The Wheel of Time Recap: Party Hard

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I can’t help but be charmed by a boisterous, suggestive drinking tune. As a passionate admirer of “Les Misérables” and ZZ Top, I find it hard to feel differently. When the narrative of “The Wheel of Time” momentarily paused – or at least seemed to, given its complex nature – to have Alayne, the future princess, Aes-Sedai trainee, and undercover Black-Ajah perform a humorous tune titled “The Hills of Tanchiko,” which subtly references local women’s attributes, I was reminded of “The Wicker Man” and found it incredibly appealing. My notes read, in bold capitals, “IT’S VERY ‘WICKER MAN’ AND IT’S AMAZING.

It’s interesting to note the predicament The Wheel of Time seems to be in. For instance, it’s shot as another dull and unconvincing blue-and-orange backdrop for the world of the Wheel, which significantly diminishes the allure and peril that should characterize the captivating, risky, lively, shady cityscape at night. (To be fair, I did admit last week that I’ve given up on expecting visually appealing night scenes from this series, but I haven’t stopped expressing my concerns about it.)

However, what stands out most is that Wheel skillfully balances its two primary assets: on one side, the intrigue and excitement derived from its expansive setting filled with numerous characters and interwoven plotlines; on the other, the joy of being taken along a journey through various groups of heroes and villains, uncovering prophecies, and deciphering character names due to their phonetic pronunciation since I can’t guess their spellings without subtitles (even though critics’ screeners don’t include them, subtitles are still the easier option).

Instead of saying “On the other hand, the show’s standout episodes and sequences are invariably the ones that really stand alone”, you could rephrase it as “Conversely, the episodes and scenes that truly shine on their own tend to be the series’ highlights.”

Also, instead of “These recaps have made much more out of season two’s Nynaeve and Egwene spotlight episodes and celebrated season three’s one-and-done journey through the mystical city of Rhuidean with Rand and Moiraine”, you could say “The recaps have given extra emphasis to the Nynaeve and Egwene focused episodes from season two, and praised the solitary trip through Rhuidean in season three featuring Rand and Moiraine.”

Lastly, “But you don’t need to be a full capsule episode or a 20-minute cold open to pop like that” could be rephrased as “However, it’s not necessary for an episode to be a complete self-contained storyline or a lengthy opening sequence to make a strong impact.”

Lastly, instead of “All you need to do is bring the whirlwind-tour rhythm of the show to a halt for a few minutes at a time”, you could say “Just slow down the fast-paced nature of the series every now and then for brief periods.

In this world, Alayne’s song is being performed by Mat’s old friend Thom Merrilin, who goes by the name of a minstrel, or “gleeman.” Thom, also an adventurer with swordsmanship skills, once helped save Mat in previous seasons. Since Alayne is a royal figure, it’s easier for others to identify her than she might think. To maintain this disguise, Thom presents Alayne as his apprentice, and she manages to pull off the act better than anticipated, thanks to her diligent study of local customs.

Instead of saying it’s a musical number, you could rephrase it as: But just like Barton Fink exclaims, it erupts into an exuberant song. This unexpected tune is woven into the epic fantasy narrative, exploring themes such as polyamory or others. It provides Mat, Thom, Nynaeve, Min, and particularly Alayne, who dances in a way that’s both sensual and adorable, with an opportunity to momentarily forget their quest and let loose. The storyline also benefits from this moment of relaxation for the viewers.

A less playful approach is not necessary; even a strong quiver could evoke the same warm welcome. For instance, upon their homecoming from an evening out, Nynaeve and Alayne were unexpectedly confronted by Moghadien, the disguised Forsaken who had infiltrated Liandrin’s Black Ajah coven. It is worth mentioning that this coven has been steadily dwindling: Liandrin demoted her lieutenant Nyomi for secretly working for Ravan instead of Lanfear, while Moghadien executed another member to learn that Liandrin intends to seize the opportunity to become a Forsaken herself. In any event, Moghadien easily hypnotized the two young women into becoming her confidantes, causing them to giggle like schoolgirls and disclose all they knew about their mission, its objective, and its most significant achievement: acquiring the second of the two bracelets necessary to activate the ancient collar that suppresses magic, a tool Liandrin and her associates are seeking to control Rand, the Dragon Reborn.

A significant portion of this data was carved into an enormous sculpture that has mostly eroded and fallen into the sea, leaving only the figure known as the Shackled Man. It would make sense for Alayne to have discovered this in her research, as Thom suggests, but since it’s ultimately the writers’ decision whether or not she did, I’ll let it slide for now.

Despite the stories we’ve heard about their power, it’s shocking to witness Alayne and Nynaeve acting like naive simpletons, willingly revealing information to Moghadien for the mere promise of a grin from one of the Forsaken. I was hoping for a twist where this was all part of a plan, that they would use the sorceress against her when she least suspects it, but such a moment never materializes. The lack of resolution and the stark contrast between this scene and the characters’ usual portrayal in the episode leaves a strong, lingering impression.

Together with Nynaeve and to some degree Alayne, Egwene is among the most naturally gifted channelers the Aes Sedai have ever encountered. However, just like them, this hasn’t prevented her from being tricked by a Forsaken – in her instance, Lanfear, who also serves as Rand’s literal dream lover. With guidance from the Aiel Wise Ones, Egwene confronts Lanfear in dreams and discovers that Rand has been aware all along that he’s been sleeping with a Forsaken.

In terms of a wronged girlfriend’s viewpoint, Egwene cleverly maneuvers in a subtle way. She challenges Rand about his unfaithfulness and his foolishness for being drawn towards a Forsaken. He arrogantly suggests she couldn’t possibly comprehend the situation, and defensively claims that when push comes to shove, she will prioritize her personal goals – such as becoming a Wisdom, an Aes Sedai, or a Wise One – over any involvement with him.

It’s not until after he ends their relationship that she confronts him about the truth: she had been tormented by Lanfear in her dreams all along. His assumption that he could easily move on from Egwene to Lanfear has been shattered – regardless of his romantic feelings for Egwene, he deeply cherishes her and has always resisted Lanfear’s derogatory remarks towards her, not to mention the abuse. However, he can no longer take back his rejection of Egwene now, no matter what happens.

Currently, he’s only enraged towards Lanfear, showing such intense anger that his Dragon Reborn abilities cause seismic activity, a power he’s exhibited before. It was during this state that the villain Sammael decided to strike, but the battle-hardened antagonist and his Aiel followers were swiftly wiped out, not just by Rand, but also by Aviendha who burst in brandishing flaming spears imbued with magic (or so it seems).

In a massive outburst of energy from Rand (the Dragon Reborn), Sammael is struck and showered with lightning and debris atop the Forsaken. The question remains, has he perished? It’s uncertain in this series. However, Alsera (Julie Van Leeuwen), the sweet girl whom Rand had befriended, does not escape unscathed. She is tragically crushed beneath the ruins of the building that Rand himself brought down upon Sammael. Despite his immense power, even the Dragon Reborn cannot resurrect her. This particular scene stands out, as Josha Stradowski’s frantic acting here contrasts sharply with his usual calm demeanor and mirrors his completely mad self in Moiraine’s visions of the future. Regardless of his rage, his efforts are fruitless; death is a fate no power can reverse.

In my humble opinion,

Back in the quaint town of Two Rivers, we find ourselves witnessing an extraordinary display of power by the Cuthon sisters, Bode and Eldrin, played skillfully by Litiana and Lilibet Biutanaseva. These young women, barely aware of their potential to channel the One Power, are guided by Alanna Sedai in a delicate healing process for her own wounds. Interestingly, Aes Sedai, such as Alanna, cannot heal themselves directly.

Alanna’s healing extends beyond herself, reaching Perrin who, though he’s showing signs of recovery from his injuries, finds himself entwined in a passionate relationship with Feile. Their bond deepens as they share their heart-wrenching pasts, filled with pain and tragedy that mirrors the timeless sorrow of humanity. For instance, Feile lost her mother to the darkness of the Darkfriend, while Perrin bears the guilt of unintentionally taking his wife’s life during a trolloc attack – a tale as old as the ages.

Discussing trollocs, I must say it’s been quite some time since we last encountered these orc-minotaur like creatures. But here they are, arriving in large numbers, under the command of Padan Fain (Johann Myers). Alongside his human associates, he disguises themselves as Whitecloak reinforcements to penetrate Dain Bornhald’s forces. The plan seems to be that they will instigate a massacre among the people of Two Rivers, allowing the trollocs to complete the job afterwards. As Perrin’s spear-maiden companions inform Feile, it appears that he will need to rally an army against them, whether he is willing or not.

What makes this episode particularly memorable for me is the introduction of Fares Fares as Ishamael, the chieftain of the Forsaken and the first to be killed by Rand. In a flashback, we learn how Liandrin, a young woman, avenged her rape by killing her attacker to protect her newborn child. However, she couldn’t find anyone to help until Ishmael himself arrived. The exact details of how he was able to roam freely 90 years before the series start are somewhat unclear as the show seems to have been vague and even contradictory about his release from prison. Nevertheless, Ishmael’s appearance underscores the wealth of intriguing characters this show has to offer. Similarly, Thom Merrilin’s return serves a similar purpose later on. While keeping track of them all may require an Excel sheet, when The Wheel deploys them effectively, it’s hard not to be entertained. Let’s hear “The Hills of Tanchiko”!

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2025-04-03 19:55