Thursday, April 24, 2025

Viewer Log: Wheel of Time ep 18

 Various hunts are on.

Last time on The Wheel of Time, the crew got to rest in Tar Valon. They’d come back for Nynaeve to reveal that Liandrin Sedai was part of the Black Ajah. Liandrin reveals she is Black, and is captured, but then has her coconspirators in the Black Ajah among the sitters free her. She and her fellows escape, stealing Angreal from the 13th Depository, killing several Warders and Aes Sedai, including Alana’s Warder Ihvon, and nearly killing Siuan, but Moiraine saves her despite their issues. After, everyone has a day to recover in the city before they start their trek anew. Meanwhile, Moiraine is approached by Lanfear who is revealed to have been trying to push Rand to Tear to get his hands on Callandor, a powerful Sa’Angreal. It’s both a weapon to use against the Forsaken and a proof he’s the Dragon Reborn. Egwene and Nynaeve are approached by the Amyrlin who tries to convince them to come back to the Tower. Egwene agrees but on the condition that she gets to take the test for Accepted today. She goes through it, her vision of herself as the Amyrlin having to execute Rand who had lost himself to the madness. She passes, gets the Ring and storms off, saying they can’t stop her from going now. In the night, everyone is attacked by impossibilities. Perrin’s ax comes to life and tries to kill him, Rand and Egwene are attacked by his reflections, and Mat loses himself to an illusion of his cards coming to life as a Gray Man attacks Nynaeve and stabs her. They escape these traps, Rand breaking the mirrors in Egwene’s room on her suggestion, Loial slamming Perrin’s ax to the ground and snapping the handle off, and Lan coming to Nynaeve’s aid. It’s later revealed this was a ploy that Moiraine and Lanfear worked out, Lanfear trying to drive the others away to guide Rand to Tear. And it works, mostly. Perrin has decided to go back to the Two Rivers, Loial and the Aiel Bain and Chiad coming with. Nynaeve decided to stay at the Tower to get over her block, so she can channel freely. Elayne is also staying to train and Mat’s staying because he thinks Nynaeve will be the only one who can help him with his weird memories. Rand, Egwene, Lan, Moiraine, and Aviendha the Aiel are headed to the Three-Fold Land, the Aiel Waste to get the loyalty of the Aiel. Meanwhile, Moghedian of the Forsaken turns a man Jaichim Caridan into a Gray Man and orders him to find someone for her. Enough recapping. Let’s get to it.

 

We begin in the past with a very pregnant Morgase Trakand of Andor on her coronation day. That’s Elayne’s mom, by the way, pregnant with her unless I’m mistaken. Her Aes Sedai advisor, Elida of the Red Ajah congratulates her on this day finally coming. She’s brought into the throne room and takes her Seat on the Lion Throne, in this universe depicted as a tiny throne with two massive Lioness statues on either side of her. She’s briefly greeted by her step-son Galad and brought her own first born son Gawyn before she makes her first address to the nobles. She says that they’ve been in a succession crisis since the death of Queen Mordrellen Mantear. She says that many of the people here were her rivals and she theirs. She promises that if they swear fealty to her now, she won’t hold that against them and that they’ll move forward as a nation if they’ll but bend the knee. The various heads of the Andoran nobles bend the knee and swear their fealty. She accepts their fealty but says she can’t risk another succession war. The nobles that bent the knee were then killed by their seconds, to ensure they never threaten Elayne claim in the future. Morgase is crowned queen by Elida, and they announce Long live the Queen.

 

In the present, Elayne is scrubbing floors. She hears whisperings and looks out to find Verin and Leane having a whispered conversation about loyalty and trust. They spot her, though, and she flees to pretend she didn’t hear anything. They join her, Verin asking if that isn’t Morgase’ coronation song they hear in the distance. Verin asks what in the Lights name is Morgase doing in Tar Valon, but Elayne has no idea.

 

We join Morgase as she’s brought into the hall of the Tower, escorted by her consort Lord Gaebril. To prove who rules, Siuan intentionally makes them wait a solid two minutes before they’re allowed in. We’re introduced to the royal family of Andor, first Elayne’s elder half-brother Galad and then her older full brother Gawyn, First Prince of the Sword. Andor is a matriarchy ruled by a queen, despite her two older brothers, she’s the only member of their house that can inherit. Gawyn’s position as First Prince of the Sword puts him in charge of the military upon Elayne’s ascention. Lord Gaebril is introduced after Leane had to remember his name. Elida then enters and bows to the Amyrlin. Siuan asks what they owe this honor. Morgase demands to know where Elayne is and how Siuan could have allowed her to be kidnapped. She starts a tirade, but Siuan cuts her off, saying that so long as she wears the ring and is in the Hall, she must address Siuan by her title. Morgase, FYI, trained at the Tower in her youth as all Andoran royal girls do, but while she could channel, her strength was all but nonexistent and she was given the ring as a sort of honorary position. Elayne’s the first Andoran noble of the royal line to have the strength to be a full sister, ever. Morgase apologizes, but swears that she will not leave the Tower until she sees Elayne and hears what happened from her mouth. Siuan has Leane take her entourage to their quarters and offers to take her to Elayne herself.

 

Out in the Spine of the World, Avi leads Rand, Egwene, Moiraine and Lan to the Waste. She says that were they Aiel they’d make it through the pass on foot by nightfall, but since they are not, they’ll set up camp where they are. My red headed sister has low opinions of non-Aiel’s traveling abilities.

 

We then jump to a Waygate just outside the Two Rivers. The portal forms and Perrin, Loial, Bain and Chiad exit. This is the first time in a while that we got confirmation that you can open and travel the ways without channeling, you just need to place a leaf in it’s proper place on the gate, as Loial does to lock it again. Perrin sees tracks in the dirt and realizes they’re not the first to come through here. Two sets of tracks, a man and a woman, went through. Perrin smells ash, which is strange. Loial says that only Darkfriends travel the Ways without an Ogier. Loial looks incredibly winded, Perrin saying that they should have stopped by a Stedding first. He says he’s fine and that the Longing takes a while to build up. Bain asks what that is, and they explain that Ogier need to spend time in a Stedding or they grow ill. It’s the Ogiers home ground, a place that fills them with strength and vitality. There was a point when the Ogier didn’t suffer from this effect, but after the Breaking they developed the Longing.

 

Elayne greets her brothers and Gaebril, greeting Gawyn warmly, Galad formally, and Gaebril… like it took her a moment to realize who he is. Galad says they’ve been worried about her. Gaebril says that Morgase is with the Amyrlin and that she should be ready for the firestorm. Galad complains that they weren’t allowed to come along to look after Elayne like the plan had been, but Gaebril chuckles at the thought of Morgase letting all her ducklings out of her sight at once. Gawyn says that he’d be happy to start Warder training now, but Galad isn’t certain that they’ll have much to learn at this point. He then goes on and on about how naïve Elayne is and how vulnerable it makes her. Props to Ceara Coveney here, as you can just see the tightlipped smile she’s giving him while looking death at Callum Kerr. She whispers to the others if he hasn’t gotten more irritating since she left and Gaebril says she has no idea. She suggests that maybe they can stay and start training now, but her brothers make it clear that isn’t the plan.

 

Mat, meanwhile, is examined by some Yellow Sisters. They weave Earth and Water into his skull to examine his mind as Nynaeve and some Accepted watch. The weave ends abruptly and everyone else is escorted out. Nynaeve asks the head of this group, Ryma, what happened. Ryma says that the Weave wouldn’t hold and that the mind is a slippery patient. Ryma admits that they’ve never seen anything like this before, and even if they had, there isn’t much the power can do for afflictions of the mind. Nynaeve asks what they can do, Ryma says they’ll monitor him as best they can and that’s about it.

 

Siuan apologizes to Morgase about what happened with Elayne, saying that she understands Elayne’s importance to both Andor and the Tower. She claims that the White Tower and Andor is the axis in which peace in the Westlands turn. And I believe that is the first time the continent the story takes place on is ever named. Neat. Morgase says that if this is a strategy to get favor from her, it’s very disarming. Siuan apologizes for what she had to do in public, and insists that Elayne is safer in the Tower than anywhere else in the world. She knocks on Elayne door and Siuan leave Morgase and Elayne to catch up. Morgase is very affectionate in private and asks to be shown Elayne’s room. It’s a brief tour as the room is small. Elayne asks how her meeting with Siuan was and Morgase says that the Amyrlin and everyone is hiding something in the Tower, including Elayne. Morgase asks her to tell her what happened, but Elayne says that it’s an internal matter, not one to spread around. Morgase says that’s fine, she can wait until tomorrow. And then reveals that tomorrow Elayne will get an honorary ring like Morgase has, they’ll head home and then she’ll tell Morgase everything. Elayne insists that she get to stay and be a full Aes Sedai, but Morgase isn’t budging. She says Elayne’s first duty is to Andor, and that they can’t risk her here. She should say goodbye to her friends and come home.

 

Back in the spine, Egwene fingers her ring as Lan shows Rand sword forms. Lan’s footwork and swings are impressive, but Lan senses his mind is elsewhere and asks if he wants to talk about it. Rand refuses and they get back to practice. Moiraine notes bruises on Egwene’s neck and asks if they’re from Rand doing something to her. Egwene says no, and that she’s here to protect Rand, not to help Moiraine control him. Moiraine says she’s going to protect him too, but as Egwene will be the first to notice signs of Madness, she has to come to Moiraine if she sees them. Avi joins them, bringing a rabbit for dinner. She looks over at Rand practicing Sword forms and is disgusted. Aiel have an aversion to Swords, thinking they’re not an honest weapon like the spear. Egwene defends him, saying that he’s trying to prepare for what he’ll need to do in the Waste. Avi says that the Wetlanders have such easy prophecies about their Dragon, that it’ll be different with the Car’a’carn. She says that the Aiel prophecies say that the Car’a’carn will destroy the Aiel, spread their blood like water on the sand, and that he’ll only be able to save a remnant of a remnant of their people. He is creation and destruction wrapped in one. Hence why she’s not super jazzed about bringing Rand home.

 

We jump back to the Mountains of Mist as Perrin’s group approach the Two Rivers. All comment that the air is better, cleaner as they approach the village, Chiad saying that there’s too much water and trees but she still likes it. Loial says that this where Manetharan once stood, the greatest of ancient cities, but Perrin says that was ages ago, they’re farmers now.

 

They head into the village, and everyone seems shocked to see Perrin. He sees his old forge and has a flashback to when he killed Leila during the Trolloc attack. To his surprise, a squad of Whitecloaks rode through the village. Marin al’Vere, Egwene’s mom, recognizes him and says she barely recognized him. She says she just got a letter from Egwene and that she didn’t say he was coming. Loial, Bain and Chiad introduce themselves, and Perrin asks why the Whitecloaks are here. Marin says that things have changed since he left and it’s not safe for him here. She offers him a room in the Winespring attic with the ‘others.’ In the attic he’s reintroduced to Alanna and Maksim. They’re dressed for battle it seems.

 

In the Tower, Elida and Morgase meet. Elida isn’t getting anything from her Red sisters, but knows something big happened. She wants to know who took Elayne and Elida says that they had a Darkfriend under their noses. Morgase admits that since Siuan admitted that much to her, she’s worried something far far worse happened than just one Darkfriend.

 

Siuan meets with Leane and Verin, the group knowing that Elida is sniffing around and that she’ll find something out. Siuan thinks they can keep her off the cent for a few days until she leaves but Verin isn’t so sure. She liked in the Tower, somehow, and those alliances die hard. She asks if there’s any info from their seer. Their seer as it turns out, is Min. Verin says that she’s been having Min pose as a servant and putting her around as many Aes Sedai as she could. Min says that she’s seen death and destruction all around various Aes Sedai. When Leane says that she thought Min saw the future, not the past, Min confirms that this is death yet to come. At least nine sisters are as good as dead, but she doesn’t know when. Her visions aren’t that specific.

 

We cut to Mat in his room with a Novice, he’s using the Horn of Valere to try to get laid it seems. Another novice arrives, saying the Andoran princes are here. The girls leave him in the dust, saying they have to see ‘this.’ We cut to the brothers dueling in the practice ground, Gawyn puts on a good show but Galad outclasses him as a fighter, constantly knocking him to the ground. Elayne is also watching her brothers fight as is Nynaeve. Mat says that he didn’t think she’d be into this kind of thing, but Nynaeve shrugs and says everyone is into it. Mat asks who the tossers are, and Elayne says they’re her brothers. Nynaeve calls them entitled bastards, and then apologizes to Elayne. Elayne says she takes no offense… from the woman sleeping with an actual king. Oh how I’ve waited for my sass queen to return. Gawyn finally gets a touch on his brother, winning the fight. Man plants the sword he was playing with and walks off. Nynaeve notes that Elayne seems a bit bummed and says most people are happier to see family. Elayne says that people in her family have a habit of having 12 or so plots or plans in motion at any given time, so they’re… stressful. Another novice arrives and gives her a note from the Amyrlin Seat.

 

In Siuan’s office, she places a note in a box and then locks it with a weave. Nynaeve and Elayne join her. Siuan says that Liandrin may have left with some of her compatriots, but Siuan is sure others were left behind. Unfortunately, she has no idea who they could be. She tells them that Elayne and Nynaeve are the only two she can trust to not be Black Ajah, even more than Verin or Leane. She needs their help to sus out these traitors, they’ll be her hounds, hunting the black Ajah. Elayne points out that Nynaeve can’t even channel on command, but Siuan breezes past this, saying they’re as strong as Liandrin in sheer power and that means they’re stronger than all the other Black Sisters. Nynaeve asks why they should trust her and Siuan says that’s good, they should rely on that kind of thinking. Elayne is to go through the Arches tonight, and then tomorrow Verin will get them equipped for their search.

 

After, Elayne says that the Amyrlin is keeping secrets from them, and Nynaeve asks for one Aes Sedai that doesn’t. They’re apprehensive about finding Black Sisters, but Nynaeve admits that they’re the only ones she’d trust to do this. Elayne admits that tomorrow her mother is taking her back to Andor. Nynaeve isn’t happy at the idea of being abandoned to search on her own, but Elayne says her duty is to the Lion throne. Nynaeve begins to say she should have known better but doesn’t finish the thought and storm off.

 

Back in the Two Rivers, Marin says that it started when the Trollocs started attacking again. She says it’s nothing like the force from Bel Tine, but they’d been performing raids for weeks now, taking just animals at first but then upgrading to abducting people. Then the Whitecloaks showed up and things just kept escalating. She says that the Whitecloaks are looking for Perrin. Alanna says that they claim he killed Geofram Bornhald and that he’s a Darkfriend, Maksim saying that it’s probably his eyes that have them convinced. None of the Two Rivers folk believe it, except the Coplins and Congars and they’re the white trash families. They’re offering 100 gold coins for information on him. Perrin asks about his family, but Marin says that Tam al’Thor, Abel Cauthon and her Bran got them out of town. Bain asks why they aren’t fighting them off, but Marin says how that could work, and that as bad as they are, they’re the only protection they have from the Trollocs. Chiad says that when choosing between the lion or the bear, you’re only choosing what belly you end up in. Perrin then asks how Maksim and Alanna got here. He says that folks back in the Tower said they disappeared after the battle in the Tower and they’re worried. Alanna doesn’t answer the question. Loial asks about the cut in Alanna’s arm, and she says it’s from Trollocs. Marin says she’ll get them some supplies but they need to leave fast. Perrin refuses, admitting he did kill Geofram, and that he’ll turn himself in if this ends hostilities.

 

Out in the Spine, Lan is standing watch while the others sleep. Egwene has a nightmare about being a Damane again and being at Renna’s mercy again, Renna coughing blood into her mouth. Rand, meanwhile, is remembering when he used to bang Selene. He says that there was a time when he thought that the rest of his life was just going to be in this room with her. Lanfear says that it might have been a nice life, but Rand and her agree that it wouldn’t have been a life big enough for either of them. She demands to know what he’s doing, running off to the waste instead of to Tear and Callandor. He says it’s harder to find him now. She suggests that they do it, but Rand isn’t interested now. She asks if his loyalty is back with the ‘doe eyed calf,” and he tells her to back off. She says that someday soon Egwene will see the darkness raging in him and be repulsed. In Egwene’s dream, we see that Renna is just Lanfear in a mask, but Egwene misses the shift. “Renna” starts beating her as Lanfear tries to seduce Rand one more time. Egwene somehow breaks out of the dream. She appears in the Aiel Waste and a woman with spears says that she doesn’t belong here. She wakes up screaming and Rand calms her. He says that what she had to go through must have been terrible. She says she doesn’t regret it, and if Renna appeared before her now, she’d kill her again.

 

Mat is trying to sleep while hearing someone humping in the room next door to him. He hears a knock and assumes it’s Clara from earlier. He preens a little before answering the door to find Min standing outside, who tells him to close up his robe as she can’t take him seriously with his chest hair out. Mat laughs at her disguise. When the humping starts again, Mat says that’s Elayne’s brothers going at it with some novice or accepted girls on either side of his room and he honestly preferred the dungeon cell to this. Min laughs at his misfortune before saying that Siuan wants to see him. Min admits she knows he’s upset with her from the last time, and Mat says that ya, he’s real angry about how she sold him to the Forsaken. She apologizes and tries to talk to him but he says the Amyrlin is waiting. Min tells him to grab the Horn.

 

Elayne goes to her mom’s room and looks for her. She finds the crown of Andor in a case and tries it on, impressed with how she looks in it. Gaebril says it suits her and offers her some wine he took from the kitchens. They toast. Elayne asks where everyone is. Morgase is politicking, and the boys are… enjoying the fruits of their showing off. Gaebril says that he’s amazed anyone wants to spend time with Galad after talking to him. Elayne says that she was hoping her brothers were lying about Morgase wanting her to come home, and Gaebril admits that things are worse at home than they let on. He says that the people, and the military are raising up against their queen for some reason. She had to dismiss her Captain-General Bryne. He says to keep it under her hat. He says that he needs her sense back at home, and she says that all they did at home was drink like fish. He shrugs and says what better sense than that.

 

Mat is brought to the Amyrlin and introduces himself as Matrim Cauthon. I’m pretty sure this is the first time they’ve used his full name… Siuan is impressed by his exploits, she’s heard everything about them. About how he’s from the Two Rivers and how he blew the Horn of Valere and how he’s been bragging about it to anyone who’d listen for two minutes. She reveals that so long as Mat lives, the horn will bring back dead heroes, but to anyone else it’s just a horn. Mat’s a bit surprised to hear this information, with Siuan elaborating that if he dies, the next person to blow the horn gets ownership of it. She basically scolds him for using the horn to get laid and to get his portrait painted with it. She offers to take the horn for safekeeping and he agrees. Siuan says that Mat reminds her of her uncle Huan. She says that no one could pin him down, he was a rogue who liked gambling and fun more than work. He died, pulling children from a burning house, he wouldn’t stop going in until the last one was out. She asks if he’s like that, and Mat says he’s no hero. He only does what he has to do. Siuan points out that’s what heroes do and dismisses him.

 

Elayne meets with Morgase. Morgase asks what this is all about. Elayne says she’s staying. She admits that she’s been worrying about filling Morgase’s shoes, of being the queen that outmaneuvers everyone, but has realized that she needs to chart her own path. Morgase points out that the last Daughter-Heir to do that, Tigraine Mantear, disappeared without a trace and was never heard from again. Elayne says that the Pattern weaves things in ways they will never understand. Elayne says that it was terrifying in Falme, but she battled a Forsaken and helped heal the Dragon Reborn. She swears to strengthen Andor’s bond with the Tower, that she will root out the shadow in the hall of the Tower and be the first Aes Sedai queen. Morgase asks if this is for Andor’s sake or Siuan’s, and Elayne says it’s for her sake. Morgase says it’s too dangerous, but Elayne says it’s too late to go back to being safe and cloistered. She says her path will always lead back to Andor, but she needs to earn it first. Morgase relents and they hug.

 

In the Spine, Rand joins Moiraine and asks if she’ll keep ignoring him. She asks why he’s training with Lan and Rand says that he listens and that he feels grounded while training. Moiraine says that he has to channel, and he says that isn’t the case. He likens it to dying of thirst with a pool of sweet water being right in front of him. He wants to drink it all in, but he'll also take in the bitter poison that is the Taint. But he doesn’t care because he just wants the sweetness forever. He channels some flows around his hand, which quickly grow corrupted, to demonstrate. He releases the source and asks if she understands that. She admits she doesn’t, but that he needs to embrace both the bitter and the sweet so he doesn’t forget which is which.

 

In the Tower, Siuan offers her goodbyes to Morgase. Morgase reveals that she’s leaving her boys in the Tower to begin their Warder training, and that she’s leaving Eliada as well. Siuan is shocked by this, saying that Andor has had an Aes Sedai advisor for a thousand years. Morgase says that the Tower could use every strong channeler that it can get, and says quite candidly if anything happens to Elayne, she’s coming back with her army. Siuan insists they’ve nothing to fear.

 

In the Spine, they approach the Waste when Aviendha comes running demanding to know who they told they were coming. Lan and Moiraine both deny saying anything. They’re surrounded by Aiel Warriors. The woman from Egwene’s dream joins them along with a more seasoned looking Aielman. He asks if this is him, and the Aiel woman confirms that this is him, the Car’a’Carn.

 

I’ll start by saying I’m not sure about the cold open. Mostly because Morgase of the books did spare her political rivals after they bent the knee to her, so her murdering the heads of the four houses that most vehemently opposed her seems odd. I suppose this might be to show Morgase as being a ruthless ruler… but also maybe this is a sign of the streamlining the plot. Elayne’s story arc from later on has her having to deal with a succession crisis of her own and reclaiming the throne of Andor after her absence chasing the Black Ajah members. If her most prominent rivals are dead or pacified beyond the desire to fight against her, maybe we aren’t doing that plot. Which might be for the best, Elayne’s succession war is not a well-loved plot. Having Morgase and her sons introduced now is such a trip, though. Why? The House of Trakand was already fairly prominent at this point in the story. Elayne, her brothers and mom, as well as Elida, all appeared in the first novel and all of them but Morgase were recurring characters, at least, by book 2. But I can understand why the show held off on them up until this point. Galad and Gawyn’s role in the story were to mostly object to Elayne’s ‘extracurricular’ field trips and to press her for what’s happening to her friends. Both brothers were… interested in Egwene and Nynaeve’s movements, let’s say. Oh, and to duel in the Warder Training grounds and be stared at hard. I should note that I guess I don’t know if Galad is Elayne’s half or full brother in this version. I the books he’s her half-brother; they’ve the same father but Galad’s mother was Daughter Heir Tigrine. He kept their father’s surname Damodred in the books, so he being referred to as a Trakand might mean they’ve reworked him into Elayne’s full brother, but I guess we’ll wait and see. Galad’s parentage is kind of important later on. Elayne and Nynaeve being set on the Black Ajah was good. As insane as it sounds to trust two Accepted (three in the books, Egwene was with them at the time) to hunt full sisters, they were immensely strong and the only for sure non-Black sisters Siuan had on hand, so her options were limited. Perrin’s story is virtually scene for scene from the book, with him arriving home to find out that Whitecloaks had kind of taken over the district due to being the only force capable of fighting Trollocs. FYI, this is not going to be a fun time for Perrin. I liked how they framed Mat giving up the Horn for safekeeping in this. In the books, they just kind of took the Horn from him while he was weakened by his healing. The idea that he willingly gave it up to Siuan at least means he got to chose in this universe. Siuan’s speech to him about her uncle and how they were similar is word for word from the books. Props to Sophia Okonedo, it was very well done. Mat also denies being a hero, but also keeps running into burning buildings, metaphorically speaking. I think the show is doing a better job showing Egwene’s trauma than the books did. In the books, Egwene is deeply affected by her time as a damane but it’s much more subtle. Like to the point if you’re not looking for it you might not realize she was dealing with it. It mostly manifests in seething hatred for Seanchan and occasionally reacts badly to her freedom being restricted. But her having literal nightmares (partially exacerbated by Lanfear) I think showcases it better. As does she not even liking having her neck touched at all, when that used to be part of Rand’s love language towards her. She’s on razors edge right now it seems, hopefully she’ll be able to find something to focus her mind on in the Waste. Not much to say about Rand’s plot, beyond me liking seeing him train with his sword. Rand uses sword stances and forms as a form of meditation and stress relief. He did not do much of it until now and that left him feeling a little lacking in my opinion. He’s now with the Aiel, so we’re soon going to get a lore dump or three about one of the coolest fantasy cultures soon and I’m so excited for everyone. See you tomorrow. 

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