Do we have Elayne or Min?

[agreddon]

Maybe

[Ryan al'Thor]

Yeah I'm very surprised they haven't been cast yet. Can't wait to hear something about it.

[mistborn82]

Probably deciding if they're needed in season one, as both of them only appear once.

[Elendir]

The extent of their appearance during the first series depends on the ratio between books and series. They have enough space in the case of 2:1. I don't know how to explain their role in a story without events in Barleon and Caemlyn however.

[mistborn82]

Now that you mention it, yeah Elayne needs to be there, unless they completely change the Caemlyn sequence, Min probably isn't vitally important for Bearlon. The dancing sequence as comic relief needs to be there though.

[Elendir]

Min accompanied super girls to Falme because of Rand, so she must meet him sometime before.
Theoretically, it may not be in Baerlon, but change it for no good reason ...?

[mistborn82]

I think Min's role will largely depend on what they show and do about her visions

[more rain]

I don't think there is any feasible way for a TV show to have even close to half the characters that this book series has. For budgetary, logistical, and storytelling reasons. I don't know who is going to get cut but I think we have to prepare ourselves for the reality that there will be a lot of cuts and alterations, both in terms of the characters and in terms of the events/plot. If they can streamline things as much as they will have to while still keeping the essence of the story and, to some degree, the complexity of the world, it will be a job well done.

[mistborn82]

I just look at it this way, the thousands of pages of description will be represented visually so it may not be as many as you think. I have not doubt many side characters will be cut but not necessarily as many as a 14 book series would indicate.

[Rand520]

Elayne and Min are certainly main characters. I don’t see how you have WoT without them.

[Guest PcB]

On 12/31/2019 at 3:07 PM, Rand520 said:

Elayne and Min are certainly main characters. I don’t see how you have WoT without them.

 

Any chance they might cut the romances between Rand and Min and Elayne? That might explain why Rand doesn't meet them at the same place in the series. They can still be significant characters, but be introduced to Egwene and Nynaeve while in the White Tower. That could avoid the possible controversy of how multiple love interests may be seen by the general public. Just an idea I have been thinking about. Thoughts?

[mistborn82]

By my memory, the can cut Min out of season one(but not the series), Elayne introduces him to the royal family which is important, plus if you have Logain publicly gentled you need Elayne's reaction. Maybe they're still playing around with how exactly to introduce the love interest plot and that's the hold up.

[Elendir]

Min need some personal motivation to be in White Tower and travel through the ways to Falme. If they cut her from Baelron and rest will stay without explanation………

 

I hope it will not be serial full of characters, who do not know what they do and why they do it.

[Rand520]

I would say don’t even THINK about cutting Min. That would be a disaster. Also I’ve heard talk of Rand not having his 3 loves...which would be another big mistake.

[Guest redgiant]

I think a central issue surrounding a lot of decisions that otherwise may seem unrelated, is the simple fact that in adapting the books to the screen, you cannot telegraph that Rand is uber-special too early. It is also why Morraine is advertised as being the center figure for now. Having unique scenes that highlight him too much is a dead giveaway for those who haven't read the books but that they need to secure as interested viewers.

 

Rand falling over the wall and meeting Elayne just seems like another one of those obvious scenes that give away too much about him. ESPECIALLY if the wall story leads up to Rand and Elaida whispering to him. Unless they balance him with Perrin's wolf story and Matt's dagger story in a way that doesn't just scream "THIS is the story that realy matters".

 

They may focus more on Logain's capture on-screen as a way to sort of mute this part of Rand's focus for a while, as well as up Logain's presence in general (which is something else I think they are trying to do).

 

If the goal is to reveal something is up with the boys and maybe Rand in particular, I would think that is best saved for Meetings at the Eye.

Edited January 27, 2020 by redgiant

[mistborn82]

I think you're right about not revealing Rand too early some stuff you have to do. I think they'll start Perrin's wolf-brother arc immediately as in the books, all his development is basically shoved into TOM. So Perrin can balance Rand but Mat I'm not sure, as you can't have a farmboy turn into instant Patton.

[Ryan al'Thor]

Good points. I'm not sure that Rand being TDR is going to be a big secret even early on, but I guess you still have to attempt to not reveal things too soon.

[Vincent Vinchova]

I believe that main characters should be kept. Period.  If you aren’t providing the major story arcs then consider another story.  
Do fans really desire an “Earl’s Disney Land”?  
Now, the extras: Cityfolk (all of ‘em), townsfolk (all of ‘em), Seafolk, Sharans, the armies, the Aiel, etc, etc...(and costumes/props)..now there’s where you spend and need to cut. 
 

[Vincent Vinchova]

On 1/26/2020 at 7:33 PM, Rand520 said:

I would say don’t even THINK about cutting Min. That would be a disaster. Also I’ve heard talk of Rand not having his 3 loves...which would be another big mistake.

Huge.  

[Freya12]

On 12/25/2019 at 4:10 PM, agreddon said:

Maybe

I agree. I have believed Kate Franz is Elayne since December.

[Rand520]

She seems like a good choice. I can see Elayne when I look at her

[TheTuna450]

On 1/27/2020 at 12:05 PM, redgiant said:

I think a central issue surrounding a lot of decisions that otherwise may seem unrelated, is the simple fact that in adapting the books to the screen, you cannot telegraph that Rand is uber-special too early. It is also why Morraine is advertised as being the center figure for now. Having unique scenes that highlight him too much is a dead giveaway for those who haven't read the books but that they need to secure as interested viewers.

 

Rand falling over the wall and meeting Elayne just seems like another one of those obvious scenes that give away too much about him. ESPECIALLY if the wall story leads up to Rand and Elaida whispering to him. Unless they balance him with Perrin's wolf story and Matt's dagger story in a way that doesn't just scream "THIS is the story that realy matters".

 

They may focus more on Logain's capture on-screen as a way to sort of mute this part of Rand's focus for a while, as well as up Logain's presence in general (which is something else I think they are trying to do).

 

If the goal is to reveal something is up with the boys and maybe Rand in particular, I would think that is best saved for Meetings at the Eye.

 

I'm of the opposite mind. I don't think that there's any reason for the show to be cute about whether or not Rand is the Dragon Reborn when it's confirmed by the end of the first book and fairly obvious quite a bit sooner, if not immediately (we don't see any PoV of the other EF residents getting attacked, after all). It was never much of a point of suspense, and if they keep the moment where Rand saves himself with the ship boom aboard the riverboat, every  show viewer who cares enough to read or watch speculation is going to know he's the channeler. The meeting with Elayne is one of the highlights of EotW (at least for me) and would be a real shame to cut.

 

As for Min, I kinda expect her to pop up at the Queen's Blessing, but I expect she'll be such a small role in S1 that she'll quite likely fly under the radar.

[Papa Schu]

Min would have to be there in episode 2 or 3 as she gives Rand a viewing in Baerlon. 

[mistborn82]

Now that we know Min for sure will be in the show, how do they handle viewings? Does she just tell characters about them or does she tell but they get shown to us?

[Carebear Sedai]

I expect we'll get a glimpse of what she sees through flashes of images and see her startled face. I actually don't think she'll be telling people about the images unless it's to set up a plot point (or to hit on Rand). For example I don't think she'll go through the whole list of things she sees above everyone's heads to Rand, but rather we'll see those images firsthand. It makes for better TV that way, and I expect there will be a lot of short glimpses of character interaction in the show that weren't in the book because we were limited to one POV.