Laurien's Journey through EotW

[Laurien Achaur]

Leaving out Narg's speaking role was a tragedy.
He worked so hard to memorize those lines!
3

Getting left on the cutting room floor hurts; I feel bad for the guy!

 

[Maibella ni Rhoiden t'al'Varrak]

Leaving out Narg's speaking role was a tragedy.
He worked so hard to memorize those lines!
3

:rofl
Also that means show fans won't understand Name Day Narg at TV.Net ... how sad. :P

 

[Laurien Achaur]

Chapter 9: Tellings of the Wheel

- That is quite the dream Rand has. Just when it seems to take a wonderful turn for the better - bam, Myrdraal. It makes me wonder if all the beautiful imagery leading up to going through the doors is mean to be an illustration of just how deep the Dark One's deception can run.

- I love Egwene's mom.

- Moiraine's telling of Manetheren. Just...wow. I understand why I've seen some people say this is the point in the book where they knew they were hooked. One of my favored ways to practice voice acting (and acting in general, really) is to read aloud, and I very much felt compelled to do that with this section (so I did). I was very teared-up by the end. "But they, and their children, and their children's children, held the land that was theirs. They held it when the long centuries had washed the why of it from their memories. They held it until, today, there is you. Weep for Manetheren. Weep for what is lost forever." This ending gave me chills, and made me want so badly for it to have moved the villagers the way Moiraine meant for it to. I think it did for most of them. And if that's true, I wonder if I'll see the Two Rivers later in the books, when things are even more dire.

- Show comparison: While I love Moiraine's telling in the book, I think the way Rafe chose to do it in the show worked as well. In the limited time and with the limited resources they had, it was more important to show the moment that makes Rand, Egwene, Perrin, and Mat think more deeply about what's going on and why they matter, rather than having the long exposition affect the entire village. I really like that Mat starts the singing prior to Moiraine giving the story as well. There's a change in his expression as they go through the song; he starts it with the intention of lifting the silence and the mood, but by the end, he has this look that seems to be him realizing, "Oh. I think I just brought up something heavy. Whoops." And sure enough, Moiraine seizes the opportunity the song presents.

 

[Laurien Achaur]

Slow days at work are excellent for getting through multiple chapters

Chapter 10: Leavetaking

- I love that Egwene was so sharp in putting two and two together so that she could catch them before they left, but I don't understand her cynicism and doubt about why they have to leave. I'm guessing she'll learn the hard way fairly quickly.
- Well, the Draghkar is just as creepy as the Myrdraal. Shades of the winged Nazgul in that one for sure.

Chapter 11: The Road to Taren Ferry

- Rand desperately wills Bela to keep up with the rest of the horses...and she does. Is this our first glimpse of him channeling despite him being unaware, maybe?
- Moiraine says Bela seems the least tired of all. I think that might be a confirmation of my guess.
- I wonder if the fact that Lan and Moiraine's horses don't freak out about the Draghkar is also connected to the One Power, or if they're trained to not bolt in the face of danger.
- They're being chased and Egwene is grinning as they gallop along? Is she a secret adrenaline junkie?
- The fog from Moiraine is impressive. I wonder if she's using the angreal or not. For something that extensive, it seems like it would make sense to be using it.

Chapter 12: Across the Taren

- Crossing such a wide river in fog at night is a really unsettling thing to imagine.
- Show comparison: I understand why the ferry sequence wasn't shot with more than one hauler and why they chose to have Hightower go down with the ship, so to speak. I've also noticed that the book hasn't shown Moiraine using intricate arm and hand movements with visible evidence of her weaves yet. The whirlpool just seems to happen, but Moiraine as much as admits to it a bit later. In the show, she makes a weave in plain sight of everyone. There needs to be a visual representation of this in the show for the sake of getting the point across; TV is a visual medium, and not every audience member can make inferences, especially if they haven't read the books.
- I like this little tree shelter Lan found and kept stocked just in case they happened to stop there. He's always a few steps ahead, it seems!
- Tea seems to be Lan and Perrin's go-to drink for warming up and I appreciate it. It's a nice departure from the usual ale or what-have-you.
- Show comparison: I do wonder why the fact that Aes Sedai can sense other women who can channel seems to be ignored (at least for now) in the show. Moiraine doesn't say anything about Egwene channeling in the show, but she does wake her up and go through the sequence with the blue gem as though she knows. In the show, when Moiraine arrives at the Winespring Inn, there is a short sequence of shots from her perspective that very subtly focus on each of the E5, throwing them into sharper contrast compared to those in the backdrop. This includes Nynaeve. So I wonder if the implication that she senses them is there without being outright spoken about.

 

[Satara al'Caelahn]

- Show comparison: I do wonder why the fact that Aes Sedai can sense other women who can channel seems to be ignored (at least for now) in the show. Moiraine doesn't say anything about Egwene channeling in the show, but she does wake her up and go through the sequence with the blue gem as though she knows. In the show, when Moiraine arrives at the Winespring Inn, there is a short sequence of shots from her perspective that very subtly focus on each of the E5, throwing them into sharper contrast compared to those in the backdrop. This includes Nynaeve. So I wonder if the implication that she senses them is there without being outright spoken about.

See, this was one of the things that kinda made me tilt my head when I watched the show. In episode... 6, I believe, when asked why she didn't say anything about Nynaeve being able to channel, her response was "I didn't know." Granted, Moiraine was unconscious for a lot of their travels prior to meeting up with the other Aes Sedai and receiving healing, and Nynaeve basically explodes with power shortly thereafter, but she spent enough time with Nynaeve at the Winespring pool (in the show, at least) to determine if she could channel or not, if that was a thing. And Moiraine can't lie, which means she really didn't know.

So I still wonder if being able to sense the ability in other women is a thing in the show or not.

 

[Laurien Achaur]

See, this was one of the things that kinda made me tilt my head when I watched the show. In episode... 6, I believe, when asked why she didn't say anything about Nynaeve being able to channel, her response was "I didn't know." Granted, Moiraine was unconscious for a lot of their travels prior to meeting up with the other Aes Sedai and receiving healing, and Nynaeve basically explodes with power shortly thereafter, but she spent enough time with Nynaeve at the Winespring pool (in the show, at least) to determine if she could channel or not, if that was a thing. And Moiraine can't lie, which means she really didn't know.

So I still wonder if being able to sense the ability in other women is a thing in the show or not.

And yet, Moiraine being Moiraine, when she answers, "I didn't know," what might she really be saying? I have a feeling she might have known at the Winespring pool (telling Nynaeve she thought the villagers were wrong about her being too young to be a Wisdom, that she's strong, etc.). I still need to go back and rewatch episode 6 to know for sure, but if she was asked why she didn't say anything about Nynaeve being able to channel, I think the undertone to the question might have been why didn't you mention she was so powerful? If so, to answer, "I didn't know," might be typical Aes Sedai trickiness; she knew Nynaeve could channel (and didn't want the other Aes Sedai, especially Liandrin, to pounce on Nynaeve), but to answer the real question, she didn't know Nynaeve was so powerful. That would be my guess, but I'll see what another watch leaves me thinking.

 

[Laurien Achaur]

Chapter 13: Choices

- This is a beast of a chapter, and there's a lot to unpack. A lot of time is covered as well - nearly two weeks, it seems like.
- Show comparison: Egwene is another character whom I love because of the show, but like Nynaeve, I'm not sure that would be the case had I come across her in the book first. She tends to get high and mighty sometimes in the book, such as in this chapter when she's trying to put on a brave face. She comes off as thinking of herself and Moiraine as better than the guys, and it irks me. I'm glad they were aged up for the show; I can just chalk it up to teenage bravado in the book, at least.
- Yay for Lan teaching the boys how to use their weapons (save for Rand already being a pro with the bow)! He's been so grumbly, trying to keep them all safe and to get Moiraine to not over-exert herself. Though he's still gruff, training them shows that he cares; he doesn't have to take the time to do this.
- Lan's reaction to Rand's mention of the flame and the void makes me all the more curious about Tam's background.
- Rand really needs to just not open his mouth sometimes... For all he's starting to realize that things aren't as the stories say, he doesn't seem to want to apply that to what he's heard about the Aes Sedai.
- Denial is Mat's defense mechanism, I see.
- Moiraine says, "Few women these days have the ability to become initiates, much less have the wish to." Is it because of the stories and the resulting fear of Aes Sedai that women who might be able to channel don't wish to go to the White Tower? If those are the circumstances that some women come to the Tower under, it's little wonder that there's political scheming and infighting going on.
- Is Rand really not good at sneaking, or can Moiraine sense him, too?
- If Thom has also been giving lessons each night, what else is he teaching besides juggling?
- Baerlon is blowing their minds. I can't wait to see what somewhere like Tar Valon is going to do to them.
- After the conversation with Avin, Rand looks back to see him polishing a coin and chuckling to himself. Is it the money they gave him and he's doing it because he's pleased...or is it from another, less benevolent source, and he's being devious? (Now I'm suspicious of everyone. Yeesh )
- I like that Rand is thinking deeply about the prophecies Thom talks about, trying to pick them apart.
- Hot meals and baths and warm beds at the Stag and Lion... I really hope they actually get those things this time, but I'm not holding my breath!

 

[Nadezhda al'Lanahrin]

"But they, and their children, and their children's children, held the land that was theirs. They held it when the long centuries had washed the why of it from their memories. They held it until, today, there is you. Weep for Manetheren. Weep for what is lost forever."

:cryI can just hear Rosamund Pike's voice in my head now, when reading Moiraine. Manetheren is probably one of my most favorite in-world stories, it's heartbreaking.

 

[Laurien Achaur]

:cryI can just hear Rosamund Pike's voice in my head now, when reading Moiraine. Manetheren is probably one of my most favorite in-world stories, it's heartbreaking.

Me too :cryDid you see the animated short they did for it in the Wheel of Time Origins stories on Prime?

 

[Nadezhda al'Lanahrin]

Me too :cryDid you see the animated short they did for it in the Wheel of Time Origins stories on Prime?

I did!! But the art style didn’t feel right to me, a bit too grim dark and dirty.

 

[Laurien Achaur]

I did!! But the art style didn’t feel right to me, a bit too grim dark and dirty.

I agree, though from a purely technical standpoint, I think the Origins shorts are gorgeously done. The style is pretty unique; I haven't seen its like that I can remember.

 

[Nadezhda al'Lanahrin]

I agree, though from a purely technical standpoint, I think the Origins shorts are gorgeously done. The style is pretty unique; I haven't seen its like that I can remember.

I agree with you on that as well. Objectively, it is a beautiful art style.

 

[Satara al'Caelahn]

I've seen something in a similar style, but it's been A While. It was an audio-visual book. So basically just an audiobook, but with visual artwork like that to go along with it. It had that same feel of a still work of art, but also slightly animated. It switched to different scenes through the length of the audiobook and was really soothing.

I want to go back and watch the origin shorts again, now.

 

[Laurien Achaur]

Chapter 14: The Stag and Lion

- Yay! They get their baths! To bad Lan has too make them grim and serious baths, though. Not that he's wrong. Mat's mouth is gonna get them in trouble.
- I wonder what made Moiraine say they ought to stay two nights rather than leaving the next day. Gathering intel, perhaps?
- Ba'alzamon's conceit in Rand's dream is kind of a tired trope, but it certainly works to scare and confuse Rand. His apparent ability to keep control of the dream is terrifying, however.
- The continued distrust of Moiraine despite everything she's done to keep them safe is getting really frustrating to read. What exactly have they all heard to make them so afraid of Aes Sedai?

Chapter 15: Strangers and Friends

- The fact that there were a bunch of rats with broken backs in the inn after Rand's dream of Ba'alzamon breaking a rat's back is even more frightening. It blurs the line between dream and reality, even implying that the line can be dissolved.
- Poor Perrin
- Min! Thanks to the show, I wasn't expecting her to show up just yet. I think I like book Min better than show Min at the moment; she seems more personable.
- Padan Fain is shifty as all get out, but Rand and Mat don't seem to find anything about him suspicious. They'll see what they want to see, I suppose.
- Ohhh, Mat, why would you do that to the Children of the Light??
- I don't really understand what's happening with Rand and the Whitecloaks here. Is his unflappability a result of his dream? Is he channeling? The whole encounter is a bit perplexing.
- And Mat shows up again just to call Rand crazy. No "sorry I almost got you taken away by the zealots" or anything.
- Were all the names Ba'alzamon gave the boys (who are now sharing them with Thom) past false Dragons?
- Aaaand Nynaeve's finally caught up to them. Here we go...

Chapter 16: The Wisdom

- If it's the desire to protect her people that's driving Nynaeve here, that's a noble enough thing... but she is just outright antagonistic with Moiraine and treats the boys as though they're complete children, and I'm getting more annoyed with her. At least Lan seems to be able to get her to show another facet, even briefly.

Chapter 17: Watchers and Hunters

- Dancing! Good! Even if it manages to be a rollercoaster for Rand.
- Of course the Fade has to ruin everything. But that's what they're there for, I suppose!
- Finally words between Rand and Egwene. Took them long enough!
- Arrogance is annoying no matter what, but it just seems so much worse from the Whitecloaks.
- WHOA. Moiraine can make herself gigantic with the One Power? There's something that would've been fun to see in the show.
- I think...Nynaeve and Moiraine are two different flavors of pragmatic and that's part of why they butt heads. As is illustrated in their argument about going back to help the inn after they're outside Baerlon.

Chapter 18: The Caemlyn Road

- Ahh, the first allusion to Lan's origin. And it's almost said without anyone hearing.
- I want to trim Thom's mustache. He should not be able to chew on the ends while speculating
- Is that... How is it that Mat is suddenly hollering in the Old Tongue??
- Rand seems to be handling that sword more and more instinctually.
- This battle is really bringing out the old blood in our Emond's Fielders, it seems!
- And on to Aridhol/Shadar Logoth we go...

 

[Arinna Katal]

"Mat's mouth is gonna get them in trouble."

loooooooooooool this does NOT change

 

[Laurien Achaur]

I figured as much

 

[Toral Delvar]

Slow days at work are excellent for getting through multiple chapters

Chapter 10: Leavetaking

- I love that Egwene was so sharp in putting two and two together so that she could catch them before they left, but I don't understand her cynicism and doubt about why they have to leave

Partially because she is very immature, but this is a common theme that runs through the series - People rejecting information they feel is inconvenient, or they just don't like, or people acting with total certainty on poor or even incorrect information. To an extent we also see it from Moiraine - she happily tells the boys she'll destroy them if the Dark One gets too close, so when they have dreams of the Dark One, they, quite reasonably in my opinion, think to themselves (no way we can let her know about this)

ETA - I didn't notice Egwene grinning when escaping on the horse. I think that is worth adding to the notes section for that chapter for her character development (and probably a few other things you have pointed out, but that one jumped out at me)

A few of the other questions you have get answered - some quickly, others take a while, and some aren't answered directly, but we get the information.
I also like how you spotted Nynaeve reacting differently with Lan. It's sort of subtle in their interactions, so I can understand why they felt the need to hit people over the head with it in the show, but I really hated the way they went with "we'll do the cheesy cliche hate each other at first, and have Lan, who is naturally suspicious of everyone, decide for no particular reason that she is no threat in any way"

 

[Laurien Achaur]

Partially because she is very immature, but this is a common theme that runs through the series - People rejecting information they feel is inconvenient, or they just don't like, or people acting with total certainty on poor or even incorrect information. To an extent we also see it from Moiraine - she happily tells the boys she'll destroy them if the Dark One gets too close, so when they have dreams of the Dark One, they, quite reasonably in my opinion, think to themselves (no way we can let her know about this)

ETA - I didn't notice Egwene grinning when escaping on the horse. I think that is worth adding to the notes section for that chapter for her character development (and probably a few other things you have pointed out, but that one jumped out at me)

A few of the other questions you have get answered - some quickly, others take a while, and some aren't answered directly, but we get the information.
I also like how you spotted Nynaeve reacting differently with Lan. It's sort of subtle in their interactions, so I can understand why they felt the need to hit people over the head with it in the show, but I really hated the way they went with "we'll do the cheesy cliche hate each other at first, and have Lan, who is naturally suspicious of everyone, decide for no particular reason that she is no threat in any way"

Thank you, Toral Gaidin! I'm starting to see that common theme. I've actually read several chapters beyond what I've posted about here; I just didn't have time to brain-dump all of it last night. But within that chunk of chapters, we see just about everyone do just that.

As for Egwene on the horse, I went back to double check; she's actually smiling rather than grinning, but my reaction still stands!

With Lan and Nynaeve in the show, I honestly don't think that Lan decides she isn't a threat. On the contrary, I think he knows damn well she's a threat, even to him if she really wants to be, and that she's constantly going around with those prickly shields up because for all she pushes back at everything and everyone, she's afraid that what she's embroiled in is going to dissolve any control she has (or thinks she has) over her life. And I think they had to go with the cliche' option because they only had 8 episodes to develop every main character and, unfortunately, didn't have time to go with anything more subtle, much as they very likely wanted to. I'm not saying I agree with it, just that I'm not sure what other option they had other than pushing their story into the second season (or beyond), which they didn't know was going to happen for certain.

 

[Lithiel Morn]

I visit this thread as often as you update it, and I love it so much, it's everything I thought it would be. I keep wanting to say things, but I have to bite it back and just... let you go on as you were. Thank you for this.

 

[Maibella ni Rhoiden t'al'Varrak]

^ THIS.