S2 Cold Opens

[Harldin]

On 8/5/2022 at 1:19 PM, Harldin said:

1 hour ago, DaddyFinn said:

Loial is in the background in a couple of shots in the BTS teaser. Perrin is with him in at least one of them

Rafe said something about Loial and a stedding in the recent AMA when asked how Loial survived the knife.

 

Someone here or elsewhere wondered if the dagger gets gradually more powerful as Fain and Mordeth merge and he gets other powers also. That could work

I also have a theory about the Dagger.

It is not as deadly as in the books when Fain first gets hold of it, thus Mat and Loail surviving but it gets more and more deadly the longer its in Fains possession, so by the end of S2 we start seeing people die from the merest scratch. 

 

That was my theory concerning the dagger.

[Nik]

8 hours ago, Harldin said:

That was my theory concerning the dagger.

It's a good theory, I like it.

[Andra]

15 hours ago, Harldin said:

Yes that does sound very plausible, haven't seen the shot you are referring to. Also we don't know how Rafe is planning to do the change of actor, will it be, just carry on as if nothings happened or could they fold Mats change of appearance into the storyline, make him look totally unrecognisable using the dagger then heal him, Donal looks enough like Barney to pull it off. 

I suspect that's how they will play it.

The Healing process in the book was certainly traumatic enough that the show could turn it into something that permanently alters his appearance.

 

After which point everyone who knows him will say something like "Mat, is that you?" when they see him again.

 

Kind of the way the Wachowskis worked in the replacement of the Oracle in the Matrix sequels.

 

[Nik]

I hope they don't even comment on it. Maybe reshoot the waygate scene with the new actor and pick up from there to show us where he goes after. Let the viewer draw their own conclusions.

Edited August 10, 2022 by Nik

[DojoToad]

Will be tough to pull off no matter what they choose.  But it is a problem that has been around for decades.  WAFO...

[holger]

My predictions:

E1 will be something most people don't expect. We know from Geeky Eri's S2 location video that in S2 they are going back to the place where the S1 E1 Liandrin chase scene was shot, for S2 E1/E2. That suggests more footage for that scene and a flashback in S2 E1/E2 to early S1. We also know that "Else Treehill" has been cast. My prediction is: Else Treehill is a channeler with the "ta'veren seeing" Talent (either Nicola merged with Else Grinwell, or a sister of Nicola). S2 E1 cold-opens with a flashback to before the events in S1, with Else arriving in the Two Rivers and "seeing" Perrin, Mat, Rand and Egwene there. That information is then forwarded to Moiraine, via Eyes and Ears. It is how Moiraine knows about the four ta'veren in S1 E1, and who they are. We then cut to a version of the Liandrin chase scene, shown from Moiraine's perspective and find out that Liandrin is Black Ajah, and that Moiraine has known about that all throughout S1. This will be our introduction to the Black Ajah, and will re-frame all Moiraine and Liandrin scenes from S1.

E2: a version of the Darkfriend Social, probably at least including Liandrin, Lanfear and Ishamael. It would let them set the stage for Egwene being taken by Liandrin, for Selene meeting Rand, and explain who that "Dark One" really is.

E3: Exposition to the Seanchan, since E3 is the first episode with footage from the Falme set in Morocco. Could be via Bayle Domon, flashback to Hawkwing, could also be a scene from the Seanchan homeland. That might even be where the "torture wheel" comes in.

 

After E3 it gets difficult to predict. Aiel, Lanfear or more AoL scenes all seem possible. I think Gitara's foretelling will be shown in the larger context of Moiraine's storyline and flashbacks to how Moiraine first met and bonded Lan in New Spring. May or may not be in a cold open.