tv show spoilers S1E7: The Dark Along the Ways

[JeffTheWoodlandElf]

Sorry for this blank post

Edited December 17, 2021 by JeffTheWoodlandElf

[Deviations]

26 minutes ago, ArrylT said:

General question - my wife and I read each of the books when they were initially published starting in 1990 and read the entire series just one time. We can barely remember anything from the books other than the names and characteristics of the main characters - so would you consider us to be non-readers? As we watch the show, we are often saying, " Oh yeah, I kinda remember this from the novels...

I've read them countless times and I clearly don't know all of it.  Based on the details known, I think some of the folks here must have blended the paper pages of the books with Tennessee whiskey, bathed in it and then drank the remains. 

[Yojimbo]

1 minute ago, Deviations said:

I've read them countless times and I clearly don't know all of it.  Based on the details known, I think some of the folks here must have blended the paper pages of the books with Tennessee whiskey, bathed in it and then drank the remains. 

I'm more of a single malt scotch man myself.   

[Chadouken]

Is there A Look Inside Episode 7? I didn't see it last night after watching the episode.

[Vartija]

6 minutes ago, Therese Sedai said:

I completely missed this. How did she know it was a man? 

I assume she would have sensed another woman channelling. If she saw what we saw, ie. a trolloc magically bouncing off of Rand & Egwene, then she must have realized that a man channelled. 

[RextheDog]

i must admit i got really frustrated watching yet more Nyn and Lan love story when the DR is litterally figuring out what he is.

 

i didnt even care about the Perrin and Rand flare up, it was done and dusted quickly....showed theres tension in the room and its probably misguided, i mean, they are talking about whether they should march to their death or not.....

 

it was the long drawn out 'lets go out for dinner with Nyn and Lan and see them hook up later' screen time that had me so frustrated. its not a friggin Rom Com.

 

the rest of the episode was immense....i think ill enjoy it more on the rewatch as when they deviate from the plot points with further character bonding thats probably not even needed,  i just find myself getting frustrated....not with the scene as such, but with what the scene is potentially  'replacing'....

 

that said, really really enjoyed everything else.....as in really really really enjyed

 

 

[thievingsackofpotatoes]

13 minutes ago, Yojimbo said:

Having him be this accepting basically nullifies his entire motivations for what he does for the next two books.

I disagree that Rand's motivation's for the next two books are nullified. Firstly, his main goal is to help Mat in TGH (yes, he considers running away to "safe" people from his potential madness but that can still be a thing) - I don't see the push/pull of being the Dragon Reborn as too much of a motivation. Considering it seems likely (and many have theorized) that they'll change Falme to Tear and have Rand grab Callandor at the end of season two he really doesn't lose out on motivations for Book 3 either.

 

Those are just my thoughts. Just like with Perrin and the Shaido, I'm all for speeding up parts of the books that are stunted/show no character growth or development. Even if you're correct in the motivations, it would be boring to see Rand "run" from his destiny for two seasons of the show. For those who were complaining about the DR mystery being dragged out, I'd think this "change" would be appreciated.

 

Those are just my thoughts. So, whatever, I guess ?

[Jaysen Gore]

8 minutes ago, Deviations said:

I've read them countless times and I clearly don't know all of it.  Based on the details known, I think some of the folks here must have blended the paper pages of the books with Tennessee whiskey, bathed in it and then drank the remains. 

I've had some whiskeys where this might improve them....

[Jaysen Gore]

4 minutes ago, Vartija said:

I assume she would have sensed another woman channelling. If she saw what we saw, ie. a trolloc magically bouncing off of Rand & Egwene, then she must have realized that a man channelled. 

Or one of the things she realizes after the fact, having too busy at the time to realize it wasn't one of the girls.

[Guest Wolfbrother31]

I think I'm most frustrated by the fact that we still don't really have an antagonist ... As someone on here said ... Even for none book fans, the Padan Fain creepy build up has been cool, but if he doesn't do something here in the final episode then it's like ... Pretty lame. 

 

I loved the lightening flash with him standing there. 

[JeffTheWoodlandElf]

27 minutes ago, CaddySedai said:

Why is it fine only if it is not The Wheel of Time? So if it was a new series called Magicians in R-world it is ok? But because it is The Wheel of Time it is suddenly not ok?

Yep. You hit the nail right on the head. 

 

The showrunners themselves invited comparisons to the original when they decided to make a Wheel of Time show. Like, the whole reason that the show was greenlit in the first place was that it was based on a massively best-selling series with a devoted fanbase. It's very existence is predicated on the existence and popularity of the original. 

 

And now we're supposed to just pretend like the original doesn't exist? Please. You don't get it both ways. You don't get to profit off the reputation of the original and then exclude it from the conversation surrounding the new version. 

[Vartija]

It just dawned one me that we won't be seeing the scene in tGH where Moiraine & Siuan drop the hammer on Rand being the Dragon Reborn. One of my favourite scenes in the book, especially with Lan guiding him on how to act like a man beforehand. 

[Elder_Haman]

5 minutes ago, JeffTheWoodlandElf said:

And now we're supposed to just pretend like the original doesn't exist? Please. You don't get it both ways. You don't get to profit off the reputation of the original and then exclude it from the conversation surrounding the new version. 

Who is trying to pretend that the original doesn't exist? Or trying to exclude it from the conversation? I don't understand.

[thievingsackofpotatoes]

9 minutes ago, Jaysen Gore said:

Or one of the things she realizes after the fact, having too busy at the time to realize it wasn't one of the girls.

Egwene ALSO channels in the Ways. Rand's weave just overpowers hers. So, Mo would have felt Egwene channel. 

[Elder_Haman]

I just noticed where the Illianer soldier stabbed Tigraine. In the left side - right where Ba'alzy will wound Rand. What a neat little detail to add.

[Sabio]

17 hours ago, DermidAjala said:

 

---

 

It's 4am and I couldn't sleep so watched it... can't articulate thoughts. Will try again in the morning

All I want to say for now is TAM AL'THOR IS STILL A STAND UP GUY!

 

Can't believe people even entertained the idea he'd kill Shaiel in the predictions thread.

Doesn't the item he is holding match the logos on his shirt?

[Spiritweaver1]

Well I just completed my first watch.   I had internet issues which detracted from my experience but here is my initial assessment without reading anybody else's posts.

 

The Bad

Lord Anglemar was complete plot foolishness in his rewrite.  Nobody who is defending the rest of the world from shadowspawn is going to turn down help from a known, friendly, Aes Sedai and her revered warder the Dai shan. Makes no sense in any universe.  Should have stuck to the original plot of him trying to convince them to fight at TW instead of gallivanting off on a fools errand in the blight.

 

Moraine going off into the blight without her warder.   He watches her back. This is more plot foolishness.  I never liked the whole set up of everybody but the dragon is going to die.  

 

The love triangle arc apparently being taken P-R-E.  This adds nothing in my book and detracts from what i really enjoyed from the  which was the platonic relationship between the EF5

 

The Ugly

The blight was't exactly well done.  The VFX crew needs an upgrade.  It was better than I had feared which is why it walks  the middle path.  Yet is far less than it could have been given somebody who read the books.

 

Loial being useless in the Ways.  In the books he adds knowledge, heroism and becomes a key part of the team.   Now he looks like a token non-human to me. 

 

Another VFX or  "error" is to have what I presume is Tarwin's gap right out of town and thus having Moraine and Rand hiking through it to get to the Eye.   There is supposed to be an army of trollocs and fades massing there.  Maybe R&M run into them.

 

PF showing up at the way gate ok but I do wonder how he got out with no OP.  Don't start with the Liandrin helped him.  We can make up anything we want to make it work.

 

The good.

I generally liked the journey through he ways. TBW was okay as was the part where Nyn was shielding the rest.  I do wonder why Nyn, who has no training ,can do things Moraine who is one of the most powerful Aes Sedai can't.   TBW whispers were great.  Maybe Nyn's experience listening to the wind is what puts her over the top!

 

The blood snow bits were good.  A pregnant, wounded person doing all that fighting stuff isn't realistic at all.  I would have vastly preferred her to be helped by a couple of her spear sisters.  But when is realism necessary in fantasy.  The number of people here in the fires of dragon mount predicting Tam was gonna kill her really had me worried. 

 

 Moraine and Lan scenes were good

 

EF4 fighting like cat's in a sack was very realistic when under stress.

 

I though Min was good.  I hope she starts calling Rand wool head soon.  

 

The Nyn Lan scenes were generally good.  If I was show king I would have waited a few more episodes for them to consummate their relationship.  A little romantic/sexual tension would go a long way to spicing things up.  I suppose now it will be Nyn being jealous.  

 

Summary

I think this episode ticked my attitude needle up a bit for me.  I still think they are redoing things that the book does better for no visible purpose, like Lord Anglemar's attitude about help from M&L.  But hey I am a reader fan.  I am very interested to hear from the non book fans.

[Yojimbo]

12 minutes ago, Wolfbrother31 said:

I think I'm most frustrated by the fact that we still don't really have an antagonist ... As someone on here said ... Even for none book fans, the Padan Fain creepy build up has been cool, but if he doesn't do something here in the final episode then it's like ... Pretty lame. 

 

I loved the lightening flash with him standing there. 

Yeah.  If Ishy shows up in the last episode there are gonna be a lot of people saying "who is this guy again?"  

[EmreY]

35 minutes ago, Yojimbo said:

I haven't read every page of this thread, so I may have missed it.  But is nobody even a little miffed at how accepting Rand is that he is the DR?  I mean, he only fought against that idea for the next two books until the Stone fell and he held Callandor.    Having him be this accepting basically nullifies his entire motivations for what he does for the next two books.  But whatever I guess.   

 

I always thought that next two books were about him doing his best to fulfil some prophecy or other, be universally accepted as the DR, and get to the point of being able to do all that he feels he needs to put together to confront He Who Shall Not Be Named, before he goes stark raving mad?

[Vartija]

6 minutes ago, thievingsackofpotatoes said:

Egwene ALSO channels in the Ways. Rand's weave just overpowers hers. So, Mo would have felt Egwene channel. 

Yeah I'll have to take back my initial explanation about that scene. Besides, Moiraine appears to be asleep when that attack happened so I don't think she could have known who channeled there. I initially thought Egwene thought she channelled when in reality it was Rand, but they both must have at the same time. 

[DaddyFinn]

9 minutes ago, Spiritweaver1 said:

PF showing up at the way gate ok but I do wonder how he got out with no OP.  Don't start with the Liandrin helped him.  We can make up anything we want to make it work.

 

Check the x-ray bonus material

[JeffTheWoodlandElf]

3 minutes ago, Elder_Haman said:

Who is trying to pretend that the original doesn't exist? Or trying to exclude it from the conversation? I don't understand.

My understanding of much of the pushback against show detractors has been that we aren't ignoring the books enough. "Take the show on its own merits" is all well and good, but as an adaptation, it calls attention to the original by its very existence. Critiquing via comparison is just another means of critique, no more valid or invalid than anything else. It's not the end all be all method of determining the show's quality, but it is a vector across which the show stands to be measured. 

 

I think this is doubly true because so much of the enjoyment that show-lovers get out of WoTTV is derived from seeing aspects of the original represented on screen. So people who like the show get to say, "Wasn't it cool when X thing from the book happened on screen" but detractors are largely dismissed for expressing the opposite sentiment. 

 

This invitation for show detractors to disentangle their feelings about the show from their relationship to the original books is something that show lovers throw out frequently but largely don't adhere to themselves. 

[Yojimbo]

6 minutes ago, EmreY said:

 

I always thought that next two books were about him doing his best to fulfil some prophecy or other, be universally accepted as the DR, and get to the point of being able to do all that he feels he needs to put together to confront He Who Shall Not Be Named, before he goes stark raving mad?

There's a whole lot of him telling Moraine and Siuan that he won't be a "tame false dragon on a Tar Valon leash" in TGH.  And then denying his desire for greatness to Selene over and over.   It isn't until after Falme that he starts thinking, "well if I am the DR then I have to fulfill some of these prophesies.  If I do, then I guess I am.  If not, then not."   But mostly he doesn't want to be the Dragon, because he is afraid of what it means.  Not just madness, but possibly breaking the world again and killing all those he loves.  At least that's my memory of it. 

[Arie]

Hey guys, please stay on topic! Not sure on the nature of talking alcohol in a public forum, but if you want to talk about it, please take it to another thread.

[Deviations]

Just now, Yojimbo said:

Ewwww.   

No doubt.