Viewer Log: Wheel of Time ep 11

Will Nynaeve find Dreams or Nightmares?

Last time on The Wheel Of Time, we finally caught up with Rand. The world’s most important red head had spent the last few months in Cairhien, in the Foregate specifically. He’d been working as an orderly at a mental hospital and screwing his landlady, Selene. While he’d met and befriended a patient named Errol, the whole point of his personal mission was to infiltrate the hospital and speak with Logain, who had been made a patient there. Meanwhile, Egwene met and befriended a new Novice at the Tower, Elayne Trakand, Daughter-Heir (Princess) of Andor. The two became fast friends. Nynaeve ended up being courted hard by Liandrin, who wants her to join the Red Ajah. Nynaeve, not completely trusting Liandrin followed her one night and found her administering to a very old man, implied to be her son. Liandrin slapped her and told her to leave, but later gathered Nynaeve to put her through the Three Arches, a test to be raised to Accepted in the White Tower (rank 2 of 3). Mat dug his way through his wall, found another cell and met it’s occupant, Min. The two share a drink and swap stories. Min has a vision of Mat stabbing and killing Rand with his cursed dagger, so it could have been a better night. Moiraine and Lan head to the Tower with Verin, Adaleus, and their Warder Tomas. Moiraine breaks her relationship with Lan, passing his bond to Alana and telling him that he never saw him as an equal. Perrin kept on the hunt for Fain with the Shienarans. He has a weird vision of a family sitting down to dinner before being attacked by a Fade and Darkfriends. Elyas, the sniffer, cryptically tells him the importance of telling the difference between visions and reality. Their group heads to a nearby town, and in the dead of night are attacked by an invading army. The army has Channeler pairs they use to fight. They’re captured and presented with the other inhabitants of the village to their leaders, a masked woman and Ishamael of the Forsaken.

 

Ep 11: What Might Be

 

We open at the start of Nynaeve’s Accepted Test. She’s been brought to the Three Arches. They are Ter’angreal, a device that uses the One Power to perform a specific task or function. The Arches are extremely old, having been made before the Breaking Of the World 3000 years ago. Most Ter’angreal are dangerous, and the Aes Sedai learned to avoid them. Nynaeve is skeptical about going through the Arches with that opener, but Leane Sedai tells her they “know” what this one does. I put it in quotes because they very much do NOT know what this thing does, they just figured out how to turn it off and on and very slightly alter what happens in it. They tell her that this is but her first chance of three to enter the Arches. She can say no two times, but the third time she’ll have to go through the Arches. They say that if she doesn’t, they’ll put her out of the Tower with enough silver for a year… but I highly doubt anyone is actually allowed that option. She’ll have to complete the trial once she’s started or be put out of the Tower. Nynaeve says she’s ready, and she’s stripped down to her shift. This is an upgrade from the books where she had to do the test naked, just saying. They tell her that she’ll only have her wits in the test, as the Power won’t work in the Arches. Liandrin, Sheriam, and Leane start channeling to power the Arches up, Sheriam telling Nynaeve, “The way back with come but once.”

 

… BE STEADFAST! Come on, if you’re going to do the line do the whole line, damn it.

 

Nynaeve steps through the first Arch. She finds herself in a forest somewhere. Her father, Beerien walks out and sees she’s holding Crimson Thorn roots. She drops them at his command, and he takes her to the river to wash her hands. In the river, she sees her face at seven or eight looking back up at her in the reflection. Her father reminds her that herbs can be dangerous and that Red means Dead. Beerien sees some raiders in the distances that start shooting arrows at them. Nynaeve saves him from getting hit and they run. They get grabbed by two of them and Nynaeve gets her shoulder stabbed, but they’re saved by Elnore, Nynaeve’s mother. The family runs for their house. They take Nynaeve into the cellar and hide her there. Her dad tells her to stay quiet and then says a prayer in the old tongue before the raiders arrive. He runs up to help Nynaeve’s mom. Nynaeve grabs a knife and wants to save them, but the Arch forms and calls to her. She leaps through it, landing in the chamber, her shoulder bloody from her wound. Liandrin pours water over her and says she’s been washed clean. Leane heals her and the next Arch powers up. She steps through it.

 

Nynaeve second test has her return to the Two Rivers in the middle of a pandemic. Tam al’Thor is down with the illness and is dying. The Two Rivers doesn’t currently have a Wisdom but is being ‘administered’ by Mat’s mother Natti. She has no skill with herbs and is only giving the sick a poison to give them a quick death. Natti accuses Nynaeve of abandoning them and that the Aes Sedai have refused to help them. Nynaeve tries to heal Tam but can’t access the Power. Nynaeve agrees to sit with Tam until the poison takes him, she lies to him (to her knowledge) that Rand is healthy and safe to ease his suffering, but then the gateway forms. She leaves Tam, despite his begging her to stay, and reforms in the Arch’s room.

 

She tries to beg the Aes Sedai to head to the Two Rivers to help them with the plague, but they tell her not to burden them with what she saw and to continue. Nynaeve, crying, enters the Third arch. For her third test, Nynaeve ends up falling through a void for a while before coming out of Arch again. She claims to not remember what happened. All we see is her in Red, screaming and hearing Lan talk to her. She’s covered in blood and “washed clean of her sin,” again. They look Nynaeve over and say that the blood isn’t hers, so it’s fine. Nynaeve realizes that she’s holding Lan’s top knot. Sheriam tells her that she’s now Accepted of the Tower and sealed to them. Nynaeve, furious at everything she’s just seen and what she can’t remember, tells them to screw off and storms out. She said it more eloquently than that, but it’s the gist. She packs up her things, telling Egwene that she doesn’t in fact need her, and that that was worth learning here. She tells Egwene that she’ll be an Aes Sedai worthy of their title, “Servants of All” in the old tongue. He leaves and runs into Lan as he was returning to the Tower. They hug and she tells him she couldn’t go through with being Accepted. She says she’ll return to the Two Rivers and Lan offers to go with her if she’ll have him. She agrees and they kiss. Nynaeve hears the portal calling to her but seems to miss it when it forms. She says she just had a strange feeling, like this was a dream and the two hug. Well, crap.

 

Outside the Arches, Leane dubs that Nynaeve has made her choice. Liandrin tries to play it off, saying they’ve lost people before, but Sheriam won’t have it. She says that Nynaeve trusted them, and they failed her. Sheriam says that she hopes her conscience will never let her make peace with that, as she knows hers won’t. Liandrin throws the water jug in fury.

 

How that we’ve lost Nynaeve in a device that these gal’s DEFINITELY don’t understand as well as they think they do, let’s check in on Perrin. He, Loial and the Shienarans are being held by the Seanchan. Their leader, High Lady Suroth, waves her fingers and one of their servants, a Damane and her Sul’dam, start investigating the crowd. The Damane points to girls at random in the crowd and have them taken away. Suroth waves her fingers again and her “Voice” Alwhin, speaks for her as the Damane keeps searching. Alwhin tells them that they squat on stolen lands and have forgotten their oaths. She announces that they’re the Returned forces of Luthair Paendrag, and that they must swear new oaths to serve the Seanchan. Uno says they can’t let these girls be taken, but Ingtar tells them they’re outnumbered and unarmed. Uno reveals he has a dagger. The Damane and Sul’dam finish their work and Uno is chosen to be the first to swear the oaths. He tries to fight off the soldiers but they take his dagger and force him to the throne. They try to get him to bend the knee and swear the oath, but instead he spits and says feck you and your oaths. He’s forced to his knees and his head is impaled on a spike. UNO NO!!!!!! Suroth herself announces that all will bow. With his death, the villagers, Shienarans, Loial and Perrin bow and swear the oaths, to Obey, Await and Serve. Perrin is the last to bend the knee.

 

We jump over to Cairhien and Rand. He’s brought Logain his meal. Logain seems to know why he’s here and tries to get him to just ask his question. He reveals that he remembers Rand from Tar Valon and that he saw the the aura of a channeler around him. Rand tries to deny it, but Logain is sure. Rand finally buckles asking for Logain’s help in learning to Channel. Logain names his price, a bottle of Ghealdanin Red wine. Rand asks where he’s supposed to get a bottle like that when they’re hundreds of miles from Ghealdan and Logain just says he’s sure he can do it.

 

Rand returns to the Foregate to see a Gleeman (traveling entertainer) telling the story of the Horn Of Valere and how it’ll be discovered and used to summon dead heroes to fight for the Light in the last battle. Selene sees Rand and calls him over. She says that this is in preparation for the Great Hunt of the Horn, a quest that gets called in Illian every few hundred years. No one has found the horn, but the most exciting adventures that spring from it get added to the list of tales for the Great Hunt. The Queen of Cairhien has promised half her fortune to whoever can return it here. Rand asks Selene if she has a Ghealdanin red wine. She scoffs at that, saying that’ll be hard to find. Rand plays coy as to why he wants it, but Selene agrees to help him, pulling him away to find him a better coat for her plan.

 

Back at the Tower, Elayne and Egwene are just getting up, Egwene complaining about her hangover, and are going to collect Nynaeve for morning lessons. They find Sheriam in her room, whom tells her of Nynaeve’s supposed death. Egwene refuses to believe it, saying that they need to go into the arches and get her back. Elayne tells her that’s not how it works. Sheriam tells her bluntly that Nynaeve is dead, and Egwene needs to learn to live with that. She tells Egwene to take the time she needs and to know the pain will pass. Elayne tries to talk to Egwene but she’s furious and orders Elayne out. She slams the door and holds the herb bag Nynaeve gave her close to her chest as she cries.

 

Mat wakes up to find Liandrin in his room. She tells him he’s free to go. He demands to know why. Liandrin shouts at him that she failed Nynaeve because she split her focus between her and Mat. She tells Mat that Egwene is here and needs a friend right now. She says she sees nothing in Mat, calling him an insidious coward and other names to vent her feelings. She says she knows him, that he left his friends and he’d do it again. She says what he does doesn’t matter because he doesn’t, and to spare her the misery of her company. Later, she places Nynaeve’s accepted ring in the pyre thing for Aes Sedai. Egwene goes to confront her, accusing her of killing Nynaeve. Liandrin tries to leave, but Egwene channels a fire wall to stop her. Liandrin puts it out. She says that Nynaeve was the strong one, but Egwene was supposed to be the smart one, the one who knew her place. She claims to only speak the truth and says that she sent Nynaeve through the Arches because she believed in her. She says that it’s not the strongest women who write history, but the ones who survive. And that Egwene might just be one. Egwene promises her that Liandrin doesn’t know what she’s capable of.

 

Jumping back to Rand, he’s attending a party that he and Selene gatecrashed. He’s nervous that they might notice them since they weren’t at the dinner part of the night, but Selene says that just makes them more interesting. They’d scored a dinner invite from a Lady Dhulaine next week, and that the nobles are wondering if they’re outland nobles they can use against each other. Rand asks about the Ghealdanin Red and Selene goes to get it. When alone, a lady Anvaere joins him and warns him about accepting the invite, however he replies it’ll have a cost. Rand chooses to not play, burning the invite. Anvaere says he’ll really have the Houses talking with that stunt. She notes that he’s probably staying in the Foregate and says that they must seem barbaric celebrating like this while people starve out there. Rand says that the Queen’s reward for the horn might help them, but Anvaere tells him that there is no reward. Encouraging people to hunt for the Horn is just to get people out of the Foregate. The whole shanty town formed during the Aiel War, with peasants flocking to the city looking for protection and they never left for fear of their farms being attacked again. They’re giving them a reason to leave so the poors won’t revolt. Selene rejoins them and pulls Rand away. She gives him the bottle. Rand tells her about the lie off the Hunt and she laughs. She claims this is the most political city in the world and every word is a political weapon. Rand asks her what her angle is, she claims he already knows. Rand storms off, saying he shouldn’t have asked for her help. Selene tells him he’ll miss the fireworks.

 

Rand finds Logain watching the fireworks. He gives him the wine and expects answers. Logain tells him there’s no way to stop touching the Source. It can’t be contained; it will eventually spill out. Rand calls him mad. Logain throws the bottle and shatters it, claiming that the madness isn’t real, that the Aes Sedai lie about it to poison the world against men. He still thinks he’s the Dragon Reborn, but Rand tells him he is not. Logain claims to hear Lews Therin Telamon whispering to him. Rand tries to leave, but Logain throws him against a wall, saying he will get Logain out, as he’s the only one who can teach him. Rand says he’s sick and shoves him off. Logain says he might be but none of them can hide from who they are.

 

At the Tower, Mat reaches topside and finds Egwene crying in the garden. He chickens out and leaves before she sees him. He goes back to his cell, opens the hole for Min and tells her to join him. He reveals that he’s been freed. Mat admits he wants to go but doesn’t know where. Min tells him they just need to walk through the open door and she’s not waiting for him. She leaves and he follows.

 

We shift to Perrin being transported by the Seanchan.  He wakes up to find Ishamael in the cart with him. He reveals that Perrin is being brought to Falma as Suroth’s honored guest, a new life awaits him. But that’s probably not going to be a good life for him. Ishamael gives him a drink from a flask and then say that he wants to ‘meet the monster’ in Perrin. Perrin asks who he is, and he “shows” Perrin, making him see flashes of him from his nightmares. Perrin says he’s dead, but he laughs it off. Wolves arrive and start attacking. He asks Ishamael what he wants from him. Ishamael claims that the more of a wolf he is, the more of him is Ishamael’s, before leaving. When alone Perrin tries to free himself before Elyas joins him and frees him. They escape, Elyas staying back to help throw the Seanchan off them.

 

Mat finds Min preparing horses for them. Min tells him to wait there while she grabs one more thing. She walks off and meets with Liandrin. It’s revealed she’s working for Liandrin and that she’s got orders to lead Mat somewhere. Liandrin reminds her that if she succeeds Moiraine won’t have anything over either of them anymore. And for Min to not let her down.

 

Rand returns to his room to find Selene waiting for him. She chokes him and says if he tries to leave her again, she’ll kill him. The two start aggressively making out, but the power starts encircling Rand. He wakes up, turns out it was a dream, but the power is still wrapping around him and he accidentally sets the roof of the inn on fire.

 

Back at the Tower, Egwene tries to open the Arches. She can get it started but can’t get it going. Elayne joins her and says there have been 100 attempts over the centuries to get someone out of the Arches and it never works. Also, one person can’t power them. Egwene tells her to help or leave. Elayne tells her the worst case is she’ll die or be caught and expelled. Elayne tells her that Nynaeve wouldn’t want her to throw her life away trying to save Nynaeve. She asks how the strongest person she knows could have failed, but Elayne says no one knows what happens in the Arches. Maybe inside offered her a better turning of the wheel. She offers to get them some blankets and they can spend the night.

 

Inside the Arch, Nynaeve is living a happy life in the Two Rivers. She and Lan have a daughter named Elnore, and Mat and Perrin have found their way back home and are living happy lives. In particular, she seems to imagine Mat as being a successful merchant or lord given his clothes. Mat hands her a note and everyone goes inside for dinner. Lan has his hair down and looks like Jesus for some reason. Nynaeve tells Lan that the note was from Egwene, that she and the other Green Sisters are headed North to Saldaea to fight Trollocs. Lan says it’s a long way off, but Nynaeve says it’s not far enough. Mat and Perrin play with Elnore as they clean, and Lan asks if she regrets leaving the Tower. She doesn’t answer. Trollocs suddenly attack. They hide Elnore in the cellar while the others fight. Nynaeve makes it outside to find the Trollocs have already killed Mat. Perrin takes an ax to the chest and Lan is run through. Nynaeve suddenly channels and blasts the Trollocs back. She sobs over Lan’s body but can’t do anything to save him. Elnore came out and asked Nynaeve about the Arch that suddenly formed. Nynaeve, remembering the way back will come but once, grabs Elnore and runs through the Arch.  She comes out the others die in a soiled shift, covered in blood and her arms empty. She sobs and screams as she collapses to the ground and Egwene wakes up and tries to comfort her. Well, that was horrifying.

 

I’ll start with Nynaeve’s test. Damn, that was horrifying. Her test is largely the same as in the books. The fear of her past is the most different, as that had her being chased through a maze by Aginor, a Forsaken that looked like a rotting corpse that appeared in the first book but not in the show. Adding her parent’s violent deaths instead feels like a more violent knife twist. Test two is largely the same, returning to the Two Rivers to find out the current Wisdom isn’t up to snuff and that people are getting hurt. In the books it was a violently totalitarian Wisdom instead of an incompetent one, but she still left a family friend behind to continue. The final test is the cruelest. In the books, she just runs into her husband Lan that describes their happy lives, their three children and home. She’s in, she’s very tempted to stay, but then out again. In this one… she lived it. While a day past for those outside, she lived 10 or more years in the Two Rivers in the Arch. She had a baby, a life, and now… it’s mist. While she doesn’t announce it here like in the books, I can’t imagine that Show-Nynaeve isn’t also vowing to hate all Aes Sedai forever. Perrin getting captured by the Seanchan was interesting. While Uno survived in the books, book 2 was his most important section, so electing to kill him off now to set the sakes with the Seanchan is an understandable alteration to me. But damn, was not expecting him to be impaled on screen. Dark stuff. Ishamael seems pretty confident that Perrin’s wolf side gives him sway over the big blacksmith but I’m not so sure. We’ll get more of the wolf stuff next time. Egwene’s refusal to give up on Nynaeve was pretty good. Sure, it was largely denial but the fact she couldn’t accept Nynaeve was just gone fills me with pride. You should have confidence in your friends. Rand’s story is not going great, it seems. Forcing his way into a party to get a bribe for someone that can’t actually help him has got to suck. It would have been a long shot for Logain to help him, anyway, as a huge part of Channeling is a visual component that those cut off can’t replicate. Selene seemed much more aggressive this time, she seemed real upset in that nightmare with Rand. Something tells me their no strings attached set up isn’t long for this world. Mat finally being free is interesting. I think Liandrin doesn’t have the measure of him in terms of his moral fiber, but she does have it right that he can be directed fairly easily. I wonder what Liandrin has on Min to get her to manipulate Mat. She isn’t big on Aes Sedai, so whatever deal they have has to be important for her to betray an all-around good dude like Mat. All I’m saying. So yeah, good follow up and I agree with Nynaeve that the Aes Sedai are unforgivable. 

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