Season two of the Wheel of Time takes some of the characters we know well and digs deep into themselves to understand their purposes! It begins some time after the events of season 1's finale. Re:cap - last episode had Egwene and Perrin captured by Whitecloaks and Eamon Valda, whom they met in “Shadow’s Waiting” is convinced Egwene is Aes Sedai and Perrin is her Warder! Loial has taken Nynaeve from the White Tower to meet with Rand. Perrin has his back cut by Eamon and he wants to die for killing Laila. As Eamon continues to cut Perrin, Egwene says her friend will realize it was an accident. The wolves howl outside. Then, she starts to concentrate. The threads of the One Power form in Egwene’s hand, she throws a blast at Eamon’s white clothing, but it just bursts harmlessly! She starts to burn the ropes binding Perrin.
The overconfident Eamon is suddenly fearful looking at Perrin’s wolf eyes! Egwene stabs him with a knife from behind! She takes the rings Eamon has taken from the Aes Sedai and they start to run as wolves tear up the Whitecloak camp! At the White Tower, Lan tries to watch over Stepin, but in the morning, he finds that Stepin has killed himself wth a sword. The Warders pound their chests in grief as Lan cries out. “The Flame of Tar Valon” begins with a quiet river and a hut next to it, this land is Tear in the Westlands. Young Siuan Sanche (Kiera Chansa) is wakened by her father Berden (Peter De Jersey). They head to the river to fish. Siuan sees the stump that remains of her father’s left hand as he struggles to unfold a fishing net. She begins to channel to form a knot. Berden warns his daughter about channeling.
He throws the fishing net and later they find that their hut has burned down with the tear symbol of the Flame of Tar Valon, it like the Yin Yang Taoist image, but only the white, yang, half. The reverse, dark side, is known as the Dragon’s Fang. The episode title is also a chapter title from the second book, The Great Hunt. Berden has to send his daughter to the White Tower in the fishing boat. This moves to Moiraine Damordred, dressed in her formal, blue dress, as the Amyrlin Seat, is announced by Leane Sharif (Jennifer Cheon Garcia). Alanna and Liandrin are at her side as we see the arrival of the head of the Aes Sedai with her gold robes. This is the older Siuan Sanche (Sophie Okonedo), which we know from her tatoos. Okonedo voiced Xaphania in His Dark Materials (2020), I recognize her from Hotel Rwanda (2004). The trio bow before the Amyrlin Seat with the other Aes Sedai at Logain’s Gentling by their side. Leane calls in the False Dragon.
The Amyrlin Seat asks for the prisoner to be unchained. Logain says that he had an army of followers, faced nine Aes Sedai, and still killed Kerene. The Amyrlin Seat is too calm to fall for Logain’s boast and instead sends him to be studied as example to other False Dragons. He screams out to be killed. Next, she calls forward the Aes Sedai trio and sends away the others. The Amyrlin Seat says that Logain should have been brought to trial before her. Liandrin says he was too powerful. Alanna defends Liandrin’s choice. The punishment is given to Liandrin since she was in charge. Liandrin brings up the channeler. She wants Moiraine to be questioned. Another Blue Ajah, Maigan (Sandy McDade), speaks up for her. I absolutely love the organization of the Aes Sedai, structured, but still political, I like the different agendas, fascinating for fantasy, something missing from Themyiscra.
Moiraine is asked where she has traveled and then what was her purpose which she does not reveal. The Amyrlin Seat thinks Moiraine’s words are defiance. I sense Qui-Gon Jinn’s ignoring the Jedi Council’s will. They are sent away, joined by their Warders, and Liandrin notes the threat to her, not her punishment? Later, Lan takes Moiraine to a room, and Rand is there. Also, Mat who is still caught in the evil. Rand tries to draw his sword on Lan who easily bests him. Mat draws a knife, but Moiraine channels faster and brings up the dagger from Shadar Logoth. She has them hold Mat down as she channels, drawing out the darkness, into her mouth, and then back to the dagger. Rand thanks Moiraine and she says he is strong and would fallen to the darkness weeks ago. Moiraine’s sacrifice from her punishment is great. There is a reunion of our Two Rivers heroes. This carries the episode to a dangerous conclusion! Wheel of Time has turned from the Light in the White Tower to darkness! My favorite episode of the series and makes me want to go back and re-read The Eye of the World!
Five Ter’angreal out of Five!
#WheelOfTime, #TheFlameOfTarValon, #SophieOkonedo, #KieraChansa, #PeterDeJersey, #SandyMcDade
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