WOT Season 2 Episode 7 SPOILERS

[Ascendancy]

Spoilers beware


















I really liked the opening to this episode. Seeing Gitara’s vision as it was happening in tandem with the birth of the dragon was a great way to visualize what happened. The cute relationship between Siuan and Moiraine was totally on display and I loved the “and you’ll be MY fishwife” banter. It was so cute, it felt like one of them needed to boop the other on the nose! Plus side note, those blue outfits they wore were gorgeous! Upgrading them from Accepted to Aes Sedai at the time of the foretelling made a lot of sense.

I do not understand how there was a Seat for the Amyrlin to sit on in Cairhein. But i guess that’s movie magic? lol. The rest of the room was really pretty though. It kind of looks like the Cairhein throne room in general, so I’m wondering if that’s just a generic throne that just happens to look like the same throne as the Amyrlin Seat in the Hall of the Tower? I dont know.

Leane was awful cold to Moiraine! geez Leane.

Lan and Rand banter was also really good. I loved Lan being all Borderlander and teaching him the same stuff that in the books took place when Rand met the Amyrlin in Fal Dara. “Tuck in your shirt” was such a Lan thing to say. I also really loved Lan telling Rand to be a man by facing whatever came on his feet. But then later in the episode, the first time Rand gets shielded, he’s so NOT on his feet. Lol. Like Geez! come on Rand, at least stand up!

We did finally get Rand’s pretty black coat and cat crosses the courtyard! woo! I was happy with Lan in this scene.

I felt like Siuan talking about caging Rand was a foreshadowing of Dumai’s Wells.

I got pretty irritated with all the people in this episode calling Rand ‘boy’ all the time. He’s a grown ass man. Let’s move on from the boy. He’s not 14. lol. I’m not even going to comment on how one aes sedai was able to shield Rand. I dont know. It took 2 aes sedai constantly channeling to keep Logain shielded, so clearly they are trying to demonstrate that Rand is still early in his development, but it bugged me. Oh well. I’ll get over it. I know why they did it for story telling purposes. I’m pretty much already over it. Those are my two gripes, but that’s ok.

Mat asking Lanfear “who in the name of the Light are you” with extra emphasis on the “light” word made me smile.

Falme looked really pretty in this episode. Almost dreamy. and apparently they have donuts! I am thrilled they filmed all the Falme stuff on location in Morocco. Those vistas were beautiful and made it feel so much more real.
I really liked how Elayne kind of took over bossing Nyn around.

i really enjoyed how all the aes sedai in the courtyard outside the palace are giving each other the side-eye. lol.

The Mat-Ishy conversation was chillingly sinister. Ishy is just crushing the character. Then there was that moment when Mat realizes who he’s talking to and gets nervous, it was so subtle, yet I felt his fear. Brilliant moment. I am convinced Ishy lied through his teeth about the tea’s purpose. I think it is just hallucinogenic. Ishy’s argument totally makes sense. Sign me up as a DF.

Lanfear’s little quirks are perfect. Like her tapping her fingers on the TAR ‘throne’ while Rand is talking to her. and the “oh i do love it when you try to manipulate me.” gosh - perfect. Then we finally get to see some of the Forsaken flexing their power and being actually dangerous as she destroys everything as she walks through the city.

Bain and Chaid! <3 them. Hand talk!! “Life is a dream” quote!

Barthanes being a DF was seen a mile away, I wasn’t sure about his mother, though. So her listening through the grate made me smile because that’s such a Great Game thing to do!  Best surprise of the episode was Barthanes’ acting through the cell door as he talked to his mother.

Best line of the episode was Egwene’s: “Renna, I will kill you.” as she rebraids her hair.

Verin was kickass. Good job, Brown Ajah! And when she quoted the prophecy, I had chills.

I knew Moiraine wasn’t stilled! bawhahahahah. I feel vindicated. 

And Lanfear to the rescue!

To sum up, not my favorite episode of the season, but after rewatching it, I did get into it more. Definitely setting everyone up for the big show down in Falme.

[Ascendancy]

A glowing review of episode 7 from Winter is Coming . net.


I also think I figured out the Amyrlin seat thing. I think it is part of her carriage and it seems to 'unfold' which makes it portable. I looked pretty closely at the carriage behind her head when Siuan is on the road, and the design looks really, really close to the Seat. In my head, that is how I am going to justify it. haha.

[Thalia]

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Oh my gosh, Lanfear! *swoon*

This episode was painful in the feels (though not so much as ep6). The whole, 'we'll do our duty, and then retire and live our lives together' bookended with the end of the episode. Oh man sadness; like that actually wrenched my heart. I also loved the flashback banter, and I thought it was nice to see Moiraine before she 'changed', as Alanna described it in whichever episode that was. Duty really is heavier than a mountain.

Egwene rebraiding her hair was such a lovely nod back to the previous season. What a wonderful and subtle way to show her drawing on strength.

I wish we had more than 8 episodes, and I felt it a bit in this one, as some of the stuff/character strands could have done with some more time dedicated before we jump into the finale. I do think they have done a great job of balancing the story they need to tell with what time they do have though.

Pairing Perrin with Avi continues to be a great choice. I wish we got more there. Same with Elayne and Nynaeve and Mat in general. But the last episode may yet pull all that together.

That's a great observation about the throne being a part of the carriage. With the detail that seems to have gone into costume and set detail I wouldn't be surprised if that's exactly right. And I mean I guess she is the Amyrlin SEAT LOL. 

I was in two minds on the actual ending. I agree Rand still seems under-powered, and his shield being held by one AS in comparison to Logain's 3 does seem to contradict what we have been told about his raw power, but I would guess he just doesn't know how to defend himself. I wonder if this will set up his need for a certain OP tutor next season. Certainly it feels to me that they are still drawing a parallel between him and Egwene, with them both currently being in situations where they are being controlled. But I also think they are showing us the imbalance of a world that is so heavily matriarchal (to the point the Amyrlin even comments that it'd be easier if Rand were a girl). We know the source of Egwene's strength, and we're reminded with the hair-braiding. She's also had months of training, and we know the effect of Fal Dara on her resolve and dedication to honing herself. Rand meanwhile is on his own, partly due to his own actions, and partly because Ishy seems to be going to great lengths to keep the boys separate.

They have set up Siuan's fall much more strongly than the books. She's not just the Amyrlin who knew about the DR but the Amyrlin who lost him -- and to  a Forsaken no less. That was probably their one shot at capturing and controlling the Dragon as per Tower law. I can certainly see Elaida swooping in now, as well as being justified for doing so. As a general aside, I wonder if we'll find out next season that Thom has been in Caemlyn all this while.

Do we think Lanfear has shielded Siuan? I don't recall what the weave looked like, but she commented that a 'broken' Amyrlin was more use to her than a dead one.

The thing I was least a fan of was Lan's role. I feel like there's a disconnect with his motivations and methods, even with the explanation we got about why he decided to go to Siuan. Presumably he's had Verin's help getting to the bottom of the Shield (she certainly seemed sceptical back at Tifan's Well), however I don't feel like this was explicit enough, so it felt kinda odd to have a warder know more about the OP than an AS. It's like there was a scene or two missing. He couldn't have known about the Shield prior to going to Siuan, as it makes going to her unnecessary in the first place.

edit: duh, forgot about the Lan-Logain scene.

He also seemed way too willing to follow Lanfear into the waygate. I get why. They can't leave the Dragon to the manipulations of a Forsaken. But it just felt odd.

I AM SO GLAD ANVAERE ISN'T A DF... and also not convinced we aren't being played, ha. It's quite clear the DFs are in factions and don't necessarily know the identities of others. She seemed legit. I hope she is.