1000% agree. For Americans when we hear that Southern accent, we typically think of gentility and hospitality. Hearing it is almost comforting. Contrasting the melodious sound with the visual brutality of the Seanchan actions was fantastic.
While I understand and know what you are saying is true (we see similar thing in Egwene's test in the books), the test is not testing you on how close your dream is to the real world or what would happen if you choose another way for events to turn out. The test is that you need to choose the Tower above all, you need to be steadfast, return through the arch or not at all.
So I must agree with Jocasta here, the third walk out of the arch (after Lan and everyone else has died) was not a test, she didn't choose the Tower over Lan. Obviously the test was earlier in the episode, where the choice was if she would choose a life with Lan away from the Tower. So she failed the test. Like her Aes Sedai test in the books. I think they took this idea from there.
Yeah, Alwhin was giving me heavy Dolores Umbridge vibes. Also, I always assumed the juxtaposition of the "nicest" US accent with the horrors of the Seanchan was a very pointed commentary about some of our... less illustrious moments as a country. I was really glad they kept that and hope we see it with all the Seanchan.
I kinda got that same vibe off the announcer for the Collector in Guardians of the Galaxy, and from the guy who announces Thanos before he destroys half a population.
i just re-read the Great Hunt too, and it was interesting to revisit just How much Robert Jordan -through Egwene's voice , is horrified by the evils of 'chattel slavery.
Right? But it isn't just slavery, though it's the most obvious. I think the Seanchan are an enormous exaggeration of our Manifest Destiny tendencies and general imperialism mindset.
I wondered about this, too. My only guess thus far is that Elayne knew where it was and perhaps conveyed the information, or that someone else told her. It might also be possible that someone deliberately fed her that information to put her in danger or get her into trouble--maybe Liandrin or someone working with her?
yes, i think you are quite right on that point.
Did anyone else notice Joiya Byir? She was one of the initiates in the Tower during a kitchen scene, but I can't remember if she was a novice or an Accepted. I found her by accident because I paused the scene and her name popped up - I double checked it on imdb.com and it was her. I know that she was a full sister (Gray Ajah) in the books when she joined Liandrin. I did not notice any of the other 13 Black Sisters though, maybe there will be a quick Raising or two, but I think that the 13 Sisters won't all be full Aes Sedai. It also leads me to question was Liandrin really trying to recruit Nynaeve to the Red Ajah, or was it really the Black Ajah.
I did notice this too, but I was in denial about TV Liandrin (I wanted to believe that the letters that Liandrin had access to had already been tampered with by the Blue Ajah/Amyrlin Seat/Team Moiraine), especially after other known Black Sisters (Sheriam and Verin who enjoys the perks of being a Black Ajah member despite her affiliation to the Light) were not so obvious with their machinations.