*Glares at the gathering of the sitters and scoffs while shifting her scarf and smiling.* “No mother, I will not yield to red nonsense!”
FUCKING SPOILERS FOR WHEEL OF TIME AND THE BOOKS!
Let us begin, tonight we discuss Episode 7 “The Dark Along the Ways”, we seem to be back during the time of the Aiel War. A young Aielwoman, a Far Dareis Mai, or Maiden of the Spear, unveils herself on dragonmount. Yup, this is RANDS MOM yo! We are about to see the beginning of a prophecy. Now, for a woman who lives somwhere filled with hot sun and sand she looks a tad paole. Could because she’s in the Wetlands, but blah. Good battle chereography, and the Illianer Companion soldiers look appropriate. They are -small- compare to our aiel, not in stature, but in presence. This is proper for a renowned warrior being killed by a fucking Aiel.
And wait, she’s PALE BECAUSE she isn’t an Aiel by blood, she’s adopted! THIS IS TIGRAINE former daughter-heir of ANDOR! Woot!
Combat will look evne better when they can be more proper with the VFX, which they have REPEATEDLY said have been fucked by COVID.
And now we are in the ways. Now, this honestly is a pretty obvious ecample of simplicity in set design. Much of what the actual set itself appears to be is just darkness reinforced by select walls and “shafts”. It’s a pretty straight forward deep dark dungeon scene ala the “Depths of Moria.” I’m not going to say it’s Original, but let’s be plain, it does the fucking job. Little bits of dialogue help to drive the point home, and the stress they all face of who the Dragon is increases.
Hey its another goatorc! I mean trolloc! And here comes the giant Pac Man wind, which looks a hell lot like the evil bat prianha from “Pitch Black”. I mean if we have to differentiate shit from the other evil shadow thing let’s do flying death krill than you know more shadows. Nynaeve does here exploding shield thing again and this part is a little -overdramatic- I’m gonna be honest, this was one of the poorer art designs I’ve seen. I liked it, but I can get over it making me thing we’re back in Gears of War.
So good notes, nice dialogue woot! And the borderlands look appropriately -dead- since you know they are a literal fucking BORDER AGAINST ROTTING CORRUPTION :D Think the White Wlakers on steroids, and with fucking mutagenic masters rather than just ice zombies. Better tacticians too!
Shienar and Fal Dara seem pretty spot on in how I saw them in the books. Stark, squate buildings with people with a sort of austere style. Definitely have a serious Tang Dynasty / Northern Han feel here for the set design when it comes to how the city itself feels. Showing Trollocs in the ways I think is a good example of kicking up the plot (which was revealed in the books in the ways as well). And seems Padain Fain aka, Evil Goblin King Jareth (who likes to play where’s waldo in the set pieces is here! Now, since they’ve removed the dagger connection to hi and Mordreth I am keen on what
There are more than a few things that Moiraine seems to be doign in the streets and appears to speak to someone who can see patterns. Oh shit, I THINK THIS IS MIN! THat or someone LIKE MIN! Checked the casting, fuck yes it’s MIN FARSHAW. Okay, I am okay with this casting and fucking hell I like that she’s being cast as a eyes and ears of the Aes Sedai. Bitch better come back!
And again we have a confrontation between Nynaeve and Moiraine as the Aes Sedai is once again frank with the kids. And yeah, their really acting like children. I mean I would if someone said I was going to die by going into the apocalypse laden land. The angst in the room is SO FUCKING PALATABLE, and I think a bit of it here could have used a second go around. A bit of it except the end about Perrin and Egwene was a little stilted. Rand’s performance in defense, could have used a small hitch or pause when Egwene stated “HE LEFT US!”.
People complain a bit too much about how Lan (Daniel Henney) is not “stoic and cold” enough, he isn’t stony faced. First, let’s be a little frank, visual media is far different than a book. We all create a unique take on our viewpoint of a given character. Nynaeve might seem a bit “taken” with Lan a bit quickly in the story. But let us not forget, she has a fairly private an intimated conversation with him about her attraction in Eye of the World. So this interaction fits the timeline presented really.
It’s clear she’ doesn’t understand who he is, that he’s a prince of a fallen Kingdom. Only that he’s someone of note, and that the Malkier enclaves still see him as their leader, Dai Shan. So yeah, the kiss and lovey scene fits. LONG LIVE GOLDENBRAID!
And now back to Rand being an angsty whiney bitch, oh wait he’s dealing with betrayal while showing off that Two Rivers bow skill. Oh, and a little confrontation with Egwene. This scene pushes a sense of false hope, and I think, kind of rectifies our earlier conflict with the five. Bam, Nynaeve’s jealousy of Lan Gaidin being a Warder shows. It shows how their dynamic later -really just is so fucking great!
Ah yes, the DRAGON AWAKENS. Lews Therin’s heir has come. And I love how they are doing the revelation for Rand, and how he was deflecting on Mat. Min’s vision and using it as a basis to overlay the story of Tam saving him on Dragonmount. His mother’s death, it’s all a pretty obvious evolution of the story they were setting up. The small pillow talk between Nynaeve and Egewene = fucking lol.
Holy shit the blight is sufficiently rotten, and like a giant monstrous hybrid of briars, mirkwood and bloody fungus.
Hottakes:
And once again the Aiel remind us that redheads are a force to be reckoned with.
They casted Tigraine pretty well, tall Andoran woman who ran left her family and fell in love with an Aiel Step Chief.
I really do like that they are putting some good solid thought into costume design when it comes to armor.
The negative traits that Egwene and Rand share that split them, and lead to their conflict as Amyrlin and Dragon are laid well here. This will get better once we near Tarmon Gai’don.
The scene in the archery range really cements the dying relationship between Egwene and Rand. It show us how love can be torn asunder by the Wheel and fate -must- change to ready the ta’veren.
Nynaeve doing her fidgety hair pull and tugging and yeah, the actress has nailed the act here.
I see why they did the clearer massacre backstory of Nynave to create a stronger relation to Lan, not a bad call down the road. It gives them both more sympathy and builds the animosity that Nynaeve is really showing.
The transition editing for the scene leading up to Min confirming Rand’s revelation was well done. Not too messy and paced well for a little sequence.
Perrin has the least lines, and is so fucking out of place in this episode. I really think the lack of Elias in this season is harming him in a way. I hope he gets a better part in season 2.
