand finally accepts^[6].

[edit] The Dragon Reborn

That winter, he camped with Moiraine, Perrin, Min Farshaw, and the Shienarians. Concerned for the safety of his friends upon learning that Ba'alzamon still hunted him, Rand journeyed to Tear alone^[7], deciding this quest would end or begin his life. In the Stone of Tear, he took the blade Callandor, fulfilling a major prophecy and confirming his identity as Dragon Reborn in the minds of many, including himself. During this battle, he finally killed Ba'alzamon (Ishamael)^[8]. It is after this that Egwene confronts Rand that she loves him only as a brother now. Rand is relieved as he feels the same even though they were betrothed to each other. This lets Elayne confess her feelings for Rand which Rand reciprocates and they kiss for the first time. The girls also work out that Rand can feel, via goosebumps on his arms, when a woman is touching Saidar.

[edit] To Rhuidean

Using the twisted redstone doorway in the Stone's cache of ter'angreals, Rand visits the Aelfinn and obtains answers to three questions regarding his future; perhaps due to the nature of his questions, he barely escapes alive^[9]. He then set out with Mat, Egwene and Moiraine, and a thousand-plus Aiel warriors, via a Portal Stone to the Aiel Waste^[10], seeking the endorsement of the Aiel as their Car'a'carn, literally a "chief of chiefs". He was allowed to enter Rhuidean, where he learned the true origins of the Aiel; that they were once a peaceful people, sworn to do no harm, and aid the Aes Sedai^[11]. When he emerged, he was declared as He Who Comes with the Dawn with a dragon on each arm^[12]. However, his revelation to the Aiel of their past has nearly destroyed them; the bleakness continues to drive many hardened Aiel soldiers to throw down their spears every day.

He later battled the Forsaken Asmodean in Rhuidean, successfully cutting his ties to the Dark One^[13]. There he found the male and female keys to the Cho'dan Kal Lanfear then shielded Asmodean so he could only channel a trickle, and forced the male Forsaken to teach him the use of saidin. This was a desperate choice, Rand knew that if anyone discovered he was learning from the Forsaken he might lose the fragile following he had achieved so far.

[edit] The Lord Dragon

Leading the Aiel out of the Three-Fold Land, he took Cairhien and Caemlyn, killing Rahvin^[14]. During this same time, Moiraine Sedai and Lanfear were both apparently killed when they fell through a ter'angreal^[15]. After taking Caemlyn, he announced an amnesty for all male channelers. This brought Mazrim Taim, a former false Dragon, into his service^[16]. Taim has aided Rand by training the male channelers who come to him. These men become Asha'man and their training ground is called the Black Tower, which is Rand's answer to the White Tower. Taim is the M'Hael, leader of the Tower, although his true intentions have yet to be revealed; it is speculated he is a Darkfriend of some authority and power.

Rand was then approached by embassies from the Aes Sedai in the White Tower under Elaida, and from the Salidar faction. Elaida's embassy kidnapped him and shielded him. He escaped at Dumai's Wells, triggering a large and bloody battle, and has since forced many Aes Sedai on both sides to swear fealty to him^[17]. With all that was happening around him, he has found it too difficult to cope with if he allows his emotions to exist, and so he has pushed them down and turned himself into stone, feeling nothing. It is this that Cadsuane is determined to reverse.

[edit] The Crown of Swords and The Seanchan

Rand took Illian using Davram Bashere's army and a group of Asha'man. During the attack, he drove out the Forsaken Sammael and followed him to Shadar Logoth, where the Forsaken was killed by Mashadar^[18]. With the fall of Illian, the disappearance of Mattin Stepaneos, and Rand's forced sale of grain to Illian from Tear, the Council of Nine declared Rand king.

After snuffing out Sammael's Illianer followers, Rand set his focus on the Seanchan, who had conquered neighboring Altara and had set their sights on Illian. In northern Altara, Rand's forces fought the Seanchan to a stalemate, driving the Hailene back to Ebou Dar temporarily, but causing heavy losses on Rand's side as well^[19].

[edit] Winter's Heart

Rand goes in disguise to Nyaneve and reveals his plan to her and asks for help to cleanse Saidan. Elayne, Aviendha and Min all bond Rand as their warder. Min predicts that Elayne will get with child from Rand.

[edit] The Taint and the Forsaken

Rand, Cadsuane, Nynaeve and the others of his party leave Far Madding to retrieve Callandor and Travel to Shadar Logoth. It is here that Rand puts into action his daring plan to cleanse the taint from saidin, using the evil within Shaidar Logoth to battle that of the taint. Rand and Nynaeve link, using the power of the Choedan Kal sa'angreal and, while Cadsuane and the other Aes Sedai, Asha'man, and Windfinders hold off the inevitable attack by the Forsaken, succeed in removing the Dark One's hold over the male half of the Source^[20].

Realizing that he can't fight the Seanchan and the Shadow at the same time, Rand later sent Loial, Logain Ablar, and Bashere to Ebou Dar to negotiate a truce with the Seanchan^[21]. They return with the news that the High Lady Suroth wants Rand to meet with the Daughter of the Nine Moons.

The meeting turns out to be a trap by the Forsaken Semirhage, who is masquerading as Anath Dorje, Tuon's Soe'feia. Semirhage lures Rand to a manor house in northern Altara, where she meets him disguised as the Daughter of the Nine Moons. Rand identifies Semirhage, but before he can react, she blasts him with a fireball, blowing off his left hand^[22]. Semirhage is captured and all the sul'dam and damane with her are sent back to Ebou Dar to inform the Daughter of the Nine Moons that the Dragon Reborn still wants to meet with her.

[edit] Madness

Channelling Saidin has the unpleasant side-effect of causing madness in all men. The first subtle sign of madness Rand display's is when Lanfear confrounts Rand in Tear, Rand shouts at her "about always loving power". Rand knows this thought as truth but doesn't know where it came from, perhaps from Lews Therin.

While at Rhuidean more thoughts from Lews Therin start to make it into Rand's head such as a clear picture of what Ilyena Therin Moerelle looks like and the mention of the Can Breat, even though he has no idea what that even is. At another time Mat calls out to Rand and gets no response. When he calls out Lews Therin, Rand responds to it. At the battle of Cairhein when Rand is fighting the Shaido, he becomes exhausted from overuse of Saidin. He forgets who he is and starts speaking aloud the thoughts from Lews Therin to Asmodean, about when Tel Janin became the Destroyer of Hope (Sammael) . Rand now hears both his thoughts and Lews Theirin's at the same time, not singularly like before.

When Rand was kidnapped by Eladia's Aes Sedai, Lews Therin gave him advise on how to break the sheild that was blocking him from saidin.

While fighting against Lanfear in Cairhien, Lews Therin actually tries to take control of Rand's body for the first time. Rand has to not only try and keep saidin from sweeping him away while channelling, but to try and hold on to who he is before a madman takes over.

The first time Rand meets Taim, Lews Therin begins to rave about the Forsaken and to kill him now. Rand screams at Lews Therin to shut up, which he does, this being the first time Rand actually talks back to Lews Therin. When Rand tells Taim to seize as much saidin as he can, Rand suddenly finds himself holding saidan as well, which shows that Lews Therin has actually seized it. The latest incident of Lews Therin seizing saidin came in Knife of Dreams when trollocs attack the manor in Tear at which Rand is staying. During the fight, Lews Therin used several weaves that none of the asha'man with Rand, including Logain, had ever seen before.

Another type of "sickness" that Rand associates with his attempts to channel crops up following his battle with Sammael in Shadar Logoth. During the battle, a man that Rand does not recognize, Moridin, appears, and they accidentally cross streams of balefire. Rand did not see Moridin's weaves, indicating that he was using the True Power rather than saidin. Because of some as yet understood side effect of this crossing of balefire streams, Rand is now linked with Moridin. A side effect of this link causes Rand to experience diziness and double-vision whenever he takes hold of the source; he also periodically sees Moridin's face as well. Rand himself, is not yet aware of the cause of these effects. All that Rand knows for certain is that they are independent from the taint because they remained even after the cleansing.

[edit] Recent events

Rand is bonded to his three lovers, Min Farshaw, Elayne Trakand, and Aviendha of the Nine Valleys sept of the Taardad Aiel; he is also unwillingly bonded to Alanna Mosvani. Elayne is pregnant with his twins. He is advised mostly by Cadsuane Sedai, and the Wise One Sorilea. They have pledged to teach him "laughter and tears". After a meeting with Semirhage he has now lost one hand, fulfilling one of Min's viewings.

Rand had changed a great deal from the boy who left Emond's Field years ago. He has gone from the stubborn boy who refused to accept he was anything more than a simple sheepherder, to an arrogant iron-willed man who sometimes seems to have lost all trace of humanity. Having grown up with the belief that men should protect women, he has memorized the name of every woman who has died for him -- at one point spending an entire night among the corpses in the aftermath of a major battle -- and often berates himself with the list and associated guilt. Many worry about his sanity, others like Cadsuane and Sorilea worry about his humanity.

Semirhage alleges that Rand hearing the voice of Lews Therin Telamon in his head is a form of incurable insanity and is likely to end in his death.^[23]

[edit] Viewings

• A sword that isn't a sword. (Refers to Callandor)
• A golden crown of laurel leaves. (He now rules Illian, accepted the Laurel Crown, and renamed it the Crown of Swords)
• A begger's staff.
• Pouring water on sand. (Possibly refers to when Rand creates rain in the Aiel Waste, or to opening an underground river at Rhuidian, or may refer to the attempted healing of the wound on his side, of which the flows of power sink into it "like water into sand")
• A bloody hand and a white hot iron. (Maybe Semirhage blowing his hand off)
• Three women standing over a funeral bier with Rand on it. (the 3 woman are Min, Aviendha and Elayne)
• Black rock wet with blood. (Clear reference to the Karaethon Cycle ("His blood on the rocks of Shayol Ghul, washing away the shadow, sacrifice for man's salvation."))
• Rand will be hurt by Aes Sedai (White Tower Aes Sedai captured Rand, kept him in a box and beat him)

[edit] References and similarities

[edit] To Tiwaz, Tyr, Zeus, and Jupiter

• Over the course of the story, Rand has been shown to have many similarities to Tiwaz, the prototypical deity from which Tyr, Zeus and Jupiter were developed.
• Rand's love for three women (Elayne Trakand, the mother of his two children; Aviendha, an Aiel and former Maiden of the Spear; and Min Farshaw, who has the ability to see the future) is similar to Jupiter of Roman mythology, who loved three mortal women with similar traits (all of whom are now referenced among the moons of the planet Jupiter).
• Tyr's hand was bitten off by the wolf Fenrisulfr. In Knife of Dreams, Rand lost his left hand fighting the Forsaken Semirhage.
• Finally, Tyr, Jupiter and Zeus were all gods of justice. This ties in with Rand uniting most of the world under his rule, breaking some traditions and starting new ones.

[edit] To Wiccan archetypes

• Rand's "three women" also echo the Wiccan tradition of the triple goddess (Maiden-Mother-Crone). This would make Rand the equivalent of the Celtic deity Cernunnos, a point which is reinforced by a prophecy which speaks of him singing "that the fields will bring forth lambs and green things".

[edit] To Paul Atreides

• Rand is similar to Paul Atreides in Dune in that they are both men who possess powers usually wielded by women.
• The Aiel, who become Rand's most loyal fighting force, are similar in habit and style to the Fremen of Dune.
• Both Rand and Paul are seen as messiahs in their respective sagas, and they are both different messiahs for different people. Paul is the Kwisatz Haderach to most of the universe, but to the Fremen, he is the Mahdi. Rand is the Dragon Reborn to the Wetlanders, but to the Aiel, he is He Who Comes With The Dawn, and to the Atha'an Miere, he is the Coramoor.
• Rand and the Aes Sedai and Paul and the Bene Gesserit share similar relationships.

[edit] To Jesus

• Like Jesus of Nazareth in The Bible, Rand is considered to be a savior, sent by a supernatural force to save all of humanity from the forces of darkness.
• It has been suggested several times that Rand will die in the process of saving the world. Unlike Jesus, however, no one has yet forecast his resurrection (In Lord of Chaos Rand revealed one part of an answer he had from the Aelfinn: 'To live, you must die.').
• Both were seen by many of their contemporaries as being agents of chaos and disorder.
• When Rand dies, it is said that his body will be watched over by three women (his lovers, Elayne, Min and Aviendha); when Jesus died, his body was watched over by three women.
• Many of the markings on Rand's body are similar to the wounds inflicted on Jesus during the crucifixion: His hands were nailed to the cross, he was stabbed in the side by the Spear of Destiny, and wore a crown of thorns. Both of Rand's hands have been branded with the heron mark, he was stabbed in the side by Ba'alzamon's staff, and he wears the Crown of Swords.
• Jesus was born to a virgin. Rand was born to a maiden.

[edit] To King Arthur

• Just as King Arthur -- the true King -- was the only one who could take Excalibur from the stone, Rand -- the true Dragon Reborn -- was the only one who could take Callandor from the Stone of Tear. Also, al'Thor is pronounced similarly to Arthur, just as Callandor is pronounced similarly to Excalibur, or even more similarly to Caliburn, the ancient name for Excalibur in myth.

• Arthur is the son of Queen Igraine; Rand is the son of Tigraine Mantear.

• Arthur's surname was Pendragon, and his banner was a red dragon, much like Rand's.

• On his passing, Arthur was borne off to Avalon on a barge with four women. In Min's viewing noted above, Rand will be attended by three women on a boat.

• Arthur was wed to Gwenyvere; Rand was betrothed to Egwene Al'Vere.

• Arthurs magician (i.e. sorcerer) advisor was Merlin. One of Rand's mentors is Thom Merrilin a Gleeman (bard / musician / entertainer) who among other skills can perform deft slight of hand tricks (illusionist / magician).

[edit] Notes