Rand al'Thor

Rand al'Thor is the protagonist and main character of The Wheel of Time, a series of fantasy novels by Robert Jordan.

Rand al'Thor is the Dragon Reborn, the prophesized savior of the world from the Dark One.

History

On the continent he is known as the Dragon Reborn. To the Aiel, he is He Who Comes with the Dawn, the Car'a'carn. To the Atha'an Miere, the Sea Folk, he is the Coramoor. Shadowkiller, Lord of the Morning, Prince of the Dawn, True Defender of the Light. His birth was heralded by Gitara Moroso, Aes Sedai and Keeper of the Chronicles. Her Foretelling of his birth is this: "He is born again! I feel him! The Dragon takes his first breath on the slope 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 Sedai then died.

Rand was born on the last day of the Blood Snow, 978 NE, the famous battle at the end of the Aiel War, on the slopes of the Dragonmount, as prophesized. He was born to Tigraine Mantear, the former Daughter-heir of Andor who had fled to the Aiel Waste to become a Maiden of the Spear, a woman warrior of the Aiel race. She had been convinced to flee by none other than Moroso herself, who said the world would be doomed if she did not. Tigraine, who renamed herself Shaiel, died moments after giving birth. His father was Janduin, an Aiel clan chief (the youngest in memory), who led the Shaarad, Reyn, Nakai and Taardad clans to kill Laman of Cairhien for his sin. When he heard Shaiel had died, he relinquished his leadership and went off to the Blight to fight Trollocs. He was killed by Slayer. Rand was found by a young Tam al'Thor, a man who, seeking adventure, had joined the Illian army and fought at the Blood Snow. He and his new wife, Kari al'Thor, took Rand back to Tam's home village, Emond's Field.

On Winternight, 998 NE, Trollocs attacked Emond's Field. Rand, his two friends (Perrin Aybara and Mat Cauthon), Egwene al'Vere, Nynaeve al'Meara, and Thom Merrilin were led out of Emond's Field by Moiraine Damodred and her Warder, Lan Mandragoran. Lan began teaching Rand the sword; he 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. They proceeded to Fal Dara, where he was told he was the Dragon Reborn. Rand did not believe this. After the Horn of Valere was stolen, Rand, Mat, Perrin and Loial accompanied Lord Ingtar and the Shienarians to reclaim it. At the battle of Falme, Rand and Ba'alzamon fought in the sky, and he was proclaimed Dragon Reborn after his victory.

That winter, he camped with Moiraine, Perrin, Min Farshaw, and the Shienarians. Rand did not accept his fate. He journeyed to Tear alone, deciding this quest would end or begin his life. In the Stone of Tear, he took the blade Callandor, the Sword That Cannot Be Touched, and fulfilled a major prophecy, affirming his identity as Dragon Reborn in the minds of many. He then set out with Mat, Egwene and Moiraine to the Waste, seeking the endorsement of the Aiel as their Car'a'carn, literally a "chief of chiefs". He trapped Asmodean while there, and forced the Forsaken to teach him to use saidin. He travelled to Rhuidean, where he learned the truth of the Aiel. Leading the Aiel out of the Waste, he took Cairhien and Caemlyn, killing Rahvin.

He was then approached by embassies from Elaida and from the Salidar faction. Elaida's embassy kidnapped him and shielded him. He escaped at Dumai's Wells. He has since forced many Aes Sedai on both sides to swear fealty to him. He captured Illian with the help of Davram Bashere. Mazrim Taim, a former false Dragon, has aided Rand by establishing the Black Tower, which trains men to channel, becoming Asha'man. It 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, although it has been proved that he is not Demandred (a favorite theory among many readers).

Rand is bonded to his three lovers, Min Farshaw, Elayne Trakand, and Aviendha of the Nine Valleys sept of the Taardad Aiel. Elayne is pregnant with his twins. He is advised mostly by Cadsuane Melaidhrin of the Green Ajah, and Sorilea, an Aiel Wise One. They have pledged to show him "laughter and tears".

Rand had changed a great deal from the boy who left Emond's Field two 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 flagellates himself with the list and the associated guilt. Many worry about his sanity; others (most notably the aforementioned Cadsuane and Sorilea) worry about his humanity. Finally, it is interesting to note that as the books have progressed, he has become less involved in the narrative, though he remains the central character. Book 3, The Dragon Reborn, was in fact told almost exclusively from the points-of-view of Mat Cauthon, Perrin Aybara and Egwene al'Vere, despite the fact that it is undoubtedly about Rand (all three parties eventually follow him to Tear and are present when he pulls the sword Callandor from the Stone and proclaims himself the Dragon Reborn), and the following books have continued in following the adventures of other characters besides Rand.

Reincarnation

Rand al'Thor is special in that he is the only known soul to be wove out by the Wheel of Time for a specific Rebirth. Although their are other known cases of rebirth (see Birgitte 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 and would eventually be the leading opponent of the Shadow during the War of Power, nicknamed the Dragon. However, this is partially untrue; evidence in The Great Hunt, Jordan's second Wheel of Time book, shows that al'Thor has been reincarnated a number of times between Lews Therin Telamon and the present age. It is just now that he is in all cause and effect the Dragon Reborn.

Other evidence is showcased in a prologue in The Eye of the World, also found in From the Two Rivers (The first part of a split Eye of the World). Ishmael comments that he and Lews Therin have battled each other since the dawn of mankind countless times, proving that the Dragon is a prominent figure every time the Second Age and Third Age occurs during the spinning of the Wheel of Time. Nevertheless, that Lews Therin Telamon's voice has been present in Rand's head since The Shadow Rising proves that this Second Age Dragon and al'Thor are more connected than any of the other previous forms of the Dragon is to al-Thor.