@@Kevinbaconator_ I think it is not the hate to do it, except when she explodes the gates of the city - She enjoyed the carnage she was doing on the outskirts a little bit, because this is the place where she was playing Innkeeper, and those people were annoying her all that time, so it is like a final payback for her.
I think Lan and Moiraine will have some additional words in Episode 8 that will be satisfactory to resolve the distance between them. Yes, Lanfear is just wonderful in the show. Siuan's arc in this episode set up a ton for Season 3.
At this point i don't even know if i want any more screen time dedicated to their squabble, even if it means a proper explanation. I'm just ready to move on and dedicate more time to the core players.
I think the show is expanding on the reason in books that the DO wants to turn the DR to the shadow or at least make him make a favorable decision at the bore in AMOL. So the show is making it clearer how the Forsaken were going about that goal, instead of taking the obvious approach of stopping DR from fulfilling the prophecies.
Ishamael isn't whittling, he is shaving bits off of some sort of bark or stalk into the tea. Mat does mention him whittling so there is a reason people assume that is what he is doing. I think the whole Moiraine lost her powers and Lan figures out what is going on (which he is doing in earlier episodes too) was just a way to keep these actors busy. They don't do much in this part of the book but they were necessary in season 1 and key going forward. They can't just not give them screen time as actors leave shows when you do that to them. So they needed something for them to do and came up with this mediocre story arc for them.
The problem is that the memories that Mat gets or the ones that they show shows him aren't the ones he needs so I'm wondering if Ishy manipulated Mats hallucinations.🤔
(Some vague book spoilers below) Im not even sure what Ishy showed mat had anything to do with his other lives. That may have been a lie. But now that Ishy planted the idea that he could find out who he was, it kind of creates a need in Mat to find that out, which could drive him to some of his actions later on, whether he has moments of memories leaking over or not. But idk. That make sense to me as a reader+viewer, but if Mat bought into what Ishy was leading him to believe, then he may react differently. If we get the heroes, they may refer to Mat with one the names they give his soul, and that may also intrigue him to know more.
Egwene, Nynaeve, Elayne, Anvear, Verin (suspects or knows), Verin’s Brown friends all know about Liandren as a dark friend. That is more than half the main characters. I hope there is more payoff from the Barthenos scenes and everyone knowing about Liandren especially as Liandren hopefully has more time in the series and more story arcs (at least one or two big arcs) to come. I think the girls in Falme is so good because that sticks with their story in the books completely. Where the show version gets shaky is where they rewrite what is in the book. The Mat scene, what the heck? Was that supposed to be the flicker flicker (book readers will understand)? I think Mat’s arc is the weakest although Perrin’s arc is pretty lame too at points, but still better than Mat’s arc. Lan and Moraine’s arc this season was totally pulled from thin air too, but then they didn’t have much to do in the hunt for the horn, so maybe they were trying to give them something to do. I also didn’t like the scene with Rand and the Amyrllin. It mirrored a scene from the books that happens in Fal Dara right after the mess at the eye od the world, but the TV Amryllin is dark compared to what she is in the books. I don’t like this change much either. Also, Lan is an expert on Aes Saedi and weaves from the Age of Legends? Seriously? He knows more than Morraine here? Wouldn’t Moraine as intelligent as she is have known more and been able to figure it out? Still not liking Moraine being shielded. What was the point? Also, Rand knew when he was shielded, but Moraine didn’t? The Moraine/Lan arc was weak and not really true to their characters, especially Lan. No way Lan would give up the dragon so quickly and easily or turned so from the mission, not after the 20 year quest they have been on. And Rand continuing to ask Lanfear for help every time he gets in trouble? Lanfear is a Forsaken, and Rand is the Dragon for goodness sake. No way you want to be in debt to a Forsaken. Also, as much as I enjoyed the scenes with Lanfear in this episode because the actress is so good, why would Lanfear blow up the ForeGate to get to Rand. Heck she just “travelled” Mat to Falme in a blink, and now she has to blow up the town? She could have slipped in, grabbed Rand, and had them both in Falme without anyone being wiser. I know that isn’t good TV, but the Terminator walking through Falme, although fun to watch, was not Lanfear. There is more I questioned because I have read the books, so I will say if you haven’t read the books, don’t until after the series is done. It is a fun series if you don’t know the books. I have just been trying to watch as if I hadn’t read the books, but unfortunately I have read the books, and the books make so much more sense, the characters motivations are better, and the various story arcs aren’t at all clunky. I will still watch the show because it is entertaining, but it isn’t really The Wheel of Time, or it is a very different turning of the wheel.
Lan knowing about the weaves, and how to coach Rand through it is definitely one of the more silly things they've done in the show. Also agreed, There is going to be so much left on the table when the show is over that reading the books after will feel like an entirely different story. I have a lot of opinions but this bathroom break is only so long.
