The Watcher of the Seals, the Flame of Tar Valon, The Amyrlin Seat!
Last time on the Wheel of Time, we
finally reached Tar Valon and the White Tower. Rand and Mat made it to the city
just after Moiraine, Lan and Nynaeve. Mat’s illness is getting worse, and he
seems to be starting to hallucinate. Rand meanwhile meets a helpful Ogier named
Loial, a large humanoid creature with a love of books and trees. Meanwhile,
Perrin and Egwene are captured by Whitecloaks. Eamon Valda gives Egwene an
ultimatum, to channel for him or he’ll kill Perrin. Perrin tells her to just
let him die, and admits he thinks he deserves it because he killed Laila.
Egwene instead frees them both, stabs Valda while her hulking friend distracts
him, and then they use a sudden wolf attack to cover their retreat. In the
Tower, Lan and Moiraine try to keep Nynaeve under wraps as they search the city
for the others. Loial finds Nynaeve, though, and brings her to Mat and Rand.
She agrees to help look after Mat but keep it from Moiraine since neither she
nor Rand completely trusts her. Lan’s friend Stepin is also dealing with the
death of his Aes Sedai, Kerene. Despite their attempts to help him through his
bond-enhanced mourning, Stepin ultimately drugs Lan to give himself time to
commit Seppuku in the Hall of the Warders. The episode ends as Lan is assigned
chief mourner and screams in pain for his friend’s death. Enough recap let’s
get to it.
Episode 6: The Flame of Tar Valon
Humble beginnings.
We open on a scene from about 30ish
years ago. A young Siuan Sanche is woken by her father, Berden Sanche, they
need to start hauling in fish. They gear up and then head out. On their little
boat they get the nets ready, a task made more difficult for Berden because he
is missing his left hand. Siuan uses her channeling to unravel the net he was
having difficulty with. He’s scared that someone might have seen, impressing on
her to never use her powers in sight of the village, but is impressed she
improved enough to get the rope undone. They return home to find their house
burned down, with the Dragon Fang burned on their door. Guess they weren’t as
clear as Siuan thought. Berden gets her prepared and sends her on her way.
Siuan asks when she’ll be able to come home, and Berden tells her when Tear is
ready to accept Aes Sedai in their lands. FYI, they have the second strictest
laws against channeling, so that’s unlikely. The first is Amadecia, the home
country of the Children of the Light. He tells her that to never forget she’s
Siuan Sanche, Daughter of the river, clever as a pike, strong as the tides. He
sends her down river.
… Ah… Berden, I know she has magic
powers, but you really shouldn’t send your child down river on her own. She’s,
like, 12. And you’re gonna need that boat back. Berden? Guess he’s not
thinking, too busy being sad.
People used to look at me weird when I called her
the Magic Pope, but do you see it now?
We then cut to the Hall of the
Tower. Moiraine, Alanna and Liandrin, and the other sisters involved in
Logain’s capture, are assembled before the Hall, as the Keeper of the Chronicle
Leane Sharif announces the Amyrlin Seat, Siuan Sanche’s arrival. Once she is
seated, Logain is brought in in chains. He’s still out of it but comes too when
the Amyrlin orders him unchained. Without his powers, he’s no threat, according
to her. Logain talks smack about the Aes Sedai and the White Tower, using the
fact he assembled an army in a year to pull the tower down as proof that their
strength in the world is waning. He claims that, despite his loss, he’ll still
be remembered for taking on 9 Aes Sedai and “still staked that Green bitch to
the wall.” That seems to get a rise out of everyone except the Amyrlin. The
Amyrlin sees that Logain is just trying to get executed to end his misery. She
sentences him to serve as an example for other False Dragons or men who can
channel, to never be free again until his madness consumes him. He’s dragged
away while shrieking for them to kill him. Damn.
Don't worry, he'll be back.
The three lead sisters are told to
approach the Amyrlin, the other sisters told to depart. She chastises them for Gentling
Logain without trial. Liandrin claims they had no choice but to, given Logain’s
overwhelming power, but the Amyrlin doesn’t seem convinced. She chastises
Liandrin for not even attempting to Shield him again. Alanna asks for clemency,
saying that Kerene died protecting them to defeat Logain, and Moiraine claims
if the hadn’t “tamed” Logain, they’d all be dead. The Amyrlin puts the blame on
Liandrin, as she was in charge after Kerene died, so the fault rests with her.
Liandrin, being a conniving asshole, throws Moiraine under the bus and brings
up Nynaeve when prompted if “she has more to say.” Liandrin passes the buck
onto Moiraine, using her less than consistent attendance at the tower as
evidence that Moiraine doesn’t take Tower business seriously… I guess? One of
the Blue Sitters, Maigan, tries to say that this is business for the Blue Ajah,
but Liandrin claims that all business is the Amyrlin’s business. Unless she
doesn’t want to question Moiraine as she was once Blue Ajah herself. The
Amyrlin asks Moiraine where she’s been the last two years and what she’s done.
Moiraine says she’s been from Tear to the Two Rivers but can’t say why she has
been traveling. She’s told to kneel and asked again, but Moiraine again says
she can’t say. The Amyrlin Seat orders her to kiss the floor and beg the Mother
for mercy. The Amyrlin will think on her penance and give judgement the next day.
They depart, a funny sight gag
being that Maksim has some fruit ready and passes it to Alanna without
prompting, and Alana tells Moiraine to apologize publicly but Moiraine won’t.
Liandrin gets all mean girl on Moiraine, claiming that she needs to accomplish
whatever she’s planning quickly because her reckoning comes tomorrow.
Damn that evil dagger!
Later, Moiraine is having tea in
the city and spies Nynaeve and Loial walking by. I assume she had some idea
where they were already, or else that’s lucky as hell. Lan joins her and they
go to see Mat and Rand. They go in. Ran is shocked to see them, asking if his
friends are there too. Moiraine says no but wants to know about Mat. Mat wakes
up and says he knows why they’re there and what Aes Sedai do to “Men like me.”
Rand pulls his sword to defend Mat, but he’s up against al’Lan Mandragoran. He
disarms Rand and Moiraine goes up to Mat. He tries to stab her with the dagger,
but she grabs him in weaves of air. Rand and Lan hold Mat down while Moiraine
seems to draw the darkness out of Mat and transfers it into the Shadar Logoth
dagger. She drops it to the ground and Lan covers it with a blanket. Later,
Rand thanks Moiraine for saving Mat, it’s… awkward but they move on. Rand asks
if Mat can’t channel, does that make him unlikely to be the Dragon Reborn.
Moiraine isn’t sure but does claim that he’s stronger than he has any right to
be. She claims that the dagger was feeding off the darkness in him as much he
it. I guess the dagger is Venom now. …
Kay. Nynaeve and Loial join them, and she’s chastised for not bringing Mat to
Moiraine her and advises the Wisdom to start using some. Wisdom.
Later, Moiraine is in a communal
bath freshening up when Maigan joins her. Maigan is worried about the state of
the world. A Green (Alanna) and a Blue (Moiraine) spoke on behalf of a Red (Liandrin), Ships are
disappearing off the west coasts, Aiel are being seen on this side of the Spine
of the World mountains, Trollocs were in the Two Rivers, an Aes Sedai sank the
Tarren Ferry, Cats and Dogs living together, MASS HYSTERIA… okay, not that last
one. But remember the ships and Aiel comment, those’ll be important later.
Maigan wants to know how the Trollocs got to the Two Rivers undetected, but
Moiraine doesn’t know. Maigan tells her that she’ll speak to the Amyrlin on her
behalf, but that Moiraine will probably be stationed permanently in the Tower
for the foreseeable. She wants to leave Moiraine in her post, I guess, so
Maigan can check out those missing ships. Moiraine goes to get a towel and a
feather of some kind drops. I guess this is a signal.
I'd say he deserves a rest, but I know what waits
in his dreams. Oo, foreshadowing.
Moiraine dresses and goes to the
meeting location, finding Egwene and a passed-out Perrin. Egwene asks about the
others, to which Moiraine says she has people looking for them (technically
true), but that she has it on good authority they’re alive (also technically
true). Damn the Three Oaths! Perrin has been healed, but that amount of healing
has wiped him out. Egwene hands over Valda’s Aes Sedai ring collection,
claiming he won’t hurt any more of the sisters. … To which I say, Egwene, you
stabbed him in the shoulder, be a bit less sure you put him down for good. She
tells Moiraine about Perrin’s eyes going Gold and the wolf attack. Moiraine
tells her to not say anything about that and for her to rest and heal. She’ll
call for Egwene tomorrow.
That night, Moiraine is getting
ready for bed when Lan comes in, asking why she masked their bond. Moiraine is
evasive about it, and she tells Lan that his priority is to protect the Two
Rivers folk and dismisses him. Lan rolls his eyes and tells her to be back
before dawn. Moiraine asks if that’s an order and Lan asks if it sounded like a
suggestion? He goes out, telling Moiraine to give “her” his love.
Couldn't find a pic of Moiraine and Suian during their
secret meeting, so here's a deleted scene of Loial
plotting the course through the ways.
Moiraine goes to this little window
box above her fireplace and closes it. She starts channeling and the box starts
glowing, turning into door. She septs through it and materializes in a fishing
hut, with Siuan inside, waiting for her in a towel. Oh, right, they’re lovers.
Was that not clear? Ha. She’s pissed at Moiraine for making her put on that
display for the Tower but is happy to see her again. They kiss and… get
reacquainted. Bow chika wow-wow.
Sometime later, they talk of their
situation. Moiraine tells Siuan that she found the Dragon… sort of. She found
five potential dragons, four that are the right age, but Nynaeve I guess is too
strong for them to throw her out of the running completely. Apparently, her
search was complicated by the fact that it’s a three-thousand-year-old prophecy
that guided her, a prophecy with countless translations and re-readings. She
claims that she heard from a gleeman a legend of a Many Headed Dragon. Moiraine
asks if they shouldn’t bring the other sisters in, but Siuan reminds her that
they’ll be Stilled (lady Gentled) if anyone hears about their plan. They know
that the Dragon will either defeat the Dark One or join him, and Moiraine
resolves to kill them than let that second happen. Siuan tells Moiraine of a
dream she had, the Dark One at the Eye of the World, weak but growing stronger.
She thinks they can kill him if they try. Moiraine is hesitant to go, as the
non-Dragons would die in the struggle. She tells Siuan that her punishment must
be exile, as it’s the only way to get around Maigan’s order to stay in the
Tower. They try to rest.
The next day, Lan and Moiraine are
rushing to a meeting, but Liandrin overhears them talking about Mat and asks
about him. She asks about… well, everyone that Moiraine has brought to the
tower, and passive aggressively threatens to tell the Amyrlin about them.
Moiraine, kid gloves off, gets right in her face, and tells Liandrin she knows
about the man that she meets in North Harbor, and if she keeps poking at this,
she’ll tell all the Reds about him, and they’ll probably kill him. They go to
their meeting, revealed to be with Loial. They need his help with something
Later, Moiraine meets with Egwene
in the Hall of the Tower and enjoys Egwene’s open mouth surprise. They bring
Nynaeve in, the two hug and then Moiraine pulls them into a meeting with Siuan.
When Nynaeve says she can wait, Moiraine says “Siuan Sanche only waits for one
woman. And it’s not you.” In the Amyrlin’s study, Siuan greets them, Moiraine
and Egwene bowing but Nynaeve refusing. She’s impressed by Nynaeve’s strength
and Egwene’s return of the rings, but Nynaeve wants to cut to the chase. She
gives them a speech about understanding being given a life different than what
they wanted, how they’re destined for greatness. Nynaeve wants to bail, but
Siuan tells her that the Wheel calls them to this, regardless of what they
want. Egwene then asks what they need to do.
Moiraine meets with Lan, who tells
her it’s time. He offers to stand with her, but he has a job to do, to make
sure “they” are there. Moiraine goes into the Hall. She’s sentenced to Exile,
and furthermore to swear on the Oath Rod that she will stay away from the Tower
until the Amyrlin Seat calls her back. It’s actually a very sweet scene, with
Siuan making sure to touch Moiraine’s finger beneath the Rod. Moiraine, under
her breath, swears not to the Amyrlin but to “Siuan Sanche, Daughter of the River,
clever as a pike, strong as the tides.” A sweet moment hidden in plain sight.
Ha ha, loophole to the oath, Siuan Sanche is calling her home the moment she
steps from the room.
Through the arches we will go.
As Moiraine leaves, all the Sitters
and Sisters outside turn their back on her, last of all Alanna. She heads out
of the city and into the wilderness. She comes up to a pronged arch of some
kind, where she’s met by Lan, Rand, Egwene, Perrin, Mat, Loial, and Nynaeve.
The Two Rivers Folk quickly catch up for a minute or two before Moiraine calls
their attention again. They release the horses, but till with all their gear,
kay… as they’re going through “The Ways.” Nynaeve demands answers. Loial tells
them that they’re portals outside of time, that they’re the fastest way to the
Eye of the World. The Dark One is there, and one of them will finish the job
they started in their last life. She tells them that if they don’t take this
chance, the whole world is doomed. Egwene asks what happens to the not-Dragons,
and Moiraine claims they don’t know for certain until the time comes. Moiraine
opens the ways via channeling, which is weird but whatever. Mat asks if it’s
not too late to change his mind. The bulk of the group step through the gate. It’s
only as the hole is shutting that they realize that Mat hadn’t followed them
in. The others call for him, but Mat turns and walks away as the door snaps
shut. Damn.
Uh, guys, you can just open the
door again, right? Just saying.
This is an…okay episode. I think it
didn’t quite hit the emotional highs as the last episode with Stepin’s suicide.
I enjoyed meeting this version of Siuan Sanche, portrayed by Sophie Okonedo,
who is an open LGBTQ character instead of an implied one. Okonedo really
captured the duality of Siuan, her regal splendor in a public audience and the
grown fisherman’s daughter she is in private. The whole bit about her being as
smart as a pike and as strong as the tide was made for the show, but that sums
up both versions of her nicely. She dominates every scene she’s in. I think the
episode feels a bit weaker for me in part because Okonedo and Rosemund Pike are
doing most of the heavy lifting. Nearly all the Two Rivers folk are recovering
from their travels in this episode, which is good for them but does leave the
episode feeling a bit flatter for me. I do like the foreshadowing with the
boat’s vanishing and the Aiel being sighted. Two things to keep in mind.
According to modern wisdom, there is supposed to be nothing to the west. The
last large force to travel out that way were Artur Hawkwing’s armies a 1000
years ago, and they never returned. And the last time the Aiel were seen on the
Westside of the Spine, they were kicking the ass of every other nation looking for
King Lamen. Both events hint at big things to come. I don’t know if Mat being
left behind was a choice that was made early on, or a change forced on the
script when Barney Harris quit the project, but I think splitting the group up
again here was a smart idea. At the Eye, most of the characters have nothing to
do, so splitting Mat off to surprised book readers like myself and to set him
up for whatever they’re planning for him to do in season 2 seems smart. The fact that they don’t open the Ways again just
to grab him is a bit odd but what are ya gonna do. I mentioned that channeling
to open the Ways is a bit weird, here’s why. The Ways were created by Male
Channelers during the early days of the Breaking, as thanks to the Ogier for
sheltering them from the Madness in the Stedding. They use a special talisman
to grow the ways. Why? Because Ogier don’t channel! So, making the door open
via channeling is just a bit odd to me. But Maybe this’ll make sense later. Who
knows?
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Twitter: @BasicsSuperhero
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