The Wheel of Time Review: Leavetaking / Shadow’s Waiting / A Place of Safety (Season 1 Episodes 1-3)
The Wheel of Time Season 1 Episodes 1-3 starts us off on our journey in this new, beautiful, epic fantasy. Full disclosure, I haven’t read the books before, so my reviews will be solely based on the show and will most likely feature some confusion as I try to figure out names and, well, everything.
Now, let’s get onto the review, shall we?
One thing The Wheel of Time excels at is world-building. It is magnificent.
We are treated to learning about the world as it is now as we journey with Moiraine, Lan, and their merry band of potential wheel saviors. Between all the different towns they stop in, and all the different people — darkfriends and Trollocs and Voldemort (that’s what I call him) — we get a real sense of this world.
A personal favorite world-building moment is on The Wheel of Time Season 1 Episode 2, “Shadow’s Waiting,” when Rand, Mat, Egwene, and Perrin start singing a song, and Moiraine then provides the historical inspiration for it. It’s such a fascinating way to learn about the history of a place, and Moiraine could tell me a bedtime story any time.
One thing I’m still unclear about is how power works in this world.
Moiraine does a good job at explaining the Aes Sedai and the three oaths they take, but that’s the best conversation about magic that we get. It doesn’t explain everything because there are other types of magic that we’ve seen. This isn’t really a criticism because the series is just beginning, but I’m so curious to learn more.
The Wheel of Time has succeeded in pulling us in, making us invested in this world and this journey that Moiraine, Lan, Rand, Mat, Egwene, and Perrin are on. Now, I want to know everything about these people, this quest, and all the different kinds of magic.
If there’s one big thing that the show is struggling with, it’s Rand and Mat.
They’re annoying; there’s no other way to say it. Perrin honestly hasn’t made too much of an impression, aside from the wolves and his new thing where he has to save/protect Egwene to make up for accidentally killing his wife. But, Rand and Mat are a bit of an issue.
On “Shadow’s Waiting,” Rand is not happy with Moiraine for a variety of reasons, and he snaps at her and threatens to just abandon this quest. Sure, some of his reasons are valid, but he’s being a jerk.
Then, on The Wheel of Time Season 1 Episode 3, “A Place of Safety,” he is suddenly her number one fan and thinks they should stay the course, and Mat’s the one badmouthing her and trying to go back home.
It’s too fast of a turnaround, and nothing happens that makes it feel earned. Moiraine is unconscious for a lot of the time, and so it’s not as if she does something extremely valiant and saves his life or they have a heart to heart. So, where does Rand’s change of opinion come from?
His change of opinion seems to occur because there was no other way to ensure that Mat and Rand continue the journey to the white tower.
It was apparently Mat’s time to sulk and want to abandon ship, so Rand had to be the one to keep them on the path (or try to at least). Sure, you could say that his feelings towards Egwene are responsible for this attitude shift, but it’s a weak reason. However, it’s the only one we seem to have.
Stray Thoughts
- I wish Moiraine isn’t out of commission because she’s fascinating.
- As soon as Lan says “don’t touch anything,” it is obvious that Mat is going to touch something.
- The Thom Merrilin and Jaskier comparisons have already begun in my head.
- Nynaeve and Lan’s dynamic is utterly fantastic. I can’t wait until Moiraine is healed and can add to it.
What did you think of the first three episodes of The Wheel of Time? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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New episodes of The Wheel of Time premiere Fridays on Amazon Prime Video.
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Allison Nichols
Allison is in a love affair with television that doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon. Slightly damaged fictional characters are her weakness. She loves to spend her free time curled up with a cat and a show to binge-watch. Allison is a Tomatometer-approved critic (Rotten Tomatoes).
3 comments
Just a few remarks on the last paragraphs (minor spoilers ahead).
Rand didn’t change his mind about Moiraine, he wants to find Egwene and knows she’ll be where Moiraine is. On the other hand, the dagger Mat picked up in Shadar Logoth poisons his mind in time and makes him paranoid and bitter. Hope that explains it 😉
Yeah, something non-readers wouldn’t have picked up on yet is it’s a cursed dagger. That’ll come into play.
This is why you don’t pick up things in a creepy town!!! Hopefully Mat eventually learns his lesson.
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