S03.E06: The Shadow in the Night

[paulvdb]

Quote

Tensions flare between Egwene and Rand. Moiraine and Lan come to terms with their destiny.

Premiere date: April 3, 2025

[thuganomics85]

The Liandrin flashback was brief but really well done, and helps explain why she has embraced the Forsaken/Black Aja the way she has.  After everything she went through, the only person to show her any kindness or assistance was none other than Ishamael.  Yeah, even if he had self-serving goals, it's easy to see why that act would earn undying loyalty.  Great seeing him/Fares Fares for a few second again.

Hey, it's Thom Merrilin!  I was kind of wondering if/when we were going to see him again, since he's been absence since season one.  Hope he sticks around a little bit, because all fantasy teams need at least one bard!

So, the Tanchico gang goes undercover into the streets to find intel about Liandrin, and while they do acquire some info, it actually ends up devolving into a party with drinks, gossip, gambling, and Elayne singing a ditty she always knew, but now just realizes that it is obviously a pretty raunchy song.  Yeah, I guess it's not surprising that a lot of that would go over her head, heh.  But, hey, she's apparently a hell of a singer!  Ceara Coveney continues to really shine in this role.

Alas, the fun times to end on a sour note, because while the gang is able to find one of the braces, good old Moghedien returns, mind controls both Nynaeve and Elayne, and acquire the brace for herself.  Pretty creepy stuff.  Deep down, I figured she wasn't going to kill either one of them, but I was still worried throughout that scene.  Really powerful villain right there.

Perrin and Faile are already moving to the kissing stage of their relationship.  A little rushed, but I guess if you just survived an White Cloak onslaught, why not enjoy life a little?  Not surprised that Mat' sisters were actually the real channelers, and helped save Alanna.

Hell yeah, Padan Fain is back and is "assisting" the White Cloaks, but you know damn well he's got something else going on.  The best part was seeing freaking Eamon Valda of all people looking a little unnerved by him.  You know the wheel has truly flown off (pun intended), if Captain Torture of all people is getting concerned about events.

After a visit of being tied to Lanfear's wheel (that's her thing!), Egwene confronts Rand about his dream activities, and he's... basically is like "Well, you've been ignoring me all of this time!"  Buddy, just because your girlfriend is busy trying to figure out her magic powers, doesn't mean you can just step out on her.  Especially with your former flame, whose one of the Forsaken and can kind of be evil at times.  I know she hot and looks great in all of those black outfits, but maybe show some restraint, my friend.

Should have known overly-precious kid was being set up to die.  Not just die, but die by Rand inadvertently killing her when using all of his power to take out Samuel.  Yeah, I see some of that madness starting to well up now.  Moiraine (and the rest) have their work cut out for them now.

[MissLucas]

Well, show just dropped its version of 'Toss a Coin to the Witcher' LOL!

As epic as episode four was this is going to be my favorite episode. That did feel like two hours and was packed with so many great moments.

We already knew Liandrin had a horrible past but that really brought it home. And damn, Tanchico is a cold place. A blood spattered child with a baby in her arms - and what looked like bloodstains from giving birth on her rags - begging for help and nobody cares. Well, nobody except Ishy who apparently was out for much longer than we had assumed.

And another great get-up for Lanfear. That grey cape was chef's kiss. And Liandrin has to deal with a new boss.

Hmm, Moraine maybe give Lan a heads-up that something nasty this way comes? And how many chats did you and Lanfear have in your dreams? This does not sound like the first one. Have we seen this before and I just can't remember?

Min and Nynaeve was a pairing I did not expect and they have a great chemistry together. We and Nynaeve also got a reminder that Min's power might be helpful but also sucks. No wonder she was willing to make a deal to get rid of it.

The scene between Rand and Moraine was fantastic. So intense and well acted. I wonder if Rand's advice to Moraine to not submit to the Sa'angreal but to dominate it means that for its counterpart to work a male channeler would have to submit to it instead of trying to control it. That sort of reversal would work with the whole yin and yang thing the show/books have going on.

Everybody's favorite gleeman returns and gets Elayne out of trouble. I loved how Elayne had studied Tanchico enough to get the accent right and learned the fabled song yet did only grasp the innuendo when the patrons started to pantomime to the lyrics. That little moment when she realized and the look to Thom and his smile that conveyed 'Ah, now the penny has dropped' was fantastic. Also: great voice.

Ha, I was right about the Cathorn twins and how Alanna would survive! Were they just channeling or also linking? Something they learned doing by instinct? And of course Alanna has horrible timing for her healing appointment with Perrin. Speaking of Perrin - that was a cute scene between him and Faile. And good for Perrin to go in for the kiss after the horn reveal before he ended up with another blade wound.

Moghedien is all kinds of twisted and awful and creepy. No wonder the other Forsaken want nothing to do with her. Well, except Rhavin who apparently wants Elayne killed. And good for Nynaeve to fight the compulsion. Moghedien was impressed.

Egwene and Rand was painful to watch. I could actually see where they both were coming from. And just when they arrive at a crucial point - not one that would mend their relationship but at least bring some clarity to both of them but especially Rand - all hell breaks loose. Aviendha channeling spears was so badass! And what followed was truly shocking and heartbreaking. Show's not pulling any punches.

[Noneofyourbusiness]

3 hours ago, MissLucas said:

Ha, I was right about the Cathorn twins and how Alanna would survive! Were they just channeling or also linking? Something they learned doing by instinct?

Well, as twins, linking could come naturally to them.

[Souris]

Best episode yet! So much emotional stuff.

I fear "The Hills of Tanchico" is going to stick in my head as indelibly as "Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?" 😂

[quarks]

1. Thom Merrilyn: I am not getting involved. I am not getting involved. Wait, is that the Daughter-Heir? Ok, I am PLAYING A GUITAR but NOT GETTING INVOLVED. AT ALL. Ok, yes, I am explaining lore details to all of you and following you out of this bar did I mention I AM NOT GETTING INVOLVED?

2. Elayne: I was BLENDING IN! By singing a bawdy song on a stage and ensuring that everyone would notice me! TOTALLY BLENDING IN!

3. Nynaeve: So, this is what smiling fees like.

4. Min: So this is what using my visions to get info feels like.

5. Mat: Everyone has told me to be careful, so I will just - completely accept this bracelet from a guy who claims he found it in a thrift shop.

(I know this show has to hurry things along, and Mat being ta'veren increases the chances of things like this happening to/with him, but, seriously, this group is hunting down Evil People and they don't try to ask just a few questions about this?)

6. Liandrin: Yeah, getting ordered around by a bunch of evil people just SUCKS so, new career goal: I SHALL BECOME MORE EVIL! 

7. Lanfear: I love Rand. So much I am going to torture lots of people about it. While wearing FABULOUS clothing. Also I am going to arrange for a little Evil Attack. Look, I said I was EVIL, not reasonable.

8. Moggy: I'm just here to add a touch of demented horror to this show. Is it working? Should I scratch more faces to make sure it's working? Or just dig into more eyeballs? Oh and don't ask me about the spitting thing. It's a me thing.

9. Sammael: Seems like a great time for me to show up and prove that not all of the Forsaken are particularly competent! 

10. Aviendha: I HAVE SHINY FIERY SPEARS go me

11. Moiraine: Yeah, "sometimes" is about the only thing I have to say about the future just now, Rand.

12. Egwene: ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW, RAND? REALLY? YOU ARE SLEEPING WITH A WOMAN WHO IS TORTURING ME AND YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY, WELL, YOU LEFT ME? ARE YOU SERIOUS?

13. Rand:

....ok, I'm not going to snark on Rand here. That scene with the kid was heartbreaking.

[Danny Franks]

So Darkfriends are an analogue for radicalised extremists? I really like that. Liandrin was desperate and lost and scared, and here was someone who promised to help her, who preyed on her when she was at her weakest. All she had to do was give up her soul.

I like how much the Tanchico Four seemed like a little gang, working in sync and with a plan. And they managed to stick to their plan despite getting drunk and singing. Plus, Mat managed to sweet talk the one guy in Tanchico who knew where to find the bracelet. That was very lucky.

Thom turning up was a bit of a surprise, and I really liked him and Mat immediately being friendly. I think this is an aspect of Mat's character that Donal Finn nails, which perhaps Barney Harris didn't - that roguish charm that makes people smile.

Of course Nynaeve hates everything foreign. One of my favourite things about her has always been that she's such a bad traveller, yet barely stops travelling. One of my less favourite things about Elayne is that she pushes too far and ignores risks, which was very much on show in this episode.

Ceara Coveney has a very nice singing voice, and that little moment when she realised the song she'd picked was actually about boobs was hilarious. 

Moghedien is intensely creepy, and the scene where she compels Nynaeve and Elayne was very effective. The two of them so desperate to please her, Nynaeve resisting and you can see in Zoe Robins' eyes that she knows something is wrong.

I like Faile a lot, and think she balances Perrin's energy really nicely. She brings out more personality in him, and her disbelief that the Horn had been found and blown already was great. But I'm not sure I believe her backstory. Not that I'm suspicious of her, but it just seems too neat and tidy.

Speaking of neat and tidy, Fain joining up with Valda seems like an unpleasantly natural relationship.

I don't think Rand is gaslighting Egwene, because he genuinely does have a point - she wanted to be a Wisdom's apprentice more than she wanted to be with him, then she wanted to be an Aes Sedai, and now she wants to learn how to be a Dreamwalker. She's ambitious, and that's absolutely fine, but the two of them need to stop lying to themselves, and hopefully that's what's happened now.

But whatever his reasoning, it's besides the point, and it doesn't excuse dream-banging a Forsaken.

Yeah, it was obvious that the cutesy kid wasn't long for this world, as soon as Rand started befriending her. 

Josha still isn't getting as much to do as I'd like, but when he gets the chance he's really good. He can make Rand seems scary and unstable out of nowhere, which is obviously concerning for a man everyone is scared is going to go mad.

Edited April 7 by Danny Franks

[RachelKM]

People mostly already expressed most of my thoughts about the episode.  I enjoyed the hell out of that.

And the scene with Rand at the end was really well acted and well done. But I have to admit, and I'm almost certainly going to hell for this, I couldn't entirely stay with the feeling of devastation because I was just relieved I'd never have to see or hear that kid again.

Not that I hoped for a kid to die or anything. And I get how wrenching it was for Rand and how important a story beat it was. But, like, she's gone, right? She won't pop back up in dreams handing out wee little squash or anything, right?

Edited April 7 by RachelKM

[AnimeMania]

8 hours ago, RachelKM said:

People mostly already expressed most of my thoughts about the episode.  I enjoyed the hell out of that.

And the scene with Rand at the end was really well acted and well done. But I have to admit, and I'm almost certainly going to hell for the, I couldn't entirely stay with the feeling of devastation because I was just relieved I'd never have to see or hear that kid again.

Not that I hoped for a kid to die or anything. And I get how wrenching it was for Rand and how important a story beat it was. But, like, she's gone right? She won't pop back up in dreams handing out wee little squash or anything, right?

I was kind of hoping that Rand would pump so much energy into her that she would start to move, then explode like a Monty Python sketch. If that wouldn't drive Rand mad, I don't know what would. I can see the crooked smile on his blood soaked face.

[iarwain]

They really got their money's worth on that "Hills of Tanchico" song.  They played it three times, including the credits.

[DoctorAtomic]

Seriously, curb stomp that monster, Li. 

Mat and Min continue to entertain. Almost as much as Rand and the little girl. And Min is being more useful. 

There's a lot going on in this episode with the multiple plot lines. I'm not complaining. I thought they would have got to it sooner tbh. 

This 'training' isn't much of training for Egwene. "Believe" is great and all, but I think you need a more strategic approach. 

Thom has a big nooooopppppe for Mat, so you know he's all in. 

I didn't realize what the Hills were for a minute. HA!

Last week there was a lot of discussion about how many arrows Alanna got. Maybe she was running on adrenaline because she certainly got tore up and they showed it here. 

I feel like I want to call the Spider, Bjork Sedai. 

I know there was a lot going on in this episode, but they could have called it, "Egwene is NOT HAVING A GOOD DAY THANK YOU."

I can't say I liked the breakup scene. I did, however, liked Rand running out of fucks to give when he just stood up and went 'nah'. Of course, not great aftermath. 

On 4/3/2025 at 5:37 PM, MissLucas said:

Aviendha channeling spears was so badass!

I didn't realize that was her. 

On 4/6/2025 at 5:23 PM, Danny Franks said:

I don't think Rand is gaslighting Egwene, because he genuinely does have a point - she wanted to be a Wisdom's apprentice more than she wanted to be with him, then she wanted to be an Aes Sedai, and now she wants to learn how to be a Dreamwalker. She's ambitious, and that's absolutely fine, but the two of them need to stop lying to themselves, and hopefully that's what's happened now.

Also the Last Battle is coming up. Even if Rand is the Dragon, we've seen plenty of times that Egwene and all them are really important too. This scene struck me as odd because Rand didn't ask how she knew he was getting it on with Lanfear, and Egwene didn't say, 'I saw you getting it on with Lanfear in your dream'. I would have just preferred them to say, 'there's just too much going on with learning who we really are; also, you have massive trauma that you're not dealing with from being literally enslaved.' I don't think you can be on the hook for what you dream, and she clearly knew Rand didn't know Lanfear was torturing her in her dreams either. I just feel like the whole scene was a step backward.

 

[RachelKM]

3 hours ago, DoctorAtomic said:

I feel like I want to call the Spider, Bjork Sedai. 

 

OMG, THANK YOU! I cannot not see Bjork every time I look at her. I can' almost hear a Sugarcubes track in my head when she appears. 

Edited April 8 by RachelKM

[DoctorAtomic]

Who is to say she isn't? The wheel weaves as the wheel wills. 

 

[Noneofyourbusiness]

14 hours ago, DoctorAtomic said:

I don't think you can be on the hook for what you dream

Yes, but Rand didn't dream up Lanfear, she was really there inside his dream and Rand knew she was really there, so they were really having sex together. It's not like fantasizing, it really happened, it doesn't make it less cheating because it happened on another plane. It's functionally the same as sneaking off to a secret room to do it.

Edited April 8 by Noneofyourbusiness

[tennisgurl]

Those flashbacks with Liandrin were horrible, no wonder she joined with Ishmael and become such a hardass who needs to be in control of everything. She's still evil, but I understand her a lot more now. Ishmael does a great job at making everything he says sound totally fair and reasonable, even when we know better, especially as he sells people on his side. 

Everyone at Tanchico taking a break from finding the Black Aja and the magic collar to get a few drinks and have some fun was the highlight of the episode, the whole gang is so much fun together. It was great to see Nynaeve and Min bonding despite their many differences, Nynaeve is so serious so often she really needs some time to have fun. Poor Nynaeve does have a bit of a case of resting bitch face doesn't she? Elayne continues to throw herself into every single mission with gusto, I just love her. She has a nice voice actually, the expression on her face as she realized what "The Hills of Tanchico" is actually about was hilarious, then of course she just went along with it and did a little shimmy as Mat cheered her on. Not surprised that it turned into a whole bawdy party in the bar, its a real earworm. I wasn't expecting to see Thom here, always good to have a bard around.  

I also loved Mat telling Nynaeve that the shawl she was wearing was announcing how much she cost by bead, and that it was a whole lot of beads, then put it on himself when they left. Good on you Mat, know your worth.

Then Moghedien had to show up to ruin the fun and remind us how dangerous all of this is. That was a super creepy scene, all that dead eyed giggling, no wonder the other Forsaken think she's a weirdo even by their standards. This is certainly not going to end well. 

Rand, I totally get being put under Lanfear's spell, I am pretty much under it too, but lets not forget that she is still very much a villain and does not have your best interest at heart. She's the sexiest person in this or any age, but you've got to stop this. The fight between Egwene and Rand was rough, what he is doing is still cheating even if its another plane but of course he didn't know that Lanfear was tormenting Egwene, plus neither of them are at their usual hundred percent as Egwene is still dealing with everything that happened to her last season and Rand is already feeling the pull of madness, things are just bad. 

I should have known that Mat's sisters were the channelers, there really is something in the water in Two Rivers. 

I knew that the cute kid was doomed, but that was still really sad to see, its hard to dump on Rand for his weak spot for Lanfear after that. That was really hard to watch, Joshua Stradowski really has done a great job at showing Rand slipping into channel instability, he can switch from normal nice everyday guy Rand to power filled madness back to normal Rand again. No wonder everyone is so concerned.  

[DoctorAtomic]

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

Poor Nynaeve does have a bit of a case of resting bitch face doesn't she?

I actually do to, or when I'm concentrating really hard.

 

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

Rand, I totally get being put under Lanfear's spell, I am pretty much under it too, but lets not forget that she is still very much a villain and does not have your best interest at heart.

Besides being a guy, Rand also has first hand experience with 'Mierin', who was legitimately a good person. So he is clinging to that even though I think he knows she's Lanfear now. 

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

No wonder everyone is so concerned. 

Egwene even more so because she had the alternate reality of flat out mad Rand in his fancy jacket. 

[MissLucas]

There are some theories out there on the web claiming that Rand might be playing a long and obviously dangerous game with Lanfear. The whole 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer' spiel. So far we haven't seen much of his scheming abilities so I remain skeptical. In my books what he's doing is probably a milder version of that. He thinks Lanfear is the only one who really understands him - she told him that just a gazillion of times - and so he remains in her thralls in order to better navigate his destiny. Just as dangerous and also a bit naive.