what places from the Eye of the World would you cut?

[FancySkull]

In the recent Q&A, Rafe talked about how unfortunately they had to cut some major locations from the first book due to budget restraints. My question is, which locations do you think are not needed or in which relevant events could easily be moved to another place?

[Elder_Haman]

On 12/26/2020 at 6:49 PM, FancySkull said:

In the recent Q&A, Rafe talked about how unfortunately they had to cut some major locations from the first book due to budget restraints. My question is, which locations do you think are not needed or in which relevant events could easily be moved to another place?

 

Mat and Rand's trip from Whitebridge to Camelyn will be condensed, eliminating or combining Whitebridge, Market Sharen, Four Kings and Breen's Spring. They'll likely combine Taren Ferry with Baerlon. Smaller locations (places within other places) like the Palace in Camelyn or Someshta's grove may be cut. The Waygate may get moved. Other than that, I expect most of the locations from EotW will remain in the show.

 

 

 

 

[mistborn82]

The Grinwell's are in the cast so some small location must be there right?

[Elder_Haman]

3 minutes ago, mistborn82 said:

The Grinwell's are in the cast so some small location must be there right?

Unless you move the Grinwells.

[FancySkull]

8 hours ago, Elder_Haman said:

 

Mat and Rand's trip from Whitebridge to Camelyn will be condensed, eliminating or combining Whitebridge, Market Sharen, Four Kings and Breen's Spring. They'll likely combine Taren Ferry with Baerlon. Smaller locations (places within other places) like the Palace in Camelyn or Someshta's grove may be cut. The Waygate may get moved. Other than that, I expect most of the locations from EotW will remain in the show.

 

 

 

 

The fact that the Trakand's (and Galad) haven't been cast yet leads me to believe that they've removed that plotline from this season , which probably means they've removed Camelyn entirely.

[Elder_Haman]

1 hour ago, FancySkull said:

The fact that the Trakand's (and Galad) haven't been cast yet leads me to believe that they've removed that plotline from this season , which probably means they've removed Camelyn entirely.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot. On the one hand, we have the things you mentioned. On the other hand, we have Basel Gill and Loial. You also have the scene where Rand catches sight of Logain, something that I’d want to play up. 

 

I suppose you could move The Queens Blessing out of Camelyn. But do you cut the Logain sighting? How does Loial fare in an out of the way country inn?

 

It could definitely go either way. 

[mistborn82]

Caemlyn might remain for Logain and Loial, if they don't move Gill's his meeting to Fal Dara but I doubt would be important enough as a reason to keep Caemlyn. I actually don't see him being in at all or just for a one-off because a random innkeeper won't cameo in S1 and drop off the map until S5 or 6.

Edited December 29, 2020 by mistborn82

[Elder_Haman]

10 hours ago, mistborn82 said:

Caemlyn might remain for Logain and Loial, if they don't move his meeting to Fal Dara but I doubt would be important enough as a reason to keep Caemlyn. I actually don't see him being in at all or just for a one-off because a random innkeeper won't cameo in S1 and drop off the map until S5 or 6.

I don't think you can move Loial to Fal Dara without getting rid of the Ways (which I doubt they'll do). Establishing the existence of the Ways and the Waygates is important and we've already seen some pictures that look very Waygate-ish.

 

I think Gill will probably not return. While Morgase's arc is one of my favorites in the books, it is very dispensable and will probably be cut to the bone. If you keep at least some of Galad's arc, you need to go as far as Morgase's capture by the Whitecloaks. After that, she is pretty easy to lift. 

 

My bet is that we get the Rand/Logain interaction - even if it is significantly altered and/or moved to a non-Camelyn location. It will be this meeting that will spur Moiraine to forego Tar Valon and head to the Borderlands. Her (hidden) purpose being to keep Rand away from the Reds. Loial and the Waygate will provide the means of quick escape. (I see the group stumbling on the Eye as they work their way from the Waygate to Fal Dara - the Waygate having been moved just inside the Blight).

 

You might even have Rand do a bit of reflexive, involuntary channeling at an inopportune moment, and show one of the Reds getting suspicious. That way, when Siuan arrives in Fal Dara (after we watch her gentle Logain) there will be a real question as to whether she is an ally or an enemy.

[mistborn82]

I just hope they show the Gentling and then Healing of Logain right because alot of it is internal so hopefully the actor they got for him is good enough to show that despair and then later elation, without overacting.

[Carebear Sedai]

There's the option that they forgo Caemlyn entirely. There are enough rumors about Tar Valon sets being present (per WoTUp) that makes me wonder if that's where the cast reunion occurs instead of Caemlyn.

 

 

3 hours ago, mistborn82 said:

I just hope they show the Gentling and then Healing of Logain right because alot of it is internal so hopefully the actor they got for him is good enough to show that despair and then later elation, without overacting.

 

Alvaro Morte is a fantastic actor. I'm really picky about actors, which is why I'd rather they go for talent over looks any day, and his Logain isn't as young as I imagined but no doubt landed the role due to his superior skills. 

 

4 hours ago, Elder_Haman said:

I think Gill will probably not return. While Morgase's arc is one of my favorites in the books, it is very dispensable and will probably be cut to the bone. If you keep at least some of Galad's arc, you need to go as far as Morgase's capture by the Whitecloaks. After that, she is pretty easy to lift.

 

Yeah, I can't see Morgase's plot adapting well. Perhaps she and Tallavenor run off together, no need for the rest of the gang, but I can see Valda killing her. I'd rather that than the sexually assault plot. 

Edited December 29, 2020 by Carebear Sedai

[Elder_Haman]

1 hour ago, Carebear Sedai said:

Yeah, I can't see Morgase's plot adapting well. Perhaps she and Tallavenor run off together, no need for the rest of the gang, but I can see Valda killing her. I'd rather that than the sexually assault plot. 

 

The most important character to come out of the Morgase plot is Balwer, I think. He could become the vehicle for resolving any misunderstandings (ahem, Gawyn) about Morgase's death.

[mistborn82]

I think they keep that storyline with Galad killing Valda and the half brother of the Dragon becoming Lord Captain Commander. The fastest way to the duel is either Valda kills Morgase or what happens in the book, without showing it because this isn't Game of Thrones. After the Valda encounter, whatever it ends up being, Morgase serves no essential purpose.

[mistborn82]

@Elder_HamanI think Gawyn dies in the tower fighting because unlike the books, where no one dies, I need an important character to die early to show the stakes. After the tower fighting, if Gawyn survives, his arc would need major rewrites to remain relevant and I don't know if the writers would do that.

[Elder_Haman]

1 minute ago, mistborn82 said:

@Elder_HamanI think Gawyn dies in the tower fighting because unlike the books, where no one dies, I need an important character to die early to show the stakes. After the tower fighting, if Gawyn survives, his arc would need major rewrites to remain relevant and I don't know if the writers would do that.

I'm hoping for a Galad/Gawyn amalgam. The arc begins with Gawyn's - warder training, etc and lasts through Dumai's Wells. After that, he goes out soul searching and finds the Children where he manages to redeem himself and the Whitecloaks.

 

[Carebear Sedai]

I don't think they're going to combine any major characters. I would've thought so before, but I'm much more convinced of how faithful they'll be to the source material. That said, I do think it's very likely that Gawyn will die much earlier on, around where RJ character assassinated him.

 

Like @mistborn82 I can see him dying at the White Tower during the coup mayhem. It's much more believable for Hammar to kill Gawyn than the other way around. I'm not sure if Gawyn is needed in Dumai's Wells, and his actions, involving letting Min get tortured made no sense for his character anyway. Also his death would be the final push Galad needs to become a Whitecloak, as the Tower corruption cost him his beloved brother's life. 

Edited December 30, 2020 by Carebear Sedai

[Elder_Haman]

11 minutes ago, Carebear Sedai said:

Like @mistborn82 I can see him dying at the White Tower during the coup mayhem. It's much more believable for Hammar to kill Gawyn than the other way around. I'm not sure if Gawyn is needed in Dumai's Wells, and his actions, involving letting Min get tortured made no sense for his character anyway. Also his death would be the final push Galad needs to become a Whitecloak, as the Tower corruption cost him his beloved brother's life. 

This might be workable if you really play up the whole idea of Morgase being led to believe that Elayne has been kidnapped and make Morgase into an antagonist for the second season. If Gawyn is to die early,  I think you would need to place it in the context of a major Andorran plot line - maybe Rahvin's rise to power. Otherwise Gawyn is just some dude that dies

[mistborn82]

Gawyn is a prince of Andor, he'll never be some random dude who dies. You also give Elayne a personal reason for going to Salidar, Elaida killed her the brother she liked, to her mind at least. Besides, as I said earlier, it'd take too many rewrites to make Gawyn relevant after the coup, whenever that takes place. I also don't understand what Morgase has to do a reason for him dying.

[Carebear Sedai]

5 hours ago, Elder_Haman said:

This might be workable if you really play up the whole idea of Morgase being led to believe that Elayne has been kidnapped and make Morgase into an antagonist for the second season. If Gawyn is to die early,  I think you would need to place it in the context of a major Andorran plot line - maybe Rahvin's rise to power. Otherwise Gawyn is just some dude that dies

 

I'm all for this. I enjoyed the conflict the WT and Elaida were under in the lead up to the coup. Giving Andor a meaty storyline prior to Rand taking down Rahvin would actually be smart adaptation writing, as we don't get its significance otherwise. 

 

 

2 hours ago, mistborn82 said:

Gawyn is a prince of Andor, he'll never be some random dude who dies. You also give Elayne a personal reason for going to Salidar, Elaida killed her the brother she liked, to her mind at least. Besides, as I said earlier, it'd take too many rewrites to make Gawyn relevant after the coup, whenever that takes place. I also don't understand what Morgase has to do a reason for him dying.

 

Another good point. It always felt a bit odd to me how Elayne just turned on Elaida with next to no thought. 

[mistborn82]

Another way I think the Andoran storyline will change besides killing Gawyn is maybe make the fact that Rand is a prince of Andor more important. In a book you can get away with the you two will fall in love because the oracle said so but a general audience show will probably need a reason. Even though men can't inherit in Andor, the current heir marrying the prince of the last house would provide a suitable instant relationship reason.

Really though, most of the romances will have to be worked on because almost all of them are the instant kind and because taveren won't stretch as far on TV.

[Carebear Sedai]

If they lean on Rand's background, I hope they spend more time on Rand/Galad's relation than the books did. The pay off for them was a huge disappointment. 

 

An issue that's gonna come up regarding Elayne and Rand is how TV audiences are likely to assume they're related. Even if they are explicitly stated as not being so, the idea that a small population of red-gold haired nobility isn't actually inbred is gonna be a hard one to pass. I can't see their romance being a big hit and the show may likely reduce it to a political union. 

[Elder_Haman]

On 12/31/2020 at 4:06 PM, Carebear Sedai said:

If they lean on Rand's background, I hope they spend more time on Rand/Galad's relation than the books did. The pay off for them was a huge disappointment. 

 

An issue that's gonna come up regarding Elayne and Rand is how TV audiences are likely to assume they're related. Even if they are explicitly stated as not being so, the idea that a small population of red-gold haired nobility isn't actually inbred is gonna be a hard one to pass. I can't see their romance being a big hit and the show may likely reduce it to a political union. 

 That's really interesting. I hadn't thought of it. But that's definitely possible. It's also possible that they ship Elayne and Egwene (which might help provide clearer motivations) and then use the necessity of a political marriage to generate conflict.

 

I don't know that I love the idea, but it's a road I could see them going down.

[mistborn82]

A political marriage is the fastest instant relationship which also might remove the war of succession plotline as well.

[Guest Wolfbrother31]

I know the question is which locations are not needed or could be moved, but I think I would answer it by going through which locations are absolutely essential and can't easily be moved in the First Book. And here is how I would answer that:

 

1) Emond's Field= This is where the story begins, have to have it and can't move it.

2) Fal Dara/The Blight/The Eye of the World= This is where it ends, can't cut it without seriously messing up Book 1. 

3) Dragonmount/ & (Tar Valon) = If I were them and wanted to hook audiences that were not already WoT fans, I would start off in Episode 1, Scene 1 with a Prologue battle and the birth of Dragon Reborn on the slopes of Dragonmount -- with the Prophecy that Moiraine and Siuan hear to kick off the series. 

4) Shadar Logoth = A place that can add suspense, is essential for Mat and Fain's story-arc, and where the characters get separated. 

5) The Ways = they have to get from wherever they are to Fal Dara in a hurry and introducing the Ways as a means of traveling and as an explanation for how Trollocs and Fades got to the Two Rivers is essential to the story. 

 

Baerlon, Whitebridge, Four Kings, and Caemlyn are important in Book 1, but they could be combined or even possibly cut in a number of different ways. 

[deathgate]

I don't understand why so many want major plot revisions. Sure they can't afford all of the locations but cutting Caemlyn where so much happens? If they do a lot of that it will be so far from the books that I'm not sure I would watch anymore. I just had a hard time watch part of the theatrical version (in error) of LOTR and had to turn it off after they cut so much. But at least they didn't do radical changes all the time. I've never liked when Hollywood buys the rights to any book (say Robin Hood) and changes it so much it's almost unrecognizable. I wonder why they bought it in the first place instead of just coming up with something similar they didn't have to pay a lot of money for only to change.

 

My suggestions would be to combine a lot of the smaller locations but not actually let us know it's the same location. Change a few things and Baerlon and Whitebridge can double for each other as can several of the even smaller ones. Minor plot lines and characters will have to be trimmed but only so the major plots and characters can stay and certainly not so new major characters or plots are invented.

[mistborn82]

@deathgatepeople are saying possibly cut Caemlyn because apparently the Trakands won't be in season one but I personally think there's enough without them. You meet Loial there and I don't think you could move him, you run into whitecloaks, perpetual antagonists and it will be very important later.

@Wolfbrother31I like that idea, an LOTR type prologue with a battle, then Tigraine staggering away and giving birth on dragonmount and then a blurred shadow, so you can't tell it's Tam, comes to stand over her, with Gitara's voiceover prophecy.