tv show spoilers S1E5: Blood Calls Blood

[SinisterDeath]

For discussing Season 1, Episode 5 titled "Blood Calls Blood".

 

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[SinisterDeath]

Please Read the rules of this topic before posting.

1. Stay on Topic.
2. Be kind to each other.

[CaddySedai]

Will post running thoughts on the episode here: Weeeeee. 

 

• I do like that both sides of the battle got a proper burial. Thats classy of the Aes Sedai.
• The shallow graves don’t bother me - deep graves are for coffins and to ensure flooding doesn't unbury. Im sure thats not likely an issue here.
• The circle is reminiscent of the Wheel. Heavy symbolism.
• LMAO - a month later. Damn show you jump even when not jumpin.
• ”Warders are not supposed to outlive their Aes Sedai”
• ”I think I’ve seen it before” - Welcome home Lewis Therin. I mean not the Dragon Reborn.
• Tar Valon looks gorgeous.
• BLOOD AND ASHES!!!!!!! BLOOD AND ASHES!!!!!!
• Yes Rand, Tar Valon is expensive. Thats how supply and deman works. 
• I like that Mat fears he killed the family. The character depth ❤️
• Finally using proper words like “The Source”
• “I’ll be joining the dogs” - you don't say Perrin?
• Whitecloaks keep dat hand strooong lol 
• YAY - Loial and the Prophecy! 
• Heron Mark.
• ”An Aielman from the Two Rivers who insists he is not an Aielman”
• The laughing is wonderful lol. Bless Logain’s heart.
• The feels for Stepin.
• ”first you lose Moiraine” - wonder if someones gonna feel a bit like a heel later lol.
• Melty Ring Rituals FTW. Way easier than the One Ring.
• Finally an explanation of the crutch.
• Child Valda got read like a book. Lol. Still a monster tho.
• Laylas death confession. Daaang
• Light Protect Me! What are you?
• I want the Chosen statues! Someone 3d print that ish naaaaao.
• Stepin ?
• Throat singing.
• Very Maori of them

Edited December 3, 2021 by CaddySedai

[2RiversFan]

1. Shallow graves??  
2. "Last embrace of the Mother" - no longer just a Borderlander saying then.

3. Whitecloaks so close to TV??
4.  Loial!!!!! but waaaay too short

I'll post more thoughts... first time through this episode.  I'll think these are more OK later I suspect.
 

[Harad the White]

The Cracks of Doom in a brazier. That was a bit too much of a visual "homage." The AS ring melted like the One Ring. Is that in the Book? 

Edited December 3, 2021 by Harad the White

[Harad the White]

19 minutes ago, 2RiversFan said:

4.  Loial!!!!! but waaaay too short

I guess they chose between a big CGI hit, and an actor being able to act without being too encumbered.

[2RiversFan]

I don't like the partial changing to yellow eyes - at least yet.  Maybe they'll make it permanent later?

Also - no talking between the wolves and Perrin at this point in the episode (47 minutes in)

 

[flinn]

eh, found this one to be a bit on the boring side. Not bad, just not edge of your seat.

[2RiversFan]

They're playing up / teasing the possibility that Liandrin will take on both roles (merging her character and Elaida).

They may also merge Alannah with Myrelle.  

Both of those obviously will have to be seen... just seem like a possibility in this episode so far.

 

[2RiversFan]

Yeah, I agree with Flinn.  Overall not bad but it wasn't exciting like Ep. 4.

[Pandemonium]

Lots of cool stuff:

 

a.  personally I'm liking this Loial.  It still works and I'd rather see something like this than full CGI. They nailed the Ogier personality and it doesn't look too fake.

b.  Perrin didn't kill any whitecloaks.  that kind of changes the whole books later.  We may not even have a Galad to reunite the WCs later.  Definitely not a trial with Morgase.

c.  forsaken idols.  I'd have to look at them again.  Ishamael only one mentioned.  But I know who the busty woman is!  ?

d.  Lots of changes to scenes but it still feels like the Wheel of Time.  These whitecloaks sure are savage.  Like a Nazi SS from medieval times.

e.  Rand almost seems like the dragon by default because he's the only one they haven't laid any clues for other than Loials Aielman comment.  

f. Strong acting performances in the white tower and I will surely miss Stepin.  

g. Rand is very good looking man.  He looked very good in his hood with bow & arrow, like his blue shirt too

I.  slow pace this episode but I liked it.  Actually felt a little like GOT this episode.  like kings landing or something.  The world is building and I appreciate the slower moments before the sure to come erruption

Edited December 3, 2021 by Pandemonium

[thievingsackofpotatoes]

Liked this episode. Didn’t love it but there’s some really good stuff tucked in this episode.

 

-Loved a whistling Fain watching Mat during the Logan procession.

-Dug the humor/misdirect with Egwene’s channeling. She so crafty!

-Not sure how I feel about Loial. Will need to let it sink in/rewatch. 
-Wolf!! Hopper’s still alive. Curious to see how he’s killed off/Perrin wrecks some white cloaks later on.

-Definitely seems like they are teasing Elaida/Liandrin mashup.

-Liked teasing releasing the bond.
-Breakbone fever!

-why did lan rip his shirt off at the end? Flirting with Nynaeve? LOL  

 

 

[TheDreadReader]

We got a Blood and Bloody Ashes...

 

 

[thievingsackofpotatoes]

2 minutes ago, TheDreadReader said:

We got a Blood and Bloody Ashes...

 

 

Yes!!! Forgot to mention this. The first PROPER WoT curse!

[ManetherenTaveren]

I heard whistling and had a Padan Fain sighting in Tar Valon!

Yay wolves! More Whitecloak evisceration please! Goldeneyes! Egwene the Weak!

When will an Aes Sedai detect Mat's affliction? Did Logain detect it first? 

Yay Loial...sort of.

Aram? til we meet again...

Much sadness throughout...didn't expect how drawn out it was.

I expected more, but I need another viewing.

[Still Trench]

I liked Loial way more than I thought I would and the actor nailed the role, his performance sang in my ears. And Rand said Blood and Ashes which really sang in my ears. 
 

Really liked this episode, a bit slower and subdued, but the torture scene was pretty harrowing, Perrin’s eyes flashing Yellow was intense and Egwene’s little fireball was great. 
 

I can see people not liking how much emotion Lan showed at the funeral, but that was exactly what was asked of him, to relieve them of their grief. And Rosamund Pike, my god that woman act. This show is really working for me more and more each week and I can’t wait for next Thursday, time to turn this season to its conclusion at the Eye. 

Edited December 3, 2021 by Still Trench

[pyrusmole]

Thought the episode was good. Overall like a B+, maybe an A-. Not as exciting as the last one but still very enjoyable.

Things I liked:

• Loial's look - I'm really liking the practical effects. He might be a little short but I'm glad they didn't go with CG. It's expensive and Loial is on screen too often to really make that work without looking cheap.
• Loial meeting Rand - Lifted practically line per line from the book. Liked it there, liked it here.
• The Warder's plot - Really establishing that warder bond early and thoroughly. Nice seeing Lan have friends. Welcome change from the book (although it's not like it ever bothered me).
• Nynaeve and Lan's flirting is really cute, even if we didn't much of it this episode
• Nynaeve meeting Mat and Rand - There was a lot of tenderness and relief there. You could actually see Nynaeve's shoulders relax when she saw Rand. Solid acting. Also, the whole "We don't need to trust Mat to the Tower" didn't happen in the book from what I remember, but is totally how Nynaeve would have handled that situation
• Tar Valon set piece and CGI - Wow that's a gorgeous looking city. Almost exactly what I had in my mind (although I've always imagined the White Tower more Ivory than Creme)
• Logain scene - Although they made it seem like he was looking at Mat, I'm pretty sure he was looking at Rand and we were supposed to be looking at Mat's reaction. Hit the major beats from the books minus the meet cute and plus dagger!Mat
• White Cloak scene - Was wondering when that was going to show up. Glad they cleared up the confusion over the hand thing. Questioner was a super creep. Good moment to show Wolfbrother stuff too, but I have a feeling they're going to keep up the full mystery for at least another season. That's fine, because imo, "close with wolves" is about all you need to know about Perrin's powers for a bit, but they need to establish the dream world stuff too.

Stuff I didn't like (mostly nitpicks):

• Lan might be overdoing it a bit with the screaming during the funeral
• Liandrin talking about how men control so much of the world. I've always thought of the Randland as rather female privileged but this is technically true I guess. There are a few kings floating around. I've always thought it was an interesting aspect of the world that I was hoping the show would play up but looks like they might down play it (unless that's just a character thing of Liandrin as a man-hater).
• Was kind of hoping everybody would be back together by the end of this episode. Well looks like everybody will be by the next one
• Don't really like that it was Egwene who killed the white cloak. Not that I don't think it's in character, but I would prefer it to be Perin because it's closer to the books and it would have been nice to see him beat the man to death with this own fists
• Don't like how Egwene loosing her braid went from something she decided to something done to her. In the book it was a character moment that symbolized her abandoning the 2R and embracing her new life. It establishes Egwene as ambitious and with a want to establish herself, in contrast with Nynaeve, who keeps her braid throughout the entire series and continues to wear 2R dress. Having Egwene's hair unbraided for her looses the character meaning. This is probably my biggest issue with the episode honestly.

[themann1086]

Definitely more of a "take a breath and move the pieces around" episode, which is definitely not a bad thing. I quite enjoyed an episode where the characters could breathe and grow. Thoughts from the episode:

• "Last embrace of the mother" definitely got me tearing up
• Tar Valon and the White Tower took my breath away
• Mat: I’m even sweatier and paler, and more crazy. (I will never not take an opportunity to quote Isam's summaries)
• "Blood and ashes" hey there are those WoT swears! ? 
• Hi there Padan Fain, I hear you whistling!
• LOIAL!!! Looked great. Obviously shorter than the books but definitely a worthwhile trade in my opinion. Perfectly nailed his character too
• Apparently the ruby on Mat's dagger is in the shape of a herring (I think I'm funny)
• Tower politics so soon? Heck yes
• Valda is such a creep, incredible work
• I'm glad Perrin was finally able to tell someone what really happened. Absolutely heartwrenching
• Loial continuing to talk while Rand and Nynaeve reunite had me cracking up
• The story of Egwene almost dying as a child, very good (and reading between the lines... channeling!)
• "Egwene does not break" perfect segue to-
• Egwene and Perrin saving each other. I really liked that neither of them were damsels in distress for this
• FIRE. GOLDENEYES. WOLVES. I loved it!
• Forsaken foreshadowing!
• I didn't get a good look, what was in the thing Moiraine opened in her room?
• Oh Stepin ?

Overall a solid episode that moved our characters close to all reuniting and gave us some very good exposition and world building. Very excited for next week to really kick this into high gear

[Frenata]

Unstructured thoughts:

• love the emotion in Steppin throughout this episode, but especially the opening
• "blood and ashes"!
• a little surprised by the month-jump, was hoping for another DF encounter or two for Mat/Rand; maybe they'll allude to being continually chased by DFs later?
• what were those stone faces that Perrin/Egwene/Aram ran past?
• Loial!!! the lack of height is ? but the prosthetic wide nose and huge hands make it kinda work?
• I spy a Fain, sneaky sneaky
• the goldeneyes!
• love that they're doing the breakbone fever story, but annoyed that they imply that Nynaeve didn't heal her then
• the Alanna/Moiraine discussion had some nice foreshadowing about the bond, but makes me more certain they'll roll Elaida into Liandrin

[pyrusmole]

1 minute ago, Frenata said:

• love that they're doing the breakbone fever story, but annoyed that they imply that Nynaeve didn't heal her then

Personally, I don't think they meant to imply that at all. I just think, with the context Nynaeve was telling the story, she just hasn't realized she cured Egwene with the One Power

[themann1086]

3 minutes ago, Frenata said:

what were those stone faces that Perrin/Egwene/Aram ran past?

Ah! Yes, I think that's suppose to just be a bit of a nod to the book where Perrin and Egwene encounter Whitecloaks at that statue in/near the abandoned stedding. That was my first thought but I could be wrong!

[Agitel]

Like someone else said, this was a take a breath episode. And like all the other episodes I watched, I'm still processing. I kept waiting for Moiraine to find Mat and hiss for everyone to step away. Hopefully we see that next episode. Lots of new warder and Aes Sedai funeral rituals, and I can't help but wish for a little more book stuff instead, but I get it. And my first watch always seems to be focusing on what's different rather than just enjoying the episode. I'll do my regular rewatch another day.

 

I am a bit disappointed we haven't seen any Fades talk, we haven't see ol' ember eyes talk, and we still haven't seen any wolf talk. I want that stuff.

[Indil]

This is the first episode that does not give me the vibe of the book. I understand plots must be cut for the sake of time, but then they decided to film a bunch of Steppin grief moments instead. The funeral at the end is also very awkward for me.

Edited December 3, 2021 by Indil

[thievingsackofpotatoes]

10 minutes ago, themann1086 said:

 

• I didn't get a good look, what was in the thing Moiraine opened in her room?

Great question. Anyone else have an idea what it was????

[Frenata]

9 minutes ago, pyrusmole said:

unless that's just a character thing of Liandrin as a man-hater

 

Yah that's how I read it.

 

10 minutes ago, pyrusmole said:

Having Egwene's hair unbraided for her looses the character meaning

 

It didn't occur to me in the moment, but yeah it's a loss of that mark of ambition.

 

1 hour ago, 2RiversFan said:

3. Whitecloaks so close to TV??

 

I'm chalking this up to the need of the show to not do multiple time jumps over the course of the episode. They have everyone in close proximity by the end, so that next episode they can reunite the party without any more fuss. Otherwise it would have made more sense for the tinker/WC encounter to have happened a little farther away.