DoctorAtomic

I'd say Elyane having both thrones is important in the sense that it's two less headaches for Rand. Not that Elayne is just going to do what Rand says on the show, but she's not going to piss and moan about him being the Dragon or the Last Battle either. He's going to have his hands full with with Tear and Illian. I think there's a lot to mine there for tv because those people hate each other. I don't think Moiraine would take action against her own House, but if she finds out Bart is a Darkfriend, she's going to have to eliminate him. That would actually be a good plot because we've seen they've had a good relationship. She actually apologized to him. Will they bring the Sea Folk in to the show? I barely remember much except they helped with the bowl of the winds, but I don't know if they're essential.

We know Rand gets the wound at Falme, so it could be Ish in disguise too. tbh, Carhein wasn't really a plot that drew me in. Although now, with the sandwiches, I'm more intrigued.

It's not clear if Min's visions always come true on the show because that one is a new one. Is Barthanes in the books?

Five seconds in, and I want Egwene to tear the Seanchan to shreds. I wonder if they're going to shorten her time in bondage because it seemed forever in the books. I don't get why the Seanchan never got got though. Or at least forced to give up their society of slavery. You'd think if anyone could break their society, it would be the *Dragon*. Everyone crowed about how he's going to break the world. You've got an invading force that enslaved people, and they basically got away with it. Not much breaking. Not that Rand didn't have a ton to do, but still. What kind of world are you fighting for if you're letting that go on? If Ish and Lanfear are this fantastically evil, we're in for a treat with all the Foresaken coming up! Logain teaching Rand is a far far far better narrative choice than the Asmodean nonsense we got saddled with. Can Logain see the weaves even though he's gentled? I don't remember Elayne being so ride or die in the books, but she's fantastic. I'm seeing the Mat that I know now. I'm still slightly worried the show won't have Mat blow the Horn. Maybe Mat will just follow Rand from a distance. It looks like we still got a shot at Lan training Rand too. I really liked this new Yellow Sister with Ny too. tbh, it's not like Ny could have beaten the entire Seanchan back, but she could have level half of Falme without blinking. I know the show is different from the books, so I'm hoping Egwene just convinced herself that she couldn't beat her slaveholder with a pot and is just holding off. What I didn't like is when the slaveholder hung her up on the wall, "yeah, you're not going to let someone like me just hang on a hook. Knock it off."

Rand did a good job not being too freaked out by Lanfear in the first dreamworld scene, and Moiraine did a good job not trying to strangle him. I liked that she was all "duh" about Logain, "who else is going to teach you?" This isn't anything book related, but I'm leaning in to Rand playing a long game here and maybe sending away Moiraine was his idea and he's trying a double con. He calmed down way fast when he said "I'll do anything" to Lanfear. I can't believe someone as calculating as Moiraine wouldn't entertain that Rand was running a con. It's "da-co-val-lay?" I was saying "day-co-val". The scene where Lanfear kills Liandrin's son was absolutely chilling. I can't say I feel for her that much. It's like taking a loan from the mafia. If the adam gives back on the damane (da-mane), then Egwene must be able to throw one hell of a punch. Ishamael - I have altered the terms of the deal. Pray I do not alter them further. I liked Alanna's line about "what you're willing changes when what you're faced with". It's the "So is it you can't take off your helmet or don't show your face?" Lanfear called Ishamael "Ishy". Those two are just killing it. Why was Egwene's slaveholder's face all scarred? Was it from having to wear the mask all the time, or ritualistic? Were her teeth real? She's got some choppers. For a Yellow, that lady wrecked shop. I thought she was only shielded. When she fled Verin's languid estate and was attacked by the Fade, and Lan jumped in to fight, she channeled a trickle, but couldn't do anything. They showed the sparkly around her hand. If you're stilled, I don't think you could do even that. I think she thinks she's stilled. She's way older though. What's an arranged marriage and status in your little nation when the literal dark is loose on the world, bent on obliterating literally everything? I certainly can appreciate Moiraine is so over everything at this point. I barely have time for nonsense at my own work. Plus, she was repudiated by Rand, whom she just was able to start a good relationship with. I did like how she pulled rank *hard*. This is my house, Lindsay Duncan. I didn't get that she has Lan's bond, because, clearly, they would know that he isn't a Darkfriend. I think the show would have made a clear point that Lan consented to be bonded, and no way he's consenting. Credit to Alanna though, when Lan told her what was up, they immediately went to Siuan.

I am absolutely not a book purist. Before the show aired, we covered a list of book problems, largely due to be written/published in the late 80s/90s, but also just not good things that bothered me as a 19 y/o even then. Plus, it dragged so much after Chaos. You're not going to make a tv show in 2023 with those issues for one, and the other, you're not putting on a tv show based on a book series unless you draw in the non book audience. At least this show has the complete series to work off. So far, I don't really have a problem with the changes they made. Clearly, some of the changes won't pay off for a long time, but I appreciate they're looking at the series as a whole.

Or they try to rob you, but if you tell at them, they'll give you a ride.

I could buy that too.

I wouldn't put her past 23 at the oldest, but my point about Ahsoka expecting her to just obliterate her only shot at Ezra is still apt.

The Producers angle is kind of brilliantly sublime. I could buy it. I still like the idea of everyone having a motive and trying to kill Ben.

Unfortunately, he's going to fail to break the cycle. Maybe he'll just say forget about it and wander around the new galaxy. I don't mind if this home planet is a retcon. I just was wondering because I watched Rebels so long ago, and I thought I might have forgotten.

Orange. True. I would have also eaten all the bleu cheese. I liked the Two Towers cauldron gag. That was a great take on Mister Rogers with the song. Great work by Rachel and right to licking the car. I add water to the eggs. They did a bit on that on The Mentalist of all places. Wow the whole coked gang was wild. Roger's personas typically don't merge with the A plot. This was a great ender. The line reading of 'missedthepool' killed.

It's not a huge deal for me. I was wondering if it was something I missed from Rebels. Please, please, please tell me the great power Baylan senses is the Star Forge. If Thrawn finds out about it, he'll be unstoppable. Perfect motivation for Baylan to join forces with Ahsoka to destroy it.

I still think Ahsoka is being much for dumping on Sabine. And it still strikes me as a little hypocritical. Robot Ten was right when he checked her. Did we know the night sisters came from another galaxy from the Clones Wars and Rebels? Or is this new? You'd think that if traveling to another galaxy only required a bunch of hypercores, someone would have tried it already. I mean, they built two Death Stars in about a decade and a half, and that was way more engineering. I am unspoiled and just speculating, but Sabine has way more beef with Shin than Baylan. I still think Baylan, Ahsoka and Sabine are going to be on the same side against the night sister, but I hope Sabine takes her out. Sounds like Baylan is talking about us (Jedi, Sith, over and over). I'm surprised that Sabine didn't trash talk Thrawn. 'How's it feel to know Ezra outsmarted you, Grand Admiral?' I also might have been interested in asking about what happened when him and Ezra actually arrived. I was hoping there would be a twist that Ezra was working with Thrawn instead of living with turtles this whole time. He should have a bunch of turtle padawans! It was the hat. Thrawn also said that he was low on troops to Morgan. Maybe Ezra escaped in the confusion when they got there, and he searched for him for a little while, but maybe lost some guys due to a new planet and the bandits. Thrawn has the ship, so he can leave. Repairing the ship and getting food and water is more important. He hasn't done anything here, but his reputation precedes him. Ahsoka called him 'heir to the Empire'. If you're going to really assemble an Empire remnant to take on the new republic, he's really the only one on the list. Yes, they can kill him, but they can't command forces and run battles like he can. They may think they can use him to their own ends (which seems to be the theme), but they will be mistaken. To this point and mine before, Thrawn isn't wasting too many of his troopers to hunt Ezra, but now he's got two 'sith' or whatever at his disposal and another route back to the galaxy. Send them. I don't think he even cares about Sabine beyond her motivation to find Ezra. Another new tool for him. "Sure, go find him. I'll even give you a dog." I liked how Thrawn doesn't play. "Could it be Tano?" "Impossible." "Bitch, please. It's Tano. Go get ready."

I think many of us are entirely basing our comments on having watched Rebels for sure. I wouldn't say I was excusing her actions though. I was expecting something like that to happen. Also factor in that she thought Ashoka was gone too. Rash? Perhaps. OOC? Perhaps not. I don't know if that's fair to the rest of the viewing audience that hasn't watched Rebels either. I think my point that Ahsoka is expecting a teenager to weigh galactic decisions was wishful thinking at best.

Anakin actually inadvertently prepared Ahsoka for 100s of troopers too. I'm in agreement here and just adding. Maybe letting your chosen one get married as an exception isn't a bad idea? She's a nice girl, and most of them liked her. It's been a long time now since Ahsoka walked away from the order. It's almost as much to say she's been not a Jedi longer than she was a Jedi (padawan). I know in the episode Ahsoka said, 'we have to be prepared to give up on Ezra', and I remarked at the time that I thought it was premature. I also have to call out Ahsoka being a little ooc here because she's not the detached Jedi, or ever has been, and throwing in with Baylan to get to Thrawn to get to Ezra is a wildly reckless plan that was just another Tuesday for her and Anakin during the Clone Wars. Kind of like jumping into a space whale's mouth and hoping for the best. I mean, come on, girl. Expecting that from Sabine is obtuse at best, unless that was the plan all along. There's no guarantee you blow up the map and Thrawn doesn't find his way back anyway. Unless Ezra is with him, then you're out. Thrawn is ruthless and would sacrifice his own forces in a battle for gaining enemy intelligence. Throwing in with Baylan to get to your objective is exactly something Thrawn might do. She secured his word to not be harmed without conceding the same. Studying your adversaries literally in the same room as you is risky but not dumb. She's got beef with Thrawn anyway.

I actually haven't watched the movie yet. I'm just talking based on the events from the show. Technically, they only said where G'Kar went, we never saw. It's splitting hairs.

I think that's correct. They just annoy me because we haven't seen a sovereign nation invite them to maintain order, or whatever.

Oh, ok. I thought streaming just like included with Prime, not paying extra.

I really hope we get one more Slater.

I think it's a deliberate acting choice because we know the other two can be wacky and manic. I think it works because you're not expecting the pretty, young woman/teen pop star to be the "straight girl" on this show at face value. She's got great, droll readings to me, "That's a weird flex." Or the way she says "olds". She hosted Saturday Night Live not too long ago, and she was funny/wacky.

I never did either. It made me think of smizmar. Then I laughed a lot. I certainly wasn't spoiled for the return of our favorite cop! I didn't find Charles and Oliver hovering over her to be funny; I didn't know it was a con until later. Kudos all around for calling Dickie's mom! I liked all the music through all the split scenes, and the actors all shocked Charles pulled it off. That was a wordy song. They all really brought it for this episode. That was fantastic. Partially plot, but I have band aids and cough drops in my satchel (I'm a man, so it's a satchel). Very handy for in-person meetings when someone can't clear their throat. It didn't look like the trio was actually acting in their 'reunion all-in' scene in the hallway. Gomez looked like she was genuinely laughing. I'm not really into solving the case, so this isn't based on anything much than reading the posts here, but what if everyone tried to kill Ben? The whole opening night was him trying not to be killed? It's ridiculous.

That's a good analogy too. I was thinking Crusaders because they stomp around other sovereign lands and just take what they want. The Aes Sedai aren't under any formal national jurisdiction, but I don't think it's lawful to just abduct them and cut their fingers off either.

My point there was that if it was the Force Ghost Anakin, I'm doubtful he'd revist the Vader side so effortlessly to teach that particular lesson. He'd be all light side, and that's not what I'm getting from Ahoka. Everyone is calling her the 'gray jedi', and Baylan even said she's more like Anakin than she wants to be. I was informed that the sweet move of Ahsoka disarming Anakin is the same move Anakin used to disarm Dooku.

Moiraine also said that Lanfear was totally in love with Lews in this episode before Rand conked out. If she thinks Rand *is* Lews (speculation not spoiler), she's thinking this time around she can have him or just totally mess with his mind as revenge. She's the cougar here. Rand is what? 23? She actually succeeded. He told her he was in love with her. If Moiraine didn't show up when she did, it's entirely possible Lanfear drags Rand in front of the Dark One. That she was able to pull it off so easy is alarming. Regardless of Dragon, Rand can channel and he's powerful; i.e., Anakin situation. That's a big coup in the Foresaken game of thrones. Also, he might be really good at teh secks, so added bonus for her.