Opening Scene ????

[templar7]

Allot of commentary so far, hints that the show will open with Moiraine's arrival in the Two Rivers.  This is a bad move imo.

 Whatever you thought about the "Winter Dragon" stunt, the fact remains that the death of Lews Therin, the prologue of the entire series, is essential for setting the tone of what is to come, and why it's coming. Remember the Game of Thrones opener? The "Others" and the rangers... It kicked off the whole story and immediately left you wanting to know more, as the books did. If it had started off with Bran learning his archery skills... You get the point.

I believe The Wheel of Time has to start the same way. Especially for those who will not have read the books. The show opener has to leave the audience gasping and wanting to know, as I did when I first read it, who is this guy who just destroyed the world??? 

Thoughts?

Edited September 27, 2019 by templar7

[JJLXL]

I can't seem to remember where I read this, but apparently(and I hope I'm wrong) it won't open with Dragonmount.  That's a damn shame too.  You are absolutely correct.  It would be the perfect opening scene to set the stage for what's to come.  

 

If it's currently not the plan, we can only hope they change their minds.  

 

[mistborn82]

I'm thinking the dragonmount prologue will be interspersed throughout the series

[templar7]

If that low budget stunt got one thing right, it was the scene it chose. Dragonmount is the only choice..

[Elessar]

I totally agree, the Dragonmount scene is the obvious (and best) opening choice.

[Dagon Thyne]

The opening scene will definately be Moiraine and Lan entering Emonds Field.  She is supposed to be the main character for the show.  So it only makes sense.

 

I don't consider the opening scene to include the prologue.  I think the prologue and Dragonmount will play out first, than the credits, and the first official scene after the credits will be Moiraine and Lan.

 

I muyself would have it go Prologue, followed by the voiceover by Pike reciting the opening lines  to the book, and the have the opening credit scene follow a "wind" around the Two Rivers, then fade into the beginning of An Empty Road.

Edited October 21, 2019 by Dagon Thyne

[JJLXL]

Morraine could only be the main character for like half of season 1.  After that, there would have to be some really big deviations from the book to continue with her as the main.  Rand is the central character to the whole series.  

[Polskija]

The story was never about Rand. It was about all of them who's choices enabled him to become what he was and do what he did. 

[Delirium]

They will be making a real mistake if they don't open with the prologue IMO.  It was what drew me into the world, rather than the bland generic "boy has to run from home because evil beings are hunting him" that has been used so many times before.

[Ryan al'Thor]

Big mistake if they don't start with Lews Therin scene...

[Elendir]

The decision not to start with Lewis Therin is a practical reason. If they want to work with him further, they postpone casting until Rand goes mad.
They can also provide a referenced impact scene with Myrddraal.

[Pandemonium]

I think the tv series will be just fine if it doesn't start with Dragonmount.  there are other ways to convey this message later

[Carebear Sedai]

On 10/24/2019 at 8:29 PM, Delirium said:

They will be making a real mistake if they don't open with the prologue IMO.  It was what drew me into the world, rather than the bland generic "boy has to run from home because evil beings are hunting him" that has been used so many times before.

 

I agree. The core concept of the series rests on the Dragon Reborn aspect, and the first episode should introduce this. It would be bad storytelling to postpone it to a later episode. 

 

The alternative would be to start with a scene that can stand in for the prologue, but I'm not sure I can think of one that's adequate. 

[mistborn82]

To give it more impact, I think you wait for dragonmount until Rand realizes he's the dragon Reborn or have morraine tell the story one night on the road.

[solarz]

On 10/24/2019 at 2:23 AM, Polskija said:

The story was never about Rand. It was about all of them who's choices enabled him to become what he was and do what he did. 

 

No, it was definitely about Rand. Especially the first two books.

[mistborn82]

This was supposed to be a trilogy and therefore those books were more about Rand but the show can feature other stuff now in the first and second season, if it gets one.

As for the prologue, if I remember, the first time I listened to it, I was confused by the prologue. I can't remember clearly as I've listened to it so much.

[templar7]

On 10/24/2019 at 2:23 AM, Polskija said:

The story was never about Rand. It was about all of them who's choices enabled him to become what he was and do what he did. 

 

[jibJAB]

 

On 10/31/2019 at 12:47 AM, Carebear Sedai said:

I agree. The core concept of the series rests on the Dragon Reborn aspect, and the first episode should introduce this. It would be bad storytelling to postpone it to a later episode. 

 

The alternative would be to start with a scene that can stand in for the prologue, but I'm not sure I can think of one that's adequate. 

 

Here's a thought: what if the opening scene is Gitara's Foretelling to Moiraine and Siuan? That way you get action (Battle of the Shining Walls), some Aes Sedai right off the bat (including Moiraine to center her more), and some weight to the Dragon Reborn. If you do it right, it wouldn't immediately give away that it's Rand, but it's kinda obvious pretty quickly anyhow.

 

On 10/21/2019 at 3:05 AM, Dagon Thyne said:

I don't consider the opening scene to include the prologue.  I think the prologue ... will play out first, than the credits, and the first official scene after the credits will be Moiraine and Lan.

 

I muyself would have it go Prologue, followed by the voiceover by Pike reciting the opening lines  to the book, and the have the opening credit scene follow a "wind" around the Two Rivers, then fade into the beginning of An Empty Road.

 

If you do Gitara's Foretelling/Battle of Shining Walls as prologue, then voiceover and credits, then Empty Road as Dagon says, you also get a sense of how much time Moiraine has spent searching.

[mistborn82]

That would work well

[Dagon Thyne]

On 12/3/2019 at 10:39 AM, jibJAB said:

 

 

Here's a thought: what if the opening scene is Gitara's Foretelling to Moiraine and Siuan? That way you get action (Battle of the Shining Walls), some Aes Sedai right off the bat (including Moiraine to center her more), and some weight to the Dragon Reborn. If you do it right, it wouldn't immediately give away that it's Rand, but it's kinda obvious pretty quickly anyhow.

 

 

If you do Gitara's Foretelling/Battle of Shining Walls as prologue, then voiceover and credits, then Empty Road as Dagon says, you also get a sense of how much time Moiraine has spent searching.

I think they will have Gitara's foretelling, and other major scenes from New Spring, as flashbacks throughout the series.  They shouldn't reveal from the start exactly why Moiraine is doing what she is doing  Leave it a mystery.  That's how the character is supposed to be.  RJ went as far as hinting she was black Ajah early on, with her being hinted as one of the Aes Sedai at the Darkfriend Social in The Great Hunt.  They need to have that air of mystery and the possibility she is using Rand and the others.  

[Lancer]

Lord of the Rings started w/ an Elven Voice over, then the Epic Battle of Sauron being defeated.  That set up the whole trilogy.  

 

Game of Thrones started w/ White Walkers killing fools out of nowhere, setting up an anti-climatic 8 seasons of what the FUBAR these Zombie whatabes were??!! 

 

Wheel of Time SHOULD start off w/ Lews Therin wandering the halls looking for his beloved & ending w/ him creating Dragonmount.  Then have Harriet narrate the set up to the following scene and end it saying,

The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings or endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning."

[mistborn82]

They probably wouldn't start with Lews Therin without some kind of voiceover as there's no speaking of any significance until Ishamael.

[Denver Steve]

 I think they could use flashbacks from the prologue and New Spring when Morainne, Lan, and Thom are teaching/telling the EF5(and the viewers) about the world, the past and themselves.  This could be done while traveling from Eamonds Field to Caemlyn.

 

It frees up needing to use the prologue for an opening scene while still being able to tell that part of the story early on.

 

Therefore the opening scene should be a wind blowing out of the misty mountains, we follow the wind to where it blows past Tam and Rand traveling down the quarry road where we, and they, get a lil spooked by the black rider.

 

Then the wind blows to Eamonds Field where it brushes Fain and we get a sense of him for a few moments before it blows toward Morraine and Lan, and then we follow things from their perspective, instead of the winds, as Morraine interacts with folks in town and at the Inn.  Soon after that Rand and Tam arrive at the Inn.

 

The intro of each episode should start with Lews Therrin creating Dragonmount. A quick scene of immense power destroying a screaming man and leaving a steep, massive volcano in his place.  The scene fades to blackness then the opening paragraph that was in the books begins,  A good speaker says the phrase we all love.  “”The wheel of time turns and ages come and pass...etc...”.  That can be said while a foggy mist swirls around or some WoT symbolism is displayed, or both, then the scene fades and the new episode begins.

Edited December 13, 2019 by Denver Steve

[templar7]

On 12/12/2019 at 5:30 PM, Lancer said:

Lord of the Rings started w/ an Elven Voice over, then the Epic Battle of Sauron being defeated.  That set up the whole trilogy.  

 

Game of Thrones started w/ White Walkers killing fools out of nowhere, setting up an anti-climatic 8 seasons of what the FUBAR these Zombie whatabes were??!! 

 

Wheel of Time SHOULD start off w/ Lews Therin wandering the halls looking for his beloved & ending w/ him creating Dragonmount.  Then have Harriet narrate the set up to the following scene and end it saying,

The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings or endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning."

Wonderful. Perfect.

[HighWiredSith]

They should just use this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZOCCEuROPk