Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Wheel of Time season 3, episode 5!Jumping from the best episode of the entire series,The Wheel of Timeseason 3, episode 5 returns to the status quo, attempting to juggle its vast multitude of stories in a single hour. Unfortunately,many of these plots didn’t make me feel very invested.Some, like Rand and Moiraine’s continued interactions with Aiel society, were interesting, while others, like the party of characters going to Tanchico, weren’t that engaging. However, the episode’s best quality is how it pushes every story along, even the less-than-stellar ones.
After exiting Rhuidean with the Sakarnen and Rand’s golden dragon tattoos,he and Moiraine continue to get comfortable within the Aiel Waste. At the same time, threats loom in various places for all the Two Rivers travelers, with some being more developed than others. While the episode provides some good downtime while establishing what to expect from the back half of the season, it also suffers from feeling both too busy and like not much happens. These stark differences, however, depend on whichcharacters inThe Wheel of Timeare being followed.
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The most progress inThe Wheel of Timeseason 3, episode 5 happens for Rand, Egwene, and Perrin, who, incidentally, also have the most intriguing stories of the show. AsMoiraine tries to figure out how to use the Sakarnen, her alongside the rest of the Dragon Reborn’s party head to Rock’s Hold. There, Rand begins accustoming himself to life with the Aiel, even befriending Bair’s granddaughter, Alsera. It’s a strong contrast to his continued dreams with Lanfear, a physical manifestation of light versus the dream-like temptation of darkness.
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It’s this darkness that intersects with Egwene’s story, who is continuing to fight back against Lanfear in her dreams. She learns more about how to control the events of her nightmares, but is interrupted by another attack. Bair, having borne witness to the dream, says she’s being stalked by a Forsaken, emphasizing the level of danger she’s now in. It’s a good scene that invokes how dangerous the antagonist really is, while alsoputting an unseen ticking clock on Egwene’s ability to control her dreams. It’s a perfect next step in her training that makes me intrigued to see more.
However,Perrin’s mission in the Two Rivers is most exciting, trying to get Mat’s sisters and mother out of theclutches of the Whitecloaks. While his party does their best to save them, they’re too late for Mat’s mother; she’s burned to death after taking the blame for being a channeler. But it’s obvious from her final scene that it’s her daughters who have the power, her sacrifice protecting them long enough for Perrin to arrive. She may not have known he was coming, but her adamant protection of her daughters makes Perrin finding her body all the more emotional.
In the books, Mat’s mother survives, being rescued by Perrin and helping tend to the wounded after a Trolloc attack later on.
However, the mission doesn’t take long to go awry when Alanna is attacked and nearly killed by Whitecloaks. Luckily, Maksim, whom she’d previously had a falling out with, arrives and saves her in an impressively satisfying fight sequence. Ultimately,the exact results of Perrin’s rescue mission are left unclear,as everything erupts into chaos by the end of his part of the episode. It’s the perfect cliffhanger for his story, especially given how personal the conflict has become due to Mat’s mother getting killed.
Season 3’s Weaker Tales Drag Down Much Of The Episode
I’m Not Fully Invested In A Good Chunk Of The Show
Unfortunately, while Rand and Perrin’s journeys hold plenty of intrigue and suspense, I’m not highly invested in many of the other storylines happening with other characters. While Elaida is trying to convince Siuan to cage Rand, they decide to test if the Red Ajiah actually has the White Tower’s best interests in mind. The resulting attempt to see where her loyalties lie goes awry when a Gray Man tries to kill her, causing Siuan to intervene. It drives a deeper wedge between them, butlacks substance outside Elaida simply wanting more power.Perhaps future episodes will offer better context.
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Mat, Nynaeve, and Elayne’s journey to Tanchico doesn’t make much progress to note.Mat does discover Min has snuck aboard their ship, subsequently learning her vision of his death. He vouches for her to join their quest because of her knowledge of Liandrin. It’s a serviceable enough update, but it feels dragged out by a subplot of the trio supposedly not allowed on deck which is resolved without any fanfare. It’s these two less interesting stories and the amount of time they take up which drags this episode down.
Luckily, the end of season 3, episode 5 usesEgwene’s Dreamwalking abilitiesto deliver a decent cliffhanger ending, which could cause major changes to the show’s future. Getting a grip on stepping into other peoples' dreams, Egwene sees the various dreams of her friends across the world in a wholesome montage. However,stepping into Rand’s dream, he finds him kissing Lanfear, who leers at the young girl. While the presentation is slightly comedic, it does signal a massive split about to happen between her and the Dragon Reborn.
I want to like the other half of the stories currently unfolding, which I’m sure will grow important in due time. But, for now, I’m not keen on them…
In between some rather lackluster storylines that drag down the episode,The Wheel of Time’s more interesting elements keep the show from getting too stale.However, with multiple stories dragging their feet and not offering much to chew on, season 3, episode 5 ultimately suffers under the weight of its presentation. I want to like the other half of the stories currently unfolding, which I’m sure will grow important in due time. But, for now, I’m not keen on them, dulling a huge chunk of the show in the process.
New episodes ofThe Wheel of Timeseason 3 arrive Thursdays on Prime Video.
The Wheel of Time Season 3, Episode 5
The Wheel of Time follows Moiraine, a member of the powerful all-female organization Aes Sedai, as she leads a perilous quest with five young individuals. Moiraine suspects one among them could be the prophesized reincarnation of a mighty figure destined to either save or doom humanity.
