WoT on Prime episode 5 SPOILERS

[Thalia]

I think they could work in the horse thing, they'd only have to say it was the horse Egwene was riding, but I don't think they'll go back to that detail. I think Moiraine missing a horse was just an easter egg for the readers. They might have cut the Sickness altogether I guess, I can't remember if it's been mentioned in relation to women or not.

I agree that those are probably the reasons they skipped it (and they make sense), but Rand's new to channeling, it could literally have been something as off-hand as Rand retiring to bed earlier than normal or Mat quipping he hopes Rand hasn't caught what he's got, and then never mentioned again. Or even just a comment when they arrived at the farm that suggested Rand was glad they had a barn to stay in because he felt a little off colour.

I was expecting them to skip the rest of the travelling tbh, and was glad they did. The episodes that weren't just travelling are stronger imo. We got more or less the same beats, and in an 8 hour season it was enough. Not that I wouldn't have loved to see more had they had more time for it! Particularly Thom; he deserved more screen time.

I do hope they do more with Rand next episode; he needs it at this point. 

I think one of the drawbacks of using Tar Valon over Caemlyn is that it feels like they've stopped running now; they have an authority to hand everything over to. I'm happy enough to sit back and see what they do, and I 100% agree that knowing the story in this instance is a detriment. The Stepin story was so powerful in terms of character that I think they can pull it all off, but we'll see. 

I'm curious to see how ep 5 feels when we can see it in relation to the whole season, and if the pause there is justified. I think it did more longterm set-up than just Lan and Moiraine's eventual fate though (like bond consent and acts of grief). I think the main and immediate payoff was for Lan (who I would hazard a guess is probably a firm fan favourite). We know now that Lan is a man who feels deeply (and clearly has deep wells of pain behind that stoicism), and I think we basically saw a glimpse of him as a king without a kingdom -- which will make the reveal of his past far more poignant now and not just "backstory." I think that revelation will be fairly soon, possibly when they get to Fal Dara? But in any case, when he gives Nyn the ring but rejects her, which will be before they leave Tar Valon I reckon, we are REALLY going to feel it now. We know Lan's stakes better for ep 5, and he was given the room to breathe without just being Moiraine's warder. I can't think how else they could have done that with the same emotional impact (and especially with a character who speaks little and shows little).

For better or worse this opening season really is "Moiraine's Quest" and it makes sense that they build her and Lan up first for that reason. The Aes Sedai and the Tower are kinda WoT's USP so I don't think it was the wrong decision to have so much focus there, and I imagine subsequent seasons will feel far more ensemble than this one has room to. But equally, the dragon reveal has to have an impact, and if it looks like they just "pick" the character that flew under the radar, but who no one really cares about, then that's a problem. So I totally agree with you, it has to be worth it. It's impossible to judge that until the finale, but it's a concern precisely because we do know the story.

In terms of the bond loss being way in the future though, if you haven't read the books you don't actually know it's later on, and I think once Moiraine and Suian's interactions makes it clear how much personal risk they are undertaking this is going to feel like a huge threat (and is supposed to). Viewers have GoT and LOTR as a reference after all, and GoT killed off its big name star "main" character at the end of season 1, and after Gandalf everyone knows the mentor character doesn't survive to the end. The risk there will feel both real and immediate.