Yeah I feel like Setalle got lost between writers I feel like RJ was building to something with her but Sanderson had so many things she got lost in the shuffle. It's a shame because the more I reread the series the more I really like Setalle as a character and I really enjoy that whole arc with Tuon and how much Tuon respected her. She really seemed to be the closest to changing Tuon's mind on things and I think Tuon even mentions how they changed each other's views and it was mainly through just treating people with respect which is something the Aes Sedai could really learn.

I was really hoping Setalle Anan would have met up with Nynaeve to see if she could be healed. I think she would have been the perfect Amerlyn Seat at the end of the book because she had a good relationship with Tuon and may actually create a positive outcome with her and it would have been a cool story for her to have a reverse Siuan arc. She also seemed like she learned a lot of the things the Aes Sedai forgot by cutting themselves off from the world I think she would have helped them reconnect. Would have been cool to see Mat and Couladin lol I wish Egwene would have been able to see her parents again it was kind of sad how much they wanted news of her during Nynaeve's testing and they were never able to really see her again. I also agree about Thom Asmodean, it would have been great if Thom left him in the dust as a musician. Guy sells his soul to the dark one to have eternity to improve as a musician, murders everyone that was better than him, comes to a time where he considers everyone savages, gets schooled by a gleeman. Tuon and Hawking would have been good to see. Rand and Tam at the end, it never really sat well with me that they left his father in the dark.

I also like this theory and it's interesting that evil Ta'veren were never really explored but there was nice dualities set up with a lot of the characters like Slayer being two souls merged being able to move between the real world and dream world physically and people have theorized that Hopper may have merged in some way with Perrin or his hammer allowing him to move between worlds physically. You had Mat able to be impervious to the one power and the gholam as well.Would be interesting if the dark one made a twisted version of a Ta'veren and it does work well with how he was able to track Rand. The DO was also big on corrupting things with turning channelers, his foul taint so corrupting the concept of Ta'veren is interesting. Fain also did have some random crazy luck like being able to get direct access to Seanchan leadership, Whitecloak leadership and the Amerlyn Seat as a crazy begger. I get that over time he could corrupt them but more just getting his foot in the door with such powerful people could be similar to Rand wandering into the royal palace and meeting the entire power structure of Andor. I like the theory and kind of wish it was explored in the book because the idea of an evil Ta'veren is kind of terrifying. Ishy also would be interesting because of the massive impact he was able to have in limited time by striking at the right moment in the right way to create massive consequences for the world over time.

I always liked the name Joya from the books. It's the name of Egwene and Rand's kid in her tower tests.

Yeah I really wanted her and Leanne/Siuan to run into an Asha'man, she would have been really interested in what Elayne and Avihenda were up to and she really could have helped them out and would have been blown away by their capabilities. In a lot of ways Aviendha's talent to read things would have made research a lot safer for Setalle and her experience would temper Elayne a bit I think they would have made a great team and found some interesting things out. Also would have just been funny to see Mat's reaction to everyone he knows becoming an Aes Sedai lol. Overall I just really love how RJ brought that whole story out you hear of her as a cautionary tale to researching terangreal in an unrelated situation and then you meet her as a character and just over time see these clues to she has some past as an Aes Sedai and then when you put it together it's a beautiful arc.

It's amazing how she gets things done without hitting people or treating them like idiots that need to be hearded. I almost think she was put in as a counterpoint to all of that, it's interesting she behaves opposite to most everyone in the books. I never thought of that but she would have been the perfect Amerlyn at the end. If you can keep the peace between Tuon, Aes Sedai and Sul'dam in a circus wagon and still have them all respect you at the end of it I think she would have done an amazing job with the sitters. I think she would also have some awe around her as the one woman that came back from being cut off the source and just went on with her life. She faced down the one thing they are all absolutely terrified of I feel like that would get her a lot of tower cred. She would have continued Egwene's goal of being involved with other channelers because she was herself cast out of the tower so she would have empathy for them and also be willing to leave them alone if they wanted because she spent a good part of her life wanting the same thing. That's a tough balance for Aes Sedai it's either they cast women out and want nothing to do with them or basically want to drag them into the tower and not let them leave and it's basically all or nothing but I think Setalle would get it in a way other Aes Sedai would struggle to. Then politically she would be the best Amerlyn to deal with the Seanchan in a productive way even including Egwene. I really couldn't see Egwene ever creating peace with the Seanchan and I think she would always be too inflexible where eventually she would cause a war with them. Setalle's approach is really the approach I could see working with Tuon and you notice it in Tuon's POV how much she respects Setalle and she mentions that they have both changed each other's minds through their discussion over time.

Was just going through a reread and one character that I really adore the more I read the book is Setale Anan she is such an interesting character. I like how she's an example of the risks of researching, she burns herself out but doesn't die or give up, doesn't have some massive quest just has a family and builds a life with them. The way she becomes protective of Mat is great she just kind of adopts him. How she stands up for Mat and feels like Elayne and Nynaeve are bad news. Drags Elayne and Nynaeve through the city and every tavern telling everyone how they were broke because they were trying to outspend each other to impress a man and needed help. Just kind of rolling with abducting the heir to the empress, breaking out a bunch of Damanae from a powerful invading force and joining the circus. Then she takes on the role of getting between Tuon, Aes Sedai, Sul'dam and manages to humanize everyone and get the respect of all of them. I also think she does the most to try and change Tuon's mind on things and it's through again treating her like a human being and having discussions with her instead of treating her like some kind of monster. Really just love her character, what she stands for and how she goes about her business. Just kind of quietly making things better for the people around her without a lot of fanfare but just being decent to people. Seems like the more I read the series she becomes one of my favorite characters.

I liked this review he seems like he really appreciated Ishy and I thought this was a great send off. I also thought the ending with Ishy and his conversation with Rand was a particularly nice touch and great balance to how the episode started with the cold open that I also thought was great. Especially that Lews' actor did capture the subtle arrogance and imprisoning and leaving conscious for 3,000 years a guy that just wants to die is pretty horrifying, it was nice that Rand gave him some peace even if it is temporary. I think this was a big part of the books too how Rand's upbringing with Tam was a big difference between him and Lews and I think they this showed it in a great way. “It’s beautiful,” says the Forsaken called Ishamael, dying. “Do you see it, Lews?” “What do you see?” replies Rand al’Thor, the reincarnation of Ishamael’s best friend turned bitterest enemy, Lews Therin, the Dragon Reborn. “Nothing,” Ishamael says, smiling as his body crumbles away to dust. “Nothing at all.” So ends a fascinating antagonist. A true nihilist, Ishamael was a man who, in The Big Lebowski’s memorable formulation, truly did believe in nothing. Aghast at the suffering inherent in life, his goal was to eliminate life, and thus suffering, forever. In the end, the only life ended was his own — and that only temporarily, if the Wheel of Time keeps on turning as it’s always done. Still, what a lovely grace note for Ishamael, and for actor Fares Fares, who made him so charming and engaging a presence both in the lives of the other characters and simply on the screen. It also cracked me up that this guy hasn't read the books but expects this: Man, oh man, do I dig this. Superman as a selfless protector of the people of Metropolis is one thing. Superman as the leader of an army dedicated to destroying all evil forever? Sign me the hell up. https://www.vulture.com/article/the-wheel-of-time-recap-season-2-episode-8-what-was-meant-to-be.html

I think you are right about the spirit of the law but the letter of the law she didn't attack them with the power she attacked the boat with the power. Aes Sedai have a long history in the books getting around the spirit of the oaths because of loopholes in the letter of the law with the oaths. I can definitely see it bothering people and it definitely is a grey area but I didn't have a problem with it because Aes Sedai and Moiraine maybe even more than most of them is often operating in that grey area.

I don't think the boat scene was impacted by Moiraine's oaths she didn't attack the Seanchan with the power she attacked the boats and then the seanchan either lived or died based on their own actions which is what she did with the ferry in season one and I think that was probably foreshadowing to this. As to if she could do that I don't see a problem with it because when Bayle Domon is running from the Seanchan in the books they make it really clear that the Seanchan can easily sink his boat from distance and they showed that Moiraine focused on the damanae first, she should be able to clearly see them since they are channeling and then she just systematically attacked ships until they fled. If she just wiped out their entire fleet in one shot that would be overpowered but they showed her just strategically and systematically go from ship to ship so to me I can buy that. Shielding at that distance is problematic but Ishy was there so who knows what he pulled, it could have been a circle with him leading it, could have been a gateway inverted and hidden or a scrying device so I'll give some leeway because Ishy knew he was trying to have them shield Rand so I'm sure Ishy can think of a clever way to do it where an untrained Rand wouldn't see it coming that is entirely believable to me.

I really liked the episode and it did feel like wheel of time to me and overall I think it was a great way to proclaim the dragon because if you look at it from the average person's perspective an army shows up out of nowhere huge magical battle at the top of the tower, seanchan get kicked back to wherever they came from and at the end of it this guy is standing there at the top of the tower with a flaming dragon and they go crazy I think it was great. The stone of Tear was honestly a little anti climatic because people basically fell asleep, woke up and the next day there was a dragon banner. I like that he was proclaimed to the common people by freeing them and breaking chains and I can imagine a story like this spreading through the world like wild fire as a signal that there may be something different with this dude. For me this landed and I guess this is the most important thing of the season for the dragon to be proclaimed. I liked the Ishy battle, he isn't trying to murder everyone they are trying to use Rand's friends to get to him to turn to the shadow so I think Ishy was playing it up for dramatic effect. Ishy didn't care if he lived or died because he wants to die and knows he's just going to end up alive again fighting the dragon. Book Ishy also acted like this and got killed 3x in a row. I thought it was a nice touch that Ishy sheathed the sword which they didn't really set up for Rand they left it as an easter egg to the book readers. The thing with Egwene's shield this isn't the first time she has used this she also used it to protect Nynaeve and Elayne from the Seanchan I think this is one of her talents and people with talents do have significant advantages using those weaves. Like the lady in the book that could make flexible shields that nobody could break, the gateway talent etc. Egwene wasn't going toe to toe in a channeling battle with Ishy she was holding one weave that I think she has a talent for and was gradually wearing down. I guess there could have been more there between Rand and Ishy but that would start to be unbelievable like why can untrained Rand go toe to toe with the second most powerful channeler ever at the height of his powers so I kind of like that Ishy really didn't care one way or the other (fits his character pretty well) and Rand was almost putting him out of his misery because that's really what Ishy wants anyway. I thought Ishy's line was great too at the end. Loved Rand vs Turak and I like the touch where everyone ended up on their knees bowing to Rand that was a cool call back to what happened in TDR. The Moiraine thing is definitely interesting because she shouldn't be able to just unload on the Seanchan and she was not under direct threat but I think it is similar to the ferry earlier she just sunk the boat and then the wheel gonna weave as the wheel wills. I think it makes sense because she didn't directly attack any of them with the power. I will say that both the scene of her and Lan's bond and her channeling on the beach were some of the most visually stunning shots of the series they were just gorgeous and I'll also throw in the charge of the white cloaks that was another one that was just visually stunning they did a great job with all of these. Liked Lan just grabbing an arrow out of the air and then stabbing someone in the neck with it. The thing about distances I get I think that was pretty far to shield someone, I don't have as much of a problem with Moiraine's thing because they were within view and she just kind of one after the other hit them with fire she didn't just obliterate the fleet she was more just methodical and strategic in hitting the Damanae ships first. When Bayle is trying to get away from the Seanchan it's pretty clear that they can blow his boat out of the water pretty easy from distance so I don't see why Moiraine wouldn't the main thing was disabling the Damanae first which she did. The shield is kind of problematic but Ishy was there so we probably can't rule out gateway shenanigans or something else they could do and overall that wasn't big enough to really bother me. I overall like the change with Dain and Perrin and Hopper because you do get the sense that they could have been friends if things were different so it is just kind of tragic but unforgivable on both ends what happens. I did really like the two rivers?! comment from Dain where he sees Perrin and they fight together for a bit. I thought this whole thing landed for me too I like these changes and think they will pay off more as we go. Sad to see with Hopper but the visual of him hopping was beautiful, they had to do this one and I was sad to see it. This is why it is good they are using actual animals it's just hard to capture them well in CGI if you aren't just trying to make them look tough. Perrin using the shield at the climax seemed kind of forced to get him involved but it fit the character well. Liked when he saw Mat and Mat was just like hope your friends can fight. Egwene was amazing I'm actually sad to see Renna go because I think she did an amazing job so I wanted to see her continue but I like that Egwene kept her word and I like that she did the same thing to Renna that was done to her. I like that Egwene figured out how to free herself I think that ties well with her strategic thinking later in the series and I like that it was through sheer strength of will and dealing with pain that she was able to outlast Renna as that also ties in well with her later in the series. The whole Suldam/Damanae paradox is kind of strange but Ashaman and Aes Sedai double bonded each other and these are based on a bond so again it wasn't enough to take me out of the moment and dramatically this moment was absolutely perfect so I'll allow it. Mat I honestly loved his stuff and the whole Ashandari thing was funny to me but I feel like maybe he saw it with the tea a bit, or maybe he just tied a stick to it lol but either way it worked for me. I'm good with the hero of the horn I thought he should have always been one anyway but didn't strongly care one way or another, it is a good way for him to get the memories if they are not doing the snakes and foxes but I think they are forshadowing some of that stuff so I think we do get snakes and foxes. The army of the dead heroes was something I thought could get really cheesy just because I hated the LOTR version but I thought this worked pretty well and I liked the Uno touch and I think he fought with two swords and was next to Brigitte so if he's Gaidal Cain that's pretty cool. Overall I thought all of it paid off. The lock thing I didn't mind too much I figure they are combining the dagger with the knife that the dark friend had in the books that would burn wood and it foreshadows Mat in the tower so again it didn't bother me. If this is the real Ashandari is a good question, the fact that it's a poisonous dagger that he can never touch but is always addicted to and is just impossibly corrosive makes it cooler so I'd be ok if his buddy Perrin just makes it permanent. I don't mind Nynaeve having a big power moment because she's been regularly doing good things without the power she kept it together and helped get Elayne away from the Seanchan, helped Elayne here so I like showing how Nynaeve can be effective without the power. Really enjoyed Rand's moment with Elayne I think that was really cool and a great way to get a lot across in a limited amount of time. I think we will get a lot of them in Tear in the early next season. Wasn't a big fan of the fletching part but I was liking everything else so it didn't bug me too much. Scene at the end was amazing they have crushed it with the forsaken so I'm excited to see each and every one of them but that was an awesome introduction. Sad we will have to wait 1.5-2 years but it was a good season kind of reminds me of waiting for the books again. I didn't agree with everything but overall I thought it was really strong and progressed to a good conclusion. The flaming dragon may have been a bit much lol but it was better than having Rand and Ishy fight in the clouds and I don't know a good way to do it another way so again I'll allow it and it did look like the banner dragon so I liked that.

I think in my later rereads I started realizing it doesn't really have much to do with Perrin at all he's just catching strays between two hard headed women going to war. Faile is over protective and basically every female friend of Perrin's gets the 3rd degree from Faile when they meet and none of them really like it. You hear Min complain about it to Rand when Faile does it to her and I believe Egwene and Elayne as well but they are all pretty easy going so it ends there. She tries the same thing with Berelain but Faile takes it to an extreme with her getting into a physical fight and embarrassing her in front of Ruarc and Berelain basically in that moment promises to torment Faile endlessly because of it and throughout the books she is true to her word. Faile finally crossed the one woman petty enough and with the weapons to make her pay for messing with her. I don't even think Berelain really thinks she has a chance with Perrin after a while she knows he's faithful as he's as obvious about that as he can possibly be she is just tweaking Faile at every chance she has. I think the part that bothered Faile about Perrin (and I think she even said this in the books) was the more he denied that anything was going on and the more vehement he was about it the more he added weight to whatever BS Berelain was trying to pull. Once he started ignoring Berelain, Faile was able to ignore it and things improved. I think the part about Perrin just feeling like a victim in an unpredictable situation was that he was exactly that and by reacting to things and trying to fix it (because that's Perrin's thing) he was just making it worse. Berelain fully realized this and weaponized it until Perrin figured it out. Also I feel like a lot of the challenges Perrin faced were puzzles, I think this was a big puzzle he had to think through and the other was the Shaido and they were call backs to the blacksmith puzzles Perrin was always talking about.

Glad that they cast Faile and she looks like she will do a good job but one of the saddest things to me out of the changes they made is they gave Perrin and Gaul's white cloak cage fight to Avi and the reason I am so sad about this is because Faile's line about Perrin and Gaul speaking 5 words to each other and proceeding to turn a bunch of white cloaks into sausage is one of my favorites lines in the whole series and a great introduction. Also Avi already had one of the best introductions in the series with the maidens and the fade so it just kills me that we don't get that line.

I agree about the earned aspect and the compounding of it, having Rand who hasn't established himself as a sword fighter (the fade disarmed him in seconds) or channeler and fighting Turak and Ishy is just too much. I think they will have Lan fight Turak, it may start out with Rand but he will quickly find out he is overmatched and Lan will tell him he needs to fight Ishy because nobody else can or something like that. Honestly I'm ok with this one because Rand taking out Turak in the books seemed way too soon and I almost think RJ retconned it a bit with Be'lal showing that Rand still wasn't close to a blade master yet. It was just too early in the series but I think this had to do with the series just constantly expanding, if it was a trilogy that probably was the right time for Rand to become a blade master but once it became a 9-12 book series it was way too early. I think Ingtar's is tough and I will put this one in spoilers because it gets pretty specific: I agree though these are two big problems and also just run time I hope they have an hour and a half episode or something like that otherwise I worry it's just going to be too much going on at a breakneck speed for a lot of it to land or have impact.

What did the dress look like?