If you look Mats Dagger has no blood on it and he doesn't have any blood on his hands or cloths. So yeah it was the Fade! The blackness you see as Logain channels is the "Taint" the Dark One placed on the Male half of The One Power. GREAT Reaction as usual! ❤🔥
I think your analysis is spot on. Also scroll down for minor spoiler (that may not even be a thing in the show) 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 4 3 2 1 Spoiler: Not sure about in the show. But in the books it is revealed that even a scratch from the dagger kills the victim and rots their body instantly.
They're really done a great job conveying the ideology and culture of each society, and making them seem sincere and comprehensible and not overly-simplified.
Loving your reactions!!! And this is one of my favorite episodes, so good I also cried at the end haha. And the books will be a lovely treat waiting for you at the end. I actually really love seeing the reactions of people who haven't read the books, it helps me understand how some of the writing choices and changes from the books make sense to people who are just watching the show, and even help them to understand the characters and themes.
Yeah i agree this episode showed me how the adaption could work and be very good, as this was one of my favourite episodes and it contained almost nothing from the books!
I feel the same way. It's obviously a good show despite how I as a book reader feel. Matt is my favorite character and the differences really bothered me at first. Barney Harris was fantastic.
I'm so glad you said that, Rosa Sedai - I do agree with you. I was very negative at first but this kind of reaction really opens my eyes a bit. So insightful!
@15:30 - Thom's agenda for helping I think Thom (the Gleeman) has a similar character arc here as Perrin did in previous episode. Perrin couldn't save his wife, so now he is overprotective of Egwene as a cope, as a "I couldn't save my wife, but at least I can defend you". Thom seem to have a similar agenda, he couldn't save his nephew so he's now trying to do right by staying with and defending Rand and Mat.
This was probably my favourite episode and the one i enjoy the most in my rewatch, and ironically there is nothing in this episode that is in the book, but its just soo good! Discovering Nyneave can channel and very powerfully, watching the weaving of the one power in the shield, lots of small things. And i absolutely love the portrayal of the madness of the male half of the power, saidin. And i think it was this episode i fell in love with Allana and her warders! The portrayals of the Aes Sedai and their warders fighting amongst my favourite in this, helped emphasise the bond even more
Since I'm pretty sure you're personally 2 episodes ahead of what gets posted on youtube, I think it's okay to provide a little more context to some of your questions, as these're also addressed in episode 6 (as well as a lot of the trivia displayed in pauses and the animated shorts), I'll just try and be extra vague about them just in case. The story the old Wisdom told Nynaeve might not have been entirely accurate. Or at least, she might not have had complete context. There are a lot of prophecies around the Dragon and a lot of men throughout history have proclaimed themselves as the Dragon Reborn (either to seek power or because they truly believed it) with varying amounts of success. The prophecies regarding the Dragon having actually been reborn recently and not just at some vague point in the future are known only to very few people. So Logain doesn't know he doesn't meet Moiraine's age criteria.
We’re so happy to have you in the WoT fandom! 😊 Don’t worry about the fan. I can’t hear it at all. Many members of the WoT fandom have lots of health issues. So we get it. Do you drop the videos at a scheduled time? We’ve been waiting for Tuesday, but didn’t know what time, so we’ve been checking YT. 😅
Thank you again, so so much for your lovely welcome! Reactions drop at 5pm in the UK (currently BST) :) When S2 starts they'll be up as soon as I've had the chance to watch and edit hehe
I do not know why I like watching reactions to this show when I am not much of a fan of the books but I do. Thank you for your reactions and your love of this show, it is a good show.
Tuesdays have become my favorite day of the week! Another great reaction! One of the common themes Jordan uses in WOT is the concept of the unreliable narrator. Things are not always as people believe they are. The old wisdom's story, and Thom's (mis)diagnosis of Matt's problem are a couple of examples. In fairness to Thom, he does not know that Matt took the knife from Shadar Logath.
I so enjoyed your reaction. I have read through the books once and am on the third book again, listening on audiobook. I do like seeing you watch from a newbie point of view. This episode is amazing and moving, and there is so much more to come . . .
The collective we put a lot of so called eggs into this basket. We hope that this episode lived up to expectations. As usual, your insights are terrific. We love seeing your reactions every Tuesday. I would recommend you also schedule time for the Wheel of Time Origins segments (5mins max each). There are 6 of them in season 1. They add insight and background where the show couldn't put time. Feel free to see each one after each episode. They are spoiler free.
Your expressions when something happens is a joy to watch. I’m loving your analysis of this show. I’ve been a WOT fan since the 1990’s. This show has veered somewhat from the books but there are nuggets of fun references there too! Your reaction as a newbie reminds us old fans of how exciting this world is. It also goes to show how the writers of the show are trying to introduce important concepts (like the Aes Sendai / Warder bond works and Gentling the male Channelers. Eager to hear your next episodes reactions!!! Keep it up!
I LOVE how much insight youve already got into Aes Sedai structure and politics. It really makes me happy with how well the show has adapted the core spine of the books while making a great, entertaining show that's accessible to non readers 😍
My preference is also not to read the books at the same time as watching the show. I read the first book when it came out, but I don't remember much. I won't go back to the books until after the show is over. In my experience, the show tells you what you need to know (although not always when you want to know it :-) ). "At least two of them are having a vaguely nice time." Grab it when you can get it. 🙂
Maybe a sliiiiight spoiler about why men go mad. Most of this is covered in the animated shorts that Prime released with each Episode. Adding some empty rows so you can stop reading if you don't want ANY spoilers! . . . . . So the Madness comes from them using Magic. If men touch their source of magic, they have to go through layer of filth, taint, corruption. The Author once described it as the source of magic being an infinite ocean of power and on top of that is a thin layer of oil. The Magic is still pure and uncorrupted, but to reach into it the men have to go through that layer of bad. Pulling a lot of magic through you also means you pull more of the bad into you, if you pull little but often you also accumulate a lot of bad. So the solution would be to just stop using magic? Well, magic is also highly addictive. A large part of Aes Sedai training is to resist the urge to just overindulge on magic and "overdose". As you learn in this episode about the nephew who just couldn't live on anymore after having his magic removed. My personal take and head canon on this is how the author Robert Jordan was an old Vietnam veteran. I think he saw a fair few of his fellow soldier friends suffer from PTSD, so hearing voices, thinking people are looking at you funny, thinking you see a sniper in a window, maybe the person smiling at you is enemy in disguise, loud bangs, etc. I think he drew the inspiration to the Madness from there. And just like PTSD, some people can face insane horrors and seem almost unchanged while others suffer a lot. Some men can go bad after just channeling a few weeks while others can last decades. (EDIT: You ask about his magic being dark. I'd say that is just how they portray the corruption on the male version of magic. YOu see he has both white and dark streams going into him, so the white is regular magic and the dark is just the tainted layer on the magic. But someone could think they are saving the world while at the same time playing straight into the hands of the Dark one.)
Just to add a silly bit to this… In the books the “corruption” on Saidin is referred to as “The Taint”. They changed it for the show for…reasons. 😅 The fandom named those two voices (that are talking to Logain in the cold open) the “Taint Puppets”.
Followup to my comment so, miiiinor possible spoilers. I personally don't think so, but leaving the decision to the reader! . . . . If you look up the covers for the Wheel of Time, you will find the symbol of the Ouroboros quite prominent, along with the Yin-Yang symbol. The Ouroboros is shown in the ring that the Aes Sedai wear (it is described as the Great Serpent ring, a snake eating its own tail). Also symbolizing the eternal turning of the Wheel, continuous rebirth of the people in the world and as the Innkeep from Ep3 said, that includes all the horrible stuff with famine, pandemics, death and suffering.. The Yin-Yang is the ancient symbol of the Aes Sedai, symbolizing two halfs being part of a greater whole. Men and Women drawing magic from the same main source, but each from their own half. So the side that men draw power from is corrupted, while the one the women pull from is not. With the reference to a slick oily field, think to the newspaper articles and pictures of them placing floating rings on the water so that oilspill from boats etc cannot spread. Men draw from the part with the oil, women from the part without it. Why it is corrupted is described a few books later so maybe in Season 2 or Season 3 of the show. However, keep an eye out for the Yin-Yang symbols. You have seen it a few times already. The dead sheep in Ep1 are laid out in the shape of the dark tear. If you look back at the opening of Ep3 when Nynaeve stabs the Trolloc, its blood also forms the tear. Expect it to keep appearing so keep an eye out! =D
@@Ferdawoon Foreshadowing in the show is about as crazy as it was in the books! Each time i watch i gain more respect for the people who put everything together , including all the small things youve just mentioned
Noooooo, i caught up now i have to wait a week for the next one 😭😭 loved catching up with your watch through. You really pick up on a lot and are very entertaining! I like that youre not afraid to pause it to talk without missing anything and even sometimes read the extra info :) look forward to episode five, where youll meet one of the best characters in the whole series!
@8:10 Don't worry about Logain looking old! He is played by Álvaro Morte who's born in 1975 (according to IMDB) so he's about 48 years old! Sure that they tend to have older characters play youngsters but 48 is a bit of a stretch!
going through your WOT reactions and just wanted to say I'm enjoying them so much! you're such a perceptive, intelligent, interesting & compassionate reactor. I adore the things you pick up on especially in character dynamics. I know readers have a lot of criticism of the show but your takes just prove how much thought and care and richness went into the TV writing.
I am personally fairly sure Mat did not kill the family. The close-up on the dagger shows it is spotless. If he stabbed the family, it would (probably) have a lot of blood on it. I think the Fade killed them, but if Mat sensed it happening and came to save the family or kill the Fade, or if the family was collateral damage between Mat and Fade fighting beforehand I don't know.
You continue to ask all the right questions, which is amazing considering you don't have the book information yet! It's also a testimony of how well they have adapted and condensed the book for those who are new to this material, but it's sometimes hard for us longtime readers though! We want to keep every word!😁 I love this episode, so much character and world building, lots more in the next one too!
I am starting to suspect Nynaeve's story of her mentor being turned away for being poor is not true. Not that Nynaeve was lying, but perhaps she herself wasn't told the truth. As you mentioned, more Aes Sedai are needed... so why would a candidate be turned away? Could there be another reason? Maybe! I don't know if that particular point will ever be addressed again, but one thing I'm learning is that a lot of things the characters say... are based on "best guesses" and unreliable information such as ancient prophecies. This is really illustrated here with Logain and Nynaeve.. even though she's sure they're too old to be the dragon, Moiraine still has doubts. Plus, even if Aes Sedai can't lie, you know some of them are definitely giving off major untrustworthy vibes - like Liandrin I applaud you for the challenge to wait til the show finishes to read the books! If you continue with it, it will be super super fun and interesting to see the perspective of someone who has only seen the show :D! Especially because you're so engaged and invested and really examining all the clues and hints being given. I saw so many book readers confused about how show-only people could understand it, which I thought was strange. I hadn't read the books before, and I didn't feel like the show was hard to follow. Definitely, having knowledge of both versions is a different perspective, so I think the show-only perspective will be important and interesting!
One of Robert Jordan’s favorite tropes was the Unreliable Narrator. Basically, people don’t know what they think they know. It makes things super interesting. Especially on rewatches/rereads because you can spot all of the misinformed character issues.
@@rapunzl347 Yes. I'm trying to be careful with spoilers, so I wont mention any specific example, but as I am reading I realize nobody knows anything about anything and they're all just trying their best (even if that's trying the best to be the worst LOL). It makes it 100000x more interesting.
Aes Sedai can't lie. But they can say something they believe is true, even if it is not. And someone who can learn to channel can be turned away, but someone who touches the Power on their own would not be. Like, the Aes Sedai wouldn't literally kidnap them off the street... but they will come very close. They definitely would not be tuned away. It is a literal matter of public safety to train anyone who will touch the Power.
@@Wouldyoukindly4545 Yes, there's definitely a potential explanation repeated often in the books (and hinted in a later episode) about how the White Tower works that could apply to the story of Nynaeve's mentor .. I didn't know if it's considered a spoiler though so I left it out 😅
Others have mentioned this, but just my 2cents worth: There are prophecies, but not all people have access to all prophesies or understand all of them. Something which is not common knowledge (won't say more, because possible spoilers) is when/that the Dragon has been reborn.
Another brilliant reaction! The author of the source material (Robert Jordan) was an absolute master of the limited POV and unreliable narrator. I won't say more because spoilers, but it is something to keep in mind. Cheers!
I've always wondered how the One Power works, whether it's our biology or mind. Unfortunately, at the time the writer began studying to write his first book (84~90s), we didn't talk about trans people and gender roles so openly and respectfully.
There are seven colors so you know. Reds hunt people who misuse the power. Green are battle Blue fights for a cause. Can be different from blue to blue. Yellow healing. Brown likes learning, Library, knowledge for the future. White are into philosophy. Greys are Law and politics. And you might want to remember the red Liandrin. And so you know season 2 starts September 1st.
Your reactions are such a joy to watch. But, at the rate the show is being made--with delay after delay after strike after strike--it's going to be close to a decade before it's finished. Maybe after season 4 or 5 you could at least start reading the books.
You mentioned Logain channelling darkness. If you look back to the things you have read, that you mentioned, the Dark One’s touch covering saidin. The lady in red is called Liandrin. The Amyrlin Seat, or just the amyrlin.
I would be interested to see how you react to the differences when you start reading. I only found one small spoiler for season 2 in the first book, and it is easy to miss, no one who did a reading reaction I watched caught it. Obviously reading past book one has big spoilers for season 2 and beyond. Also. There is criticism of the gendered nature of the magic system. Obviously the book was written in the 90s, so not only was trans rights kinda not a thing, but any same sex relationships were only hinted at... at least at first, Robert Jordan had more leeway to put same sex relationships into the books as they gained popularity and the censors/publisher didn't get as much of a say. In the books men and women draw from completely different sources of magic and can't see each other's weaves, and the connection is created by the person's soul and that soul is always reborn to the same gender. I think the problems with this was more an oversight of not having the information we have today rather than malice on the part of Robert Jordan. The show is kind of doing its best to non-gender the magic system... but it is hard to combine that with the whole "all men who use it go insane" part. They don't go insane *because* they are men, they go insane because the half of the Power they touch is corrupted. Also, the insanity of the taint of the magic is *not* mental illness. It looks similar, with auditory hallucinations and paranoia, but it differs because it almost purpously drives the men to violence, often against those closest to them. Men who can channel are talked about more like we talk about earthquakes and hurricanes, and can leave entire cities destroyed if not stopped soon enough. And it they are not killed or "gentled" they get to experience a horrible rotting death within a decade at most. Finally, some people can be trained but won't touch the power on their own. But some touch it instinctively and start to channel whether they want to or not. This is pretty much any man who can channel, no one would choose that path. And once they are on it, they really don't have any good choices. Logain had to believe he was the Dragon Reborn because otherwise he was just someone with a terrible fate to look forward to. The Reds have maybe the most thankless job imaginable, like law enforcement but basically executing people who had not choice in their crime (and it is a gender based crime), and even a lot of the fandom hate them. But without the Red Ajah humanity would likely be literally extinct. As for pacifism in the world of the Wheel of Time... its super complicated. In the real world I'm a... limited pacifist? I'd defend my loved ones but believe violence is wrong and war is literally evil. I wouldn't necessarily have those beliefs in a world with the literal devil and hordes of evil monsters... I think that war between the human countries is even worse, but I would support war against the Shadow. One thing a book reviwer said that stuck was that she thought it was dangerous to show an army of creatures (Trollocs) that could be slaughtered with no moral questions being raised. Many dictators in this world make their opponents out to be this kind of evil, soulless beings. I see her point, though I also think it is fine for fiction. Sometimes you read for complex moral questions, but sometimes you just need an unquestionably evil horde... for entertainment. I have high hopes for next season. I liked most of the first season, even though I didn't agree with some of the changes the showrunner made, and the production was marred by Barney Harris leaving and covid near the same time. And in all fairness, I did like some of the changes they made too *shrug*. I think next season could be really great and I'm hoping the show fans and book fans alike can enjoy it.
Important note. The reviewer above was a major fan, to the point of having a side character named for her, and enjoyed the books. She was just uncomfortable with the whole "I am purifying the land of filthy creatures of pure evil" part. Which in the book, totally comfortable... out of book, not so much.
And that is why you hire Maria Doyle Kennedy to deliver that speech. Ugh chills
FR chills every time
Is this a darkfriend? Is THIS a darkfriend?! IS THIS A DARKFRIEND?!?!
This state of mind is just a valuable part of the WoT experience. 😂
"Until he faces off with a Fade or something, then we could trust him"
I love it
I LOVE that you call Thom “The Gleaming Man”. Possibly even more than Gleeman.
shhhh you heard nothing...
@@JoyScott13Reacts 😆 1) It sounds fancier 2) The new definition still applies
If you look Mats Dagger has no blood on it and he doesn't have any blood on his hands or cloths. So yeah it was the Fade! The blackness you see as Logain channels is the "Taint" the Dark One placed on the Male half of The One Power. GREAT Reaction as usual! ❤🔥
Of course someone with the name Mat's Dagger would try and defend Mat's dagger. I see what you're up to
@@tofystedeth I know not of what you mean??? 👿🤣
I think your analysis is spot on. Also scroll down for minor spoiler (that may not even be a thing in the show)
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Not sure about in the show. But in the books it is revealed that even a scratch from the dagger kills the victim and rots their body instantly.
Illya's story to Perrin was amazingly moving, and just really gets the feelings of the Tuatha'an across.
They're really done a great job conveying the ideology and culture of each society, and making them seem sincere and comprehensible and not overly-simplified.
Loving your reactions!!! And this is one of my favorite episodes, so good I also cried at the end haha. And the books will be a lovely treat waiting for you at the end. I actually really love seeing the reactions of people who haven't read the books, it helps me understand how some of the writing choices and changes from the books make sense to people who are just watching the show, and even help them to understand the characters and themes.
Yeah i agree this episode showed me how the adaption could work and be very good, as this was one of my favourite episodes and it contained almost nothing from the books!
I feel the same way. It's obviously a good show despite how I as a book reader feel. Matt is my favorite character and the differences really bothered me at first. Barney Harris was fantastic.
I'm so glad you said that, Rosa Sedai - I do agree with you. I was very negative at first but this kind of reaction really opens my eyes a bit.
So insightful!
@15:30 - Thom's agenda for helping
I think Thom (the Gleeman) has a similar character arc here as Perrin did in previous episode.
Perrin couldn't save his wife, so now he is overprotective of Egwene as a cope, as a "I couldn't save my wife, but at least I can defend you". Thom seem to have a similar agenda, he couldn't save his nephew so he's now trying to do right by staying with and defending Rand and Mat.
Cool angle of looking at it that I hadn't thought of before 👍
I've seen this episode like 5 times and I still get chills there
This was probably my favourite episode and the one i enjoy the most in my rewatch, and ironically there is nothing in this episode that is in the book, but its just soo good! Discovering Nyneave can channel and very powerfully, watching the weaving of the one power in the shield, lots of small things. And i absolutely love the portrayal of the madness of the male half of the power, saidin. And i think it was this episode i fell in love with Allana and her warders! The portrayals of the Aes Sedai and their warders fighting amongst my favourite in this, helped emphasise the bond even more
Since I'm pretty sure you're personally 2 episodes ahead of what gets posted on youtube, I think it's okay to provide a little more context to some of your questions, as these're also addressed in episode 6 (as well as a lot of the trivia displayed in pauses and the animated shorts), I'll just try and be extra vague about them just in case.
The story the old Wisdom told Nynaeve might not have been entirely accurate. Or at least, she might not have had complete context.
There are a lot of prophecies around the Dragon and a lot of men throughout history have proclaimed themselves as the Dragon Reborn (either to seek power or because they truly believed it) with varying amounts of success. The prophecies regarding the Dragon having actually been reborn recently and not just at some vague point in the future are known only to very few people. So Logain doesn't know he doesn't meet Moiraine's age criteria.
Excellent eye. To help with your understanding of Logain I suggest rewatching the cold open from the first episode
We’re so happy to have you in the WoT fandom! 😊
Don’t worry about the fan. I can’t hear it at all. Many members of the WoT fandom have lots of health issues. So we get it.
Do you drop the videos at a scheduled time? We’ve been waiting for Tuesday, but didn’t know what time, so we’ve been checking YT. 😅
Thank you again, so so much for your lovely welcome!
Reactions drop at 5pm in the UK (currently BST) :) When S2 starts they'll be up as soon as I've had the chance to watch and edit hehe
I do not know why I like watching reactions to this show when I am not much of a fan of the books but I do. Thank you for your reactions and your love of this show, it is a good show.
Tuesdays have become my favorite day of the week! Another great reaction! One of the common themes Jordan uses in WOT is the concept of the unreliable narrator. Things are not always as people believe they are. The old wisdom's story, and Thom's (mis)diagnosis of Matt's problem are a couple of examples. In fairness to Thom, he does not know that Matt took the knife from Shadar Logath.
7:20 "until he [Thom] faces off against a fade or whatever"
nice 😄
Also holy cow Nynaeve's burst of power gets me everytime 😭
I so enjoyed your reaction. I have read through the books once and am on the third book again, listening on audiobook. I do like seeing you watch from a newbie point of view. This episode is amazing and moving, and there is so much more to come . . .
The collective we put a lot of so called eggs into this basket. We hope that this episode lived up to expectations. As usual, your insights are terrific. We love seeing your reactions every Tuesday.
I would recommend you also schedule time for the Wheel of Time Origins segments (5mins max each). There are 6 of them in season 1. They add insight and background where the show couldn't put time. Feel free to see each one after each episode. They are spoiler free.
Your expressions when something happens is a joy to watch. I’m loving your analysis of this show. I’ve been a WOT fan since the 1990’s. This show has veered somewhat from the books but there are nuggets of fun references there too! Your reaction as a newbie reminds us old fans of how exciting this world is. It also goes to show how the writers of the show are trying to introduce important concepts (like the Aes Sendai / Warder bond works and Gentling the male Channelers. Eager to hear your next episodes reactions!!! Keep it up!
This episode is in my top two. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Nynaeve and Lan are my favorites.
I LOVE how much insight youve already got into Aes Sedai structure and politics. It really makes me happy with how well the show has adapted the core spine of the books while making a great, entertaining show that's accessible to non readers 😍
My preference is also not to read the books at the same time as watching the show. I read the first book when it came out, but I don't remember much. I won't go back to the books until after the show is over. In my experience, the show tells you what you need to know (although not always when you want to know it :-) ).
"At least two of them are having a vaguely nice time." Grab it when you can get it. 🙂
Maybe a sliiiiight spoiler about why men go mad. Most of this is covered in the animated shorts that Prime released with each Episode. Adding some empty rows so you can stop reading if you don't want ANY spoilers!
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So the Madness comes from them using Magic. If men touch their source of magic, they have to go through layer of filth, taint, corruption. The Author once described it as the source of magic being an infinite ocean of power and on top of that is a thin layer of oil. The Magic is still pure and uncorrupted, but to reach into it the men have to go through that layer of bad. Pulling a lot of magic through you also means you pull more of the bad into you, if you pull little but often you also accumulate a lot of bad.
So the solution would be to just stop using magic? Well, magic is also highly addictive. A large part of Aes Sedai training is to resist the urge to just overindulge on magic and "overdose". As you learn in this episode about the nephew who just couldn't live on anymore after having his magic removed.
My personal take and head canon on this is how the author Robert Jordan was an old Vietnam veteran. I think he saw a fair few of his fellow soldier friends suffer from PTSD, so hearing voices, thinking people are looking at you funny, thinking you see a sniper in a window, maybe the person smiling at you is enemy in disguise, loud bangs, etc. I think he drew the inspiration to the Madness from there. And just like PTSD, some people can face insane horrors and seem almost unchanged while others suffer a lot. Some men can go bad after just channeling a few weeks while others can last decades.
(EDIT: You ask about his magic being dark. I'd say that is just how they portray the corruption on the male version of magic. YOu see he has both white and dark streams going into him, so the white is regular magic and the dark is just the tainted layer on the magic. But someone could think they are saving the world while at the same time playing straight into the hands of the Dark one.)
Just to add a silly bit to this…
In the books the “corruption” on Saidin is referred to as “The Taint”. They changed it for the show for…reasons. 😅
The fandom named those two voices (that are talking to Logain in the cold open) the “Taint Puppets”.
Followup to my comment so, miiiinor possible spoilers. I personally don't think so, but leaving the decision to the reader!
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If you look up the covers for the Wheel of Time, you will find the symbol of the Ouroboros quite prominent, along with the Yin-Yang symbol.
The Ouroboros is shown in the ring that the Aes Sedai wear (it is described as the Great Serpent ring, a snake eating its own tail). Also symbolizing the eternal turning of the Wheel, continuous rebirth of the people in the world and as the Innkeep from Ep3 said, that includes all the horrible stuff with famine, pandemics, death and suffering..
The Yin-Yang is the ancient symbol of the Aes Sedai, symbolizing two halfs being part of a greater whole. Men and Women drawing magic from the same main source, but each from their own half. So the side that men draw power from is corrupted, while the one the women pull from is not. With the reference to a slick oily field, think to the newspaper articles and pictures of them placing floating rings on the water so that oilspill from boats etc cannot spread. Men draw from the part with the oil, women from the part without it.
Why it is corrupted is described a few books later so maybe in Season 2 or Season 3 of the show.
However, keep an eye out for the Yin-Yang symbols. You have seen it a few times already. The dead sheep in Ep1 are laid out in the shape of the dark tear. If you look back at the opening of Ep3 when Nynaeve stabs the Trolloc, its blood also forms the tear. Expect it to keep appearing so keep an eye out! =D
@@Ferdawoon Foreshadowing in the show is about as crazy as it was in the books! Each time i watch i gain more respect for the people who put everything together , including all the small things youve just mentioned
Noooooo, i caught up now i have to wait a week for the next one 😭😭 loved catching up with your watch through. You really pick up on a lot and are very entertaining! I like that youre not afraid to pause it to talk without missing anything and even sometimes read the extra info :) look forward to episode five, where youll meet one of the best characters in the whole series!
Logain’s magic was white, but then you see the black coat over it.
@8:10 Don't worry about Logain looking old!
He is played by Álvaro Morte who's born in 1975 (according to IMDB) so he's about 48 years old! Sure that they tend to have older characters play youngsters but 48 is a bit of a stretch!
Loving your reactions to the wheel of time show. It’s becoming a weekly highlight. And again you ask so many of the right questions!
going through your WOT reactions and just wanted to say I'm enjoying them so much! you're such a perceptive, intelligent, interesting & compassionate reactor. I adore the things you pick up on especially in character dynamics. I know readers have a lot of criticism of the show but your takes just prove how much thought and care and richness went into the TV writing.
Another great reaction! Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm for the show. This was one of my favorite episodes of Season 1.
I am personally fairly sure Mat did not kill the family.
The close-up on the dagger shows it is spotless. If he stabbed the family, it would (probably) have a lot of blood on it. I think the Fade killed them, but if Mat sensed it happening and came to save the family or kill the Fade, or if the family was collateral damage between Mat and Fade fighting beforehand I don't know.
I think when Mat vomited up that Mashadar residue, it basically lit a beacon for the Fade, making it much easier for it to find them.
Note that the Fade is actually hiding from Matt- or rather, from the dagger.
You continue to ask all the right questions, which is amazing considering you don't have the book information yet! It's also a testimony of how well they have adapted and condensed the book for those who are new to this material, but it's sometimes hard for us longtime readers though! We want to keep every word!😁 I love this episode, so much character and world building, lots more in the next one too!
I am starting to suspect Nynaeve's story of her mentor being turned away for being poor is not true. Not that Nynaeve was lying, but perhaps she herself wasn't told the truth. As you mentioned, more Aes Sedai are needed... so why would a candidate be turned away? Could there be another reason? Maybe!
I don't know if that particular point will ever be addressed again, but one thing I'm learning is that a lot of things the characters say... are based on "best guesses" and unreliable information such as ancient prophecies. This is really illustrated here with Logain and Nynaeve.. even though she's sure they're too old to be the dragon, Moiraine still has doubts. Plus, even if Aes Sedai can't lie, you know some of them are definitely giving off major untrustworthy vibes - like Liandrin
I applaud you for the challenge to wait til the show finishes to read the books! If you continue with it, it will be super super fun and interesting to see the perspective of someone who has only seen the show :D! Especially because you're so engaged and invested and really examining all the clues and hints being given.
I saw so many book readers confused about how show-only people could understand it, which I thought was strange. I hadn't read the books before, and I didn't feel like the show was hard to follow. Definitely, having knowledge of both versions is a different perspective, so I think the show-only perspective will be important and interesting!
One of Robert Jordan’s favorite tropes was the Unreliable Narrator. Basically, people don’t know what they think they know. It makes things super interesting. Especially on rewatches/rereads because you can spot all of the misinformed character issues.
@@rapunzl347 Yes. I'm trying to be careful with spoilers, so I wont mention any specific example, but as I am reading I realize nobody knows anything about anything and they're all just trying their best (even if that's trying the best to be the worst LOL). It makes it 100000x more interesting.
@@meredithweston46399 it’s one of the things that makes these stories a bit Too Real at times. 🤣
Aes Sedai can't lie. But they can say something they believe is true, even if it is not.
And someone who can learn to channel can be turned away, but someone who touches the Power on their own would not be. Like, the Aes Sedai wouldn't literally kidnap them off the street... but they will come very close. They definitely would not be tuned away. It is a literal matter of public safety to train anyone who will touch the Power.
@@Wouldyoukindly4545 Yes, there's definitely a potential explanation repeated often in the books (and hinted in a later episode) about how the White Tower works that could apply to the story of Nynaeve's mentor .. I didn't know if it's considered a spoiler though so I left it out 😅
Others have mentioned this, but just my 2cents worth: There are prophecies, but not all people have access to all prophesies or understand all of them. Something which is not common knowledge (won't say more, because possible spoilers) is when/that the Dragon has been reborn.
Oh, hello, Favourite Episode.
Another brilliant reaction! The author of the source material (Robert Jordan) was an absolute master of the limited POV and unreliable narrator.
I won't say more because spoilers, but it is something to keep in mind. Cheers!
I want to clarify. You are doing a great job exercising critical thinking and not taking everything everyone says at face value.
Welcome to the WOT community *giggles* So fun watching you react!
Great reaction.
I've always wondered how the One Power works, whether it's our biology or mind. Unfortunately, at the time the writer began studying to write his first book (84~90s), we didn't talk about trans people and gender roles so openly and respectfully.
There are seven colors so you know.
Reds hunt people who misuse the power.
Green are battle
Blue fights for a cause. Can be different from blue to blue.
Yellow healing.
Brown likes learning, Library, knowledge for the future.
White are into philosophy.
Greys are Law and politics.
And you might want to remember the red Liandrin. And so you know season 2 starts September 1st.
Love watching non reader reactions and you have a new sub :)
To help with your pronunciation of Egwene al'Vere, it's similar to Guinevere from Arthurian legends
Your reactions are such a joy to watch. But, at the rate the show is being made--with delay after delay after strike after strike--it's going to be close to a decade before it's finished. Maybe after season 4 or 5 you could at least start reading the books.
You mentioned Logain channelling darkness. If you look back to the things you have read, that you mentioned, the Dark One’s touch covering saidin. The lady in red is called Liandrin. The Amyrlin Seat, or just the amyrlin.
And as for the old wisdom … it’s not as simple as poverty, as you will find out in 1-2 episodes.
😊
Welcome to the WoT community, hopefully you will find the books equally good (they are even better). :)
I'm really enjoying your reactions to this show! And I love your respect for the gender spectrum and how you work to steer away from bigotry
I would be interested to see how you react to the differences when you start reading. I only found one small spoiler for season 2 in the first book, and it is easy to miss, no one who did a reading reaction I watched caught it. Obviously reading past book one has big spoilers for season 2 and beyond.
Also. There is criticism of the gendered nature of the magic system. Obviously the book was written in the 90s, so not only was trans rights kinda not a thing, but any same sex relationships were only hinted at... at least at first, Robert Jordan had more leeway to put same sex relationships into the books as they gained popularity and the censors/publisher didn't get as much of a say. In the books men and women draw from completely different sources of magic and can't see each other's weaves, and the connection is created by the person's soul and that soul is always reborn to the same gender. I think the problems with this was more an oversight of not having the information we have today rather than malice on the part of Robert Jordan. The show is kind of doing its best to non-gender the magic system... but it is hard to combine that with the whole "all men who use it go insane" part. They don't go insane *because* they are men, they go insane because the half of the Power they touch is corrupted.
Also, the insanity of the taint of the magic is *not* mental illness. It looks similar, with auditory hallucinations and paranoia, but it differs because it almost purpously drives the men to violence, often against those closest to them. Men who can channel are talked about more like we talk about earthquakes and hurricanes, and can leave entire cities destroyed if not stopped soon enough. And it they are not killed or "gentled" they get to experience a horrible rotting death within a decade at most.
Finally, some people can be trained but won't touch the power on their own. But some touch it instinctively and start to channel whether they want to or not. This is pretty much any man who can channel, no one would choose that path. And once they are on it, they really don't have any good choices. Logain had to believe he was the Dragon Reborn because otherwise he was just someone with a terrible fate to look forward to.
The Reds have maybe the most thankless job imaginable, like law enforcement but basically executing people who had not choice in their crime (and it is a gender based crime), and even a lot of the fandom hate them. But without the Red Ajah humanity would likely be literally extinct.
As for pacifism in the world of the Wheel of Time... its super complicated. In the real world I'm a... limited pacifist? I'd defend my loved ones but believe violence is wrong and war is literally evil. I wouldn't necessarily have those beliefs in a world with the literal devil and hordes of evil monsters... I think that war between the human countries is even worse, but I would support war against the Shadow. One thing a book reviwer said that stuck was that she thought it was dangerous to show an army of creatures (Trollocs) that could be slaughtered with no moral questions being raised. Many dictators in this world make their opponents out to be this kind of evil, soulless beings. I see her point, though I also think it is fine for fiction. Sometimes you read for complex moral questions, but sometimes you just need an unquestionably evil horde... for entertainment.
I have high hopes for next season. I liked most of the first season, even though I didn't agree with some of the changes the showrunner made, and the production was marred by Barney Harris leaving and covid near the same time. And in all fairness, I did like some of the changes they made too *shrug*. I think next season could be really great and I'm hoping the show fans and book fans alike can enjoy it.
Important note. The reviewer above was a major fan, to the point of having a side character named for her, and enjoyed the books. She was just uncomfortable with the whole "I am purifying the land of filthy creatures of pure evil" part. Which in the book, totally comfortable... out of book, not so much.
You are very perceptive
So when does someone make like that Darth Vader meme and make a Nynaeve SNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW video?