When I first started reading WoT, and through to the end, I always assumed that an age was a sort of generic blueprint that the world will follow.

• The first age is an age of the mundane, and is our world that we are in now.
• Then the one power is discovered and the second age begins, an age of progress and marvel, the greatest magical and technological progress the world will see. Then in their hubris, the Dark One is released, and the world is broken in the resulting conflict, ending the second age.
• The third age is both an age of recovery, and an age of conflict against the shadow. The dark one is sealed but threatens to break out, his taint and spawn touching the world. Wars are fought between men and against shadow, and the world awaits a prophesied hero, the reincarnation of a legendary figure who fought the dark one when he was first released. The third age ends when the dark one is defeated and resealed in his entirety.
• We know little of the fourth age, but based on Aviendha’s visions we know that channeling is still around, but is falling from use both both for changes in technology and from the hatred of channelers by conquerors.
• We don’t know anything about ages 5-7, but during that time channeling will fall into obscurity, then be forgotten and the ability be lost, until we come back around to the first age again.

This is how I’ve always seen the ages. Each one is unique, but follows a similar pattern of events. However, I’ve seen many people on this subreddit discuss the ages as if they are exactly the same every time. That the next time the third age comes around, there will be a boy from a place called the two rivers named Rand al Thor, who is the Dragon Revorn, the reincarnation of Lewis Therin, who will wield a sword called Callandor, etc etc.

But this interpretation always felt like it made the events of the books so much less special. This exact story, word for word has happened countless times before, and will continue to happen forever afterwards? Then what is the point of living at all? It is no better than Rand’s vision of the world without the Dark One, no free will, only everything happening exactly as it is designed to. It’s so much more special and an accomplishment for the characters when the ages just define the broad series of events that happen for the world, rather than a predetermined series of events.

So, my question to you all, what is your take on this? How do you interpret the passing and return of ages in your mind?