All the biggest book changes in The Wheel of Time Episode 206

The Wheel of Time season 2 continues to improve, and its latest episode, “Eyes Without Pity,” raises the bar. From Egwene’s torture at the hands of the Seanchan to reunions in Cairhien and Forsaken subterfuge, this was a jam packed episode with a lot to get excited about.

“Eyes Without Pity” adapts material from Robert Jordan’s book The Great Hunt, the second installment in his Wheel of Time series. It also adds in some new plotlines as well as sets up an important event from the novels in a fresh new way. Let’s go over all the biggest ways this episode lines up with or differs from The Wheel of Time books.

Egwene

In the show: Egwene is collared as a damane by the Seanchan. Her sul’dam handler, Renna, brutally tortures her until she finally accepts her enslavement on a deep enough level that she no longer thinks she can hurt her captors. We know she’s reached this level because she able to pour Renna a glass of water, where before she could only think to use the pitcher as a weapon. With an a’dam collar around her neck, even thinking such a thing gave her incredible pain.

In the books: Renna trains Egwene, though several other sul’dam take turns with her as well. Most of that happens offscreen; we see Renna first start training Egwene directly after her capture at the Way Gate, and Egwene mostly recounts the horrors she’s faced later during a visit with Min. Egwene reflects on how she tried to use a pitcher of water to attack Renna and how the sul’dam used the situation as a way to beat obedience into her.

In general, Egwene’s captivity is far less graphic in the books than on the show. In the books, Min is captured with her, but since she’s a channeler she isn’t collared and is allowed to visit Egwene.

Another big difference is that the Aes Sedai Ryma is already a damane by the time Egwene is captured. She is the main damane that Egwene speaks with through the walls. On the show, Ryma is on the outside. She helps Nyaneve and Elayne before getting collared by the Seanchan at the end of the episode.

Nynaeve and Elayne

In the show: Nynaeve and Elayne hole up with Ryma and test an a’dam collar in hopes of figuring out how it works so they can free Egwene. Nynaeve accidentally channels enough of the One Power that it alerts the Seanchan. Ryma and her warder Basan sacrifice themselves so that the Seanchan won’t find Elayne and Nynaeve; Basan is killed and Ryma is collared as a damane.

In the books: Nynaeve and Elayne never meet up with another Aes Sedai in Falme while trying to rescue Egwene. Instead, Nynaeve tests a’dam collars by trying to channel into ones already worn by damane she sees in the street. Nynaeve and Elayne sort of switch places in the novels during this stretch, with Elayne at times putting them in danger because of how sheltered she is as daughter-heir and Nynaeve leading the effort to crack the mystery of the a’dam.

In the books, Nynaeve has slightly more control over her ability to channel at this point, although her block does still hinder her at times.

Rand, Lanfear, Mat and Min

In the show: Rand meets with Lanfear in Tel’aran’rhiod, the world of dreams. They make a deal and she helps him contact Egwene, which means he discovers that she’s being held captive in Falme.

Rand is then reunited with his childhood friend Mat. The two plan to set out for Falme together to help Egwene, but Mat fails to show up after Min tells him that he’s going to kill Rand. Rand is detained by Lan and Alanna before he can leave Cairhien for Falme.

In the books: Rand and Mat travel together to Cairhien in search of Padan Fain, who has both the Horn of Valere and the ruby-hilted dagger Mat took from Shadar Logoth in the first book. Rand does not discover Lanfear’s true identity until much later in the story, after the Stone of Tear has fallen. Rand also doesn’t discover Egwene is a captive of the Seanchan until he’s already in Falme and sees her. In the books he resolves to head to the coastal city after receiving a message from Padan Fain luring him there.

Min is not involved with Rand and Mat at Cairhien; instead she is at the White Tower and is taken to the peninsula of Toman Head by Liandrin along with Nynaeve, Egwene and Elayne.

Moiraine and Lan

In the show: Moiraine and Rand part ways after the Forsaken Lanfear threatens to kill her if they remain together. Moiraine then tries to write a letter to Siuan Sanche telling Siuan that Moiraine has been stilled. She has familial tension with her sister Anvaere and nephew Barthanes.

Lan travels to a temple of the Forsaken where he’s accused of being a Darkfriend by Alanna and her warders. He tells them that he and Moiraine found the Dragon Reborn, laying their fears to rest. They help him reunite with the Amyrlin Seat, Siuan Sanche.

The Amyrlin Seat then heads to Cairhien along with a full complement of 14 Aes Sedai. She commands Moiraine to appear before her, and presumably Rand as well.

In the books: Moiraine and Lan don’t appear much in The Great Hunt. After leaving Adeleas’ villa, they travel to Falme, and arrive there at the very end of the novel. The bit where Lan is accused of being a Darkfriend and the part where Moiraine has issues with her family are both added for the show.

However, the Amyrlin Seat demanding an audience with Moiraine and Rand does happen in the beginning of the novel The Great Hunt. In the book, the Amyrlin and a bunch of Aes Sedai travel to Fal Dara, where Rand, Moiraine, and the rest of their party are recuperating after their battle with several Forsaken at the Eye of the World. Rand tries to escape before he can be taken to the Amyrlin, but he is intercepted and forced to appear before her, which is similar to what happens in this episode even though it occurs later.

Liandrin and Logain

In the show: Lanfear kills Liandrin’s elderly son, “freeing” the Aes Sedai to follow the shadow. In Cairhien, Logain coaches Rand in using the One Power.

In the books: Liandrin does not have a son, so this scene with her and Lanfear never happens. We do not see her again in The Great Hunt after she betrays Egwene, Nynaeve, Elayne and Min.

Logain remains a prisoner at the White Tower after he is gentled, and is never moved to Cairhien by Moiraine. He never teaches Rand about channeling.

We’ll see what other changes await when the penultimate episode of The Wheel of Time season 2 drops on Prime Video next week!

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