Costumes!

[AdamA]

3 hours ago, Skipp said:

 

Of note RJ always took a moment to mention that the Whitecloaks took the time to make certain their uniforms were very clean.

I'm just saying that isn't practical on a minute-to-minute basis, no matter what he said. I've been mounted cavalry living off the land. Granting tanks put up even more dust than horses, but even so, you clean as much as you can every morning, but within an hour, you're still filthy again.

[Humbugged2]

3 hours ago, AdamA said:

I agree with the thought that the costumes were mostly fine except the Whitecloaks. The design is okay for pure urban and garrison ops, but the rangers at least need to be dirtier. You need an entire support company with you for an active military unit living off the land to stay anywhere near that clean, and unless they never even trot the horses and they're just for show, they should be covered in dust from riding.

 

I liked everything else, though, even the Aes Sedai. Some of it is silly looking, but real world fashion is often equally silly. The bright colors and shoulder pads remind me of Claudia's 80's power businesswoman gear from Dark.

 

A test of how much they care about fidelity to books will come with the Cairhienin and Seanchan half-shaved heads, I think. On the one hand, it's a lot to ask actors to do that. On the other hand, looking at historical dramas like Vikings or Last of the Mohicans depicting real-world cultures with extreme hairstyles like that, they actually did it. Same thing with pointed beards. Game of Thrones was notable for dropping all the dyed and styled beards people were supposed to have to just make everyone look like a heavy metal concert. I'd like to see Wheel of Time stick with what the people are supposed to look like even when it's ridiculous.

The Whitecloaks never lived off the land they slept in tents , ate rations and bought goods as travelling through another kingdom nicking food would cause another war ,and had low levels scrubs to wash there gear and cook for them

 

Dye was really common at this time

 

RL Uno's wife is also in the cast next year and she has had her head 1/2 shaved for most of the year and there is wigs - not sure how many of the Shienerans have top knots in there hair in real life

And this is set 800 years after Vikings  and 300 years for GOT

Edited January 13, 2022 by Humbugged2

[ArrylT]

8 hours ago, Skipp said:

 

Of note RJ always took a moment to mention that the Whitecloaks took the time to make certain their uniforms were very clean.

 

That was one of my favorite things I liked from the Ep2 scenes - the vast majority of their uniforms were clean but the bottoms were slightly muddy.   Plus it gave me a fond reminder of their interaction with Rand & Mat in Baerlon. ?

[Andra]

On 1/13/2022 at 8:46 AM, AdamA said:

I agree with the thought that the costumes were mostly fine except the Whitecloaks. The design is okay for pure urban and garrison ops, but the rangers at least need to be dirtier. You need an entire support company with you for an active military unit living off the land to stay anywhere near that clean, and unless they never even trot the horses and they're just for show, they should be covered in dust from riding.

 

I liked everything else, though, even the Aes Sedai. Some of it is silly looking, but real world fashion is often equally silly. The bright colors and shoulder pads remind me of Claudia's 80's power businesswoman gear from Dark.

 

A test of how much they care about fidelity to books will come with the Cairhienin and Seanchan half-shaved heads, I think. On the one hand, it's a lot to ask actors to do that. On the other hand, looking at historical dramas like Vikings or Last of the Mohicans depicting real-world cultures with extreme hairstyles like that, they actually did it. Same thing with pointed beards. Game of Thrones was notable for dropping all the dyed and styled beards people were supposed to have to just make everyone look like a heavy metal concert. I'd like to see Wheel of Time stick with what the people are supposed to look like even when it's ridiculous.

To me, the first true test of fidelity to the books for costumes was the Aes Sedai shawls.

They apparently decided to skip class for that test.

[Andra]

On 1/13/2022 at 11:54 AM, Humbugged2 said:

They only wore breastplates and helmets when the were fighting ,the Questioners not at all

I believe they wore their breastplates etc. any time they were in the field.  Except for the Questioners, of course.

 

From our first sight of them in Baerlon:

Three men in breastplates and conical steel caps, burnished till they shone like silver, were making their way down the street toward Rand and Mat.  Even the mail on their arms gleamed.  Their long cloaks, pristine white and embroidered on the left breast with a golden sunburst, just cleared the mud and puddles of the street.

 

They wore their armor all the time, but wore their cloaks over it in order to show off the sunburst.  Or the shepherd's crook or hand, as the case may be.

 

And only Fain's troops were ever portrayed as routinely dirty.

[Andra]

A couple of things I noticed regarding Moiraine's costume that aren't explained, but apparently have some kind of significance.

1: Her leather "bicycle gloves."  I thought they might be intended as some kind of riding gloves, but she wears them even when she isn't riding.  It's almost like they're supposed to be braces of some kind due to an old injury.

2: The gold plating on her ear(s?).  I only noticed it on her right ear, but she could have it on both.  Odd, to say the least.

[Lethira the second]

40 minutes ago, Andra said:

2: The gold plating on her ear(s?).  I only noticed it on her right ear, but she could have it on both.  Odd, to say the least.

I'm betting it's a hearing aid, so she can listen in to other Aes Sedai's thoughts.

[Andra]

14 minutes ago, Lethira the second said:

I'm betting it's a hearing aid, so she can listen in to other Aes Sedai's thoughts.

So it's her personal Eavesdropping Ter'angreal.

Well, since we haven't seen her using her kesiera that way yet ...

?

[Elgee]

19 hours ago, Andra said:

It's almost like they're supposed to be braces of some kind due to an old injury.

 

Some Aes Sedai would have Healed that, surely.

19 hours ago, Andra said:

2: The gold plating on her ear(s?). 

I'm reasonably sure I saw at least 1 other Aes Sedai with that? Or is old age befuddling my memory?

[Andra]

On 1/19/2022 at 11:42 AM, Andra said:

It's almost like they're supposed to be braces of some kind due to an old injury.

 

19 hours ago, Elgee said:

Some Aes Sedai would have Healed that, surely.

 

In the book world, no.  Once an injury heals, it can't be Healed.  It's why she couldn't fix Thom's limp.

In the show?  Who knows?  Rafe seems to want pretty much anything to be Healable.

 

On 1/19/2022 at 11:42 AM, Andra said:

The gold plating on her ear(s?). 

 

19 hours ago, Elgee said:

I'm reasonably sure I saw at least 1 other Aes Sedai with that? Or is old age befuddling my memory?

 

It's possible.  I only noticed it on her, and only because of the closeup of the side of her head during the Oath scene.  It could be something that's quite common.  But there's been no mention of what it is.

[EmreY]

An angreal maybe?

[Elgee]

4 hours ago, Andra said:

It's possible.  I only noticed it on her, and only because of the closeup of the side of her head during the Oath scene.  It could be something that's quite common.  But there's been no mention of what it is.

 

Someone's going to have to check all those scenes now and let us know ... lol ... I've cancelled my Amazon subscription.

[Andra]

7 hours ago, EmreY said:

An angreal maybe?

It's possible.

But if it is, her use of it is extremely subtle.  Since you never see it.

 

 

9 hours ago, Andra said:

I only noticed it on her, and only because of the closeup of the side of her head during the Oath scene.  It could be something that's quite common.  But there's been no mention of what it is.

 

4 hours ago, Elgee said:

Someone's going to have to check all those scenes now and let us know ... lol ... I've cancelled my Amazon subscription.

 

I was planning on running through it again next week.  It's one of the things I'll have to look for when I do.

 

I have a list.  ?

[bryce0110]

On 1/19/2022 at 12:42 PM, Andra said:

2: The gold plating on her ear(s?).  I only noticed it on her right ear, but she could have it on both.  Odd, to say the least.

On 1/20/2022 at 8:24 AM, Elgee said:

I'm reasonably sure I saw at least 1 other Aes Sedai with that? Or is old age befuddling my memory?

Kerene also had a similar ear piece but it was on her lower earlobe, whereas Moiraine's was more around the back.

Edited January 21, 2022 by bryce0110

[Andra]

16 minutes ago, bryce0110 said:

Kerene also had a similar ear piece but it was on her lower earlobe, whereas Moiraine's was more around the back.

 

Good catch!

I'll definitely have to make a note on my re-watch of who has one and who doesn't.

 

Who knows - pure speculation, but could it have something to do with their Warder bond?  Maybe Moiraine taking it off is how Moiraine masked the bond? 

Edited January 21, 2022 by Andra

[bryce0110]

15 minutes ago, Andra said:

Who knows - pure speculation, but could it have something to do with their Warder bond?  Maybe Moiraine taking it off is how Moiraine masked the bond? 

That's an interesting idea! I don't know if it's present on other Aes Sedai such as Alanna, but if it is that might be what it is.

 

I saw some people saying it could've been a way for Moiraine to show respect towards Kerene after her death, but I'm not sure.

[Andra]

7 minutes ago, bryce0110 said:

That's an interesting idea! I don't know if it's present on other Aes Sedai such as Alanna, but if it is that might be what it is.

 

I saw some people saying it could've been a way for Moiraine to show respect towards Kerene after her death, but I'm not sure.

 

That would be interesting as well.

Kind of like in Dune, where people at a Fremen funeral each took something from the deceased in order to honor them.  In this case, it would mean she didn't have it until after the burial in the snow.

[MCSkembo]

I think my take away was that I expected "stout Two Rivers wool" dresses to not be see through when wet or made of linen.

[AdamA]

Maybe I'm underthinking it, but I saw the gold fringe on her ear and thought "cool, more jewelry," like if a person from an alternate universe was able to look in on our world and see some people wearing gold grills over their teeth.

[bryce0110]

1 hour ago, AdamA said:

Maybe I'm underthinking it, but I saw the gold fringe on her ear and thought "cool, more jewelry," like if a person from an alternate universe was able to look in on our world and see some people wearing gold grills over their teeth.

That's likely all it is lol. I think we're the ones overthinking, but it's fun to speculate if there's meaning behind some of these things!

[Andra]

1 hour ago, bryce0110 said:

That's likely all it is lol. I think we're the ones overthinking, but it's fun to speculate if there's meaning behind some of these things!

And I wouldn't be surprised if that's all it is.

We keep trying to attribute genius-level foreshadowing to Rafe in order to justify his changes.  But we may be giving him too much benefit in doing so.

[Elgee]

16 hours ago, bryce0110 said:

Kerene also had a similar ear piece but it was on her lower earlobe, whereas Moiraine's was more around the back.

 

 

Aha! Mama's not crazy.

[Andra]

On 1/21/2022 at 12:44 PM, bryce0110 said:

Kerene also had a similar ear piece but it was on her lower earlobe, whereas Moiraine's was more around the back.

 

On 1/21/2022 at 1:00 PM, Andra said:

Good catch!

I'll definitely have to make a note on my re-watch of who has one and who doesn't.

 

Who knows - pure speculation, but could it have something to do with their Warder bond?  Maybe Moiraine taking it off is how Moiraine masked the bond? 

 

So, I've been back through the first three episodes.

The odd fingerless gloves are in the very first scene of the Ep.1 prologue.  Don't know what they are, though Moiraine frequently holds a pose as if her hands hurt.  No idea what that means.

The gold plating on her ear(s) doesn't appear yet.  She's wearing earrings instead so far.  The first scene that shows us enough of her ears to tell is the bathtub scene with Lan.  And she clearly doesn't have the gold plating.

 

I'll keep looking - the scene above with Kerene should come up in Ep.4.

[Andra]

On 1/24/2022 at 1:14 AM, Andra said:

 

 

So, I've been back through the first three episodes.

The odd fingerless gloves are in the very first scene of the Ep.1 prologue.  Don't know what they are, though Moiraine frequently holds a pose as if her hands hurt.  No idea what that means.

The gold plating on her ear(s) doesn't appear yet.  She's wearing earrings instead so far.  The first scene that shows us enough of her ears to tell is the bathtub scene with Lan.  And she clearly doesn't have the gold plating.

 

I'll keep looking - the scene above with Kerene should come up in Ep.4.

 

Update (if anyone cares any more):

The gold ear decoration Kerene was wearing apparently gets buried with her in Ep.4.  It was visible when Stepin carried her body to the grave, and we don't see him remove it before the shroud gets laid over her.

Moiraine also doesn't have hers through all of Ep.5.

We first see her wearing it in the opening scene of Ep.6 (right after Siuan's origin prologue).  She has it through the entire episode right up until she leaves the Tower for the Waygate.  After that, nothing.

 

No indication in the show that it has any significance beyond simple ornamentation.

[Andra]

On 1/25/2022 at 1:26 AM, Andra said:

 

Update (if anyone cares any more):

The gold ear decoration Kerene was wearing apparently gets buried with her in Ep.4.  It was visible when Stepin carried her body to the grave, and we don't see him remove it before the shroud gets laid over her.

Moiraine also doesn't have hers through all of Ep.5.

We first see her wearing it in the opening scene of Ep.6 (right after Siuan's origin prologue).  She has it through the entire episode right up until she leaves the Tower for the Waygate.  After that, nothing.

 

No indication in the show that it has any significance beyond simple ornamentation.

Aaaaand ... a final update on this:

When Moiraine leaves the Tower in Ep.7, she's not wearing it any longer.  We never see it again, though because her hair almost always covers her ears, it could be there occasionally, just hidden.

 

So to recap - it isn't the same thing Kerene was wearing, which appears to have buried with her.  So she didn't take it from her as a Fremen-style commemoration.  She has it through all of Ep. 6 (including the "love shack" scene) and only has it on her right ear.  When she leaves Tar Valon she no longer wears it.

 

It could have something specific to do with her and the Tower, but it's never explained.

 

 

 

The fingerless gloves are just something she wears pretty much whenever.  And are also never explained.