Episode Grade: (8.3/10)
As new players are introduced and old ones reemerge, it’s becoming increasingly evident that when the sides form, they will be anything but straightforward.
Plot (41/50)
The increased involvement of the Forsaken duo of Ishamael and Lanfear changes the dynamic of the entire show. Important moments gravitate towards them as a result of their immense power, which is a welcome change of pace. Loyalties are shifting, plans are set in motion, and the stakes are getting higher and higher. What was once a dull story centered around five amateurs and their mentor has officially evolved into a full-fledged, interactive world. What a difference a season can make.
Cairhien
The episode picks off right where the previous one ended, with Moiraine and Rand barely escaping Lanfear. But as Moiraine suggested, Lanfear was only down for a few moments before being revived. With that said, a combination of Moiraine’s quick thinking and Lanfear’s disinterest in the chase allowed Moiraine and Rand to return to Cairhien safely. Of course, there’s a catch. Lanfear has the ability to manipulate dreams to the extent that she can do real damage to her target. As a result, they Moiraine and Rand must stay awake to stay out of her reach. Easier said than done…
Normally, Moiraine would be able to keep them awake with their powers, but seeing as she doesn’t have them, that’s not an option. Somehow, Rand doesn’t know that Moiraine lost her powers. The two keep themselves busy with Anvaere and her son, Barthanes, who is set to wed Queen Galldrian in the next few weeks. However, by the evening, they are both exhausted. Moiraine’s desperation grows as she feels powerless in the face of Lanfear. She fears she can not protect Rand, and she can’t.
Luckily, Anvaere is there to return a piece of advice. She tells Moiraine to ask herself whether the thing that is troubling her is true beyond reasonable doubt. In this case, does Rand need protecting from Lanfear? That’s when it clicks for Moiraine. They will stay in Cairhien. Lanfear does not pose a threat to them at the moment because if she wanted to hurt Rand, she could’ve done so already. She didn’t because she loves Rand, just like she loved the previous Dragons. She tells Rand to pretend to be in love with Lanfear as way to get to Ishamael. Rand is hesitant, but he obliges. Then, just as he falls asleep, Lanfear appears.
Atuan’s Mill
Over to Perrin. He’s been learning about what it means to be a wolfbrother from Elyas thinking that he’s being lead to his captured friends. When he discovers that they’re back at Atuan’s Mill, he feels deceived by Elyas, so he storms off. Using his “wolf vision,” he sees that Uno’s body has been caged. Intent on giving his friend a proper burial, he returns to Atuan’s Mill.
There, he finds a captured Aiel in the cage next to Uno’s. She warns him against freeing Uno’s body as it would alert the guards. Dain Bornhald, a Whitecloak of some noble birth, appears to warn him of the Aiel. Dain is hospitable to both Perrin and the Aiel, offering him a room and her some water. Perrin engages Dain in friendly conversation until he notices Valda, at which point he retreats to his room before Valda sees him. It’s important to mention that the Whitecloaks were able to push the Seanchan back to Falme, which is why they currently control the town.
Later in the night, Perrin decides to free Aviendha, the Aiel, as he makes his escape. The two are quickly surrounded by Dain and a group of Whitecloaks, but the two manage to dispatch them all thanks to Aviendha’s incredible close-combat skills. Perrin asks Aviendha to spare Dain because of the kindness he showed them, and she obliges. When they area safe distance away, Aviendha tells Perrin that she is now sworn to him because he freed her. She will follow him wherever, he just has to lead the way. This brings us back to Perrin’s original plan to save his friends. And now that he knows where they are, he sets his sights on Falme.
Falme
Falme, of course, is the Seanchan foothold on the continent. Its current commander is High Lord Turak, who also happens to be Lady Suroth’s superior. Turak publicly berates Suroth for disobeying his orders by attacking Atuan’s Mill, a town they can not hold. She stands up for herself before ultimately submitting to Turak’s authority after a nudge from Ishamael. As punishment for her insolence, her nails are cut, which seems to be a big deal in Seanchan society. Ishamael eases the tensions by offering up the Horn of Valere, much to Turak’s pleasure.
Here’s where it starts to get interesting. Suroth has made some sort of deal with Ishamael that would seemingly see her supersede Turak’s authority. She’s unhappy with the public humiliation, but she stays the course. And you know who else has made a deal with Ishamael? Liandrin Sedai. She takes Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne through the Ways into the outskirts of Falme. There, she hands them off to Suroth, but not before unbinding Nynaeve and co. They use their powers to hold off the Seanchan and make a run for it. Unfortunately, Egwene is captured.
Later that evening, Nynaeve and Elayne arrive at the city center in search of Egwene. They are quickly knocked out by what turns out to be a Yellow Ajah’s warder. They are taken to safety, but the same can not be said of Egwene. Ishamael is summoned by Turak and is granted one request as a sign of gratitude for his part in delivering the Horn of Valere. Ishamael asks that Turak humbly accepts a gift from Suroth, and that gift is Egwene. Turak gleefully accepts the gift, and Egwene is brutally collared.
Final Thoughts
There was a lot going in this episode thanks to some new characters and the return of an old one. It’s clear that this is Ishamael’s game, and that the rest are all pawns in his plan for domination. He’s pitting Aes Sedai against Aes Sedai and Seanchan against Seanchan. Even Lanfear does not seem to intimidate him. Everyone is after something, but the fact that we don’t know much about these characters’ intentions adds intrigue to the story.
Amongst the interesting developments was confirmation of Liandrin’s alignment with Ishamael. That was a surprise in itself, but then she went and unbound the girls so they could defend themselves. She will play a pivotal role in what’s to come, that’s for sure. Mention of a “chief-of-chiefs” suggests that the Aiel will have an important role to play as well. Finally, with so many important characters either in Falme or on their way there, it seems that the focus will shift there. Of course, Cairhien remains relevant due to Rand and Moiraine’s presence as well the upcoming wedding. The same goes for the White Tower, where Verin is onto Liandrin’s trail.
Character Development (13/15)
I know the story centers around the original five from the Two Rivers, but their characters are simply not complex enough to get the viewer invested. The focus on more developed characters has been a primary driver of this season’s overwhelming improvement relative to the first season. Ishamael and Lanfear continue to intrigue as they interact with others, as does Liandrin. Moiraine’s desperation is revealing elements of her psyche that serve to humanize her. Verin is proving herself to be a formidable presence.
The Forsaken
Ishamael truly believes that what he’s doing is for the good of the world, and that makes him extra dangerous. He’s a master strategist playing in a league of his own far above everyone else on the map. These characters that’ve made deals with him will ultimately be disappointed, or worse. He’s playing them against eachother to further some master plan that would eventually awaken the Dark One so he can stop the Wheel. Lanfear is the closest thing he has to an equal, but because he knows what she wants, he has all the leverage. With that said, it’s very much possible that she sides with Rand, in which case, she could cause some serious damage to his plans.
Lanfear is the most dangerous Forsaken, after all. Her “casual cruelty” was on full display early on. She has no problem dispatching anyone who stands in her way, but she also likes to toy with those who aren’t necessarily in her way. And what better way to toy with someone than in their dreams? We saw how quickly she was able to get into Rand’s head. We also saw her demonstrate her skills in Ishamael’s dream, although he was able to hold his own. Despite her cruelty, it’s clear that she genuinely cares for Rand. How much Rand reciprocates that love will determine her arc.
Despite Lanfear’s power, Ishamael does not fear her. Like all the other pawns, he feels he can manipulate her because he knows what she wants. He prioritizes control, and he can control what he knows. The other Forsaken are more difficult to control, which is why he hasn’t awoken them yet. This exposes his Achilles heel: the unknown. If something unpredictable were to happen, or if someone were to make an unconventional decision, Ishamael would struggle. Right now, with key figures doing his bidding and the five Two Rivers folks under pressure to harness their powers, he seems untouchable. And until someone catches him off guard, he will remain in control.
Moiraine
Moiraine’s as emotional as we’ve ever seen her thanks to the close call with Lanfear. Her quick wits were on full display, but even then, they only got to safety because Lanfear chose to torment them in their dreams. Moiraine’s desperation is growing, and with it her fear. She can only do so much without her powers, especially when she’s up against the Forsaken. Rand is still relatively inexperienced, so she feels a sense of responsibility to protect him, but she knows she can’t. She also feels anxious about the danger she may have brought onto her family and her city. The pressure is crushing her.
Luckily, Anvaere is there with a pep talk to clear her mind. Moiraine concludes that Lanfear poses no immediate danger to Rand probably because she loves him. Rand and Selene were together for quite some time before she was revealed to be Lanfear. She saw with her own eyes that there’s some affection between the two. Now, no one knows how much of it was real, but from what she’s heard from Rand, it seems like there was genuine love between the two. Add to that the accounts of Lanfear’s love for the Dragon in previous Wheels, and now Moiraine has a solid theory.
Of course, just because Lanfear isn’t a threat now doesn’t mean she won’t be later. And it also doesn’t mean there aren’t other threats. For example, we know that Mat is on the way to Cairhien. In all honesty, Moiraine has brought undue danger to the citizens of Cairhien, including her family. Her relationship with her sister is frosty, but she clearly cares about her. She cares even more for her nephew. Attending his wedding is a nice idea, but it will likely lead to more grief, and she’s in no state to take on any more suffering.
Others
What is so important to Liandrin that she was willing to betray her protégé for? She makes a compelling case for why she broke the Oaths, but handing over Nynaeve and co. is a different story. Liandrin despises the way the Seanchan treat women who can channel, yet she delivers three powerful young women. Then, when they’re in the clutches of the Seanchan, she unbinds them. It’s a puzzling sequence that demonstrates how conflicted she is.
Conflicted or not, Liandrin is a capable individual all the same. She uses compulsion and the Ways to cover her tracks, and that would normally be enough to absolve her of any suspicion. However, she wasn’t counting on Verin’s presence. Verin is as sharp as any character we’ve seen thus far, so she’s definitely onto Liandrin. Her intentions are not clear, though, so I’m specifically interested in what she does next. Does she confront Liandrin, or does Liandrin ambush her before she can do anything? Or perhaps she’s a Black Ajah as well. They’ve certainly hinted at it. In any case, we won’t have to wait long to find out.
Finally, we see a tiny bit of development from Perrin. It looked like he was embracing his wolfbrother nature in the previous episode, but here it becomes clear that he will not trust anyone blindly. He feels that Elyas deceived him, so he distrusts him. His loyalty is to the people he fought alongside whom he’s developed trust with through shared experiences. Finding them is his priority right now. His actions towards Aviendha and Dain are evidence that Perrin’s kindness has not faded after all this time. He will need to hold onto that part of himself.
Theme/Messages (4/5)
- “You can’t run from what you are.”
- “Desperation opens the mind to more interesting choices.”
- Knowing what others desire is integral to the art of persuasion.
- Sometimes, it’s important to take a step back and look at things from a perspective that does not carry your assumptions.
- Society imposes rules and limitations to neutralize the threat an “untamed” people might cause.
Acting (13/15)
This was one of the best acted episodes of the series. Rosamund Pike (Moiraine) is at her very best with an emotional performance that effectively conveys her character’s desperation. Fares Fares (Ishamael) shines in the extra screen time he’s given. Natasha O’Keeffe (Selene), Kate Fleetwood (Liandrin), Lindsay Duncan (Anvaere), and Meera Syal (Verin) chipped in with some strong performances of their own. I was also impressed with Ayoola Smart (Aviendha) in her first appearance of the series.
Cinematography (12/15)
- Nice wide shots of the horses fleeing down the mountain range as the lightning rages in the sky above (11:36 onwards)
- Far shot of the White Tower in the night as lightning and thunder rumble on (19:31)