Good review and, because i can't resist, some more info without spoilers. Alright let's go... 1- So the statue Stepin chose (and that's what the fandom thinks) is the warder that is mentioned in the origin episode about the warders (ep2 i think). I think the name is Jerome and believed to be the best warder that has ever existed (because he could beat anyone with only a quarterstaff... Keep that in mind for s3) 2 - The episode starts and ends with a funeral. Both have a singer, first a woman with a type of singing that is generally only possible by women, and vice versa for the ending. So very on point. White is the colour of mourning in the book and the funeral at the end is a korean influenced type of mourning (daniel henney (Lan) suggested it if i remember correctly). 3 - About the Logain moment. Logain does laugh while looking at them but it's all about Rand for him (This is mentioned in s2) because he has a Talent that allows him to see male channeler and weaves and Rand is off the chart (this is a change from the book but works fine). We have Mat's POV though thinking it's about him. It's one of the red herring the show left for us because of the "who is the dragon reborn" mystery. That's all. 4 - Rand in the library. He is reading the korathean cycle which is basically the dragon prophecies. Remember that he already doubts from the first episode that he is most likely the dragon. So he's looking for clues and confirmation. We as a viewer don't know though. So more foreshadowing... Which is chef's kiss. 5 - Loial is the best, hopefully we'll see more of him in s3 and it's gonna slap. 6 - The story about Egwene having breakbone fever and Nynaeve staying all night with her and Egwene getting cured miraculously... I would ask you to think about it. How did she heal so quickly? 🤔😅 7 - The whitecloaks, they call themselves children of the light because of course they would.... So they are all Child Something. It's their title if you will. 8 - About the wolves, we learn in s2 that it was actually Elyas who sent them to help Perrin. Very good episode, important to understand the warder bond, the cruelty of Valda, the madness of Mat (dagger) and the introduction of Loial. 👍👍
@@ToriTalksTV no probs, I enjoy delving more into the show and see what they've done that works for viewers compared to readers and why it works. And I enjoy reactions because I can leech off that feeling of discovery of the world 😅. Keep'em coming, it satiates partially my longing for S3 😀👍
This might still be my favourite episode of the series so far - mostly because of the Warder / Aes Sedai and the Stepin storylines (How amazing was Peter Franzén!). Most of this story is alluded to in the books, but we do not read/see anything about this type of ceremony at all. It is such a wonderful and rich addition to the lore, which I really appreciated flushing out the relationships and giving all us book readers something different to appreciate. Also, how amazing/scary/psychotic is Abdul Salis as Valda? So many strong side characters / acting in this show (Priyanka Bose as Allana and Johann Myers as Fain also come to mind). I'm also really enjoying how you guys are putting together some of the earlier things in the series that did not seem important or did not make sense and relating them to events in further episodes (and even some theories of what is yet to come!).
In S2, Logain tells Rand that he did laugh when he looked up and saw his ability to channel. I think it's a complex task to explain his urge to laugh - sort of an insane blend of absurdity and schadenfreude, cuz he's imagining how much more trouble a man can get up to when he's so much stronger in the Power - and maybe thinking it's ironic that he's in a cage when such a powerful man is free to, in his mind, cause much more havoc. So that parade scene is indeed deceptive in that it's actually about Rand, not Mat, but it's real in that he was indeed apparently laughing. I don't really know why the editing makes it seem like it's a hallucination that he was laughing... (Btw, there's some tricky stuff with the lore here: I think they've changed it so that being able to detect the ability to channel in someone else is a rare talent, and that this talent stays with you even if you get gentled or stilled.)
Logain does have a Talent in the books which is similar. Talents are not part of the one power so even though Logain is gentled at this time, he still can see that Rand has power. Not sure he can see just how much, but he knows Rand is powerful.
Logain has a 'Talent' that in the show is the ability to see weaves. I think. This is slightly different in the books. He still has a talent and it is related, but it is different. A Talent is not related to the one power. So even though he has been gentled, this does not affect his Talent. Rand has not been trained at the point that Logain sees him in Tar Valon so Rand is leaking power. It isn't until season two when they meet that Logain sees just how powerful Rand is.
Although many things that happened in this episode was not really in the book, I think it was important for non-book readers to really see how impactful the bonds between an Aes Sedai is to her warder. Many book readers complained that it’s a waste of time in the main storyline, but I disagree. The show needs to draw non-book readers as well.
This is the best addition to the WoT lore yet. Brilliantly written and acted. It also gives the viewer that Aes Seai and Warders are not immortal super beings (like the comic book heroes we see elsewhere), they can easily die just like everyone else.
If I remember correctly, I think there were little statues representing The Forsaken in one of the warder’s rooms (maybe Stephen’s) that were for superstition purposes. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong.
Yep! I think the showrunners were drawing on some real world spiritual practices where you try to ward off evil spirits - maybe voodoo? It's a nice bit of supplemental worldbuilding I love, because it picks up on the kind of expansive, all-inclusive, global-in-scope worldbuilding in the books and keeps going with it, fleshing it out even more.
Oh WOW, I never connected Egwene's contorted physical pain acting in S2 with her childhood struggle with breakbone fever! The actress has talked about looking at depictions of pain in Renaissance art, I think, so that was the only reference I was thinking about. What a cool observation!! (Also, with your medical knowledge - do you agree with the fan interpretation that breakbone fever is inspired by tetanus?)
That’s such a fun fact that the actress looked at Renaissance art as a reference for pain. Dr. S is not a medical doctor, but I am a nurse. I remember the first time watching that I didn’t connect breakbone fever with tetanus and even got some crap for it, hahaha! Tetanus affects the nerves in the muscles and I think I took breakBONE literally. -Tori :)
None of the stuff with Stepin was in the books, but I think it was a great way to show the impact of the bond between Aes Sedai and her warder(s) on screen. It is an important aspect of the story and some of that was already used in the relationship between Moiraine and Lan in S2, as well as Ryma and her warder (which shows it works both ways). And I expect it to return in other seasons as well.
Nyneave lost her whole family and was brought to the 2 Rivers as a child and has stayed separate as a Wisdom. Then she connects with Lan intimately about praying and what her parents said to her and here Lan is dying. She CAN’T lose him. Nooooooooo!
You may be surprised to hear that Steppin is on screen for a total of about 10 minutes and most it he talks about Lan, Moiraine, and Nyneave. People who complain about this being a “whole episode” are not realizing it feels like that because it’s emotionally so intense.
NO SPOILERS PLEASE 🙏🏽 ❤ We haven't read the books!
Good review and, because i can't resist, some more info without spoilers.
Alright let's go...
1- So the statue Stepin chose (and that's what the fandom thinks) is the warder that is mentioned in the origin episode about the warders (ep2 i think). I think the name is Jerome and believed to be the best warder that has ever existed (because he could beat anyone with only a quarterstaff... Keep that in mind for s3)
2 - The episode starts and ends with a funeral. Both have a singer, first a woman with a type of singing that is generally only possible by women, and vice versa for the ending. So very on point. White is the colour of mourning in the book and the funeral at the end is a korean influenced type of mourning (daniel henney (Lan) suggested it if i remember correctly).
3 - About the Logain moment. Logain does laugh while looking at them but it's all about Rand for him (This is mentioned in s2) because he has a Talent that allows him to see male channeler and weaves and Rand is off the chart (this is a change from the book but works fine). We have Mat's POV though thinking it's about him. It's one of the red herring the show left for us because of the "who is the dragon reborn" mystery. That's all.
4 - Rand in the library. He is reading the korathean cycle which is basically the dragon prophecies. Remember that he already doubts from the first episode that he is most likely the dragon. So he's looking for clues and confirmation. We as a viewer don't know though. So more foreshadowing... Which is chef's kiss.
5 - Loial is the best, hopefully we'll see more of him in s3 and it's gonna slap.
6 - The story about Egwene having breakbone fever and Nynaeve staying all night with her and Egwene getting cured miraculously... I would ask you to think about it. How did she heal so quickly? 🤔😅
7 - The whitecloaks, they call themselves children of the light because of course they would.... So they are all Child Something. It's their title if you will.
8 - About the wolves, we learn in s2 that it was actually Elyas who sent them to help Perrin.
Very good episode, important to understand the warder bond, the cruelty of Valda, the madness of Mat (dagger) and the introduction of Loial.
👍👍
This is all so helpful! Thank you for taking the time to type this out!! -Tori :)
@@ToriTalksTV no probs, I enjoy delving more into the show and see what they've done that works for viewers compared to readers and why it works.
And I enjoy reactions because I can leech off that feeling of discovery of the world 😅.
Keep'em coming, it satiates partially my longing for S3 😀👍
This might still be my favourite episode of the series so far - mostly because of the Warder / Aes Sedai and the Stepin storylines (How amazing was Peter Franzén!). Most of this story is alluded to in the books, but we do not read/see anything about this type of ceremony at all. It is such a wonderful and rich addition to the lore, which I really appreciated flushing out the relationships and giving all us book readers something different to appreciate.
Also, how amazing/scary/psychotic is Abdul Salis as Valda? So many strong side characters / acting in this show (Priyanka Bose as Allana and Johann Myers as Fain also come to mind).
I'm also really enjoying how you guys are putting together some of the earlier things in the series that did not seem important or did not make sense and relating them to events in further episodes (and even some theories of what is yet to come!).
The actors are just brilliant!! Thank you so much! -Tori :)
In S2, Logain tells Rand that he did laugh when he looked up and saw his ability to channel. I think it's a complex task to explain his urge to laugh - sort of an insane blend of absurdity and schadenfreude, cuz he's imagining how much more trouble a man can get up to when he's so much stronger in the Power - and maybe thinking it's ironic that he's in a cage when such a powerful man is free to, in his mind, cause much more havoc.
So that parade scene is indeed deceptive in that it's actually about Rand, not Mat, but it's real in that he was indeed apparently laughing. I don't really know why the editing makes it seem like it's a hallucination that he was laughing...
(Btw, there's some tricky stuff with the lore here: I think they've changed it so that being able to detect the ability to channel in someone else is a rare talent, and that this talent stays with you even if you get gentled or stilled.)
Logain does have a Talent in the books which is similar. Talents are not part of the one power so even though Logain is gentled at this time, he still can see that Rand has power. Not sure he can see just how much, but he knows Rand is powerful.
I was going to say this as well. 😅
This is so fascinating! Thank you! That was very tricky editing! -Tori :)
Logain has a 'Talent' that in the show is the ability to see weaves. I think. This is slightly different in the books. He still has a talent and it is related, but it is different. A Talent is not related to the one power. So even though he has been gentled, this does not affect his Talent. Rand has not been trained at the point that Logain sees him in Tar Valon so Rand is leaking power. It isn't until season two when they meet that Logain sees just how powerful Rand is.
Thank you so much for this explanation! -Tori :)
I don't know if you've seen the announcement, but WoTCon's special guest this year is the show's costume designer.
Aaahhh, so excited!! -Tori :)
So Logain is actually laughing, but at Rand, not Mat. This is confirmed in S2
Was going to say this. 😅
Oohhh, thank you!! -Tori :)
Although many things that happened in this episode was not really in the book, I think it was important for non-book readers to really see how impactful the bonds between an Aes Sedai is to her warder. Many book readers complained that it’s a waste of time in the main storyline, but I disagree. The show needs to draw non-book readers as well.
This is the best addition to the WoT lore yet. Brilliantly written and acted. It also gives the viewer that Aes Seai and Warders are not immortal super beings (like the comic book heroes we see elsewhere), they can easily die just like everyone else.
It was one of the most impactful series of scenes that I’ve ever seen in WoT and it helped me understand the bond on a much deeper level! -Tori :)
White Cloaks are SO hated in the books too. The show did a good job with this.
If I remember correctly, I think there were little statues representing The Forsaken in one of the warder’s rooms (maybe Stephen’s) that were for superstition purposes. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong.
Yep! I think the showrunners were drawing on some real world spiritual practices where you try to ward off evil spirits - maybe voodoo?
It's a nice bit of supplemental worldbuilding I love, because it picks up on the kind of expansive, all-inclusive, global-in-scope worldbuilding in the books and keeps going with it, fleshing it out even more.
Those are the little statues. And the big Statues in the hallways are famous wardens or perhaps representations of ideal warders
Oooh, that’s very fascinating! -Tori :)
The statues belonged to Steppin’s mom. A LOT of cultures use incense with statues.
Oh WOW, I never connected Egwene's contorted physical pain acting in S2 with her childhood struggle with breakbone fever! The actress has talked about looking at depictions of pain in Renaissance art, I think, so that was the only reference I was thinking about. What a cool observation!!
(Also, with your medical knowledge - do you agree with the fan interpretation that breakbone fever is inspired by tetanus?)
That’s such a fun fact that the actress looked at Renaissance art as a reference for pain. Dr. S is not a medical doctor, but I am a nurse. I remember the first time watching that I didn’t connect breakbone fever with tetanus and even got some crap for it, hahaha! Tetanus affects the nerves in the muscles and I think I took breakBONE literally. -Tori :)
👍👍👍🎡🎡🎡⌚️⌚️⌚️
🤍🤍🤍
Why don't you guys do reaction videos for movies and TV shows like "Sweetpea." I am sure you guys would like that show.
That’s a really good idea!! Thank you for this suggestion! -Tori :)
None of the stuff with Stepin was in the books, but I think it was a great way to show the impact of the bond between Aes Sedai and her warder(s) on screen. It is an important aspect of the story and some of that was already used in the relationship between Moiraine and Lan in S2, as well as Ryma and her warder (which shows it works both ways). And I expect it to return in other seasons as well.
It was beautifully done and I think very effective! -Tori :)
Nyneave lost her whole family and was brought to the 2 Rivers as a child and has stayed separate as a Wisdom. Then she connects with Lan intimately about praying and what her parents said to her and here Lan is dying. She CAN’T lose him. Nooooooooo!
🥺
You may be surprised to hear that Steppin is on screen for a total of about 10 minutes and most it he talks about Lan, Moiraine, and Nyneave. People who complain about this being a “whole episode” are not realizing it feels like that because it’s emotionally so intense.
It does feel that way and it definitely because it’s so powerful! -Tori :)
better increase your release schedule or you won't finish the rewatch before S3 starts !
You’re right! Working on it! -Tori :)