At the end of the Wheel of Time Third Episode, we saw that Liandrin Guirale, one of the Aes Sedai Sisters, had captured a man calling himself the Dragon Reborn. Nynaeve, Lan, and Moiraine had reached the White Tower, and Moiraine was healed by one of the Aes Sedai sisters. On the other hand, Egwene and Perrin had bumped into the Tuatha’ans, a nomadic tribe who believed in the “way of the leaf” and were searching for a “lost song.” Mat and Rand had met a Gleeman who had saved them from Dark Friends and had accompanied them since. So the story unfolds on three different ends and becomes even more grappling as more secrets are brought to light.
‘Wheel of Time’ Episode 4 Recap – The Aes Sedai Camp
Nynaeve, Lan, and Moiraine reach the Aes Sedai camp to find that the Aes Sedai sisters have caged Loagin Ablar. He had not been “Gentled” yet, but his powers were kept at bay. Gentling was a process where the powers were taken away from an individual when the Aes Sedai were of the opinion that it would be mishandled or exercised wrongfully.
Logain’s power was more forceful than what had been expected. It required the combined strength of two Aes Sedai sisters to cage and restrain him from using it against them. Nynaeve also gets a chance to know Lan in a better manner. She gets to see the humane side of being a Warder. Nynaeve had till now only witnessed a very robotic and mundane Lan. She grows fond of him and appreciates the sacred bond between a Warder and his Aes Sedai.
What is an Ajah?
The Aes Sedai are divided into seven groups known as Ajahs. The demarcations depended upon their roles in the Aes Sedai community. It was much like a caste system decided based on the occupation of a person.
The Red one’s for example, were an amalgamation of the judiciary and police authorities that we have today. Their main role was to find anyone who could channel and then gentle him.
The Green ones were the defense unit, the battle Ajah. They were meant to fight and form an army for the defense of their land. Moiraine belonged to the Blue Ajah. They had the most extensive spy network and fought for a cause which ensured that there was no obstruction in the path of justice.
An Unusual Gleeman
Thom Merrilin was the Gleeman who had saved Mat and Rand, and he accompanied them on their journey. There was a motive behind why Thom accompanied the two probable Dragon Reborns.
Thom had a nephew who was gentled by the Aes Sedai. His nephew lost the will to live, post that incident. He understood what it meant to bear the power and how it changed a person from the inside. Thom knows the stories and the folktales of the past. He says that there is no one more dangerous than a man who knows the past. He sees a reflection of his nephew Owen in Rand and Mat. Thom repented that he was not able to save his nephew.
In the last war, the Dark one had corrupted the One power. Thom told Rand that men could not use it without going mad. He felt that Mat was on the verge of losing it all, and he felt this incessant urge to stop another soul from falling prey to the dark and mysterious powers. The Gleeman knew that the Aes Sedai would come for Mat sooner or later.
Tuatha’ans – A Search for The Song
The Tuatha’ans were a mystic community. They were the wanderers and the seekers. An intriguing philosophy drove their way of life. They followed the “way of the leaf.” When the leaves fell from a tree, it did not resist the wind. It goes where the wind takes it before finally falling on the ground. Then it becomes a part of the earth on which another tree grows. That’s how they lived their life. They didn’t carry any arms and just submitted themselves to fate in case of an attack. Ila, an elderly member of the group, tells Perrin about her tragic loss. Her daughter had been killed without any rhyme or reason. She believes that there is no better answer to violence than peace. This clan wears a robe made from the fabrics of mysticism, with fine strokes of Gandhian philosophy imprinted on it as an emblem.
They are constantly in search of a Song. A song that their ancestors sang which brought peace to their world. They don’t know what it sounds like, but they know that it can save the world from breaking into fragments once again.
‘Wheel of Time’ Episode 4 Ending – Was Nynaeve The Dragon Reborn?
Rand and Mat had come to know that apart from Perrin, Egwene, there was another individual who was a potential Dragon Reborn. In the final moments of the Wheel of Time Episode 4, Logain tries to break free and injures Lan, Moiraine, and everybody present in the room. Nynaeve, like a raging sun, channels her newfound power and heals everybody in the room.
It left the viewers believing that she might be the Dragon Reborn. But it all ends on a cliffhanger. The makers lead us to assume that Nynaeve is the fifth and probably the most potential Dragon Reborn candidate, but there is still no conclusive evidence that she is the One in all probability. The book obviously suggests otherwise but it would be interesting to see if the makers take a different course.
Watch out for the next episode to discover more.
The Wheel of Time is a 2021 Fantasy Drama Television Series created by Rafe Judkins.
