Which Aes Sedai will make the cut?

[Tim]

One thing that I quite liked about episode 4 was the thoughtfulness of the different Aes Sedai archetypes we were presented with:

 

- We know Moraine - mysterious and secretive and driven, but "we" (tv viewers without the benefit of the books) are inclined to believe that she wants the best for the world and (so long as they don't get in her way) the people in it.

 

- Liandrin - Ruthless, unscrupulous, ideological, possibly evil but that remains TBC.

 

- Karene - Decent, straightforward, respectful of authority and the rule of law, and a natural leader herself.

 

- Alanna - Funny and charming and warm, but also perhaps layered and not to be trusted entirely (this would be consistent with the books). I tend to think that one of the purposes of the cat conversation with Moiraine was to convey a subtle threat (I remember more about your novice days than you might think) under cover of warmth, which nicely hints at a future complexity of character still be drawn out.

 

This got me thinking about one of the challenges the show will have, which is to capture the richness of the Aes Sedai world, its diversity and its subtlety, without drowning viewers in an unending onslaught of barely differentiated characters. For budgetary and time reasons alone they will want to heavily reduce the number of distinct aes sedai characters, but I think there is also value in hitting upon a sweet spot where viewers can understand the character-richness of this aspect of the story while not being overwhelmed by it.

 

Which leads to my questions:

 

1. Which Aes Sedai do you think will make the cut? And why?
2. Are there any prominent Aes Sedai you think won't make the cut? And why?

3. Are there any particular favourites you'd particularly like to see?
4. Are there any characters you'd merge together?

[Sabio]

Verin and Leanne (Siuan's keeper of the Seals), I forget her name (The white who manipulated Elaida), Sheriam (Mistress of Novices), and Casudane.  I'm guessing these are some of the there is no question they will make the cut.  

 

I think alot will depend on how many seasons they get financed for.

Edited November 30, 2021 by Sabio

[2RiversFan]

14 minutes ago, Sabio said:

I forget her name (The white who manipulated Elaida)

Alviarin Freidhen.

http://www.encyclopaedia-wot.org/characters/a/index.html is very useful for these types of questions... but I do NOT recommend it for anyone that hasn't finished the entire series, since it has every spoiler imaginable in there.

Edited for the spoiler warning

Edited November 30, 2021 by 2RiversFan

[Sabio]

Thank you.

[AdamA]

Leane is already in this season. The Natasha O'Keefe and Meera Syal season two castings they didn't disclose the roles for are probably Elaida and Verin. As named characters go, Alviarin and Cadsuane seem like they for sure stay. I'm guessing the 12 black sisters that reveal themselves with Liadrin probably get pared down in terms of names and speaking roles, though they'll stick with a circle of 13 to maintain the lore. I honestly can't even remember their names without looking them up anyway. I'm sure there will still be a mistress of novices, but I wouldn't be too surprised if they cut the role down to someone who doesn't get a name or very many lines or combined it with someone else.

[Elder_Haman]

34 minutes ago, Sabio said:

Verin and Leanne (Siuan's keeper of the Seals), I forget her name (The white who manipulated Elaida), Sheriam (Mistress of Novices), and Casudane.  I'm guessing these are some of the there is no question they will make the cut.  

 

I think alot will depend on how many seasons they get financed for.

This is a very good list. We might add Lelaine and Romanda...

Spoiler

(leaders of the two factions that Egwene has to deal with after being elevated to Amyrlin)

 

[TheDreadReader]

6 hours ago, Tim said:

Which leads to my questions:

 

1. Which Aes Sedai do you think will make the cut? And why?
2. Are there any prominent Aes Sedai you think won't make the cut? And why?

3. Are there any particular favourites you'd particularly like to see?
4. Are there any characters you'd merge together?

 

For 2 and 4, any named Aes Sedai that doesn't participate directly in a plot element will probably be redshirted into "unamed Aes Sedai."   And, more than a few "named ones" will show up only for an episode or two before disappearing. 

 

Elaida, for example, might be cut or only in a few episodes.    

[DaddyFinn]

13 hours ago, TheDreadReader said:

Elaida, for example, might be cut or only in a few episodes.   

No, no, no. Elaida is one of the most important Aes Sedai

[TheDreadReader]

8 hours ago, DaddyFinn said:

No, no, no. Elaida is one of the most important Aes Sedai

 

Her importance does not have to translate to a lot of screen time overall.  Many of the moments where she is significant can be collapsed into one or two episodes without really losing a lot of impact.  I think that applies to most if not all of the Aes Sedai because there are just so many of them.  

 

Spoiler

For example, Elaida's part of the Tower split can be accomplished in one episode and then you don't have to show Elaida on screen again until Egwene returns to the Tower.   

 

Overall, I think it is better to start off expecting more cuts and then be surprised by how much they keep in  than to think that they have to keep everyone and then be disappointed when they're cut.  

 

 

[DermidAjala]

29 minutes ago, TheDreadReader said:

Overall, I think it is better to start off expecting more cuts and then be surprised by how much they keep in  than to think that they have to keep everyone and then be disappointed when they're cut.  

 

1 million percent.

 

They want this to be 8 seasons. In all likelihood it's going to be a bloodbath on the cutting room floor. 

 

It's frankly easier to imagine them rolling Elaida into Liandrin and just making her straight up evil while streamlining a huge chunk of plot than it is to think the tower intrigue will play out anything close to how it did in the books.

 

[RhienneAgain]

On 11/30/2021 at 5:09 PM, Elder_Haman said:

This is a very good list. We might add Lelaine and Romanda...

  Hide contents

(leaders of the two factions that Egwene has to deal with after being elevated to Amyrlin)

 

I am wondering if they might merge Romania and Lelaine?

 

Adeleas and Vandene would be a nice cameo appearance. Myrelle and Pevara are two that might make an appearance.

[Elder_Haman]

4 minutes ago, RhienneAgain said:

merge Romania and Lelaine?

Maybe. Although I think

Spoiler

Egwene's ability to play one of them off against the other is fairly critical to her ascent as the Amyrlin. 

 

[RhienneAgain]

4 minutes ago, Elder_Haman said:

Maybe. Although I think

  Hide contents

Egwene's ability to play one of them off against the other is fairly critical to her ascent as the Amyrlin. 

 

I agree, I just think the Aes Sedai plotlines might get drastically simplified to the extent that they don't have the screentime to develop two characters to challenge Egwene. I think other Aes Sedai might be pulled in instead.

 

 

[AdamA]

I'd be really surprised if Elaida and Alviarin don't make the cut at all, but I could see something like the Night's Watch leadership thing in Game of Thrones where Othell Yarwyck and Bowen Marsh were still there and still named characters, but they barely get any lines or screen time and you only know their names from reading the cast list.

[Deadsy]

We will likely have a lot of Aes Sedai who are extras. If they do the whole tower split with politics then we'll have some named sitters like Romanda and Lelaine. Myrelle may be combined with Alanna.

[JackieQ]

On 11/30/2021 at 6:47 AM, Tim said:

1. Which Aes Sedai do you think will make the cut? And why?
2. Are there any prominent Aes Sedai you think won't make the cut? And why?

3. Are there any particular favourites you'd particularly like to see?
4. Are there any characters you'd merge together?

1. I think Alviarin and Cadsuane are the two most likely to appear (along with Siuan of course)

2. Part of me honestly thinks they might cut Elaida and give her role to Liandrin. Not sure on that though

3. I would LIKE to see Elaida, but I worry

4. If I had my choice, I'd merge Liandrin and Alviarin. I always felt like Liandrin got the boot too early. They serve similar purposes in the story imo, just at different points

[Guest Wolfbrother31]

I think that we definitely have to have Elaida, Alviarian, Verin, and Cadsuane (besides the ones we know of for this season). 

 

Honestly think you can cut most of the rest.

 

And with the Aiel Wise ones ... Gonna have to do the same. Just too many dang characters. 

 

I would like to see Sheriam as well - and perhaps we'll get cameos of a number of Sitters. 

 

Honestly, I think WoT Tv will be better then the book Aes Sedai plot lines if they cut out about 98% of the fat! 

 

 

[Whittle]

Galina gets cut if the Shaido don’t make it past Dumei’s Wells( which they shouldn’t). Someone else will

head the embassy from the White Tower. Same goes for Merana from the  Salidar delegation to Camelyn. Each  gets replaced by a more prominent, already established character. 

The Kin aren’t Aes Sedai but they are channelers. I think they get cut since the whole agelessness look of the Aes Sedai didn’t make it on the show.