Spoilers

 

 

How did Rand and Elan end up switching? Is this explained in a appendix somewhere? Also, when Rand can no longer touch the source but instead can impose his will to make things happen, is this because he has transcended the pattern, or is he so attuned to the one power now that he can no longer tell the difference between channeling versus not channeling? Thanks!

So the switch is what was led up to by their minds being linked, which was a side effect of them 'crossing streams' of Balefire.

 

Basically Elan's soul 'dies' and Rand's body 'dies' and Rand's soul is moved to Elan's body.

 

The channeling without touching the weaves I think is kind of him becoming something more, but tbh I'm still mad about that because to me that fulfills the prophecy of the Wyld, but it's canon that Demandred is the Wyld (which I still don't agree with).