In a dingy basement or undercroft, a man comes down a flight of stairs.

01:15 Looks like Gaebril skulking around.
It's Gaebril and then Lanfear, for a prearranged meeting. A man in a uniform emerges from a portal, whom Gaebril identifies as Sammael. Lanfear approaches Gaebril and noting lipstick on his neck, asks if he is already sleeping with a Queen, calling him Rahvin. She seems surprised, because he's only been free a month. He responds that everyone thinks they've been in love for over a decade, which she attributes to compulsion. Sammael is impatient, saying they can sniff each other's asses later, asking where the Dragon is, but Lanfear says they have more urgent problems.

02:14 Since they’re going with immersion-breaking modern profanity, Sammael’s vulgarity is rather in character. And for the record, I am not even going to bother looking up what era of social & technical development they would have started calling lip color “lipstick”.

Sammael mocks her use of Rand's current name, and her past feelings for Lews Therin. They square off with ominous music until Rahvin laughs, and rebukes them for forgetting how in the past they fought each other more than the Dragon and it didn't go well. Lanfear called the meeting about Moghedian. Sammael scoffs, but Lanfear warns that she's smart and will pick them off, starting with Sammael, the weakest, and working her way up to Lanfear. She can only hope to be "Nae'blis" if all the others are dead. Sammael asks why Lanfear isn't in charge if she's so strong, suggesting that the Dark One isn't thrilled with her. Rahvin summarizes that Lanfear is proposing an alliance, and offers to let Graendal and Semirhage know. Lanfear is surprised, not wanting them in on it, but Rahvin has used news of the meeting to turn them against her. Lanfear urges he consider herr somewhat unspecific proposal, because it makes sense, before theatrically portaling out. Sammael says nothing as he backs into his own portal

04:13 So Sammael (canonically stronger than four of the six named surviving Forsaken) is the weakest of the Forsaken, except possibly Moghedian, while Lanfear is the strongest, when ITB, she was tied for ninth place.

I don’t know British accents, I think Sammael’s is Scottish or northern English, and I am wondering if there is a military association? It seems a popular accent for tough guy types. (Regional stereotypes of other countries are also not my forte)

Moghedian emerges, having been spying the meeting, asking Rahvin if he's considering Lanfear's proposal. She says she's not repeating her past mistakes, because she doesn't want to end up imprisoned again, but with more words and squirrelly mannerisms.

04:57 I like Moghedian getting a little more respect, but this is not close to actual Moghedian. Of all the Forsaken, she was far and away the most grounded, normal, and sensible. She wasn’t some twitchy, quirky weirdo on the Screenplay Spectrum. She wasn’t the Forsaken anyone wanted to be, but if forced to be honest with ourselves, she is the Forsaken most people probably would be, if they found themselves plunked down in an advanced world with great power, and no empathy for the inhabitants thereof. We’d probably do exactly what she did – use our powers to game the financial system for quick cash, and if forced to operate in a hostile world, with your own team all being murderous rivals, lie low, and only shoot when positive it was going to be absolutely safe, and when confident of your superiority, absolutely crush weaker people who inconvenienced you.

All that said, this was not the worst way to show viewers the backstabbing dynamics of the Forsaken, at this point in the game.

06:26 Liars!

A woman doing her part to combat the proliferation of an impossible Hollywood ideal body type on screen sits on a stone floor, weeping, as Verin informs us in voiceover that she is Black Ajah, captured by Siuan (one of those who nearly caught her with the belfry before Moiraine intervened in the first episode). He see her bald compatriot sitting in a better lit room, with an improbable amount of torches, and a more dignified bearing. Verin is telling this to Nynaeve & Elayne, naming them Joiya and Amico and saying that they know what the others are up to, but the refuse to talk, despite being stilled. She says that Siuan thinks the girls might have more luck than Verin and her associates. Elayne & Nynaeve think they might do better on their own, because they can lie, unlike the sisters. Nynaeve also wants to question them separately, and still seems pissed at Elayne.

The bald one notes that Elayne is Accepted. Nynaeve tells her that the first one to confess gets to live, asking if there are more Black sisters still in the Tower. She scoffs, asking if they really think they can succeed where sisters failed, so Elayne says to get Amico, making this, presumably, Joiya. Amico is having trouble getting into a sitting position in her own cell. She claims not to know if there are more Black sisters in the Tower, saying no one knows more than her heart. She mentions Liandrin found out something, but Nynaeve interrupts to ask about the term heart, so Amico explains that it's a group of three Black sisters, who operate as a unit, with each one only knowing the identity of one Black member outside her heart, and Amico's was Liandrin. Nynaeve asks where Liandrin is, but Amico says she doesn't know and has told everything she does.

08:38 I’d think the obvious question would be “Who are the other two in your heart?” (Or did Amico take up all the room? ). And while I might be prejudiced on this matter, since I already know what a heart is, I think Nynaeve should have let her finish saying what she was about to say about Liandrin.

By the way, a thing to remember that I’m not sure the writers do, is that Amico was stilled ITB when they were interrogating her, while Joiya was not. Because stilling removes any Oath Rod effects, Amico was capable of revealing Black Ajah plans, and Joiya was not. Hence why Mazrim Taim never went about a rampage of terror and why the whole rest of the crew who had been with Amico & Joiya was found at the location Amico gave. The writers have not been great at using the Three Oaths to this point, so it will be interesting to see how they handle this, since they are both supposed to be stilled. And they reminded Verin of the Oaths right before the interrogation.

Nynaeve says she's useless, Elayne affects suspicions, but says Joiya already talked, so they should just kill Amico. They stare at her until she reveals that Liandrin is going to Tear to help the Forsaken steal Callanor. Back with Joiya, she protests that Amico is untrustworthy and used to habitually lie to her terminal patients, but Elayne points out that she's talking which means she values her life. For some reason, this gets Joiya to say that Liandrin is going after Mazrim Taim in Saldaea. When they question her honestly, she states she was a Gray sister who was good at analyzing situations to figure out how to negotiate in them, and she believes that the girls will kill her.

10:20 So Joiya is more or less telling the same story as in the books. Not looking great.

Elaida's bracelet is jingling, because her hand is shaking as she sits at her dressing table trying to hold it still. She ends up sweeping everything off and calling for Alice, presumably a servant. Instead she gets Min, who says that Alice left with Morgase, and offers her own services instead. Elaida agrees, saying today is important.

11:00 Was the trembling Elaida trying to shake off Rahvin’s compulsion?

Nynaeve and Elayne make their way through the streets debating which sister was telling the truth. Nynaeve believes investigating Liandrin is the key and leads Elayne to the house where her son lived, but it's empty. She had been hoping to find clues among his possessions. Elayne believes Nynaeve liked her, and Nynaeve says that although Liandrin was trying to corrupt her, she thinks she was also trying to help her and she loved her son. She notices something under the bed, which they slide away, revealing a symbol on the floor which Elayne says was painted with chalk and salt.

12:45 I guess Aes Sedai have charms or magic circles or whatever.

Elaida encounters Leane and Verin on the balcony where they have spoken with Siuan before. She wonders what Verin is doing in this part of the Tower, and Leane asks her the same. She wants to see the Amyrlin, invoking her right to do, so but Verin pedantically corrects her that only a Sitter has the right to request a private audience or a vote. A vote? Gee, I wonder if that will be relevant going forward? Verin disingenuously suggests Elaida is out of touch, and the Red warns her that she won't forget it if Verin crosses her. Leane tells her to come back with a Sitter and she'll consider the petition for a private audience. Elaida smiles and curtsies and we finally have an actor on the show who is capable of smiles that don't touch her eyes, and staring daggers at someone.

Elaida enters the Red quarters followed by a novice carrying a small chest. She approaches the black woman with short hair who has been more or less the most prominent of the Reds this season, and addresses her as Highest. She has brought gifts, offering one she calls Galina, a container of Andoran wild strawberries, which she is known to like, from Morgase's royal forest.

14:30 Ugh, the Pervert Trio has been vindicated by the writers. It was Galina they were barring from entry into the Hall during the battle. That might explain why she survived Jane’s attack from behind. Actually, I wonder if she was supposed to be Jeaine? And, for the record, ITB, Galina was the Highest & Tsutama was in exile, recalled when Elaida took the Amyrlin Seat, and chosen to replace Galina after she disappeared at Dumai’s Wells.

Elaida offers the black dark-skinned sister, Tsutama, a necklace. Tsutama initially appears impressed, but reconsiders with a look at Elaida, telling her to keep it, as it is too gaudy for her and it suits Elaida better. Elaida sends the novice off with the rejected gift. She tells her sisters she wants to see the Reds restored to their former prominence, that they had enjoyed when she herself had been Highest. Tsutama smilingly says times are different and their position is too fraught to press, after Liandrin's exposure. Elaida contends that they have to, because the Dragon has been Reborn as a man, and they are the only ones who can handle this. Galina asks what she proposes, and Elaida wants to have the Hall vote to send 8 sisters to find Rand and cage him.

Tsutama demurs, saying they need to regain their standing in the Tower, and Elaida is making that more difficult. She indicates Elaida should leave, but an exchange of glances between Galina and Elaida suggests she's not speaking for everyone. They start to busy themselves, but Elaida turns at the door to point out that Siaun locked the Red Sitters out of the Hall, but Elaida blames Tsutama for not pushing back harder to keep their position. She leaves with a flourish.

16:28 Is there something in the water in this fictive Caemlyn that makes the writers actually handle the politics somewhat competently when the people from that city get involved? While the backstory is a bit shaky, we have to remember that Moiraine is a lot older than her book character, so Elaida could be as well. Especially given the actresses’ age gap. So we can accept that years in the past, the Reds were riding high, under Elaida, which, in turn, could have led to her contending for the Amyrlin Seat against Siuan, as the dialogue last episode implied, contra the books, where they were simply names considered by the Hall, and they were not competing for the office. Now we know that in that nebulous 20-year-old past, Siuan was in the Tower and rather unambitious, possibly changing her approach after hearing Gitara’s Foretelling, while Elaida was at Morgase’s side in Caemlyn. So, the Amyrlin election has to be more recent than that, which means her book issue, of being preoccupied with Andor costing her the Amyrlin Seat, could still be in force. I wonder if she still had her Foretelling, that caused her to step down as Highest, to pursue her Andoran agenda, or if she was forced to step down after some other political setback, and her move to Andor was seen as a sort of voluntary exile. Anyway, it makes sense that she might be slightly out of touch, or else Tsutama is spurning her on any pretext, seeing her as a threat to her own position or the status quo. And her point was very well taken, about Tsutama letting Siuan shut the Reds out.

For the record, BTW, Tsutama absolutely had gaudy taste, unlike Elaida, ITB. I wonder if they aren’t costuming Elaida based on Aghdashloo’s elaborate and exotic garb in The Expanse.

Another backstory issue that occurs to me – this revealed timeline might be a problem. Morgase only gaining the throne around the time the Aiel War was ending is completely out of whack, since it was her policies as queen, and in particular, regarding her husband, that started the dominos falling to provoke the Aiel War. Galad was a child, and Gawyn already born, when she claimed the throne, and she was well along with Elayne, so she must have been with Tarangail for a couple of years, but also, Galad is a lot younger than he was at that point in the books, so Tigraine has been gone for less time. It’s possible that Tarangail suddenly no longer being married to the heir apparent to the Lioness Throne might have been sufficient weakness to inspire “uncle” to cost the Damodreds everything, but he must have married Morgase long before her victory or Morgase took a long time to finish the war, even after it was sufficiently clear that she was going to win that Tarangail was ready to marry her, impregnate her with Gawyn, and then Elayne, before the final triumph was achieved.

Now we are in the Aiel Waste.

16:32 I am not good at visual stuff like this, but this shot of the Waste looks like a really old Western or Biblical epic, before color was all that great.

The group is traveling with several Aiel, and Lan asks how they knew the group was coming, but Rhuarc says that's Wise One's business. Moiraine asks who are the Wise Ones, and gets the same answer. Egwene tells Rand that Bair looks like someone she saw in her dream the previous night. She stops and turns to tell Egwene that, no, Egwene was in her dream. Rhuarc raises a hand and another Aiel woman says "Be quiet, we are nearing water."

17:05: Are they afraid of scaring the water off? Also, that Maiden just basically shushed a Wise One. Egwene spoke the most quietly, Bair & the Maiden both spoke louder.

Aviendha explains, as the other Aiel rush forward, that more blood has been spilled over water than gold in the Three-Fold Land. They make whistling noises and high-pitched cries and Rharac and Aviendha veil themselves and move up with the others. Past the rocks ahead are a small group of wagons that look like they've been burned.

17:32 Uh oh. Kadere & company killed in adaptation. It occurs to me that we have Lanfear, Rahvin, Sammael, Moghedian, Graendal & Semirhage listed for our seven surviving Forsaken. That leaves one slot, for, I would assume, Demandred or Asmodean, as the most prominent of those remaining. Mesaana is far and away the most useless, Bel'al was in too briefly for our dimbulb writers to register, as was Aginor/Osan'gar, and I just glad they are not trying to tackle the Balthamel/Aran'gar issue. Although either or both could show up as a surprise to even the other Forsaken. All this to say, I wonder if Asmodean is going to be involved in this.

There are dead bodies all over. Lan identifies them as Tuatha'an, The Aiel note that they were all hunted down and killed, but Rhuarc denies Aiel did it, because it's forbidden to harm the Lost Ones and Aviendha has a clumsily worded explanation about honor. She thinks one of the Tinkers was killed by a sword, but Lan thinks it was done by a spear meant to look like a sword. Aviendha insists no Aiel would do this, but Bair says the Shaido might. Rhuarc says they need to go to avoid the Shaido, and Aviendha explains they are another clan who have a blood feud with the Taardad. Whoever they are.

Egwene wants to bury them, but the woman who warned them to be quiet because of the water (she's not actually in warrior garb, so she might be a Wise One, too), says that they aren't worth the time or stones, it’s their own fault they are dead and they really need to get to Rhuidean.

19:07 Don't worry, Egwene. Burials on this show are so shallow, they're basically useless. Or, you could, you know, incinerate them? Remember all the Power you and Moiriane were flinging around at Falme?

Rhuarc tells Bair to go on, calling her "shade of my heart" and they touch foreheads together. He says he will bury the dead and meet up with them.

19:16 Is there a reason Rhuarc is with Bair? Or rather, why Bair replaced Amys? It's not like one name is particularly shorter, and we already have a Bain.

Rand tries to ask about Rhuidean as Rhuarc starts piling stones around a body right under the awning over the well, and Rhuarc dismisses his questions with clichéd mumbo jumbo.

Perrin is burying his broken wedding ring near a white-blossomed sapling. Alanna approaches, still with white stuff on her face, but now in daylight, more obviously in a deliberate pattern. Perrin says it's not a garden, but a burial ground for his family, each of whom was buried with an appleseed in their hand.

20:29 I guess the white crap on Alanna's face is deliberate and supposed to be some sort of mourning nonsense. If they spent half the effort on writing a coherent plot that they do on incorporating obscure fantasy customs, weird practices from obscure second-rate cultures, this might be a good show.

Alanna asks about the sapling, and Perrin says it's for Laila, his wife. He says it hurts and comforts him to see the tree thriving in his absence. She, in turn, tells him that where she is from, they mix a dead person's ashes with clay and water and wear it on the face, until it seeps into their own skin.

21:25 Yeah, see, I was right. WoT is not going to say anything profound that we need to hear about grief, but they have a lot of story to tell, and according to their shills, not enough time to tell it. And frankly, we're actually glad Ihvon is dead (though we'd prefer not-Owein) just to stop the Pervert Trio's inappropriate bullshit. Given the emphasis the show has had on their sex life, Alanna's facial mourning decoration leads to a very different assumption as what is the white stuff on her face.

Perrin asks if she's going to get another warder. She says she's had a few warders over the years, but being in the Pervert Trio was special. Perrin says at least she and Maksim, which is not-Owein's name and I feel like I knew that, have each other, but Alanna says it's all weird for two people to mourn a third, almost like polyamorous relationships are unnatural and nothing works except for the gratification of the base desire for sexual variety.

Back in the hideout, Maksim is sharpening his sword while Bain & Chiad try to persuade Loial to put down his book and play Maiden's Kiss with them, referring to writing as "squiggles". Loial takes his pen back and demurs. They look over at Maksim and approach him, and he says "absolutely not" without looking up.

23:02 I owe Aviendha an apology, for ragging on her because the only thing she saw fit to tell Perrin or us about Bain & Chiad were their sexual proclivities. Now it's looking like that's really all there is to them! Ladies, one of them is not human, and the other is A. gay and B. in mourning. Fuck right off. A question in the spirit of actual WoT, IMO, is, how would this play if a couple of bros were trying to get a woman of a different species, and another who was mourning her lesbian partner, each to play a kissing game where they get to use violence to enforce participation.

Also, the implication of "Maiden's Kiss" ITB is that they don't play it for recreation or out of sexual interest, but as a prank and/or method of discouraging men who don't accept that the Spear is the important part of their name, and their priority over men.

They suggest they'll go easy on him for his first time, and his comeback is "who says it's my first time?" with a pained expression that frankly does a lot to overcome the assumption of nepotistic casting. Our lovely ladies can't take a hint and tell him to leave the dirty sword alone with Chiad sticking her spearpoint in his face, and he tells them it's not dirt, but the blood of the only man he's ever loved. They finally turn away when noise outside draws their attention. There is a fifth person, possibly Marin, in the room this whole time, BTW.

Perrin and Alanna enter in a hurry warning of a crowd approaching. They got to hide and a man walks in as Marin approaches the door. She backs up as he moves in, and a woman with weird features follows, with the camera more interested in her than Marin's conversation with the man. He is telling them the Whitecloaks have arrested Natti & her daughters, because her husband helped the Aybaras escape. New Girl asks "Who are you" and one of the locals who followed them in identifies him as Perrin Aybara. People notice his eyes, as Marin introduces the man as Lord Luc, a Hunter for the Horn who was passing through with his party when the Whitecloaks showed up. Dark-haired Luc says he has dealt with them before. Perrin asks where the Cauthons are, and Luc starts to dismiss his concern, before New Girl says in their camp at Watch Hill. She sounds Eastern European, and asks if he knows the Children of the Light, because they know him.

24:33 That's probably Faile. And I notice once again, they are mentioning Abel Cauthon saving people.

In the Children's camp, Bornhald is approached by Valda who decries the wasted material in keeping the Cauthons imprisoned, and wants to interrogate them to find out where Abel took the Aybaras. Bornhald is sticking to the mission, pointing out that they don't need to know where the Aybaras are, since the arrest was public, which means Perrin will find out and come to them.

Valda says there are faster ways, but Bornhald refuses to let him interrogate innocent civilians. Valda reminds him (accurately) of Perrin's crimes, saying the land must be tainted to produce someone like him. Bornhald says he's sent for reinforcements to help with the Trollocs, and if they don’t have Perrin by the time the reinforcements get there… Valda takes this is as assent. Bornhald approaches the Cauthons' cage and looks them over. Natti says she'll die before she lets him touch the girls, which isn't much of a threat or dissuasion in the circumstances. Bornhald walks off without speaking.

26:10 Stay the course, Dain! Fiat justitia ruat caelum! The show has gone out of its way to make us not care much about the Cauthon family, anyway.

Mat is having nightmares about battle and screaming. He sits up and someone knocks. It turns out to be Min, whom Mat does not want to see, but she insists, calling him a little prick. She tells him what she gave up for him, specifically that Ishamael was going to take away her visions, but she gave up her chance to be normal to spare him.

27:05 He owes you nothing for that, Min. You're a piece of shit for making the deal in the first place, you don't get points for not following through. If I had the choice of saving your life or Bornhald, I wouldn't have to think twice.

Mat concurs, saying he doesn't have much gratitude and she should work on getting forgiveness before she goes looking for gratitude. Min takes offense and stalks out. Mat calls after her, like he feels that he's gone too far.

Nynaeve and Elayne are rummaging in the library, and Elayne finds a reference to the symbol under Liandrin's son's bed, saying it is a custom from Tanchico for dead people, and you are supposed to draw it on the place where someone dies and where they were born. Nynaeve speculates that maybe that's where Liandrin is from and where her son was born. This clue pointing to Tanchico means they wasted their time questioning Joiya & Amico and both of them were lying.

27:55 You need detective work to know where an Aes Sedai came from? They don't have records for that sort of thing? They did in the books…Following customs like that are also pretty dumb if you are lying low or trying to hide your place of origin. And I can't tell if Nynaeve leaping to the assumption that a Taranboner practice proves both Amica and Joiya are lying is meant to be stupid, or if the writers are just trying to force the decision to go to Tanchico. Liandrin being from Tanchico has absolutely no bearing on the Black Ajah's plans and it has no bearing on her likely destination. Must we automatically assume that every time Nynaeve leaves the Tower, she's going to the Two Rivers, or Elayne to Andor?

Elayne says if they were lying about everything, they should look at what the Black sisters didn't say, as she leafs through drawings of ter'angreal which neither Black mentioned. They find a picture of a bracelet like the a'dam but older. Elayne points out that Tanchico is near Falme, where the Seanchan landed, and their point of origin. She thinks Liandrin will be looking for the matching collar in Tanchico. Nynaeve notices someone aiming a crossbow behind Elayne and shoves her down as the figure shoots. It grazes Elayne's head and she blasts the shooter out of the room. In the hall, he is dead, with a weird face that Elayne says is gray, and Nynaeve notes the similarity to her assailant at the inn. Elayne didn't think she threw him hard enough to kill, but Nynaeve notes he's been stabbed. Verin comes up asking what happened.

29:43 I guess they couldn't afford/call back the actor who played Sheriam.

Verin explains what a Gray Man is, how they give up their souls to the Shadow for the ability to pass unnoticed. Nynaeve asks what Verin is doing there, and she says these are the novice Brown Ajah quarters and she is the Mistress of Novices Brown Ajah. Elayne asks if it's safe to go back to their rooms. Verin agrees and tells them to lock their doors until she or the Amyrlin comes to them.

Once they are around the corner, Nynaeve confides to Elayne that they aren't staying but are leaving for Tanchico tonight, saying she doesn't care if it's a trap, it's safer than the Tower, because Verin never wondered who stabbed the Gray Man

30:50 It is amazing how much more intelligent people seem when they hew close to the book's dialogue. Nynaeve actually got through a whole scene of not being stupid. I mean, there was stupid stuff in there, but it was basically contrived logic because the show is trying to force the plot, not the characters being stupid. That being said, there was no reason to assume that Verin realized the Gray Man had been stabbed, and the idea of it being a trap came out of nowhere, because they actually copy-pasted lines from the books, where the clues were so ham-fistedly obvious they assumed there was a trap involved. Here, by all appearances, strenuous efforts are being made to stop them from going. I guess sticking with the books is a double-edge sword.

Also, the new lore that Moghedian is exclusively capable of creating Gray Men, means that she dispatched this one to stop Nynaeve and Elayne. Why?

A caption tells us that we are in Tanchico, where people all cover their whole faces with veils and hoods. Liandrin her face covered in red gauzy cloth leads a group costumed for Mardi Gras, with Nikabrik at her side.

31:13 All the efforts at disguise are rather futile when you are traipsing around in the company of Nikabrik.

A wedding ceremony is being performed elsewhere.

31:19 The "updated feminist" version of WoT features the franchise's first ever male wedding officiant, not acting under the aegis of the Dragon Reborn.

Liandrin and company enter a building.

31:24 One of the Black Ajah is wearing shorts. That is all.

They burst in on the wedding, and Liandrin asks the groom's name, which is Jaq Lounalt. She winces in recognition and says he must be her husband's great-grandson. She goes on to monologue that she never got a wedding ceremony, and instead he put their wedding bed in the cellar, until she turned up pregnant not long before her 13th birthday. She unveils the bride and is horrified, but apparently unsurprised to find "another child". Jaq tells her not to touch the bride, she's his. Liandrin channels to rip out his heart, and at her assent, the Black sisters begin slaughtering all the guests while the bride looks on befuddled. She backs up fearfully, and Liandrin tries to reassure her, saying it's "our house, now". She calls for Naomi, saying her friend can make all the scary thoughts go away.

33:10 Oh, right. Nikabrik's name is Naomi.

Naomi says she'll lose more than her memories of today, and Liandrin says a return home means one of two things. Remembrance or revenge. Naomi zaps the bride in the forehead and Liandrin says it's best not to remember a thing. The bride stares blankly and the room is full of bodies.

33:39 Well this explains some things. Nikabrik-Naomi is a mind specialist, which explains Adeleas losing her memory, and raises some interesting questions wrt Verin.

Elsewhere, Elaida is pensively staring out a window, TV character fashion. Min comes in with clothes Elaida sent for. Elaida commiserates with her about a burden and Min says the clothes were no problem, but Elaida is talking about the future.

34:08 LoL. Min sucks as a spy.

Elaida cites advice she was given by a Blue to pay attention to servants assigned to her rooms and find out why they were put there. She has ascertained that Min is a seer, and reveals her own gift of Foretellings. In response to Min's sarcastic comment, she says she does consider her Foretellings good luck and treasures them. Min asks why, since they can't do anything to change them. Elaida says that being a seer does not mean you're only a watcher, and that there is potential regarding the events leading to and beyond the moments foretold. She tells Min that years ago she Foreold that the "Queendom of Andor" would play a key role in the Last Battle.

35:18 Andor is one of the most important countries in WoT. Somehow it managed to feature in 14 novels without ever being misgendered as a kingdom, or referred to by the retarded term "queendom".

Elaida goes on to explain that this knowledge motivated her to help Morgase win her succession war, instead of just sitting back and letting Andor handle its own business. Min notes that it worked out for her, and Elaida says things will for Min, too. Min asks if the bracelet she is touching is part of another Foretelling and Elaida says "of a sort" indicating for Min to join her at the table.

35:47 I don't know if I like nice Elaida, or if I just like Shohreh Aghdashloo playing her.

Elaida tells Min that she knows Verin & Leane have her spying on Elaida, but asks if what she is about to say can stay between them. When Min agrees, she tells her that the Reds are about to vote Siuan out of office so they can guide the Tower to find and cage the Dragon Reborn.

36:28 Min, you are totally being played, and you're an idiot if you don't realize that.

The Aiel are camping for the night, and Bair is talking to Egwene about Dreamwalking, calling her Aes Sedai. She says that almost everyone can touch Tel'Aran'Rhiod, but only a few can truly enter it. She says that of all the Taardad Wise Ones, only she and Melaine are Dreamwalkers.

36:51 Bair and Melaine are both Taaardad. They are also talking about sending a smaller party than 13 to find Rand. Are we trimming every category of a dozen or more down like the Forsaken? I don't know why we even needed that line about the Taardad, just say Aiel. A viewer is not going to know what the Taardad even are. I'm pretty sure Aviendha & co have not named their clans.

Egwene grasps that Bair thinks she could be a Dreamwalker too. She says that in the dream they shared, it felt like Egwene was running from someone. Egwene tells her about the dreams of Renna, and the bruises she retains on waking, saying that Moriaine told her that injuries from the dream world can affect the flesh. Bair says that dreams of dead people can't hurt, and if the dream Renna is inflicting injuries she is still alive. She tells Egwene that after Rhuidean, she'll teach her how to protect herself.

Rand and Lanfear are back in the bedroom and she's in her Selene guise, which means simply wearing normal clothes and eschewing a couple pounds of eyeshadow. They debate about who brought whom to the dream, and Lanfear says she'll go and Rand is concerned. She is worried about their situation. She is now on board with the no Callandor plan, and says it was selfish of her to want him to go to Tear. She thinks she can escape her Dark Oaths if the Dark One were destroyed. She says there is a female sa'angreal equal to Callandor and using the two together might be enough to kill the Dark One. Rand asks what would it mean for Lanfear if her Oaths were gone.

39:11 If the Oaths she swore were gone, she'd still be a mass-murdering traitor to humanity. The books understood there was no redemption by getting rid of the bad guys. Let's see if the show does.

And she calls this mythical female sa'angreal the Sakarnen, which was, in the Sanderson books, a male sa'angreal more powerful than Callandor, second only to the Choedan Kal. Women must have everything men do, and a little bit more!

Lanfear smiles sadly and takes his hand, but Rand's not DTF. She regrets saying anything and poofs.

Lan and Moiraine are in a sweat tent with lots of other people. A blonde is eyeing them, and the non-Maiden who isn’t Bair tells her about wetlander bathtubs. Moiraine asks about Rhuidean and she says it’s rude. The blonde explains that Rhuidean is where chiefs and Wise Ones go to get their rank, and that Rand will too, if he is really the Car'a'carn. Moiraine asks what happens then, but the more hostile woman just makes more steam and then gets up to go. Lan and Moiraine next speculate which one of them the blonde is checking out. Lan suggests that she's allowed to be happy, even if it's just for one night or hour, but Moiraine doesn't think an hour with the blonde Aiel woman is what will make her happy. Lan thinks it's worth a shot. Moiraine hasn't been with anyone but Siuan in a long time and Lan says you don’t forget how it works.

The woman come over and stands provocatively in front of them and we have nipples in WoT now! Moiraine seriously looks like she's ready to try for that hour of happiness, when the woman asks Lan if he wants to join her tonight. She turns to leave and there is a mark on her back that elicits a reaction from both Moiraine and Lan. He follows her out.

42:02All this sexy, sexy content! Isn't this an improvement?

Lan follows the blonde woman to a tent, where she is standing with her back conveniently bared in a garment. She identifies herself as Melindhra of the Chumai Taardad. Lan says Aiel don't have tattoos, and eventually describes it as the Golden Crane of Malkier, asking why she has it on her back. She was a child who fled the fall of Malkier, and ran until she was found by a Wise One who adopted her.

42:41 Remember Tigraine's thing? We're borrowing it for this chick. Down to the sept that adopted her. Malkier also has blonde people, apparently.

Our Malkaiel lady says she'd ditch her Aiel heritage to follow Lan to reclaim Malkier. He says Malkier is gone she says that it lives as long as one man wears the hadori, or one woman wears the ki'sain. Given her bare forehead, I assume that means her back tattoo. She also addresses him as Aan'allein and notes he carries his father's sword. Lan eventually concedes he has not forgotten Malkier.

We're back in Emond's Field on the green at night. An old guy says that Perrin is the one the Children want, and he agrees and says if the turns himself in, the Children will release the Cauthons. Marin objects on the grounds of no one I know can be a Darkfriend, to which the old guy points out that Perrin is "something" and another woman yells at him to shut up, calling him Cenn Buie, and I am a bit happier. Perrin repeats that if he turns himself in, the show can concentrate on less soporific plotlines everyone can focus on the real problem. Marin points out that the Children might leave once they have Perrin, and then they are screwed vis a vis the Trollocs. She insists the Two Rivers defends its own, to general approval, though Cenn might have some doubts.

Maksim is looking out the attic window when Alanna joins him, suggesting he eat, but he's sick of simple village fair. He asks her to turn off the bond, saying she never kept it on like this. Alanna points out their rather dangerous circumstances, but Maksim can't take feeling her lack of grief. Alanna retorts that she's tamped down her feelings to keep from being overwhelmed by his grief, and she (probably) can't lie. It's clear they have different coping mechanisms for dealing with Ihvon's death, Maksim wanting to wallow in the grief and Alanna to move forward. He wants to hunt down Liandrin for revenge, and wants to know why?

45:52 She's not sad or seeking revenge, 'cause he was gaaay, Maksim, and Alanna's a bigot.

In the common room, everyone is eating, when probably-Faile turns from talking to Luc to approach Perrin. She says she's never seen someone try to turn himself in and fail. When he doesn't rise to the bait, she sits next to him. Perrin asks if she's with Luc, and she says only by chance, that she came to the Two Rivers looking for the Horn of Valere, which sounds like the opposite of by chance, since they came for the same purpose. She eagerly introduces herself as Mandarb, and Perrin laughs. Before he can fully explain, she translates Mandarb for him and warns him to choose his words carefully. Perrin explains about the horse, and she is all huffy, and he tries to compliment the name, asking if she chose it for the hunt, and she sneers that he should try to turn himself in again before leaving.

Loial joins Perrin and asks what now, and Perrin says he's going to free Mat's family.

47:40 I'd forgotten how much fun early installment Faile wasn't.

In the Tower, Mat sees Min and chases her down, but she's busy with her own stuff and doesn't have time for their argument. Mat corners her and apologizes for some reason and says he appreciates what she's done, but he's been dealing with his own shit, by which she knows he means his memories, from his blabbing to anyone who will listen. She proposes, inspired by Elaida, of all things that they use their unwanted abilities to do some good, but Mat is already drawing away and rolling his eyes. She starts to have a vision of Mat hanging. Mat recognizes her look and is concerned, and tries to stop her from viewing him.

48:41 Not a single one of these glowy images we've seen Min view has come true, for the record.

Mat gets up in Min's grill, and Galad comes walking by and shoves him away from her, demanding in the most clichéd pretentious way possible if he's bothering her. Min blows him off and goes away, and Galad blocks Mat from following, who spews a bunch of compliments at him sarcastically, in what sounds like a British kind of derision, before heading the other way.

Leane enters the Red quarters, with a deliberately provocative demeanor, and tells Tsutama that the Amyrlin wants her to take seven women to hunt down Mazrim Taim. Elaida objects that the Highest has important work and can't leave the Tower. Leane in turn snarks that maybe the job of hunting male channelers could be given to the Blues, Tsutama asks when the Amyrlin wants them to go and Leane says tonight and summons Tsutama to the Amyrlin's study to discuss the plan. Tsutama looks hesitant to follow her out, looking to Galina & Elaida for reassurance, and gets a nod from the former. When she leaves, Elaida wonders who will sub in for her as Highest while she's on such a long journey, unless Galina thinks the Reds can manage while short a Sitter, and only having two votes in the Hall. Galina agrees and says the Reds will need a new Sitter. Elaida or Aghdashloo is too good to openly look smug.

Back in the Two Rivers, the crowd is starting to disperse. Perrin is chagrined that people are leaving despite the Trolloc threat. He scoffs at their proposed precautions of barring the doors and having watchers on the roof. In a weepy voice he asks if they have forgotten Bel Tine, so someone asks what he would do, and everyone is listening. Perrin walks up to the crowd, very clearly Acting as he shakes his body while walking. He proposes they stay in the village together for strength in numbers. Everyone murmurs approvingly.

52:31 I am so utterly convinced. What a charismatic man. So inspiring. I notice this speech lacks much of the rationale Perrin provided ITB, and given the depiction of the Children to date, and Perrin's absolute guilt with regard to them, the idea of standing up to the Children seems to fall into the category of Men Fighting Petty Battles instead of the Shadow. But any way you slice it, this is played far more dramatically than what amounts to simply a suggestion that everyone stay together for safety, with nothing other than plot convenience making people accept his suggestions. It comes across like they are going down a checklist in order. Perrin decides to free the captives, check, Perrin talks the villagers into congregating in Emond's Field, check. And now he can go about the rescue op.

Mat is in a training ground, hitting a sparring tree with a quarterstaff. Galad & Gawyn approach, dressed down for training. The laugh and Gawyn patronizingly says at least one guy will be ready when the trees attack. Galad thinks the trees would win with Mat's form. He offers to show Mat how to use a proper weapon, holding out a sword. Mat says he'll stick with a bow or quarterstaff, which he knows how to use, or did, and Galad seems to accept this.

Nynaeve comes in looking for him. They go aside and she is telling him goodbye because she and Elayne are leaving to look for Liandrin. Galad reacts to Mat repeating her name, so they move a little further away in the small area, and Mat says they aren't going without him. He trusts Nynaeve to help him more than the Aes Sedai. Nynaeve is reluctant and Galad decides to chivalrously interrupt again.

Despite Nynaeve saying she doesn't need help, Galad tells "Matrim" to step back (the REAL crime, here… ), and Gawyn backs him up. Mat picks up his staff and defies them. Nynaeve facepalms and Galad scoffs at him taking on both of them with "a stick". Mat makes his canonical bet and Galad agrees, and they back into sparring positions. Mat says his Old Tongue motto about tossing the dice (which makes no sense for a contest of skill he's was fairly confident of winning in the books) .

Mat leans on the staff like he's upset or worried, Nynaeve looks concerned, the brothers scoff. Then they start fighting, and there's big dramatic music and a lot Zack Snyder slo-mo in-and-out and Mat keeps turning his back on them but not getting struck. At the first break in the fight, Nynaeve looks a little more confident. The brothers do some weird hand-holding double attack, Mat fells Galad, and Nynaeve looks to be controlling a grin. Galad bangs his sword on the ground in frustration and before he can get up, Mat knocks Gawyn out. He easily fends of Galad, using slaps and hand blows to his body, pinning him against a column. He taps Galad with the staff and reminds him of the bet of two marks. Gawyn starts to get up and Mat adds "each" causing him to flop back down. He saunters past Nynaeve, who looks kind of amazed.

55:55 Gosh, this scene, a book favorite among the fandom, is so much more rewarding when all three participants are behaving like douchebags, Nynaeve is implicitly a prize, there is no mentor figure to provide a lesson for context or emphasize the class issues, AND the winning is implied to be the result of preternatural abilities.

Perrin is working at his wife's forge and not-Mandarb wanders in to tell him people are staying because of him. She suspects he's going to rescue the Cauthons and asks who they are to him, and if they are worth dying for, because that's what will happen if he fights the Children of the Light. Perrin's got this under control though, and Faile blathers about leadership, but of course Perrin does not want to lead. As she turns to go, he asks her to wait, and face lights up. He asks her real name and she turns back to tell him Faile, which means falcon, adding, "So you see, Perrin Aybara, hunting's in my blood."

57:51 Why did her parents name her Faile, and why does she tell Perrin now? And hunting is not in her blood, unless she is descended from predators, it's in her name. And falcons don't so much hunt, as kill things that wander into their field of view.

Mat follows Nynaeve and Elayne to the docks and a ship. A shadow figure watches from the shadows, I am assuming from how the camera & music are behaving. It's really dark. Nynaeve is reluctant, I guess because it’s a boat, which is new for her. Mat asks where they are going and Elayne says she didn't even tell her brothers, because she doesn't want another Gray Man coming.

58:04 LOL. If it wasn't for script-imposed deafness, Elayne would be the only one who hadn't told her brothers.

Nynaeve tells him Tanchico, and he starts with the bragging routine from the first episode. Min moves into view with her head all wrapped up to hide her face from anyone but the camera, and goes out of frame in their direction.

58:25 Ugh, we know what happens after two women of a certain trio take a boat ride together. Is this going to be Min's in with the gang?

Liandin is down in the basement of the house the Black Ajah took over, weeping as she paints the second mourning mark for her son. She flashes back to his birth, and hears screams, and sees claw marks in the stone walls, and hears ominous footsteps on stairs.

59:03 Stop trying to make sympathetic Liandrin happen.

She stalks back upstairs where Naomi-Nikabrik is studying the bracelet she took and comparing it to a book. Liandrin tells her it was meant for a man, not a woman, and when they find the collar in this city, they are going to collar the Dragon Reborn himself. A veiled Moghedian is acting as a servant in the same room, and walks out casting a backward glance at the bracelet in Naomi's hands. She whispers her "softly, softly" line.

This was still pretty crap, but there is a definite improvement this season. The schemes and politics actually make sense at times. Nynaeve has vastly improved, Elaida's fun and they haven't messed up the Aiel too badly so far. OTOH, Perrin and Mat suck, but Mat's story isn't as dull, and I am hoping the Trakand effect helps him out going forward. It looks like they are trying to claw Min back into respectability, but they are also trying to shove what they inadvertently established previously under a rug. It looks like something similar is going on with Mat's parents, too. If I didn't know better, I'd swear there was a Rise of Skywalker thing going on, with a new creative team trying to disavow their predecessor's crimes. They're still leaning on contrivances and having the plot needs drive the story, rather than characters, the interrogation of the Black sisters had nothing more behind its scripting than providing an excuse to put them on the path to Tanchico, and Mat's encounters with the brothers bent their depictions for the sole purpose of setting up the fight. I notice with both Mat and Perrin, they need a lot more scenes or conversations to achieve the same objectives they did in one in the books.

You know, one thing that occurred to me this episode, all sorts of self-certified philologists used to give the books so much shit for only having one language across the whole world, but what's much more improbable is how the show has everyone, from Seanchan to the Waste, from the Borderlanders to Illianers all have a British dialect. All the islands that speak English devolved into these weird variants on the proper pronunciation of the language in real life, but all across two continents in WoT, everyone has a variant of the accent from half of one of the smaller islands?