The Wheel of Time Review: The Dragon Reborn (Season 1 Episode 4)

We spend time with some more Aes Sedai sisters on The Wheel of Time Season 1 Episode 4, “The Dragon Reborn,” and in the process, we learn a lot more about the Aes Sedai.

The show manages to teach us new things without it feeling like a lesson where we’re struggling to stay invested or follow along. What we learn comes naturally through conversations that make sense — not giant info dumps — and we’re as curious about Aes Sedai as Nynaeve is.

There are still so many more questions about the Aes Sedai, and hopefully, The Wheel of Time continues to teach us more about them. I’m still curious about all the different colors, and how they affect a sister’s role or powers.

Hallejuah, Moiraine is back!

This is the perfect time for her to rejoin us. We get to see her interact with her sisters, allowing us to see the differences between them, and we also get her take on the man claiming to be the dragon.

While I would’ve loved to see more of her with Nynaeve or Lan, it makes perfect sense that the majority of her time be with the sisters.

One of the main focuses of “The Dragon Reborn” is to introduce us more thoroughly to the Aes Sedai, and therefore we need a reason to be around them. Moiraine being healed and then stepping in on shield duty is the perfect way into the Aes Sedai. And then, that gives the show room to spend time with other sisters without Moiraine present.

When “The Dragon Reborn” begins, it is easy to think that Logain is the fifth person that Dana spoke about on The Wheel of Time Season 1 Episode 3, “A Place of Safety.” We have no reason to doubt him, and he’s insanely powerful, and so the twist that it’s not him and it’s potentially (probably?) Nynaeve is fantastically well done.

Seriously, applause all around. Nynaeve’s moment of power is an intense and emotional one, making it all the more badass.

We haven’t known Lan that long, but there are some tears and despair when we cut to him suffering from a deadly wound. It’s a testament to The Wheel of Time that we’re already this invested in Lan when it’s only Episode 4 and there’s a huge cast.

He’s probably my favorite character at the moment. He is just trying his best to keep everyone safe, and his budding friendship of sorts with Nynaeve is the best relationship out of everyone.

While a lot happens in the other storylines, Perrin and Egwene’s is uneventful.

Sure, we get more world-building and learn about a new group of people, but that’s about it. There’s so much more momentum in the Aes Sedai camp and in Mat and Rand’s storyline, and every time we shift over to focus on Perrin and Egwene, that momentum is brought to a standstill.

“The Dragon Reborn” would have been a stronger episode if we didn’t spend any time with Perrin and Egwene. The show doesn’t need to check in with them until something more substantial happens.

And this doesn’t mean that they need to be under attack or anything, but it would be nice if something happened that maybe revealed a bit more of either of their powers or something related to the overarching quest.

Stray Thoughts

• Please tell me this is not the last we see of the gleeman.
• Also, I don’t have the utmost confidence that Rand and Mat can survive/stay out of trouble on their own.
• I wonder what happens to a warder when his Aes Sedai dies.

What did you think of this episode of The Wheel of Time? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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