Rand and Reincarnation

[Leira Galene]

Just a thought I had-- why does Rand only know of Lews Therin? We know he's been reincarnated many, many times since the Creator first imprisoned the Dark One. So why can he only communicate with the last one?

Which also raises the question (I'm sure this has been addressed before, but I'm too lazy to search for it :P) how is he communicating with Lews Therin? Up until ToM it is pretty clear they're separate. Yet, if the turning of the Wheel is essentially reincarnation, they're the same soul. Perhaps they're fragmented, and that's why Rand doesn't remember much for a long time? Then Rand unites them on Dragonmount.

Actually, maybe when Lews Therin was alive it was the same way for him and he united himself with whoever his past self was and that's why Rand doesn't hear from any of his other past lives-- they're all Lews Therin, then they all become Rand. Thoughts? Maybe I should have put this in the book 13 forum, but I can't really remember how much is said in previous books.

 

[Tobias Carawin]

My best guess at answering your questions...

Spoiler

Why does Rand only know of Lews Therin:

All souls are reborn as the Wheel turns. All souls are reborn without knowledge of their past lives (Some are able to find information of their past lives such as Wise Ones and Mat, But they are not born with this knowledge). Birgitte started losing her memories as she neared her rebirth. So I believe it is safe to say Lews Therin knew nothing of his previous reincarnations. What then, makes Rand's rebirth so different from everyone else? Lets do some research...

"Yet one shall be born to face the Shadow, born once more as he was born before, and shall be born again, time without end. The Dragon shall be Reborn." (From The Karaethon Cycle)

"How do you know? It may well be that, as many people believe, all are born and reborn as the Wheel turns, but nothing like this has ever happened that I have read. A specific man reborn according to prophecy. Who knows what he is?" -Graendal (The Fires of Heaven)

In the Age of Legends, Lews Therin was known as The Dragon. The passage in the Karaethon cycle says that The Dragon will be reborn. I believe that it is not just the soul of the Dragon that is reborn... but the man himself. Complete with his memories and personality. This is somewhat confirmed by Graendal's statement. She says a"specific man" is reborn according to prophecy, and that nothing like this has ever happened to her knowledge. So Rand IS Lews Therin.

"And Rand opened his eyes for the first time in a very long while. He knew-somehow-that he would never again hear Lews Therin's voice in his head. For they were not two men, and never had been." (The Gathering Storm ch. 50)



How is he communicating with Lews Therin:

Rand is simply communicating with himself. I believe it is something similar to Dissociative identity disorder (DID). DID is a mental disorder characterized by at least two distinct and relatively enduring identities or dissociated personality states that alternately control a person's behavior, and is accompanied by memory impairment for important information not explained by ordinary forgetfulness.

 

[Almira ni'Caldazare]

It is obvious that Rand is not like the other Dragon Reborns. He not only "patches" the prison but kills the Dark One. He is unique and can do things no one else can.

 

[Mattrim al'Korin]

Spoiler

He realizes that the Dark One can't be killed, because the purpose of all life is balance.