S03.E03: Seeds of Shadow

[paulvdb]

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Nynaeve and Elayne are given a deadly mission. Perrin learns the consequences of his rage. Lanfear begins to play a dangerous game.

Premiere date: March 13, 2025

[thuganomics85]

Okay, as I've said before, I've really been enjoying this show since the beginning and that won't change, but it really is starting to feel like Shohreh Aghdashloo was the missing ingredient this entire time, because damn, am I enjoying watching Eladia scheming her way through things, including working against her own Red Aes Sedai when the young folks don't show her any respect, and clearly knowing that Min was a plant, but didn't really care and is just going to have her assist with her grand plans.  Combine all that with lavish outfits, epic monologues, and sipping wine when she isn't smirking her way through dealing with the riff-raff, and you've got the pure 100% grade Shohreh Aghdashloo special!

Dang it, I thought the Queen's Consort last episode seemed like a nice fellow, so of course he's one of the Forsaken.  Not only that, but while he's pretending to be in league with Lanfear, he's actually more aligned with Moghedien, who has already shown to be the way worst option when it comes to the Forsakens.

Nynaeve and Elayne star in their own version of a fantasy Law & Order episode for a bit, and figure out where Liandrin might be heading.  Not too shabby beside having to dodge an assassination attempt or two.  There off on another grand adventure, alongside Mat who is done wasting away in the tower.  Even if he did get to go out putting both of those arrogant princes down in the dirt.  And I'm guessing Min is tailing them, judging from that final bit.

Sounds like Egwene's dream hopping/walking might be part of her normal powers.

Despite his best efforts to turn himself in, Perrin ends up just rally the entire town around him.  But he still plans on going after the White Cloaks first, since they have taken Mat's family.  At least the former leader's son is trying to maintain some kind of stability, while good old Eamon Valda is already begging to torture him.  I love/hate that slimy bastard.  The actor is just such a delight to watch.

Lan reunites with what sounds like someone who use to be from his birth place that they thought all were wiped out from?  I guess this will lead to him debating if this will take importance over the main mission.

Looks like Liandrin and Black Aja's plan is to build a collar that will subdue Rand/the Dragon.

[MissLucas]

I didn't see the Gaebril reveal coming! But it explains that awkward moment in last episode when Morgause and her retinue arrived at the White Tower and Leane struggled to remember his name. I thought it was because Morgause kept changing lovers regularly but then later in the episode it seems as if he had been around for a long time and I was a bit confused about that scene. Well played show, well played.

Damn, even in a show with great costumes Shohreh Aghdashloo stands out. I read somewhere that the jewellery Avasarala was wearing in the 'Expanse' came from her private collection and now I'm wondering if that's also the case for this show. All her scenes were great, but the one with Min was absolutely mesmerizing.

Mat taking down the two preening Andorian princes was oddly satisfying.

Nukaka, the actress playing the Aiel dreamwalker has such a striking face and great screen presence. And both her on-screen and off-screen husbands are dreamboats *showing myself out*

 

Edited March 15 by MissLucas

[Hanahope]

I had thought the prince concort looked familiar but maybe he just had that smarmy smirk that I knew he’d turn out to be bad.  In more ways than one it seems.  
So is Verin good or not?  How long until we know?  
poor Min, it must be hard seeing people’s death.

[Noneofyourbusiness]

I'm surprised they revealed that Gaebril is Rahvin so soon; maybe they thought it was obvious and didn't realize how subtle they'd managed to be in the previous episode.

[quarks]

I too was genuinely surprised by the speed of the Gaebril reveal - I figured that wouldn't happen until the last or next to last episode, but I'm glad it happened quickly enough to spare us too much of the inevitable fan speculation about this guy who seems so awfully, awfully, nice to everyone.

Except maybe Lanfear.

And I also have to agree with everyone here that the real winner of this episode was Shohreh Aghdashloo and that amazing jewelry. (And the moment where the other Red sister was like, you know, absolutely spectacular piece of jewelry there but I couldn't pull it off.) I'm not sure which scene I preferred - her scene with the Red Ajah after Leane was like YOU! MISSION! NOW! or the one with Min discussing the advantages of being able to see the future. But I think the second. Especially since it's about time that someone told Min that her visions don't have to be just a curse.

Favorite scene, though, had to be Mat beating the two brothers with a stick.

[DoctorAtomic]

First time for the full theme!

I'm disappointed we didn't see Elayne's trials through the arches. Clever Prisoner's Dilemma with Ny and Elayne. Not that it was gaining traction. Good for Elayne's sleuthing.

How old must Eliada be? The actor would be what? 60? So the character must be hundreds of years old. Liandrin looked 40s to me and had a son who was in his 80s. 

Again, not even remotely how I pronounced 'Rhuidean'. Or Tanchico. 

Liandrin all Temple of Doom!

I guess the theme of this episode is listen to what is not said. 

"Hello, we're the Aiel. Welcome to the Three Fold Land.

Lan dying in the sauna was all the jokes. 

I don't know if it was more satisfying to see Mat wreck it on the Trakhands or Ny trying not to swallow her tongue. 

On 3/14/2025 at 2:48 PM, thuganomics85 said:

Dang it, I thought the Queen's Consort last episode seemed like a nice fellow, so of course he's one of the Forsaken.

Did you guess it? I knew already, but I thought they were going to delay the reveal a little longer for viewers to put the pieces together. I think they did a good job last episode, but I knew what to look for. 

Edited March 16 by DoctorAtomic

[MissLucas]

24 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

How old must Eliada be? The actor would be what?

Shohreh Aghdashloo is 72.

[DoctorAtomic]

Well, damn. 

If we're going as the characters being roughly the actors' ages, and we've already seen that the AS age slower, then she's got to be centuries old. 

No wonder she's playing everyone like a fiddle.

[MissLucas]

I feel dumb now. I did not notice that Elaida in her in her tête-à-tête with Min had planted the seeds for the Highest of the Red Ajah's removal - despite loving the scene so much. It took a reviewer to point it out - Avasarala would be so disappointed in me.

Girl should have shown more appreciation for that bling!

[DoctorAtomic]

I thought the Highest rejected the bracelet because Eliada basically rigged it as a bug. 

[Danny Franks]

So Gaebril is actually Rahvin, using a complicated Compulsion weave to make everyone think he's been in Andor for years. Who could have seen that coming?

I really like the bickering Forsaken. I've heard it said that, while the heroes of the Wheel of Time are in an epic fantasy story, the Forsaken are in a workplace comedy where they're always conspiring against each other, with varying degrees of competency.

That one scene did so much to establish them as characters - Rahvin the ladies' man who thinks he can talk anyone around, Sammael as the belligerent, disagreeable jerk who wants to pick fights, and Moghedien as the lunatic in the corner who everyone fears might have a knife up her sleeve. Oh, and Lanfear thinks she's smarter and better than them all, and likes to show it.

I do like that this show is giving lots of "women of a certain age" the opportunity to kill it in scenes together. Verin and Elaida snidely bitching at each other was great. But I fear Verin and Leanne are underestimating Elaida and her plans.

Absolutely insane scenery again, for the Aiel Waste (or the Threefold Land). I think they filmed in South Africa, and it was worth every penny they spent. Lots of Aiel lore, and hopefully lots more to come.

I liked the scene between Perrin and Alanna, about the losses they've both suffered. Interesting takes on grieving rituals, but that apple tree has grown very quickly. And interesting thoughts on Alanna and Maksim, where things clearly aren't rosy.

Bain and Chiad really want to kiss an Ogier, don't they? But man, that smile Chiad gave when she put her foot on the bench across from Maksim... I'd definitely play Maiden's Kiss. And probably lose.

Lord Luc is not how I imagined him. Very strange casting choice, but okay. Faile is absolutely how I imagined her. Very perfect casting choice.

I guess Liandrin has given up what little subtlety she had, but her and her friends definitely went on a fashion-forward shopping spree before arriving in Tanchico.

Rand, Lanfear is definitely leading you by the nose. And you're falling for it like an idiot, because she's really hot.

Loved Mat beating up Galad and Gawyn. I've been waiting for that, and it absolutely lived up to expectations. Galad being such an overbearing "unhand her, you ruffian," white knight is perfect for him.

 

[tennisgurl]

Oh snap, I did not see that Gaebril reveal coming at all, although I guess it should have after that awkward moment when the Aes Sedai forgot his name for a second, but I thought it was because he was a consort and not a real royal, not that he's been brainwashing everyone to think that he's been a part of their court the whole time. I am enjoying seeing more of the Forsaken together scheming with and against each other, I am looking forward to seeing what the rest of them are up to. I like that they're so different from each other and have such distinct personalities. They're evil, but different kinds of evil. 

Shohreh Aghdashloo is an absolute goddess, I know she's bad news but its so hard to not root for her as she dresses in fabulous clothes, sips wine, and manipulates her way around the Tower with that sexy sexy baritone. 

Perrin rolled a little too high on charisma, he meant to get everyone to leave him and continue hiding out, but instead he inspired (most) everyone to stand by him and fight, which is not what he was looking for but should be a fun time. 

The location shots are gorgeous this season, as are the costumes, they are living for that budget. 

I like both of the princes even if they are both pretty arrogant and spiled, they are really different kinds of arrogant and spoiled. You have cocky ladies man arrogant and "unhand them villain" uptight arrogant. 

Edited March 18 by tennisgurl