Chapter 51 - Against the Shadow

Description

In a climactic confrontation, Rand flees from the Forsaken Aginor only to find himself transported to a mountain pass where a desperate battle rages between the forces of Shienar and an overwhelming Trolloc army. Discovering he can channel the One Power, he decimates the Trolloc forces with lightning, fire, and earth-shaking power before being drawn through mysterious steps into a final confrontation with Ba’alzamon. In this otherworldly chamber, Ba’alzamon reveals his manipulation of events throughout Rand’s life and attempts to break him by torturing an apparition of his mother, but Rand, filled with the Light and wielding a sword of pure radiance, severs Ba’alzamon’s black cord of power and ultimately destroys him in an explosion of white-hot flame, though the effort leaves Rand falling through darkness, wracked with pain from both fire and ice.

Characters

  1. Rand al'Thor - Flees from Aginor, experiences a powerful connection to a glowing cord of Light, engages in mental and physical battle with Ba'alzamon through various dreamlike environments before finally severing Ba'alzamon's black cord and seemingly defeating him with a sword of Light.
  2. Ba'alzamon - Claims to have manipulated events since Rand's birth, attempts to force Rand to kneel to him through threats and illusions, and is ultimately defeated when Rand severs his black cord with a sword of Light.
  3. Aginor - Pursues Rand up the hill, attempts to claim the power of the mysterious cord for himself, and ultimately perishes in flames when overwhelmed by the power he tried to steal.
  4. Egwene - Appears as an illusion created by Ba'alzamon to torment Rand, along with Nynaeve and Kari al'Thor.
  5. Nynaeve al'Meara - Appears as an illusion created by Ba'alzamon to torment Rand, along with Egwene and Kari al'Thor.
  6. Kari al'Thor - Appears as an illusion created by Ba'alzamon, begs Rand to free her from torment, and seemingly finds peace when Rand banishes the Fades torturing her.
  7. Fades - Appear as tormentors in Ba'alzamon's illusion, torture Kari al'Thor, and are destroyed by Rand's sword of Light.

Takeaways

  1. Rand confronts Aginor on a hilltop and manages to steal the power from a glowing cord connecting the Forsaken to a distant source, causing Aginor to burn up from within.
  2. Rand is transported to a mountain pass where he uses immense power to decimate a Trolloc army with lightning, fire, and earth-shaking abilities.
  3. In a final confrontation with Ba'alzamon, Rand manifests a sword of Light and uses it to sever Ba'alzamon's black cord of power, causing him to burn and seemingly destroying him.
  4. Rand witnesses an illusion or vision of his mother being tortured by Fades, but overcomes this manipulation by denying Ba'alzamon's power over him.
  5. Ba'alzamon reveals he has been manipulating events since Rand's birth, including the Aiel survivor, Jain Farstrider, and the Black Ajah, to lead Rand to this moment.
  6. The confrontation ends with Rand apparently defeating Ba'alzamon, but at great cost as he falls into darkness, burning with both fire and cold.