In the books- time is depicted as a circle, with events just repeating themselves, and we are moving only a small distance around the diameter with every Age. Yet it doesn't quite seem to fit with the fact that Ishmael talks about the endless variations of his (previous) battles with the Dragon. What if time could be described as a oscilating helix? Looking down the "barrel," the helix would appear to be a circle with events continualy repeating themselves (with minor variations). However, if you pull back and look at the helix from the side, you can tell that the minor variations actually correspond to the oscilations of the helix between two poles. At one pole is Creator's goal- The Dark One is solildly imprisioned, peace has existed for so long that everyone has forgotten war, prosperity abounds. As you move away from the Creator's Pole things change, conflicts arise, poverty abounds and wars spread- as the Dark One gains more and more influence over the Pattern, until at the pole oppossing The Creator, The Dark One Breaks free and imprisions the Creator. Then the whole world is nothing more than Dante's Inferno.

I further theorize that the oscilation is usually stable, (that typically the helix is a cirlce), but that the contending forces of the Creator and the Dark One are what move the helix between the two poles. Furthermore, there are likely key events, places, times, and people that can effect which pole the helix moves towards. Thus there are likely to be periods when "nothing happens" and other periods when great changes take place. These periods of great change are part of the conflict between good and evil, during which each is jocking for position. The Creator uses the Pattern to spin out ta'varen, and form Webs that try to force the Pattern back towards his pole, while the Dark One attempts to corrupt the Pattern to his ends.

Obviously the Pattern has been slowly moving towards the Dark One's pole for some time. Rand's birth heralded a time when the Greatest of all changes could occur- either the Dark One could break free completely, or the inertia of the Pattern will be changed to move once more towards the Creator's pole. This explains why the Dark One usually aviods killing Rand, but twice does attempt to kill him. If the Dark One can either corrupt Rand, and force him into a trap the Dark One can break free. However, there are certain gains that the Dark One has made in previous battles (other Ages) that he does not wish to relinquish (prefering to maintain his advantage and bide his time till the next battle when he can try to break free again). What were the two times he attempts to kill Rand? When Rand took Callandor, and when Rand cleansed saidin. It might be fruitful to theorize on why these two events were worth killing Rand for.

I have also thought that this might fit with my Guaire Amasalan theory- answering the question of what happens when parts of prophecies aren't fullfilled.