WOT on Prime- Episode 1-3- Spoil Away!

[Ascendancy]

When I asked Manflesh who he thought DR was, his exact response was:

Him: "Whats a dragon again?" 

Me: "Dragon reborn."

Him: "What's a dragon reborn again?" 

Me: "the guy that broke the world 3,000 years ago."

Him: "Oh, I dunno... Is someone suppose to be a dragon reborn?"

Me: tosses hands in air.

[Nox]

I find it amusing ya'll have the opposite of me... I kind wish Shea hadn't read the WoT so I didn't have to listen to the that's not right? or the heavy sighs that bracket the story lol.

We've discussed me potentially watching it without him first lol. I will likely rewatch the episodes too Just not during NaNo when I'm behind on words.

[Ascendancy]

I find it amusing ya'll have the opposite of me... I kind wish Shea hadn't read the WoT so I didn't have to listen to the that's not right?  or the heavy sighs that bracket the story lol.

We've discussed me potentially watching it without him first lol.  I will likely rewatch the episodes too  Just not during NaNo when I'm behind on words.

I hate it when people add commentary during movies/shows.. Just pulls you out of the zen of movie watching. You should watch it first on your own then do a re-watch with him.

[Armande]

I love the casting. They got it down. And they have made some adjustments to the characters that arguably work much better.

1) Mat, lest we get overawed by the pure awesome he became once he was healed from the dagger in book 3, was pretty much a dick. Immature, irresponsible, always getting into trouble. But not in a redeeming or loveable way. It started innocently off with the badger and the floured luhan dogs as darkhounds (hilarious) but once they left the two rivers, he was just a complainer and constantly getting into trouble. Whether it was bringing the WC attention in Baerlon or deciding to explore Shadar logoth- and even worse going off with mordeth- his irresponsibility and impetuousness wasn't coupled with anything redeeming. None of those things were inherently bad, but there was nothing to show anything more than that. He wasn't really a character.

And then he got the dagger and all those negative traits- complaining and being suspicious- only got accentuated. Even after he was temporarily healed both in book 1 and in book 2, he was still a dick. The way he treated Rand and his channeling (enough that even Perrin threw a pebble at him) and just the general vibe he gave...well, he was an iffy character. After going through the worlds of 'what it' his words indicated that he seemed to always betray Rand. None of that made him any more likeable.

All of that changed in book 3 and he went in to be nothing but awesome.

This Mat has the playfulness and irresponsibility (with a few other things like stealing thrown in) but his family situation changes it all. And he used his stolen item to purchase lamps for his sisters. He is always looking out for his sisters. And when they are in Shadar logoth, it is him who comforts Perrrin over Layla's death, talking about the knife she made (which makes me wonder if she was his older sister or something.) This Mat is a guy that Perrin and Rand will scrape money together for. He is a guy they will forgive because they know he is good. 

This is a guy who needs to loot an Aiel body but feels bad about it but needs to do it- enough that Tom calls it weakness but leaves it at that.) 


gonna miss Barney. He's great.

2) Egwene- i dont know how it is possible but they made me LOVE Egwene. I think it's ultimately because they showed that underlying it all, she cares. She has ambition, sure. That's not a bad thing. But it always (esp after book 4) felt that she was willing to throw her lifetime friends over for whoever represented power she wanted. So even though Moiraine was a stranger, it was Moiraine's side against Rand. Same with the way she was with Nynaeve. And then it was WO against Rand. And then the Tower against Rand. It was always these power holding people she sided with. Nynaeve balanced things and though she boxed Rands ears and cut him down to size and tried to keep him human, her love and concern were ALWAYS at the core.

This Egwene actually loves Rand. She comforts Perrrin. She holds Rand's hand. They have a real relationship. She cares and even though she wants to be more, it doesn't negate her love. It makes the loss of their relationship- both romance and later friendship- all the more painful. I love this Egwene.

3) Thom was great. The world weary and understanding man is way more interesting. And his understanding and rapport with Mat is wonderful. Nice set up for the two of them down the road.

4) Dana the DF. This was a great surprise. Didn't expect it. One thing I liked was that her motives weren't those of a mustachioed twirling villain. She spoke of the constant cycle of death and rebirth and how the DO could stop it. What is interesting is that the World of RJs Wheel of Time mentioned Ishamael's philosophical works in the AOL and the effect it had on society, like art ad such. And that Ishamael going over to the shadow shocked eveyone. this whole idea of breaking free from the endless rebirth was Ishamaels motivation. (It comes up in the Buddha's musings on the endless rebirth and how to attain Moksha/liberation and get nirvana). I like that this philosophy is a motivator. 

Things I disliked:

1) Perrin's wife. Dumb dumb dumb. I get that they needed to SHOW that Perrin's berserker mode is dangerous. That he is terrified of hurting people accidently. We have to SEE that, not just have it said. But giving him a wife introduces a whole new set of emotional trauma that is unnecessary. Brandon Sanderson said he tried to convince Rafe and the writers that the PTSD from killng his wife was too big to introduce into the story when they didn't need it. He wanted it to be MAster Luhan or someting. I think they wanted to shorthand a relationship and marriage is quicker to understand than apprentice- but the trade off in horror and guilt is too great.

2) "There are rumors of Taveren in the 2 rivers". WTF is this? How can this even make any sense? It seemed a pathetic way to put them in the 2 Rivers. In the books, Moiraine had a list of names of families who had babies near TV during the battle of the shining walls. She had been running them down for 20 years and finally his the 2 rivers. But Taveren? How can there be rumors of taveren if no one in town is commenting on all the taverenness in town? Where did these rumors come from? This is stupid stupid stupid. They coulod have added a prophecy or played up the "old blood" prophecy to put Moiriaine in the 2 rivers. But this makes no sense from a book or tv show perspective. How do you have taveren rumors when nothing about the 2R folk indicates they are taveren yet?



Think that's about it. The Red Ajah opening was meh. Overly dramatic. I think they wanted to avoid an opening like the LOTR. I like they cut the prologue. I never thought the prologue worked there. It made no sense to first time readers, introduced a slew of terms and world building, and characters we (as far as we know) never see again in the 1st book. It works on rereads but only because we know and understand what we are looking at. But first time through, I don't think it helps at all. Glad it can be moved.

And overall, I LOVE that this is a new WOT. While I know the basic plot, I don't know what will happen. I do'nt know what is the same and what is different. It's like reading a new book. I can't say how happy that makes me. It's a new story. after 28 years of the same one.

[Thalia]

Asc, omg >_<

I agree, watch them on your own first. That's what i'm doing, in part because I like having subtitles on and my husband hates the distraction of them. I'm finding the episodes more enjoyable the second time round as well.

[Armande]

I am dying laughing at all of your comments on watching these with your husbands. From Shaes exasperation to mantles not knowing there's supposed to be a dragon reborn to that's husband thinking its egwene. I love it.

[Thalia]

1) Perrin's wife. Dumb dumb dumb. I get that they needed to SHOW that Perrin's berserker mode is dangerous. That he is terrified of hurting people accidently. We have to SEE that, not just have it said. But giving him a wife introduces a whole new set of emotional trauma that is unnecessary. Brandon Sanderson said he tried to convince Rafe and the writers that the PTSD from killng his wife was too big to introduce into the story when they didn't need it. He wanted it to be MAster Luhan or someting. I think they wanted to shorthand a relationship and marriage is quicker to understand than apprentice- but the trade off in horror and guilt is too great.

I know I've already said, but I feel pretty much the same. I think they chose Laila over Luhan to mirror Faile in some way. It makes his resistance to her advances more understandable for tv than if he'd killed Luhan I suppose. I still don't like it much, but I'm willing to see what they do. As you said, the changes to Mat's backstory have already shown relevance in a way Perrin's haven't yet. It's only been 3 episodes though.

The other reason they may have used Laila is the symbolism. In that scene she has the hammer (a tool of creation) and he has the axe (a weapon only meant to destroy). Male/female, yin/yang, that kinda thing.

2) "There are rumors of Taveren in the 2 rivers". WTF is this? How can this even make any sense? It seemed a pathetic way to put them in the 2 Rivers. In the books, Moiraine had a list of names of families who had babies near TV during the battle of the shining walls. She had been running them down for 20 years and finally his the 2 rivers. But Taveren? How can there be rumors of taveren if no one in town is commenting on all the taverenness in town? Where did these rumors come from? This is stupid stupid stupid. They coulod have added a prophecy or played up the "old blood" prophecy to put Moiriaine in the 2 rivers. But this makes no sense from a book or tv show perspective. How do you have taveren rumors when nothing about the 2R folk indicates they are taveren yet?

It was another thing that made me wonder if Moiraine had an informant at some point in the two rivers. Rosamund has mentioned in an interview that at some point we do find out more about her network. It could be that. We also know that recognising ta'veren is a talent, they might have adjusted how that works so that perhaps Suian knew. I also thought it was a bit strange that she knew very definitively that the man the Reds caught was not the DR, despite being a channeler the right age, but she doesn't know which of the E5 it is. They didn't even explain what ta'veren are for viewers. You're right that it would have been far easier for her to declare the two rivers their next destination because of its strong old blood. Lan doesn't look remotely satisfied with her answer, just decides to trust her. I think we will find out more about what exactly Moiraine knows and how later on. Most of the episode descriptions make it clear we don't know everything about what she's doing and why. Using the word ta'veren that early on without context must have had a purpose. I don't know what that purpose IS mind you. And if it doesn't, I agree it's stupid.

that's husband thinking its egwene.

Oh man, he's so convinced. He was really pleased with himself too. It's been really nice listening to his guesses and impressions.

[Beto]

Here is an episode review by a guy with no familiarity with the book His thoughts are really interesting and entertaining. For the episode 3, he is wondering about Aiel and who they- how they are so deadly. His interest is really peaked. Anyway, I am loving his reviews:

[Giovanni]

I have to say I like TV Show Mat better than book Mat

[Beto]

Heya Gio!!! awesome to see you.

10000000% agree. TV Mat is way better!