TV Review: "The Wheel of Time: What Might Be" (Season 2, Episode 3)
In the third episode of the season, all of the characters find themselves tested in new and unexpected ways.
Hello, dear reader! Do you like what you read here at Omnivorous? Do you like reading fun but insightful takes on all things pop culture? Do you like supporting indie writers? If so, then please consider becoming a subscriber and get the newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. There are a number of paid options, but you can also sign up for free! Every little bit helps. Thanks for reading and now, on with the show!
We’ve come to “What Might Be,” the third episode of the second season of The Wheel of Time. The action finally starts to ratchet up for several of the characters. Nynaeve finally has to face her test as an Accepted, with unexpected consequences, while Mat is set free from prison, Perrin is ensnared by the nefarious and brutal Seanchan, Rand has a fateful conversation with Logain, and Egwene starts to feel the pressure of being an novice. There are some nice fight scenes in this episode, but for the most part we get to spend time with the characters as they struggle with their own demons.
This hits particularly hard for Nynaeve, who grows increasingly uncertain just what she wants to do while at the White Tower. Imagine her surprise, then, when Liandrin takes her to a dark chamber to face the test to become an Accepted. I knew going in that there were bound to be changes made to the challenges Nynaeve would face through the Arches, and I was right. Fortunately, despite the plot changes, they still confront the young woman with the things that she fears the most, most notably being powerless or unable to save those that she cares about. In the first trial, she is forced to abandon her father and mother, while in the second she has to confront the reality that life in the Two Rivers has gone on without her and that a terrible fever has struck down Tam and many of the others. Each time, we see how much anguish it brings her, and the Arches force her to confront the reality that becoming an Aes Sedai is going to require much sacrifice from her.
It’s the third one, though, that really packs a punch. In this case, the Arch essentially tricks her into thinking that she has passed through the test, after which she abandons the Tower altogether and starts a life with Lan, only for everyone she loves to perish at the hands of Trollocs. As she flees through the final Arch–which has been brought into being by her use of the One Power–she realizes that it’s all been a part of the test and that the child she brought with her (her own little girl) is nothing more than a creation of the ter’angreal. While I’m still not entirely sold on the whole let’s-leave-it-in-doubt-as-to-whether-Nynaeve-is-really-dead-or-not storytelling method, I do think it was a nice touch to have her encounter Egwene as soon as she emerges from the third and most difficult test. The relationship between the two women has been strained from the beginning of the season, as each finds herself drawn down a different path, so hopefully this will provide them a path back together, And, once again, Zoë Robins delivers a truly fantastic performance, her cries of anguish making a terrific gut-punch of an episode ending.
Both Rand and Perrin also have to face their demons. For Rand, this takes the form of a conversation with the False Dragon Logain, who is now living out his days in a mental institution. Álvaro Morte is pitch-perfect in the role, granting the would-be Dragon a sort of wounded and feverish dignity. He’s much more clear-eyed about what the use of the One Power entails than Rand is, and their conversation is one that is sure to have a tremendous impact on the Dragon as he continues to grapple with his identity. Natasha O'Keeffe continues to be amazing as Selene, and I also enjoyed the opportunity to see the nobility of Cairhien and all of their scheming ways. Perrin, meanwhile, is now a prisoner of the Seanchan, which adds another layer of complexity to his struggle with his connection with the wolves. It’s clear that Ishamael has a special interest in him, as he makes clear, though what’s less clear is just how this is all going to shake out (unless they plan on merging Ishamael’s plots with those of Luc, which wouldn’t be such a bad thing). At least we get to see a bit more of Elyas.
There’s no question that the storyline involving the Seanchan is one that has endured quite a few changes from how the events are related to the book, and I’m still on the fence as to how well these are going to play out as the season unfolds. I was deeply saddened to see poor Uno get impaled on a vicious spike for his refusal to take the oath, but I suppose the writers needed a way to show just how ruthless these would-be conquerors are. I did appreciate the way that the show used a distinctly American accent to set the Seanchan apart. This, along with the extraordinary costuming, makes them as terrifying as they are in the books. I guess we’ll see just how this story plans out, particularly since it seems that Ishamael is going to be much more active and visible in his manipulation of Lady Suroth and her legions. (Side note: I also hope that we get to see more of the various beasts that the Seanchan bring with them).
I’m likewise confused about just what Liandrin’s arc is going to entail. We’ve been given no indication yet that she’s Black Ajah, and that would be a remarkable change from the novel. I at first thought that she might be combined with Elaida but, since Rafe Judkins has already made it clear that the latter will appear, it seems as if she is going to have her own story arc. I’m not complaining, mind you. Kate Fleetwood continues to be astounding in this role, giving us much more than is revealed in the novel. I just hope that she doesn’t go too far afield from what Jordan wrote. I still hold out hope that we’re going to actually see her fall into the service of the Dark One, which I think would make for a good story in its own right.
Dramatically, I thought this was the best episode of the season so far, because there are more stakes involved for all of the various characters. Obviously the beats with Nynaeve and Egwene landed the most effectively, both because by now it’s clear how much they mean to one another and because they are two of the finest performers on the show. I’m still hoping for more from Mat, and need Moiraine to be in the next episode. Lastly, I do think that it’s a good choice on the show’s part to give us more insight into the inner workings of the Tower. It seems that the writers are betting, wisely, that it’s political drama and backstabbing that draws viewers in more than just an epic quest narrative.
That’s it for this installment. Join me next week when I dissect the fourth episode, “Daughter of the Night.”