Why Taim is Demandred

A Few words before I begin:
*This post is long. Very long. If you can't hack long posts, don't worry however, the points are in order of importance, and each paragraph works fine as a stand alone.
*This is a complete, undeniably proof of Taimandred Theory. The evidence is only based on book 6, there is simply overwhelming argument from this text alone.
*[...] in the quotes refers to a few unimportant words I have skipped between lines of quote.
*Taim=Taim refers to the theory that Taim is plain Taim, no Demandred involved.

_________________________________________________ __________________________1______________________
Our Theory begins in the Prologue of Book 6. A group of Forsaken are chatting socially, as they are seldom wont to do. More importantly, Demandred has come in with orders from the Dark One, which he received earlier on in the prologue. They have a big plan. I mean big. But now for some quotes. Demandred is talking, Mesaana's PoV.

"You want to know what the Great Lord told me? Very well.[...]
"Let the Lord of Chaos Rule. His words, exact." [...]
Then he told them the rest. Mesaana found herself shivering and did not know whether from excitement or fear. It could work; it could hand them everything. But it required luck, and gambling made her uncomfortable. Demandred was the gambler.

I'm tempted to finish the theory right here. The above quote is simply all that is required, I believe. We have Demandred with a very ambitious plan, that will require luck, and could hand the Forsaken everything. What better fits this criterion better than Taimandred? They have a source of madmen to increase chaos and increase the supply of dreadlords, someone who can (hopefully) gain Rand's confidance and can stick around him, as well as being able to direct what will foreseeably be the most powerful organisation in Randland.

They don't do much serious plotting apart from this. There is of course the Seanchan, but that doesn't really require luck, it was only a matter of time. There is Aran'gar and Osan'gar infiltrating the major camps of the good guys, but that wouldn't hand them everything. This paragraph is screaming Taimandred.

__________________________________________________ ___________________________2______________________
We now shift to the Arrival of Taim. This is Chapter 2, "A New Arrival." Yes, that's chapter two. Only two after the prologue. But I digress. There are a few unusual things about Taim, which I shall quote now. Rand's PoV.

Bashere took advantage of the silence. "You say you're Mazrim Taim?" He sounded doubtful, and Rand looked at him in confusion. Was this Taim or not? Only a madman would claim that name if it was not his. [...]
"I shaved, Bashere."
If Bashere's men and the Aiel decided to kill Taim, the man would have a hard time escaping that courtyard however he channeled, unless Rand helped him. Yet Taim paid the soldiers and the Maidens no more outward attention than he did the collonades' columns or the paving stones beneath his boots. Bravery, real or feigned, or something else? A kind of madness?

Taim looks "like" Bashere remembered, but not quite. Don't worry though, RJ is here to prod us along. "Only a madman would claim that name if it was not his." and then, "A kind of madness?" Taim is acting like a madman would - foolishly daring. Or, like a forsaken who has a plan that "required luck". Jordan deliberately mentions the word "madman" twice here, to set our minds at work. Demandred's ambitious plan would surely seem to be a little bit of madness to an outsider, like Rand.

The fact that Bashere doesn't recognise Taim at first is important as well. Of course, it could fit in with Taim=Taim, but it fits far better with Taimandred. The best Illusion is the one that changes the least. Demandred's description in other chapters is close to that we see of Taim here.

___________________________________________________ ___________________________3_______________________
The next scene is in the very next chapter, "A Woman's Eyes." Demandred really gives himself away here. Rand's PoV.

[Rand] "Sooner or later you will come up against the Forsaken, following me. Maybe before the Last Battle. Probably before. You don't seem surprised."[...]
[Rand]"Keep a watch out for any student who learns to fast. Let me know immediately. One of the Forsaken might try to slip in among the students."
[Taim]"One of the Forsaken!" It was almost a whisper. For the second time, Taim looked shaken, this time well and truly taken aback.

Quite amazing, that. Not a touch of concern at the mention of the Forsaken coming up against him, but when the idea of Forsaken infiltrating the asha'man are mentioned, he is goosed. Quite amazing indeed. Note: these quotes are only one page apart. Also note the relatively long description of Taim's shock. If Jordan was prodding us on before, he is bludgeoning us along now.

__________________________________________________ ___________________________4______________________
The next scene with Taim is Chapter 11, "Lessons and Teachers." Taim and Rand are at the farm chatting. Rand's PoV.

Taim: "Who can say what these so-called Aiel will do."

Need I say more? No. But I will. Does Taim=Taim have a chance at justifying this statement? Not a Darkfriend's chance in the Dome of Truth. Hmmm. Scrap that last image please, but you get the message. Only a Forsaken would know what the Aiel were like in the Age of Legends, would know they were called the Da'shain Aiel and served the Aes Sedai, following the Way of the Leaf. The only other characters to use the phrase "so-called Aiel" were Lanfear that I can remember, and I think Osan'gar as well.

__________________________________________________ ___________________________5______________________
Our next scene is chapter 28, "Attack of the Killer Gray Man". Wait, no, that's not it. It's "Letters." Booring. A Gray man comes to attack Rand, Taim is there just at the right time to kill it. But we have so much evidence we don't need to use this fact. On to the Quote. The Gray man has just been killed.

Rand: "That had to come from Sammael."
Taim: "I would give a great deal to be sure." That had the ring of simple truth.

It's the last seven words of this quote that are critical. It's not often that Jordan will give us such a statement. He is not trying to say that Rand is really sure about this. He is saying for sure that Taim is telling the truth. By why would Taim=Taim give a great deal to be sure? Sounds a bit out of character. But very in character for Demandred. From "Let the Lord of Chaos rule" and other evidence from book 6, we know that part of the Dark One's orders are not to kill Rand. If Sammael had attempted this, Demandred would be able to use this to overcome Sammael. Note the inquiry into Sammael made by Moridin and Shaidar Haran in book seven (they were called "the watcher" or something similar), and Moridin's subsequent aiding of Rand at the end of book 7, when he thought Sammael had disobeyed the Great Lord's orders. This shows that Demandred would be interested in the above fact.

__________________________________________________ ___________________________6______________________
The Scene is Chapter 42, "The Black Tower." The title asha'man has just been officially created. He is giving Taim his Dragon and Sword pins. PoV is - you guessed it - Rand.

Taim walked to the block stiffly, and Rand bent to pin the silver sword to the tall collar of his coat [...]
Taim's face had as much expression as the stone beneath Rand's boots [...]
Taim's face made stone look soft, what was wrong with the man? [...]
He was holding the bag of sword pins so tightly it was a wonder none of them stabbed him through the cloth. Looking at Taim, who was making no effort to hide his disdain, [...]
[Rand]"What has gotten into you? You've had a burr in your breeches ever since I put those badges on you. Is it something to do with them?" The most remarkable transformation came over the man. Taim shook visibly - with rage, Rand would have said, not fear - but when the shaking stopped, he was his old self again.

Taim, for some unfathomable reason, is really angry at getting the medals. He starts going blank-faced when Rand gives him his medals, then later when they are talking about it he cracks. Taim would be a proud man, but this is still a rather unusual reaction for him. What about Demandred though? A Quote from the Guide page 58, Demandred's entry:

He was furious when Lews Therin was appointed over him to command the forces opposing the Shadow. Second once again, his hatred and jealousy of Lews Therin Telamon increased with every honour Lews awarded him.

Aha. We've hit the jackpot. Taim's reaction is perfectly explained by his envy and hatred of Lews Therin, and according to the Guide, "He simply transfered his hatred intact to Rand al'Thor" when he realised Lews Therin was long dead.

__________________________________________________ __________________________7_______________________
We have a bit of colateral evidence, which is not incredibly conclusive, but is interesting nonetheless. In the Prologue, we have this description of Demandred, "the corners of his mouth twitched, as close to a smile as Mesaana had ever seen him."
In almost every scene featuring Taim, we have exactly the same:
"The prisoner's mouth quirked in what might have been the beginning of a smile."
"Taim's mouth quirked again. It really was not a smile; it never touched his eyes."
"Taim's mouth quirked in that near smile."
"Taim flashed that half-smile again."
"Taim turned to Rand, that almost-smile on his lips"

The End