By the process of elimination...
by Paetram
...I think RJ intends to tear the Pattern at some point in the last book. "How could you come to such a conclusion?" you may ask. Just look at what has been done to the long-suffering Pattern thus far:
* It has been burned. A little balefire here and there goes a long way.
* It has been poked. You know, by that pointy stick they used in the Age of Legends. Advanced technology usually involves poking holes through various things, anyway.
* It has been shaken (the reality ripples). The Dark One can't get through that tiny little hole, of course. He's not a gholam...
* It was dirtied up quite a bit (the Blight) by Evil Emanations from the Bore. Can you imagine how untidy it gets inside an eternal prison? It's no wonder evil stuff is oozing out of it all the time.
* It's been bent and stretched by all the Travelling people are doing lately. When do you think people will need to start using passports? When does instant jetlag (we need a new term) become a problem?
So you see there's only one thing left. If you ask me, I think the Creator made a big mistake. There should have been a tag on the Pattern that explictly stated:
Do not bend, fold, or mutilate this universe. No warranty, express or implied. Severe penalties will be applied if this tag is removed.