Fulfilling destiny on The Wheel of Time comes at a price. In “What Might Be,” Nynaeve (Zoë Robins) faces her fears in the arches and Rand (Josha Stradowski) seeks help to learn to control the One Power.
NYNAEVE
The ter’angreal arches are from before the breaking when women could create objects from the one power. They don’t know why the arches were made, but these arches will bring a novice face to face with their greatest fears. The Aes Seda sisters give Nynaeve insights about how to navigate through the arches. Once she starts, she must complete all three arches or she will be put out of the tower, never to return. Her fears are her own and she decides if she wants to share them. There is a risk that once she enters, she may never return.
The Aes Sedai give novices three chances to go through the arches. If they do not accept the challenge, the novice is asked to leave the Tower and can never come back. Nynaeve must go through the arches for herself, not for anyone else. She will not have access to the One Power inside of the arches. And the way back will come only once in each arch.
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The sisters open the arches. Nynaeve experiences three scenarios from the past, present and future. The first is in the Two Rivers and Nynaeve is a child. Her home is invaded by raiders and she gets the urge to fight. The way back appears and she remembers that she has to return. Upon her return, Liandrin (Kate Fleetwood) pours water over Nynaeve, saying her sins and the sins against her are washed clean. Leane heals her wounds.
OVERCOMING FEAR
The second arch takes Nynaeve to the Two Rivers as a plague spreads through the village. Rand’s father Tam Al’Thor (Michael McElhatton) is one of the sick. And Mat’s (Dónal Finn) mother, Natti Cauthon (Juliet Howland) is the new wisdom but she doesn’t know what she’s doing. Nynaeve tries to help her, but gets yelled at for leaving everyone behind. Nynaeve returns to heal Tam with the One Power but nothing happens. She sits with him and he asks about Rand. She lies and says Rand is happy. He thanks her for protecting his son. The way back appears and she leaves, despite Tam’s pleas for her to stay.
Nynaeve begs to go back to the Two Rivers to save everyone, forgetting that it’s just her fear. The sisters remind her to keep her fears to herself. They open the third arch and something different happens. Nynaeve floats around and sees glimpses of Lan (Daniel Henney) and an ax. She hears his voice as he tells her how remarkable she is. When she returns, Nynaeve has no recollection of what happened. She holds Lan’s hair in her hand and gets scared. Leane (Jennifer Cheon Garcia) says sometimes it’s best that she doesn’t remember.
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Sheriam (Rima Te Wiata) declares Nynaeve is an Accepted and hands her a ring. The Sisters are not at all concerned with her experience. Nynaeve refuses the ring saying she won’t turn her back on the people she loves. Nyaneve leaves the room with a warning that she cannot return. But that doesn’t stop her.
A HAPPY LIFE
Egwene (Madeleine Madden) tries to stop Nynaeve from leaving, saying she needs her. Nynaeve knows she doesn’t because Egwene doesn’t need protection anymore. She says Aes Sedai means servant of all. Egwene will be a woman worthy of the title. When Nynaeve gets to the woods, she sees Lan. She runs to him and hugs him. She decides to go home to the Two Rivers and Lan offers to go with her. Lan kisses her and the way back appears behind her. She hears Sheriam’s voice and turns around. The door is gone by the time she looks. Lan asks what’s wrong and Nynaeve says she fears this is all a dream.
Back in the arch room, the sisters realize that Nynaeve is not coming back. Sheriam is angry, saying Alanna (Priyanka Bose) was right that Nynaeve wasn’t ready. Liandrin is cool about the whole thing saying they’ve lost sisters before. But Nynaeve trusted Liandrin and now she’s dead. After Sheriam leaves, Liandrin screams and throws the water across the room.
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RAND
Logain (Álvaro Morte) recognizes Rand from Tar Valon. He saw him sitting on a ledge while Logain was paraded through the streets. He says Rand had a glow around it and it was the brightest he’s ever seen. Rand asks him how to control the One Power. Logain asks for a bottle of Ghealdan wine and he will answer Rand.
Rand returns home as a messenger informs the village that the Queen is offering a large reward to anyone who brings the Horn of Valere to her. Selene listens nearby and Rand asks her if she knows where to find Ghealdan wine. She does, and makes him leave with her but doesn’t say where they are going.
THE PARTY
Selene takes Rand to a Cairhieni Noble party. Everyone is curious about them, but it’s just a game. Rand meets a woman who tells him that the hunt for the Horn of Valere isn’t real. It’s a tactic to lessen the population of the city. It’s a purge to eradicate the poor so the rich don’t have to spend money to feed them. Selene returns with the wine and Rand tells her about the hunt. She knows that already and reminds him that Cairhien is a political city. Everything anyone says or does is all part of a scheme. Rand leaves Selene at the party alone, despite her protests.
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Rand runs to the hospital to give the wine to Logain. Logain can see that Rand is suppressing his urge to channel. He warns him that eventually the power will spill out when he least expects it. And there’s nothing he can do about it. Rand is disappointed and calls Logain crazy.
Logain says there is no madness; that’s just how the Aes Sedai justify their cruelty. They know only the Dragon can defeat the Dark One. Rand says Logain is not the Dragon. Logain claims to be a descendant of Lews Therin Telamon and still believes he is the Dragon. Rand realizes he made a mistake and starts to leave. Logain grabs him and commands Rand to get him out of the hospital. Rand says he can’t help him because Logain is sick.
THE TOWER
Sheriam tells Egwene that Nynaeve is dead. Egwene gets angry and wants to go into the arches to get her back. Downstairs, Liandrin releases Mat, saying Egwene needs him. He is skeptical of her intentions, but Liandrin has no purpose for releasing him. She finds him weak and uninteresting. She thinks wasted five months on him when she should have been there for the sister who just died.
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Liandrin goes to the top of the tower to throw Nynaeve’s ring into the fire. Egwene joins her, but only to yell at her for pushing Nynaeve too far. Liandrin threatens Egwene, telling her not to overstep if she wants to survive. But Liandrin doesn’t know what Egwene is capable of.
Mat leaves his cell and finds Egwene crying on a bench. He looks at her for a minute but decides not to approach her. Instead he returns to his cell and reveals to Min (Kae Alexander) that his door is open. She asks Mat why he hasn’t left. He says he has nowhere to go. She is ready to leave with or without him so he follows her. Mat and Min steal food and horses for their journey. Min leaves to grab one more thing and leaves. She meets Liandrin and says Mat is going with her to a place of Liandrin’s choosing. Liandrin says if Min succeeds, Moiraine won’t have anything over either of them anymore.
PERRIN
The Seanchan force everyone to bow to Lady Suroth (Karima McAdams) and swear an oath to her. While they display their power by killing one of the Sheinarans, Ishamael (Fares Fares) keeps his eyes on Perrin. Later that night, Perrin (Marcus Rutherford) wakes up in the back of a carriage with Ishamael watching him. They are in a caravan headed to Falme. Ishamael is very interested in Perrin, knowing he’s a wolf. Perrin asks who he is and Ishamael shows him the face of the Dark One. Perrin gets upset saying Rand killed him, or at least, that’s what Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) said.
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Wolves howl outside and the caravan stops. Ishamael says the more wolf that he is, the more Perrin belongs to him. He leaves the carriage and Elyas comes in. Elyas releases Perrin and sends him into the woods with another wolf.
POWER SPILLS OUT
Rand returns to his room to find Selene waiting for him. She is angry and tells him to never leave her like that again. They embrace passionately and the One Power starts swirling around Rand. Afterward, the One Power spills out of Rand, setting his room on fire. He and Selene get out of the inn and watch it burn from the street.
Egwene tries to open the arches to get Nynaeve back. Elayne (Ceara Coveney) stops her because it won’t work. She tells Egwene that Nynave wouldn’t want her to throw her life and her future away. Egwene allows Elayne to console her and they spend the night in the arch room.
Inside of the arches, Nynaeve lives a happy live in the Two Rivers with Lan and their daughter Elnore (Melissa James). Mat and Perrin live there as well and everything is calm. They are attacked by Trollocs that night. Mat, Perrin and Lan are all killed. Nynaeve channels the One Power to kill the Trollocs and holds Lan as he dies. Elnore sees the way back open up. Nynaeve picks up Elnore and runs to the door.
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Nynaeve emerges back into the arches room but Elnore is gone. She screams in anguish, waking up Egwene and Elayne. Egwene holds and comforts her while Nynaeve cries.
Stream The Wheel of Time seasons 1 and 2 on Amazon Prime.
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