Welcome to our weekly feature where we walk you through the new episode of Amazon’s The Wheel of Time and tell you how it differs from The Wheel of Time book series by Robert Jordan. In the latest episode, “The Dragon Reborn,” an original storyline explores the connections between Aes Sedai and their Warders while still keeping the key elements of The Eye of the World in place.
Logain, Moiraine, Lan and Nynaeve at the Aes Sedai camp
In the show: Nynaeve, Lan and Moiraine arrive at an Aes Sedai encampment where other Sisters are holding the self-proclaimed Dragon Reborn, Logain Ablar, prisoner. Moiraine finally receives healing for her wound from Kerene Nagashi, a sister of the Green Ajah. She then sets off to see Logain in person. He’s being shielded by Alanna and Liandrin, Sisters of the Green Ajah and Red Ajah respectively.
Followers of the False Dragon later attack the camp. Kerene Sedai is killed by Logain, which sends her Warder into a rage. Logain breaks free and mortally wounds many of the Aes Sedai and Warders. In anguish, Nynaeve bursts with light, using the One Power to heal everyone. In awe, Logain wonders if she could be the Dragon Reborn before the recovering Aes Sedai link with Liandrin and gentle him, cutting him off from the One Power.
"“As strong as you are, your power is a trickle. It’s a pinprick of candlelight against the raging sun that will be the Dragon Reborn.” — Moiraine"
In the books: None of this happens in the books, at least not onscreen; it’s mostly invented for the show. On the page, Moiraine discovers that Nynaeve can channel after the Emond’s Field Wisdom catches up with them outside Shadar Logoth. The three of them then set out to look for the rest of their companions. They make their way to the town of Whitebridge where they learn that Rand and Mat had been there recently, along with a Fade. It looks like we won’t be visiting Whitebridge at all in the show.
Egwene, Perrin and the Tinkers
In the show: Perrin and Egwene are welcomed to travel east towards Tar Valon with the Tinkers. Perrin is distrustful at first, and curious about why the nomadic group doesn’t carry any weapons. Ila explains the Way of the Leaf, and how they’ve forsaken violence.
"Have you ever been in battle? Picked up a weapon? A sword? Bow and arrow? An axe? And tell me, has your life been better or worse since you picked up that axe?"
At night, the Tua’thuan celebrate life through song and dance. Perrin doesn’t join in, but learns more about the Way of the Leaf and the death of Ila’s daughter. Aram seems affectionate towards Egwene, but she’s still in love with Rand, who she’s convinced is still alive.
In the books: Finding each other after Shadar Logoth, Perrin and Egwene travel through the woods for some time towards the city of Camelyn with a man named Elyas, who can talk to wolves. Elyas believes Perrin has a connection to the wolves as well, and tells him to put away his axe if he ever finds himself getting too fond of it.
After this episode, which doesn’t appear on the show, Egwene and Perrin run into the Tua’thuan, the Traveling People, who are uncomfortable with Perrin’s axe. They travel east, and the nights in the Tinker camp are filled with music and dancing. Perrin notices Egwene dancing with Aram, a young Tinker, and believes he enjoys Egwene’s company a little too much.
"“Their eyes always touched the axe, and he could feel what they thought. A tool of violence.” – The Eye of the World"
Mat, Rand and Thom Merrilin
In the show: Mat, Rand, and the gleeman Thom Merillin have been traveling together towards Tar Valon after a narrow escape from a Darkfriend. Looking for a place to rest, they come across the Grinwell farm. Rand prevents an almost-deadly confrontation, and the three of them are allowed to sleep in the barn after a few hours mucking out the stables.
Worried about Mat’s mood, Thom tells Rand about his nephew Owyn, who was gentled by the Red Ajah because he could channel, and killed himself shortly after. In the middle of the night, it looks like Mat sneaks off. Rand and Thom find him inside the house with the Grinwell family murdered. A Fade appears, but Thom fights it off long enough for Rand and Mat to escape.
In the books: After separating in Shadar Logoth, Thom Merrilin, who has been with the group since leaving the Two Rivers, helps Rand and Mat find passage on a boat to Whitebridge. Along the way, he teaches them simple gleeman tricks to help them get by on the road. When the three arrive in Whitebridge, they learn that a Fade is close on their heels.
Rand and Mat demand to know why Thom protects them in spite of the danger. Thom tells them about Owyn, his nephew, who died at the hands of the Red Ajah of the Aes Sedai, probably because he was able to channel. As they’re heading for the road out of town, the Fade appears and Thom leaps to defend the boys, urging them to seek out an inn in Caemlyn. Rand and Mat hear Thom scream as they flee out of sight.
The False Dragon
In the show: The cold open of the fourth episode of The Wheel of Time shows events that were mentioned beforehand by Perrin back at the Winespring Inn: Callie Coplin had told him about soldiers headed south to war in Gheldean, which was being attacked by Logain Ablar, the False Dragon
Logain manages to capture Gheldean using the One Power, but spares their king, convincing him to join his army of fanatic followers. But Liandrin Sedai and a few other Sisters sneak into his camp and shield him from using the One Power while he sleeps. She plans to take him to Tar Valon to be gentled, taking away his ability to channel the One Power permanently.
In the books: Logain was a Ghealdanin noble who learned he could channel saidin and declares himself the Dragon Reborn. King Johanin of Ghealdan strips Logain of his land and titles for his declaration, but Logain emerges victorious in battle, killing Aes Sedai in the process. Shortly after, he is hunted by the Red Ajah and captured while moving his army. This is all vaguely similar to what happens in the show, but we don’t see of any it.
Speaking saidin, what exactly is it?
Saidin
In the show: As Liandrin Sedai says in the opening scenes of the first episode, the male half of the One Power is tainted. At the end of the last age, the Dark One corrupted the One Power so that any man who touches it is destined to go mad, endangering everyone everyone around him. This corruption, or taint, is visible in Logain’s weaves as a black, oily substance covering the bright light of the One Power.
When confronting the King of Gheldean, the whispers of madness take shape in the form of ghostly figures which look as though they weave together from the One Power. Logain believes the voices to be from past Dragons who are giving him advice on how to do better, but Moiraine thinks they’re manifestations of his madness.
In the books: In the Age of Legends, Lews Therin Telamon drove the Dark One back into a prison known as the Bore. But in doing so, the Dark One tainted saidin and doomed all present and future male channelers to insanity. This caused the Breaking of the World at the hands of the last Dragon, and to this day men who channel slowly go mad. The taint is described as being an “oily slick” surrounding “clear water.”
Shielding, Wards and Bonds
In the show: The episode shows off several ways the Aes Sedai can use the One Power. For example, they can use shielding to blocks a channeler from touching the One Power. Liandrin also mentions she plugged Logain’s ears with weaves or Air, keeping him from hearing.
"“We can’t afford any gaps in the shield. Liandrin will wait to drop hers until yours is in place.” — Kerene Sedai"
While standing guard, Kerene Sedai sets wards to alert her if anyone approaches the encampment, which later go off when the camp comes under attack. When Kerene is killed by Logain, her bond with her Warder, Stepin, is broken, and he goes into a vengeful rage. When Logain is freed, the Aes Sedai link their power to Liandrin to gentle him.
In the books: The Aes Sedai can do many things with the One Power, including laying a ward to prevent eavesdropping, shielding a channeler from the True Source, or linking in a circle to increase their strength in the One Power.
After an Aes Sedai bonds with a Warder, both their senses are heightened. But most Warders do not survive if their Aes Sedai dies in battle, sometimes going insane afterwards. If a Warder dies, the Aes Sedai grieves terribly but does not go insane.
Tune in next Friday, December 3, for Episode 5, “Blood Calls Blood,” and be on the lookout for more of our coverage analyzing the show and the books.
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