Every episode of The Wheel of Time season 2, ranked worst to best

2. Episode 203, “What Might Be”

This episode has one big main plot and a few subplots. Off to the side, Rand visits Logain in a sanatorium and goes to a fancy party with Selene. Perrin and his Shienaran compatriots face down the Seanchan, who prove how ruthless they are by killing the sewer-mouthed Uno in a shocking, abrupt way. And Mat escapes from his prison in the White Tower with Min, only for us to learn that’s exactly what Liandrin him to do. Intrigue!

But this episode belongs to Nynaeve, who takes her test to become an Accepted by entering a mysterious arch so old and powerful not even the Aes Sedai know how it works, or even what it does. Inside, she has a kind of It’s a Wonderful Life nightmare where we learn all about her past. She is tempted three times to remain inside this strange alternate world, and three times must resist. The final time, she can’t say no to the prospect of settling down with Lan and raising a family in the Two Rivers. She is lost forever in the ter’angreal.

“What Might Be” really benefits from being able to focus on one character like this, exploring her hopes, dreams and fears in detail. The world inside the ter’angreal is intoxicatingly mysterious. With so little knowledge of what’s really going on, who are we to say we wouldn’t make the same choice Nynaeve did?

When Nynaeve fails to reemerge from the arches, the episode moves on as if she really is lost. We get to know Elayne better as she comforts a grieving Egwene. Honestly, I started to wonder if maybe the show had taken a massive turn from the books and decided to kill off Nynaeve not a fifth of the way through her journey.

But of course it hadn’t; she resists the false call of the ter’angreal at the moment where it’s maximally painful for her and emerges back into the real world wailing and traumatized. It’s a great, expertly executed twist that gives actor Zoë Robins a chance to show off what she can do as Nynaeve.

1. Episode 206, “Eyes Without Pity”

Like “What Might Be,” “Eyes Without Pity” benefits from being able to focus mainly on just one plotline, in this case the plight of Nynaeve, Elayne and especially Egwene in the Seanchan-occupied city of Falme. Egwene has been enslaved by Renna, who cruelly controls her using magical technology. I already mentioned how creepy the Seanchan relationship with channelers is. Egwene learns just how creepy in the most painful possible way.

Egwene’s struggle forms the backbone of this episode. Renna beats her down again and again and again, physically, psychologically and spiritually, all while believing herself to be in the right. It’s deeply unsettling. And it pays off when, at the end of the episode, Egwene shows signs that she really has been broken. It’s a gut punch, and a wonderful showcase for actor Madeleine Madden. She gives the performance of the season in this episode. Before this, I don’t think many people were looking at her as one of the show’s acting MVPs, and now she’s at the top of the list.

Nyaneve and Elayne also go through it on the outside, scheming with an Aes Sedai and her warder how to break Egwene free. The Aes Sedai, Raya, gets collared by the Seanchan at the end of the episode, a blow on top of a blow.

Rand also has some fun stuff as he negotiates with Lanfear in the dream world of Tel’aran’rhiod and reunites with Mat in the waking world. Their reunion is more touching than I figured it would be considering that someone new is playing Mat. One last time, I give it up for Dónal Finn.

Overall, The Wheel of Time had a great season of TV! If it continues on this trajectory, it could become a legendary show in its own time.

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels