tv show spoilers S1E8: The Eye of the World

[TheDreadReader]

36 minutes ago, Dreamwalker said:

Predictions

For Rand, I'm wondering if he's heading for the Waste. They can have the Lanfear stuff on a solo journey, and just put Callandoor in Rhuidean? Egwene has to get to learn from the Aiel though so maybe we can't speed up quite that much. Alternatively, will he hit up Caemlyn and meet Elayne, then Stone of Tear for Callandoor. Have the Seanchan be landing at Tear, BAM you have books 2 and 3 combined in 1 season.

 

Going to the Waste is definitely a possibility.  Ishy talks about Rand's father during their confrontation.  There's a practice in writing where you introduce something like that in every scene and use it drive the next action.   Rand deciding to find out about his parents would be a logical next step in that direction.

 

He's basically in the same position at the end of the episode that he is in at the beginning of TDR.  So, there are a few different things they can have him do.

 

I don't think that Caemlyn will be a thing though.  If you're going to have a Rand/Elayne meeting it would most likely happen in Tar Valon (unlikely) or in the Stone of Tear (most likely).  Mostly I say this for budget/production cost reasons.   We're getting Elayne in season 2 but I think that she will be at the Tower and primarily interacting with Egwene and Nyneave at her introduction.

 

 

[JenniferL]

1 minute ago, DigificWriter said:

I want to take a moment to give credit and kudos to @JenniferL for starting to steer the discussion somewhere that isn't just blind outrage regardless of her own personal feelings on the episode.

All I want here is a decent discussion. If I wanted a bunch of screaming and insults, I’d go on twitter or Facebook. 

[Sabio]

I noticed the Seanchean channelers didn't seem to be collared and chained now.  Not a ground breaking change but something I noticed. Maybe the giant pacifier controls them or the gold breast plate.  I am a little confused about what causing a giant tidal wave on what appeared to be a largely uninhabited beach was suppose to accomplish. I think instead of just a little girl the scene should of been from the POV of the people in Falme seeing this come in at them.

[TheDreadReader]

8 minutes ago, JenniferL said:

I am okay with changing how Rand battles Ishy. The end of the book doesn’t really match much of what gets established later. You can tell Jordan rethought some things as he was working. 

 

One of the challenges of giving Rand a big power moment in episode 8 is how it can make him seem over powered too early.   There are a few interesting ways they could have done it though.  But, books 1, 2, and 3 all have similar endings, so there is still time to give him that moment.  

 

 

[TheDreadReader]

Just now, Sabio said:

I noticed the Seanchean channelers didn't seem to be collared and chained now.  Not a ground breaking change but something I noticed. Maybe the giant pacifier controls them or the gold breast plate.  I am a little confused about what causing a giant tidal wave on what appeared to be a largely uninhabited beach was suppose to accomplish. I think instead of just a little girl the scene should of been from the POV of the people in Falme seeing this come in at them.

 

Perhaps, they didn't want the obvious S&M connotations.

 

 

[Mirefox]

1 minute ago, Sabio said:

I noticed the Seanchean channelers didn't seem to be collared and chained now.  Not a ground breaking change but something I noticed. Maybe the giant pacifier controls them or the gold breast plate.  I am a little confused about what causing a giant tidal wave on what appeared to be a largely uninhabited beach was suppose to accomplish. I think instead of just a little girl the scene should of been from the POV of the people in Falme seeing this come in at them.

I missed the collar on first glance, too, because I was looking for something small and dainty around their necks.  I think that chest plate, which does extend up their necks, is the collar.

[JenniferL]

1 minute ago, Sabio said:

I noticed the Seanchean channelers didn't seem to be collared and chained now.  Not a ground breaking change but something I noticed. Maybe the giant pacifier controls them or the gold breast plate.  I am a little confused about what causing a giant tidal wave on what appeared to be a largely uninhabited beach was suppose to accomplish. I think instead of just a little girl the scene should of been from the POV of the people in Falme seeing this come in at them.

I need to go back and look again, but I think I saw collars and bracelets as well. Anyone got a screenshot? 

[JenniferL]

Just now, TheDreadReader said:

 

Perhaps, they didn't want the obvious S&M connotations.

 

 

Yes, the ball gag completely avoids that. 

[MasterAblar]

29 minutes ago, Andromedus said:

 

 

Ishy (assuming they are keeping to the books more here and making audience think it's the DO) was really good.  I wonder, and this is my brain trying to reason out their thinking, if they feel showing three confrontations with Ishamael is overkill for the show (as happens in first 3 books).  Maybe they're saving Rand's big showdown and display of power to later confrontations and decided to mirror Manetheren here.

 

 

 

Agreed Ishamael was the highlight of the episode to me. Taunting, tempting, elegant, smug, and terrifying. I kinda miss the half insane version from the books, but I think this is better for the actor. And we can still have him go ham a little later on.

 

Padan Fain was the other very positive point of the episode to me, the actor has done great work with so little.

 

29 minutes ago, Andromedus said:

 

That bummed me out, I wanted Rand to suddenly appear at Tarwins Gap and wreck shit.

 

 

 

Same, but lacking that I wish there had been a smaller version of that at the Eye, with Lan fighting his way to them just so he actually had something to do. Building up the DR as a quasi force of nature but then not really showing his power was a definite let down.

 

29 minutes ago, Andromedus said:

 

I like this show, but this episode was a bit of a disappointment.  I still think this show can be great, but they really need to find more expressions for Perrin than befuddled "I'm about to cry" face or get him off the show, he's useless and more boring than he was in the books.

 

 

 

I think Perrin has been the biggest dissapointment this season to be honest. I think I remember saying after episode 4 came out that Elyas can't get here soon enough. Unfortunately he hasn't appeared and Perrin has suffered from it. He basically has had nothing to do, no really developpment of his link with the wolves, and the only plot point he was a part of was awfully cringy (whether the dumb love triangle really is one or not).

 

29 minutes ago, Andromedus said:

 

LTT - they needed another scene or two with him to make that scene make more sense.  Still cool but could've been more.

 

 

I honestly just can't get behind that cold open. The acting was fine, and the visuals of the AoL was cool, as was LTT's outfit, it being reminiscent of the Ashaman.

 

But the characterization of LTT, the backround to his plan, the situation in the hall of servants is all just wrong. And they're all the more frustrating in that the original version wouldn't affect the story, it just presents a far more nuanced and complicated situation than what the show did. 

 

Where is the urgency, the desperation, the hostility present between these two characters? The entire scene fails to convey the disastrous situation the Light finds itself in, the edge of the precipice on which they find themselves as time is running out. Its too calm. I was so happy when they were showing LTT and LPD giving backround to the strik at Shayol Ghul but what was presented was just not right in my opinion. Doesn't help that there's small annoyances like LTT no longer wearing the ring of Tamyrlin? The watcher of the Flame? At that time the Aes Sedai were still united the "flame" wouldn't exist. 

 

Just a swing and a miss to me, and an unforced error to boot sadly. If you're gonna change things from the books unecessarily, it better me to improve it. That wasn't it.

Edited December 24, 2021 by MasterAblar

[Sabio]

The channelers had pacifcers and a gold breast plates that went to their necks, the ones controlling them seemed to have rings, that they covered up.  So maybe it's the breast plate and ring combo now?

[JenniferL]

It didn’t look they were including the War of Power. So that means no Lanfear accidentally releasing the Dark One either. 

[Sabio]

2 minutes ago, JenniferL said:

Yes, the ball gag completely avoids that. 

See I was thinking a pacifier but now I will never get that image out of my head when I see them.

[fra85uk]

15 minutes ago, JenniferL said:

I am okay with changing how Rand battles Ishy. The end of the book doesn’t really match much of what gets established later. You can tell Jordan rethought some things as he was working. 

This should Have the baptism of fire of DR and show how powerful he is...instead we Have some glowing stone and Serj Tankian disappearing

[Raezold]

47 minutes ago, Daenelia said:

Yes! I actually read through all of your posts! Thank you! Even the ones who did not enjoy it, because I really do feel bads for peoplewho feel cheated out of their version of the books.

 

 

 

Our version?

You mean, the version that Robert Jordan wrote? The same version that you yourself have read because there really only is one version. That version?

[Yojimbo]

21 minutes ago, JenniferL said:

So one of the things that didn’t work for me was the reveal of the Horn. I don’t mind that they changed the hiding place. It’s a logical consequence of changing the nature of the Eye. But I don’t like that it’s just sitting there under Agelmar’s throne and everyone seems to know about it. In three thousand years, they never had a “oh no, we’re all going to die” moment? What about when Malkier fell? No one thought they should use it then? It would have been better if it had been hidden in the keep, but no one knew about it and some combination of the EF5 discovered it while wandering around. Or maybe Loial happens to know it’s there and asks someone why they aren’t pulling it out? ??‍♀️

Yeah, it really might have been useful in Manetheren.  But, oh well. 

[DigificWriter]

Just now, JenniferL said:

All I want here is a decent discussion.

 

Agreed.

 

I still think you deserve kudos for starting to get things settled down.

 

As a show-only fan, I'm intrigued by what they've set up and the pretty massive character and plot implications thereof, and can't wait to see what ramifications we get from the episode's two biggest Pattern-Level Events (credit Matt Hatch): Egwene reviving Nynaeve and the One Power being just out of Moiraine's reach.

[TheMountain]

8 minutes ago, TheDreadReader said:

 

One of the challenges of giving Rand a big power moment in episode 8 is how it can make him seem over powered too early.   There are a few interesting ways they could have done it though.  But, books 1, 2, and 3 all have similar endings, so there is still time to give him that moment.  

 

 

What does that say about Nynaeve and Egwene then?

[MasterAblar]

3 minutes ago, JenniferL said:

It didn’t look they were including the War of Power. So that means no Lanfear accidentally releasing the Dark One either. 

 

So where do the Forsaken come from then? Was the Dark One just always free on the world? Pretty bad basis for a utopian age ?

[Sabio]

1 minute ago, fra85uk said:

This should Have the baptism of fire of DR and show how powerful he is...instead we Have some glowing stone and Serj Tankian disappearing

My guess was, Moiraine gives Rand the small statue, she explains how powerful it is.  That would be what Rand used to stop the Trollocs instead of the Eye like in the book.  But i was wrong.

[TheDreadReader]

10 minutes ago, Mirefox said:

Absolutely.  Rand needed a moment that put all other previous use of the OP to shame.  He didn’t get it.

 

Didn't get it "yet"

 

It doesn't take too much thought to come up with ways they can still give him those moments in the future especially when you have 3 endings to books that are all similar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 minutes ago, Mirefox said:

 his moment is given to the women in spectacular visual fashion and Rand gets a flash of bright light and TELLS Moiraine “I just destroyed the Dark One” as if that is some giant climatic cinematic moment.

 

You kind of lose me here.  The "spectacular visual fashion" ends with the death of 60% of the women involved.  (80% if you add in whatever happened with Nyn).   As well as the majority of male warriors.  At best it is a pyrrchic victory.

 

If anything the show decided to go with ending season 1 on a loss or at best a draw.  From a story structure standpoint that make a lot of sense because it gives the mains room to grow for the next 2 or 3 seasons.   And, Rand thinks he defeated the dark one at the beginning of book 2 anyway .... so that isn't a change.

 

Pretty sure from the context, most of the big stuff that drive the action of books 2 and 3 are still in place for the coming seasons.

 

 

 

 

 

[MasterAblar]

2 minutes ago, Yojimbo said:

Yeah, it really might have been useful in Manetheren.  But, oh well. 

 

It could somewhat work for me if only the Lord of Fal Dara knows of it, and it is strictly believe that only the DR can use it. Which seems to be what Uno said (or maybe it was the other guy not sure). Still a bit meh.

[MasterAblar]

Just now, TheMountain said:

Of course, that would be counter to the nuanced and complex narrative that the show is presenting: Men dumb. Men bad.

 

I mean it wasn't just Lanfear anyway, what's his face was leading the team in fact.

[TheDreadReader]

1 minute ago, TheMountain said:

What does that say about Nynaeve and Egwene then?

 

They did very little in this episode.  Egwene's channeling was barely a trickle.  And, Nyneave is still presumably blocked.

 

 

[Mirefox]

What was the point in showing Valda and Perrin Goldeneyes in the recap?  Because of that I was expecting to see Perrin hulking out or something, but instead, the only emotion he showed was a bit of anger about the futility of the Way of the Leaf (and I don’t think the Tinkers were shown in the recap, but I’m not 100% on that).

[Finfolfin]

1 hour ago, Pandemonium said:

Parrot analytics show wot web interest has been more than than the witcher thus far.  it probably changed last week though when the witcher was released 

The point is this...it's on the same level as Cowboy Bebop and the witcher is mogging it. The first week of witcher is mogging any week of wot