On Instagram AMA: Question: Big changes from the books in ep8. Are we going to see Salidar? (Providing renewal news!) Rafe Judkins: We have a lot planned for Salidar. There’s a cut scene we will hopefully get to show someday of Ryma, Verin and Leane leaving the White Tower with a group of Aes Sedai to “gather on the shores of the river where Siuan was born”.

Overall I enjoyed the episode. I liked Siuan being killed and being defiant to the end - Interesting that they declared her a dark friend - Elaida did something similar in the books with Egwene and then punished her to the extent of drawing blood - there were questions about Elaida's oath. I would love to know what goes in Moiraine's head - A pity TV isn't a great medium for that - "I saw myself die a thousand times after a thousand times in this gorgeously splendid dress in the middle of the dessert. If I die, I shall look as splendid as I did in my visions." Priorities ❤️ I wonder what Moiraine was doing channeling in the dessert. This is the second(?) time she has done this now - training to master Sakarnen? Moiraine vs Lanfear - it briefly reminded me of a video of someone who animated Scarlet Witch vs Phoenix (for those who don't know, 2 overpowered characters in marvel). And someone commented something like "they are so over-powered they resort to slapping and fists when all else fails". I did like Lanfear trying to strange Moiraine - it feels in character for a jealous vindictive forsaken. Yay, Nynaeve block is gone - though a pity we didn't see the Mog show-down Love Sevanna and her outfits. Oh - the only outfit I didn't like was Elaida's headgear - but suits Elaida's poor tastes and penchant for gaudiness. Enjoyed Min/Mat and Elayne/Thom interactions Sammael's shielding - I have no issues with Moiraine shielding him with a Sa'angreal - but am I the only one who assumed Lanfear shielded him? 😅She did plan this with Moiraine and to have Sam a teacher. In the books she did do the shield on Asmo. Was hoping to catch sight of the Bowl of the Winds - even if they don't intend to go with the storyline - but it is quite a hard bowl to create as a set. Pretty sure I didn't see it - if anyone did, please do tell! Guesses for the future assuming renewal (hopefully!) -Moiraine - I guess she would play Cadsuane's role moving forward? Makes sense why Shohreh Aghdashloo was cast as Elaida when she is a fan favourite for Cadsuane. I do like her a Elaida. -Alanna/Maksim - So I previously thought Moiraine would die and Lan would transfer to Alanna. If Moiraine is playing Cadsuane, perhaps beside being a composite of Myrelle/Alanna, she might also be Merise. Wouldn't surprise me if Maksim become an Asha'man (composite with Narishma). -We're not sure if Leanne was stilled. I assume she would play the role of mentor for Egwene. Or maybe forgotten. Would love to see the actress some more. -I wonder if Liandrin would end up playing Elza's role in wearing the Domination band. Would Mog play Semi's role in that too?

I can't seem to find it elsewhere... Have downloaded it and attach it here (not sure if that work) 8af12fd61b1b3e93553de75afefdb8e1.mp4 . 8af12fd61b1b3e93553de75afefdb8e1.mp4

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSr4D5bPy/ Maybe he is taking asmo's role

Ah - yes, I know which scene that is. I personally did not like Brandon Sanderson's Mat - I didn't realise it happened in book 12 rather than 13. Seeing that you've now seen both author's version of Mat, I think it is unlikely you'll ever like Mat in this first read.

I can't recall if book 12 had much Mat - I don't think he was featured heavily (though I might be wrong). Book 13 had quite a bit of Mat with a major plot involving him. If you had not already picked up on it in book 12 (if he had appeared) you might notice a shift in tone for Mat's point of view with Brandon Sanderson taking over. It might help you enjoy him more if the tone change land better for you. I remember finding Mat irriting on my first read. Over time in subsequent re-reads, I came to realise that part of what makes Mat's scenes humourous/fun is because he is a deeply unreliable narrator. Even his own thoughts are dishonest. He is dishonest about his motivations or his feelings. He complains about people or events in ways that don't match what he is actually doing. There is a layer of irony to everything that he says or do a as a result Brandon Sanderson's Mat tries very hard to be funny - he wise cracks a lot (from recollection). So the tonal shift might work for you. RJ's Mat wasn't trying to be funny. He was funny because he was so unintentionally ridiculous tripping over his own self image of being the wastrel (and everyone tend to see him a wastrel - and in my first read through, that was how I saw him).

Actually, I quite like that Daise shield just had holes and was shredded by arrows and she didn't reform the shield as it stayed torn. Egwene when she was finally faltering against Ishy, you can see holes in her shield where the fireballs blew them open but she reformed the shield to cover the holes (presumably because she has been more trained by the tower or sul'dam) I don't really have an inherent problem with Wilders former a physical shield. Imo it seems less complicated than healing or compulsion and Wilders tend to do those two according to the tower (granted healing in the tv also seem a lot less complex)

In the books, I think Lord Luc killed the wolves around two rivers - I may be wrong in recalling no wolves helped in that battle in the end (not really my favourite so my memory may be extra terrible). Though Lord Luc in the show hasn't really been shown to do anything suspicious that the audience is aware of

🧐🤔 Screenshot from:

My least favourite episode of the season - but it probably also fated to be my least favourite of the season because I never really found the battle for Two Rivers compelling in the books too. I like show Faile a lot so far - she will probably have some neck disorder soon looking up towards Perrin all the time. I don't particularly mind Loial being dead. I don't mind the Alanna story line - but didn't like Maksim kind of taking the role of Tam - I don't think it worked well. I did suspect it was going to be a whole episode of Two Rivers, but even so, I was disappointed not seeing the Tanchico and Aiel Waste storylines (Almost like re-living book releases back in the day come to think of it)

"Where one's not enough and three's too many And two bring a man to his knees" So the lyrics has a third meaning I didn't pick up on till someone else pointed it out to me (1) landscape Hills (2) bosom (3) the statue (where a collared man is on his knees with 2 women)

I saw an interview with Kate Fleetwood - She also read part of the books and remembered that Liandrin slips back into her rougher accents when under pressure. When she she saw the script for s3 that Liandrin was going back to her home in Tarabon and the setting in docks, she tied it to her family, who were from Liverpool, and apparently a lot of them worked in the docks and seamen. So she thought, wouldn't it be great if Liandrin's home accent is Scouse and so she suggested it so that Liandrin could slip into scouse accent when under pressure. And they told her to go for it

My DnD mind popped out "Shillelagh?!" during that scene.🤣

Discovered another cool bit about the hills of Tanchio while searching for the lyrics (and pointed out by someone on a youtube comment). It has a line from TSR 54 which I have underlined (below quote copied from https://wot.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_songs#cite_note-4-54-13) I Have Loved a Thousand Sailor Men: A song taught by Temaile to Amathera. My breasts are round, and my hips are too I can flatten a whole ship's crew. My thighs are strong are strong as anchor chain. My kiss can burst Tales of Tanchico City (nicked off a youtube comment) I'll tell you a tale of a lad of twenty A Tarabon boy with coin aplenty Went looking for love and more's the pity Now he's lost in the hills of Tanchico city Where one's not enough and three's too many And two bring a man to his knees Hey! The hills of Tanchico The hills of Tanchico Hey! These hills will flatten a whole ship's crew These hills will make a man out of you The hills of Tanchico The hills of Tanchico Hey! These hills will flatten a whole ship's crew These hills will flatten a whole ship's crew These hills will make a man out of you These hills will make a man out of you The hills of Tanchico The hills of Tanchico Hey! The hills of Tanchico The hills of Tanchico Hey! More songs pls

😅 I can't say it really bothered me. In hindsight, maybe a missed opportunity to try choreograph something bawdy with the women folding their arms under their bosoms for a song about bosoms as a nod and wink to those who know. Whether that would be successful is another thing of course.