Egwene's death was awesome. I wouldn't call it "convenient" that she fueled the flame of Tar Valon to take out Mazrim Taim, I find it just epic. Yes, Olver's part was convenient. I don't mind it though. Someone had to blew that horn. Whether it was faile or Olver, I don't care.
My only peeve? We learned why it's called the Flame of Tar Valon... but nobody else knows, nor will know till it's time for the Flame of Tar Valon (i.e the Amyrlin) to re-invent and cast the spell again.
With all the anti-balefire agenta of the tower, sisters stilled for knowing the weave etc, there's no suprise that research on the OPPOSITE of Balefire is non-existant and taboo.
I didn't like (nor I was supposed to like) the random way Siuan died.
All this planning, set up, work, all the dangers she faced... and she dies by a random explosion. As I said, we weren't supposed to like it. It was a sharp reminder that every person that dies, has a history. The random doughboy that died by a shell's sharpnel in 1917 somewhere in Belgium? He had a story too, friends that loved him and since it was WW1, he had probably danced and evaded death a couple of times already, just to die from a random piece of sharpnel in the face. And he was a real person.
In Greece, the most honored monument is that of the "unknown soldier", the hero that dies and nobody learns his/her name, those that don't have wikipedia articles.
Forsaken: I kinda disagree. Yes, they were a bit one dimensional as you said serving their purpose. But we
knew that and the heroes knew that too. Since book 6, Rand&Co have noticed that the Forsaken although knowledgable and powerful aren't anything as awesome as the stories made them to be. After the Aes Sedai stole Traveling and invert from them, they were more or less on equal footing.
A Forsaken is more or less a powerful channeler that knows a couple more tricks that matter in battle. Sure, they had all the "knowledge of the age of Legends" to guide them. Like that awesomely useful weave that there's a "knock" in your house before a gateway opens. Very useful in battle situations.
Yes, powerful and knowledgable. But not a match for 7 good, battle hardened Aes Sedai linked. Even 3 linked would be a difficult challenge (Enough to give them Experience in D&D terms
)
Shaido:
Yes, the Shaido. Those guys that were so important between books 5-10. Where the heck were they? Ohhh right, a forsaken spread them over the continent like peanut butter and Perrin defeated the majority of them. So... that was it? No redemption for the Shaido? I would expect them to come in the darkest hour and fight for the Light.
Gawyn: Meh. You were never ment to be a hero kid. Just... a spoiled kid that couldn't stomach that would be a sidenote in history. "The man that delayed demandred's routing of the pike squares for 3 minutes".
Nynayve & Moraine: So... sidekicks to Rand and useful for about 30 seconds. Crucial seconds, but 30 seconds. After ALL this build up, Nynayve did jack-#### in the last battle other than wait for Rand to trick Moridin and give him access to Saidar. And Moraine got back from the dead for the exact same reason.
Nynayve, the person who healed the Ashaman of their madness, without teaching anyone how to do it before heading for near-certain death, was patching up Alanna in the last battle. That was it.
Ayel with red veils: Awesome fellows. I wish we had those earlier. It always seemed to me stupid to send Male channelers up to the blight for the lulz. The Ashaman and the Chinese-like fellows had the best compromise: Use them and have them under watch, till they get mad. Then kill them before they grow dangerous.