<p>My Theory is that Rand and other “good” forces will heal the pattern and imprison the Dark One by bringing Order back the Pattern. The Chaos caused by the DO, started with the drilling of the Bore. My theory is that Channeling is also possible because the pattern is thin. When the pattern is healed, the new healed Pattern will be so whole and strong that it will even prevent Channelers from accessing the One Power. After the world rejoices at the victory of the Dragon over the DO, people will slowly start to forget about the DO, Aes Sedai, and the One Power. </p> <blockquote><p>"The Wheel of Time turns, and ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legends fade to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. </p></blockquote> <p>We are told at the beginning of every book that Ages come and go. -The pattern repeats itself. When asked about the nature of the different Ages, RJ responded: </p> <blockquote><p>RJ: Given that time is cyclic, you must assume that there is a time when the prison that holds the Dark One is whole and unbroken. There is a time when a hole is drilled into that prison and it is thus open to that degree. And there is a time when the opening has been patched in a makeshift manner. But following this line, the cyclic nature of time means that we have at some time in the future inevitably a whole and unbroken prison again. Unless, of course, the Dark One breaks free, in which case all bets are off -- kick over the table and run for the window. --(Interviews database, Barnes and Noble chat 11 November 1997) </p></blockquote> <p>From this quote, I want you to remember the three time periods (not necessarily Ages) that RJ spoke of: <p> <blockquote><p>1. The “Time when the prison that holds the Dark One is whole and unbroken.” </p> <p>2. The “time when a hole is drilled into that prison and it is thus open to that degree.” </p> <p>3. The “time when the opening has been patched in a makeshift manner.”</p></blockquote> <p>Concerning the Cycling of the Pattern: </p> <blockquote><p>"Jdieu: Well, you write that Lews Therin ends the Age of Legends, that time repeats itself, and... I would think that Rand would in turn be ending the repeated Age of Legends, but... It doesn't appear to BE a repeated Age of Legends. </p> <p>RJ: It doesn't follow that simply because the Age that Lews Therin ended is now called the Age of Legends, that this age which Rand lives in in any way is a repeat of that particular age. What is/was the Age of Legends will repeat eventually, but not until the Wheel turns considerably further." </p> --(Interviews database, First AOL Chat October 1994) </p></blockquote> <p>From this we understand that the Age of Legends will repeat eventually when the "Wheel turns considerably further". Thus given my theory that the One Power will disappear from the world, it stands to reason that humanity will then again someday learn how to channel again. Then with science, channeling, and world peace they will create a utopian world parallel to that of the previous Age of Legends. And then this utopian age would possibly end again with another Bore in the pattern. </p> <p>So where is the evidence that there will ever be a time when no one can channel? Well, Robert Jordan has talked about an age in the Wheel of Time in which no one knows about the One Power: </p> <blockquote><p>"Week 18 Question: Who were the first channelers, and how did they learn? By trial and error? Are there any Ages where channeling does not exist? <p>Robert Jordan Answers: The first people to discover the ability to channel learned through trial and error, with fairly high casualty rates until they learned enough not to kill themselves accidentally. Their appearance marked the beginning of the previous Age to that of the books, or at least the end of the Age before that one. Yes, as I have set things up, there are Ages when no one has any idea of how to channel or even that the One Power exists. Our own, for one. (The Wheel of Time turns.)" </p> --(TOR Questions of the Week, August 2004-January 2005) </p></blockquote> <p>In the Age that Rand now lives in, we do not hear Legends or a Myths about a time when no one knew about the One Power. If such a time has existed in the past, it has long been forgotten. It sounds like it is about time for that part of the pattern to emerge again. It is also interesting to note that RJ says that “Our own” Age is part of this time frame when no one knows about the One Power. </p> <p>So we know that during the periods where the Bore is open and during the periods with the Bore is Patched, that the One Power is available and used by Channelers. We are therefore left to assume that the third time period (the “time when the prison that holds the Dark One is whole and unbroken”), is the same time period where humanity has forgotten the existence of the One Power and the Dark One. The time period that is about to open at the close of The Last Battle. </p>