S2E3 "What Might Be" -- w/ Book Spoilers

[Ilverin Matriam]

For any and all thoughts about Season 2 Episode 3, What Might Be!

This is the thread with SPOILERS from the books! If you don't want anything spoiled and you haven't read the books please take advantage of the NO spoilers thread!

 

[Arella Mathara]

Spoiler: Just in case

Yay:
• The paralell between Nynaeve's first and last arch walk
• Egwene being emotional and a bit petty. This gives her depth and will show her character growth well
• Selene snapping at Rand

Nay:
• Selene giving Rand the coat
• We should have seen Nynaeve tear the portal open. Now worst case scenario it just looks like it randomly happened, best case she did it unintentionally
• Knew this from early clips but Ishy releasing the ohers

Meh:
• Min
• Moiraine and Lan splitting up

Thoughts:
• Looking more and more like Liandrin will take Elaida's place
• I can't wait to see some Black ajah tbh

 

[Idine Espanyas]

Overall I thought it was a great episode, I was really hooked and looking for more. The only thing that was really shocking was

Spoiler

UNO’s death.

That seemed kind of unnecessary.

 

[Catt Heckathorne]

I'm pretty sure they did that because

Spoiler

he was so arrogant and it also shows the brutality of the Seanchan for later on

.

 

[Viktara Fen]

That is probably why it happened, yeah. But I also think it was a needless waste, given his role later in the story. That could have happened to any of the relatively unimportant cast members from the Borderlands or even a rando from the village they're in.

 

[Erin al'Denael]

Spoiler

I think we need a stickied thread to pay homage to characters eliminated from the series in the TV show, either through never appearing at all, being merged with another character, or early, gratuitous deaths. @Ilverin Matriam is this possible?

 

[Aduiavas Ida]

First off, I got chills from that Accepteds test intro. Just like from the books, and thus also close to how we do live Raisings here on the site. The arches were perfect in design and look. How they got activated looked awesome
They fooled me with her third test. I thought it actually happened until after Lan showed up. My mind started racing, like "Does Nynaeve really need to become Aes Sedai for the main plot to work?"
Second, how many times has Egwene thought Nynaeve have died now?
I love Liandrin, her character is played perfectly! I think she did feel genuine sorrow when Nynaeve didn't return from the arches, or at least anger and dissapointment.
I liked the introduction for Elayne as well. How she comes across as spoiled, but is immediately ready to admit her fault and take the punishment. And how she tried to comfort Egwene when she thought Nynaeve had died. And was at once ready to sleep in the arches room with her, just so she wasn't alone.
The only problem I have with that scene is that Egwene probably shouldn't even know where that room is, or what it does. it's dangerous to mess with it, as we can see.

 

[Aduiavas Ida]

As for the Seanchan, I am slightly confused. Are the Shienarans going straight towards Toman Head this time? That is, presuming everyone ends up in Falme by the end of the season, or maybe just at some point.
Poor Uno So short time spent with my favourite Shienaran

 

[Idine Espanyas]

I gotta admit they had me fooled too with that Accepted test. Should have known better but oh well.

Yes I suspect that all of our characters will be heading toward Falme in the next few episodes and end up there together in the last episode. At least, I hope so.

Edited for spelling.

 

[Ilverin Matriam]

Spoiler

I think we need a stickied thread to pay homage to characters eliminated from the series in the TV show, either through never appearing at all, being merged with another character, or early, gratuitous deaths. @Ilverin Matriam is this possible?

Would you like to start that thread, since you had the idea?

 

[Erin al'Denael]

In this case I'm just tossing an idea out. I know I won't have the time to manage it. If no one else wants to, no big!

 

[Silencia Roamadred]

So i'm enjoying the show so far and these are my thoughts:

I really loved the arches and Nynaeves raising to the Accepted, I think they did a fantastic job with that. The actress is phenomenal, she's just a perfect Nynaeve for me.

Elayne is very well cast, and seems to be a great foil for Egwene and they seen to have a natural chemistry together.

I'm wondering if Selene is using Compulsion on Rand.

Uno, poor Uno. Damn those Bloody Seanchan....
...on that note I am torn with the Seanchan. The weird American/Texan type of accent was strange, just don't normally associate that accent with a fantasy show. I'm also not sure how I feel about the changes to the Damane. The costumes do look very lush and well put together though.

Rosamund Pike is great.

I'm not enjoying the changes to Perrin.

I'm really unsure on Verin, I am so used to seeing the actress in comedies, particularly know her from sketch comedy shows, but I'm going to keep an open mind as I think so far she has had solid performances.

All in all i enjoyed the first 3 episodes.

 

[Aduiavas Ida]

Everything with Selene and Rand is strange and confusing. Not touching that until I've seen more.

 

[Jocasta Braithe]

I liked the interaction between Rand and Logain.

They totally fooled me with the fake out on Nynaeve's third arch test. Nynaeve's refusal of the ring was VERY Nynaeve, but I was completely baffled how they were ever going to fix it. I was glad it was a fakeout.

I think that the third arch actually has less emotional impact the way they did it than the way it was in the books. In this version Nynaeve returns only after everything is taken away from her. In the books, she has to make the choice to leave at the peak of her happiness. The fact that she tried to take her daughter with her is touching, but her choice was still easier in the middle of the carnage with Lan dead than it would have been in the original. My husband pointed out that it doesn't make as much of a visual impact for a TV audience, especially non book readers, but it still makes me a little bit sad.

 

[Aduiavas Ida]

What the third arch did for Nynaeve is to show her that even in her perfect world with the people she love, they can't ignore what's currently happening in the world around them. There is no escape for them.

 

[Viktara Fen]

One thought I had about the third arch:

Assuming that, to some extent, the person entering the arches is the one who determines what they contain (since it's based on your individual fears), the contents of the third arch show us that what Nynaeve fears about the future is that doing what she wants to do most (running away from the Tower and living out an idyllic fantasy) is the wrong choice. As Aduiavas noted, there's really no getting away from the situation in the world at present for her and the others, and deep down, I think Nynaeve knows that. She wants to be able to go back home and make it all okay again, and even better than okay, but in the depths of her mind, she knows that's an illusion, and if she chases it, she'll make a mistake. I think that's why the fantasy turns to a nightmare toward the end.

 

[Idine Espanyas]

One thought I had about the third arch:

Assuming that, to some extent, the person entering the arches is the one who determines what they contain (since it's based on your individual fears), the contents of the third arch show us that what Nynaeve fears about the future is that doing what she wants to do most (running away from the Tower and living out an idyllic fantasy) is the wrong choice. As Aduiavas noted, there's really no getting away from the situation in the world at present for her and the others, and deep down, I think Nynaeve knows that. She wants to be able to go back home and make it all okay again, and even better than okay, but in the depths of her mind, she knows that's an illusion, and if she chases it, she'll make a mistake. I think that's why the fantasy turns to a nightmare toward the end.

This.

The Seanchan are supposed to have a Texan/American accent. Is does sound a bit weird actually hearing that in a fantasy show. But that is true to the books.

I wonder how the Selene and Rand thing will play out in the end and I hope the changes pay off at the last episode.

 

[Sorcha Al'Verdan]

Regarding Uno, I had the thought that he might have been an incarnation of Gaidal Cain, and we might see him again when the horn is blown. Who knows, he might even get ripped out of TAR with Birgitte and walk the world in the flesh again

 

[Ahmyra al'Ruley]

I think, because Uno's are doesn't really have anything imperative to furthering the story, this is Rafe's way of showing just how freaking awful and evil the Seanchan are. He's a fan favorite and now he's.... gone. Brutally.

 

[Sorcha Al'Verdan]

I feel like he definitely accomplished that, but he can also give some serious fan service by bringing him back as Gaidal Cain lol