The Wheel of Time Season 3 Episode 5, “Tel’aran’rhiod,” is another solid entry, complete with stunning visuals, compelling performances and an entertaining narrative. This season is a significant step up from its predecessors. I love it.
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The Wheel of Time, “Tel’aran’rhiod”
We open with Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) wielding Sakarnen. She puts on quite the light show. After a spell, she collapses in Lan’s (Daniel Henney) arms, simultaneously drained and euphoric. Even Lan describes the sensation as euphoric, but it also elicits a deep hunger and thirst. Lan wants to know what Moiraine saw in the rings in Rhuidean. She doesn’t respond.
Later, Rand (Josha Stradowski), Egwene (Madeleine Madden), Moiraine, Lan, Bair (Nukâka Coster-Waldau), Melaine (Salóme Gunnarsdóttir), Aviendha (Ayoola Smart) and Rhuarc (Björn Landberg) are on the move. Egwene asks Bair and Melaine if the other clan chiefs will declare Rand as the Car’a’carn. Bair reveals they only communicate with the clans’ Wise Ones in the Dream. However, they’ll urge their chiefs to meet Rand at Alcair Dal.
Unfortunately, Sevanna and Couladin of the Shaido (whom we met last week) rejected Rand as the Car’a’carn. Aviendha remarks that their rejection is unsurprising, though. She still doesn’t see Rand as one of the Aiel. Bair orders her to stay with Rand 24/7 to teach him their ways. It’s part of her training to become a Wise One. Then, the crew arrives at Cold Rocks Hold, the seat of the Taardad clan.
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Cold Rocks Hold
In the village, they meet Rhuarc’s other wife, Lian (Nicole Sherwin). They also meet Rhuarc’s greatdaughter, Alsera (Julie Van Leeuwen). Alsera approaches Rand and asks him point-blank if he’s the Car’a’carn. Rand shows her his sick dragon tattoos. Then, he plays with Alsera and the other clan kids. Bair urges Egwene to join her and Melaine as they walk the Dream.
Then, in the White Tower, Siuan (Sophie Okonedo) reads a letter and smiles. She sniffs it. Is this an old letter from Moiraine? I think so. Elaida (Shohreh Aghdashloo) marches into Siuan’s quarters. She ridicules the styling of it. I didn’t know Elaida was moonlighting as an interior designer. Elaida finally stops beating around the bush to reveal why she’s there. She’s calling for a vote in the Hall to cage the Dragon Reborn.
Siuan smoothly fires back that Elaida surely has a better handle on Hall proceedings now than the last time the two duked it out there. Someone get Elaida some aloe vera for that burn. Meanwhile, Verin (Meera Syal) gives her sister, Adeleas (Nila Aalia), tea.
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What Is Elaida?
Siuan and Leane (Jennifer Cheon Garcia) pay them a visit. Verin relays intel about the Black Ajah. They run in groups of three, called Hearts. Each member harbors one separate contact in another Heart to prevent them from revealing them all. However, Liandrin was connected to four Hearts. That means there are at least 12 members, and since 11 attacked the White Tower that fateful day, that means at least one unknown member remains.
Next, Siuan reveals she wants to know if Elaida is of the Black Ajah. The trio decides to lure her to the 13th Depository, where Joiya and Amico are being held. In Emond’s Field, Alanna (Priyanka Bose) and Maksim (Taylor Napier) adjust to their new surroundings. Maksim tries to persuade Alanna to venture off to greener pastures. Why are they in the Two Rivers to begin with?
Finding the Cauthons and Aiel Custom
Faile (Isabella Bucceri), Bain (Ragga Ragnars) and Chiad (Maja Simonsen) return from scouring the surrounding area to reveal where Natti Cauthon and her daughters are. She tells Perrin (Marcus Rutherford) that they should rescue them from the White Cloaks that night. Meanwhile, in Cold Rocks Hold, our visitors enjoy Aiel cuisine. Melindhra (Synnøve Macody Lund) feeds Lan a delicacy that literally bites your throat upon swallowing. Lovely. Aviendha tries to school Rand on Aiel social interactions.
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As for Egwene, she joins the Wise Ones for her first sojourn into Tel’aran’rhiod. Bair informs her that anyone can touch Tel’aran’rhiod, but few can enter it. Channelers and non-channelers alike can possess the skill of Dreamwalking. Also, death in the Dream means death on the physical plane. Melaine reveals that Egwene will know it’s time to return when the brass pin drops.
In Tel’aran’rhiod
Once in Tel’aran’rhiod, Melaine and Bair tell Egwene that she must control her thoughts. Suddenly, armor materializes on Egwene’s body because she feels unsafe. Egwene seizes hold of her thoughts to restore her clothing. Bair adds that the woman who stalks Egwene’s dreams can be expelled from them. If Egwene believes the woman doesn’t belong there, well, she doesn’t belong there.
Then, Egwene winds up in a marketplace that resembles Tar Valon. However, she’s not alone. Lanfear (Natasha O’Keeffe) appears. She lifts Egwene in the air by the throat. Thankfully, Egwene returns to the physical plane, where Bair and Melaine await her. They realize she’s being stalked by a Forsaken or, as the Aiel call them, the Shadowsouled.
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Later, Elaida tries to enlist Alviarin (Clare-Hope Ashitey) as an ally. Alviarin normally supports Siuan’s decisions, but that’s because Siuan has exercised logic. The White Ajah is all about the truth. Elaida wonders where the White Ajah would fall if she could prove the Amyrlin Seat has made detrimental choices. After this, Elaida reunites with Adeleas, who’s being escorted by an Accepted. Elaida urges the Accepted to get lost.
Next, Elaida learns from Adeleas about the Sisters being held captive in the 13th Depository. The Accepted informs Leane and Verin that Elaida took the bait.
Seasick
Meanwhile, Nynaeve (Zoë Robins) doesn’t take too kindly to the sea. She vomits in a bucket while Elayne (Ceara Coveney) gives her and Mat (Dónal Finn) a history lesson. They’ve been locked in a room on this ship for two weeks while en route to Tanchico.
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Mat proposes they go above deck. However, Elayne reminds him that part of the deal she struck with the Sailmistress on this Sea Folk raker was that they must remain below deck. Mat ignores her, forging ahead anyway. Elayne and the seasick Nynaeve are hot on his heels. Coine din Jubai Wild Winds (Dany Verissimo-Petit), the Sailmistress, approaches them. Elayne apologizes for breaking their deal.
Coine makes a beeline for Nynaeve, noticing the latter vomiting over the side. She advises Nynaeve on how to alleviate the nausea. Coine allows our trio to stay above deck. Mat spies Min (Kae Alexander), who tailed them out of Tar Valon. He begs her to let him sleep in her quarters. He’s beyond annoyed with Elayne and Nynaeve. Min reluctantly takes him in.
Where Is Perrin?
Later, in the Two Rivers, Eamon (Abdul Salis) asks Dain (Jay Duffy) to let him question Natti Cauthon (Juliet Howland) and her daughters, Bode and Eldrin (Litiana and Lilibet Biutanaseva). Dain rejects him again. He approaches the Cauthons, who are still trapped in a cage. He gives them water and promises the White Cloaks won’t hurt them. Then, Dain inquires about Perrin’s whereabouts. The girls claim they haven’t seen him in years. Natti surreptitiously reaches for the key to their cage while Dain is distracted.
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Unfortunately, he catches her, grabbing her wrist. Suddenly, one of the girls channels out of anger, sending Dain flying backward. Natti shields her daughters, claiming she was the one who channeled. Dain calls her a witch. He flings her before Eamon, telling him to have at it.
Raising an Army
Outside the White Cloak’s camp, Perrin reveals he, Bain and Chiad will infiltrate said camp to rescue the Cauthons. Faile demands Perrin to let her tag along. Loial (Hammed Animashaun) will stay with the horses. Since it’s a clear night, Alanna offers to channel to create cloud cover. Maksim objects to this, citing that the White Cloaks will sniff out a channeler a mile away. However, Alanna’s made up her mind.
After this, Maksim demands to know why they’re in the Two Rivers. Alanna claims it’s because he’s not enough. She’s now down a Warder. Alanna wants to raise an army, noting that Egwene, Nynaeve, Rand, Perrin and Mat are all from here and are extraordinary. The Last Battle is inevitable. Maksim believes they should track down Liandrin and kill her to avenge Ihvon. Alanna turns off their bond, so he’s free to leave.
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Elsewhere, Lan regrets not knowing much about his fallen home, Malkier. Melindhra reminds him that he was just a baby when it fell. He asks her questions about Malkier and what she misses about it. She smiles, revealing she longs for laughter. At the same time, Rand watches as Egwene packs her belongings. The Wise Ones want her to sleep with them from now on. Rand encourages her to go. They share a kiss before she departs.
What Will Happen
Next, Lan joins Moiraine around a fire. She finally discloses what she saw in Rhuidean: thousands of futures. If Moiraine lived, Rand died. If Rand died, she lived. Regardless, Moiraine knows Rand must survive to fulfill his destiny, meaning she won’t live to see the Last Battle. Lan embraces her. He encourages her to have a drink with him. They try Aiel Oosquai, which, judging by their expressions and subsequent laughter, is quite strong.
Then, on the ship bound for Tanchico, Mat spies Min’s sketch of her vision of him. He’s hanging from a noose before a doorway with a red frame. That’s why she’s following him. She hopes to prevent her vision from coming to fruition. Mat reminds her that her visions aren’t always accurate. After all, he was supposed to kill Rand, and he didn’t. He brushes this off.
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Elayne and Nynaeve return above deck to watch something spectacular. One of the Sea Folk channels on the bow. It looks like she’s conducting as multicolored light swirls around her. Coine explains that there are many ways to be a channeler, as there are many ways to be a woman.
She notes that Nynaeve struggles to touch the Source. She reveals that, between Elayne and Nynaeve, one fights to hold where she stands, while the other wants the sea to take her off her chosen path.
Their Guide in Tanchico
Below deck, Mat introduces Min to Nynaeve and Elayne. Nynaeve recognizes her from Fal Dara, while Elayne knows Min from the White Tower. Min offers to help them navigate Tanchico. Plus, she knows Liandrin well. Mat reassures Nynaeve and Elayne that they can trust Min.
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After this, our crew finally arrives in Tanchico. Min advises them to avert their gaze. Eye contact is a big no-no. Don’t flash their money around. And don’t talk. It’s especially imperative that Elayne isn’t outed as the royalty she is.
Another Attack
Later, Elaida visits Joiya (Joelle) and Amico (Zenobia Kloppers) in the 13th Depository. Elaida demands to know the names of every sister in the Black Ajah. Amico refuses to comply, so Elaida kills her. Then, she uses weaves to restrain Joiya and pull on her limbs. Elaida threatens to kill her if she doesn’t disclose the name she knows. Just when Joiya is about to divulge that name, a Gray Man murders her. The Gray Man stabs Elaida multiple times before Siuan and Leane step in. They kill the Gray Man.
Next, Siuan heals Elaida’s wounds. She apologizes for believing Elaida is of the Black Ajah. Elaida realizes Siuan set her up.
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Elsewhere, Perrin, Chiad and Bain rescue Mat’s sisters. Before this, Perrin and Faile stumble upon Natti Cauthon’s charred corpse. Eamon killed her. The Aiel whisk the girls away while Perrin squares off against Dain, and Faile fights two other White Cloaks. Perrin gets a stab to the gut, while Dain certainly doesn’t walk away unscathed.
Meanwhile, the White Cloaks launch several arrows at Alanna while she channels to create cloud cover. Maksim returns to her rescue, taking out said White Cloaks before getting an arrow to the shoulder. He cradles the wounded Alanna in his arms. Apparently, she turned their bond back on hours ago.
In the Next Life
Later, Lanfear finds Rand in his dreams. He claims he misses Selene, the inn owner from Cairhien. Lanfear claims there’s part of her that still wants to help people. She also admits she still loves Rand. They kiss. Elsewhere, Moiraine asks Egwene if she can transport her to a specific location in the Dream. She must deliver a message to someone.
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Egwene agrees to help her. So, we see Moiraine travel to Siuan’s childhood fishing hut in Tear. Moiraine urges Siuan to get the White Tower to rally behind Rand. If they don’t support him, he’ll lose the Last Battle. She can’t pull the same stunt she did in Cairhien. Siuan believes Moiraine should’ve been the Amyrlin Seat. Moiraine remarks that she makes too many enemies.
Next, Siuan wishes they would’ve run away from the Tower that day instead of going to Gitara’s study. She leans in to kiss Moiraine; however, Moiraine pulls away, claiming they broke what they had. It can’t be mended in this life. Siuan vows to find her in the next life. They’ll try again and again until they get it right. Ugh, this moment broke me. Moiraine tells Siuan she loves her before they kiss. Okonedo and Pike’s chemistry just sizzles.
Walking the Dream
Meanwhile, Egwene pops into her friend’s dreams. She sees Nynaeve with her and Lan’s daughter. Elayne is on the Sea Folk’s ship with Aviendha. Mat embraces his sisters before they start as Novices at the White Tower. His mother tells him she’s proud of him. Perrin works the forge in Emond’s Field with his wolf and Faile by his side.
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Finally, Egwene visits Rand in his dream. She smiles until she sees Lanfear kissing him. Egwene and Lanfear lock eyes. She realizes that Lanfear is the Forsaken stalking her dreams, and the latter is making out with her boyfriend.
The Wheel of Time drops new episodes every Thursday on Prime Video.
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