Episode 5 of The Wheel Of Time picks up after everything that happened in Rhuidean. It gives us a little bit of everybody, unlike the previous episode, which focused solely on Rand and Moiraine. In this episode, Egwene finally learns about Rand’s relationship with Lanfear. As a non-reader of the “Wheel Of Time” books, it’s really hard to keep track of all the new stuff that gets introduced in every episode of this show, but in that sense, I think episode 5 is a little bit easier to wrap my head around. But, with that said, let’s jump straight into everything that happens in episode 5 of season 3.
Spoiler Alert
Is Elaida Black Ajah?
The Wheel Of Time episode 5 begins with Moiraine trying to use the Sa’angreal to channel the One Power. I think she’s too weak for it, but Lan describes it as a feeling of a deep hunger or thirst. Soon after, Rand and the Aiel travel to a different city in the Aiel Wastelands. On the way, they talk about how Rand isn’t accepted by a couple of the chiefs because he isn’t one of them. Aviendha is meant to train Rand, but she isn’t really keen on helping him because he doesn’t seem to be receptive, at least according to her. But we all know where this is going for them, so we’ll just have to wait for that progress to happen. Rhuarc introduces Lian as his second wife after Bair, which is a bit surprising to the wetlanders. A young kid asks Rand if he’s the Car’a’carn, and Rand shows off the two dragons on both his arms. Now it’s time for Egwene to join the Wise Ones of the Aiel to “walk the dream.”
On the other hand, Elaida meets with Siuan and tries to rattle her because she’s clearly after her position. She insults the room of the Amyrlin Seat and reminds Siuan that she came from the bottom of the barrel. She even tells her that she remembers how lovestruck she was when she first met Moiraine back in the day. Elaida asks where Moiraine is now, and Siuan tells her she’s been exiled. Siuan is eager to know if Elaida is Black Ajah, too. With Verin, Siuan decides to bait Elaida to figure out her true intentions behind being in the tower.
Back at the White Tower, Elaida tries to turn the sitter of the White Ajah against Siuan by telling her that she’s been trying to destroy the tower ever since she became the mother. Elaida quickly catches the bait, Verin’s sister. Leane worries that Verin’s sister won’t be able to do anything in her state (she’s basically almost a child right now). But Verin’s sister tells Elaida about the Black Ajah in the 13th Depository, doing exactly what Verin expects of her.
Elaida finds the two captured Black Ajah and asks them for the names of all the others they know. She kills one of the women because she says they’ll never break their oath. This leaves the other one to answer. She has only one name, but before she can tell Elaida, a Gray Man shows up and nearly kills her. It is Siuan who saves her and heals her. Suppose we’ll see Elaida and Siuan put their differences aside and join forces now.
Who Do Mat, Elayne, and Nynaeve Meet?
Back in Two Rivers, Faile tells Perrin that she’s found the Whitecloaks, and if they want to get Mat’s family back, now’s their chance. As for Rand, he has to have a conversation with a condescending Aviendha who is clearly not enjoying the task of having to work with Rand. She does tell him about the Aiel ways, though. Moiraine is still struggling with everything that she saw in the rings, so she’s a little bit antisocial. On the other hand, Egwene begins her dream-walking experience. Egwene is about to enter the “Tel’aran’rhiod,” or “the uncreated place.” This is a parallel world where all the possible realities of the show’s universe connect. It is different from the One Power, and not everybody can go there. Additionally, death in the dream world equals death in the real world (it’s giving Inception).
Egwene’s afraid in her dream, and her outfit changes. She’s told to control her thoughts, and her outfit changes back again. The Wise Ones train Egwene to control who comes in and out of her dreams. If she wants the woman who is hunting her out of her dream, she just needs to will it to happen (same as her outfits, eh?). It is all about believing. Egwene is then transferred to a different place all by herself. Here, she sees ghost-like people before finally meeting Lanfear. Bair and Amy realize that Egwene is being stalked by one of the Forsaken and bring her back.
In the meantime, on the way to Tanchico, Elayne tries to figure out the plan while Mat and Nyaneve struggle with seasickness. They can’t go up to the deck because that was the promise they made to get passage to Tanchico. Mat doesn’t care what Elayne says and goes up to the deck; Elayne and Nynaeve follow. Nynaeve begs them to stay on the deck, and they agree. Mat then meets Min on the boat too, and she’s got a room of her own, so he asks to stay with her instead of the girls.
Mat finds a drawing of himself hanging in Min’s room. She tells him it’s her vision, and she tries to remember the details so she can change her dreams. He reminds her that her visions don’t come true because she didn’t kill Rand, but clearly, this whole thing has messed with his head. On the other hand, Elayne and Nynaeve watch the Sea Folk channel the Power to push the boat forward. This is why the speed is so much higher, but this is also why they were meant to stay under deck so they wouldn’t learn the secret that the Sea Folk can channel the Power so strongly. The sailmistress tells Nynaeve that the Power isn’t controllable; it’s like the sea. If Nynaeve would just let go of her desire for control, she might be able to let it flow and actually channel. Finally, as they’re reaching Tanchico, Min tells the girls she’s going to join them because she’s been to Tanchico before. Mat tells the girls that they can trust her.
What Happens at Two Rivers?
One of Mat’s sisters uses the Power to fight Dain, who tries to hurt their mother for attempting to steal the keys to their cage. Mat’s mom pretends it was her and gets pulled out for questioning; this means she will be tortured to death if the gang doesn’t show up soon. In the meantime, Perrin and his friends make a rescue plan, and Alanna tells Maksim that she will create cover for them. This makes Maksim angry, because if the Whitecloaks learn that there’s an Aes Sedai in the mix, they will not hesitate to kill her. They have a big fight because Maksim doesn’t want her in danger, but Alanna says she swore when she wore the ring that she’d be ready to fight even if it meant sacrificing her life. Maksim says he’ll go find Liandrin because that’s the only thing that can help now, and Alanna shuts off their bond so they don’t have to feel what the other is feeling anymore.
Back in the Aiel Waste, Egwene leaves Rand’s room to go sleep with the Wise Ones so they can help her with the dream stuff. On the other hand, Lan has a word with Melindhra, and he tells her that he doesn’t even remember the kingdom. She reminds him that he was just a baby when it fell and was taken over by the blight. Then he meets Moiraine, who can’t leave the shiny white ball alone. She tells him she won’t be around for the Last Battle. She tells him that the only way Rand can live is if she dies. Lan reminds Moiraine that she has to just live each day as it comes, rather than worrying about the future. They share an Aiel drink that is a bit too strong. Alanna covers the entire Whitecloak camp in fog and smoke so they can’t see what’s going on. Perrin and the Aiel girls save Mat’s sisters before going after their mum. She’s basically already been burnt to death, so they can’t save her now. Meanwhile, Alanna gets caught by the Whitecloaks, too.
Faile and Perrin get into a fight with the Whitecloak, and Perrin gets stabbed by Dain. On the other hand, Maksim comes back to find Alanna after she turns the bond back on after getting shot with a bunch of arrows. Together, they fight a bunch of the Whitecloaks and are safe for the moment.
What Does Egwene See In Tel’aran’rhiod?
In a dream, Lanfear meets Rand, and he tells her how he saw her before she released the Dark One. He tells her that he still sees that driven woman in her who wanted a better world for the people. Lanfear tells Rand that all she wants is him because she’s in love with him. Meanwhile, Moiraine requests Egwene to take her somewhere in the dream world because she needs to deliver a message. When Egwene hears that it has something to do with Rhuidean, she agrees to help her despite it being dangerous. Moiraine goes to Siuan and tells her about where she is and the rings. She tells her that if the White Tower doesn’t bend the knee to Rand, then he will lose the last battle. Then it seems Moiraine and Siuan have their last goodbye because Moiraine says they can’t mend what they’ve already lost. Siuan says that if it’s not in this life, then she will find her in every next one until they can get it right.
At the end of The Wheel Of Time episode 5, Egwene tries to find Nynaeve; she travels from dream to dream, seeing all her friends happy. Mat with a family, Perrin with Hopper and Faile. Finally, she sees Rand, and just as she’s about to go up to him, she notices Lanfear kissing him. The episode ends with Egwene screaming “No!” at the scene. This could mean that Egwene will end up losing control, and this could hurt Moiraine too. The Wise Ones will definitely get mad too.
