this post was submitted on 13 Sep 2023
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Wheel of Time

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Discussion of the Wheel of Time Books and Show.

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I haven't seen all the shows. And I'm not a purist, the show script doesn't have to follow the books as scripts are creations of the show writers. I just enjoy seeing it come to life on screen. I enjoyed season 1 with all the faults and all. have mixed feelings about season 2 so far. I just want to hear what others' thoughts are on it.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

The show in season 2 not mentioning that at all seems to indicate they’d like to forget about it too. Step too far for sure IMO

Step too far? I think we have to remember that the "Nynaeve was resurrected" opinion among non-readers was not that common. Most of the people confused/complaining about that scene were readers. The rest of folks concluded Nynaeve was unconscious because an actual resurrection would have warranted comment by people. In THAT situation, not commenting on it in S2 was confirmation to non-readers that Nynaeve was merely unconscious.

I’m guessing Green(/ent) man and their Tom Bombadil space are what you’re talking about here?

Yeah. The impact of the Eye itself as well, hiding the Horn and a Dragon Banner.

I rather like the show ending

100% agreed. We get a less cartoony version of Ishamael with all the best traits of his equivalent in the books.

I guess the idea at that point in the universe is that’s what the purified saidin was for, so that someone could go nuts without burning out

Except that breaks the rules.

Minor Rules-Wonk SpoilersOk, two things no novice ever hears you before looking at this spoiler tag.

First, burning out comes from channeling more than your body can handle, NOT more than your soul can handle. Related, the rules of Wheel of Time place no limit on how much power any trained channeler can draw. They just burn themselves to death instantly without being able to use it... Or ride the line and do one last blaze 10x or more stronger than they can safely handle. "Weep For Manetheren".

Pointing to the above, the important point is that an untrained/unseasoned Rand canonically could not channel as much power as Aginor can. Aginor is formally rated ++2 in the power, with Rand ++1, but the difference between "initial strength" and "potential strength" is at least 2 full tiers at those power levels... making baby Rand likely a full tier WEAKER than Aginor at the Eye... Whether it came from an untainted pool or from himself, it would have killed him as easily as if they overchanneled himself. And Aginor "burned himself to death instantly" drawing/doing less with the Power than Rand does. For the above reasons, he also has no real motivation to have drawn all that power. Canonically perhaps the most analytical/scientific-minded of the Forsaken killed in a mad power grab he didn't even need?

Second, there is an important difference between a Pool of Saidin and an angreal or sa'angreal. The latter generally do two things - they increase how much of the power you can draw without injuring yourself, and they provide what is referred to as "a buffer" that physically prevents you from overchanneling. So as unpleasant(and addictive) as can be, you are safe going balls-to-the-wall with twice your naked potential when you hold an angreal.

A pool of saidin having no enhancing or buffer effects, Rand channeling something he could easily do with an angreal should still kill him. And what he does at the Eye is pushing it compared to things he does with sa'angreal.

I’m hoping that comes back to be explained as to what exactly happened (I’m halfway through book 2)

It does, fortunately. It's also one of the awkward points to a parallel read/watch. If you think really carefully at what you've seen/read, you'll already know some of the answer.

it feels very much like Jordan felt like the book had to have some sense of finality even though it was going to be overturned immediately.

Yeah, good eye. I was young when I first read the Wheel of Time, but I didn't put 2+2 together until years later. It's dizzying to think about, but next year (I remember because it was the year Lord of Chaos hit the shelves, and I remember where I was when I first saw it) marks the 30th anniversary of my picking up Eye of the World and it becoming my #1 reading obsession ever since.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If you think really carefully at what you’ve seen/read, you’ll already know some of the answer.

Maybe spoilery from ending of book 1 onward

If I were to take a quick stab at it, I'd guess it's how the broken seal that gets recovered from the eye of the world was actually broken? Rand thinks he is attacking Ba'alzamon's source of power (by cutting it) but it's actually the binds of the seals?

No need to correct me or anything if it's spoilery ... just thought I'd share what my initial guess was/is.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Pretty much spot on. I meant regarding Ba’alzamon’s fate directly, though. The show tells us straight out what the books allude to for a little while.

Honestly, the spoiler I'm referring to is so obvious you probably think I'm referring to something else, but what I'm referencing is not clearly mentioned in the books for a bit longer. And of Book 2 or early Book 3 I think. Moiraine has said it directly twice in the show, though. About Ba'alzamon's nature.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yea ... not sure what you're referring to here ... but that's ok ... I'll keep reading! Thanks again!!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Fair enough :)

It's probably something so obvious to you that you didn't realize it was being kept secret in the books. Either way, have a great day and enjoy!