Episode 203
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Season 2 - What Might Be
Work In Progress
Scenes are as identified by the TV series. The non-story scenes are listed first.
  • Scene 1 - Amazon Original
  • Scene 2 - Previously On
  • Scene 8 - Opening Credits
  • Scene 24 - End Credits
Scene 3 - What Is It?
Sheriam, Leane, and Liandrin stand with Nynaeve in a chamber at the White Tower containing the Three Arches, a ter'angreal from before the Breaking of the World. They explain that ter'angreals serve many purposes, but their creation is a lost art, and many Aes Sedai have been killed or burned out studying them. Leane reassures Nynaeve that this ter'angreal’s function is known: it forces a novice to confront her greatest fears, though what she experiences remains private, and she need only walk through each arch and return. They then share two rules, kept secret until this moment:
  1. Once you start, you must continue to the end or otherwise they will be put out of the Tower with enough money for a year, and never be allowed back.
  2. "To seek, to strive, is to know danger." and there is the possibility of danger. Some women have never returned.

They offer Nynaeve one last chance to refuse, noting that each woman gets three attempts before permanent expulsion from the Tower. Leane admits she failed her first attempt. Nynaeve declares she’s ready, and Sheriam instructs her to strip to her shift, as she can bring nothing inside and cannot channel. Sheriam, Leane, and Liandrin weave to activate the Three Arches. Sheriam warns, "The way back will come but once."

Nynaeve steps into the first arch.

Scene 4 - What Was

Inside the first arch, Nynaeve finds herself in her childhood in the Two Rivers. Her father, Beerien, notices crimsonthorn root in her hand and takes her to a nearby stream to rinse it off. Bandits armed with bows emerge, shooting at Nynaeve and Beerien. They flee, pursued by the bandits, until Nynaeve’s mother, Elnore, appears with a bow, shooting back to cover their escape. The al’Mearas reach their home, locking the door, and hide Nynaeve in the cellar. Beerien urges her to be brave and quiet, saying in the Old Tongue, "We shall go into the old land so our children can always hold us and will never be alone."[1] As the bandits break in, Beerien closes the cellar door and joins Elnore upstairs to fight. Nynaeve grabs a meat cleaver just as Sheriam’s voice echoes, "The way back will come but once," and an arch doorway appears. After a moment’s hesitation, Nynaeve steps through, returning to the Three Arches chamber in the White Tower. Liandrin pours water over her in a symbolic cleansing, and Leane heals her minor injuries. Nynaeve asks if the vision was real, but Sheriam replies that no one knows.

The Three Arches activate again, and Sheriam repeats her warning, "The way back will come but once."

Nynaeve enters the next arch.

Scene 5 - What Is

Inside the second arch, Nynaeve awakens on a bed in the Two Rivers, surrounded by sick villagers in a room possibly within the Winespring Inn. Tam, lying in the bed beside her, explains that a fever has ravaged the community since her departure. Nynaeve opens his shirt, revealing fever blisters on his chest, and spots crimsonthorn root on a nearby table. Tam reveals that the new Wisdom, Natti, gave it to him. Confronting Natti, Nynaeve learns she’s administering the root to Tam and others for a painless death. Nynaeve insists Aes Sedai can heal the fever, but Natti retorts that they sought help months ago with no response, accusing Nynaeve of abandoning them and declaring the Two Rivers is no longer her home.

Returning to Tam, Nynaeve reassures him he’ll be fine, but he knows the truth and asks her to stay until the herbs "have done their work." Sheriam’s voice echoes, "The way back will come but once," and an arch doorway appears. Despite Tam’s plea to stay, Nynaeve steps through, returning to the Three Arches chamber in the White Tower. Liandrin pours water over her in a symbolic cleansing. Nynaeve pleads with the Aes Sedai to aid the Two Rivers against the plague, but Liandrin insists she must continue through the arches.

The Three Arches activate again, and Sheriam repeats her warning, "The way back will come but once."

Nynaeve enters the next arch.

Scene 6 - What Might Be

Inside the third arch, Nynaeve is engulfed in a chaotic vision: screaming voices fill the air as she floats in a void, wearing a red dress, hands pressed over her ears. Fragmented images of Lan appear, reciting words from a past moment (Scene 8 - Episode 108). Abruptly, Nynaeve is flung out of the arch, landing back in the Three Arches chamber in the White Tower with two bloodstains on her shirt. She admits she doesn’t remember what happened. Sheriam pours water over her in a symbolic cleansing, and Leane examines her, declaring the blood is not hers. Nynaeve opens her hand to find she’s clutching Lan’s hadori. Sheriam announces that Nynaeve is now Accepted and offers her an Aes Sedai ring, lacking its stone, but Nynaeve rejects it, declaring that if the test’s purpose is to prioritize the Tower above all else, she wants no part of it. As she storms out, Liandrin warns that leaving means she can never return, but Nynaeve continues out of the chamber.

In her room at the White Tower, Nynaeve packs her belongings. Egwene enters, pleading with her to stay, but Nynaeve insists she came to the Tower for Egwene’s sake, and now that Egwene no longer needs her, she’ll honor the true meaning of an Aes Sedai—"servants of all"—elsewhere.

Nynaeve rides away from the White Tower, and Lan gallops up to join her. She explains she couldn’t remain at the Tower and plans to return to the Two Rivers. Lan offers to accompany her, if she’ll have him. She questions his bond with Moiraine, but he doesn’t respond. Faintly, Sheriam’s voice echoes, "The way back will come but once," and an arch doorway appears. Nynaeve ignores it, and the doorway vanishes.

Scene 7 - She Made Her Choice

Within the Three Arches chamber at the White Tower, the final arch closes, marking the end of Nynaeve’s test. Leane declares that Nynaeve has made her choice and exits the room. Sheriam concedes that Alanna was correct in her assessment. Liandrin attempts to justify the events, but Sheriam retorts that Nynaeve’s trust in them led to her death. Sheriam expresses hope that Liandrin will carry eternal guilt, admitting she will as well, before departing. Alone, Liandrin — still clutching the water vase intended for Nynaeve — hurls it away in frustration toward the arch.

Scene 9 - All Will Bow

Perrin, Ingtar, Masema, Uno, Loial and the rest of the Hunters of the Horn, and Atuan’s Mill residents have been rounded up in the center of town in front of the stepped palanquin and are surrounded by Seanchan soldiers in insect-themed armor. Perrin wonders who they are and what they want and Loial says he knows nothing of these people.

The Seanchan leader, Lady Suroth, wearing a decorated, metallic mask that covers most of her face, flicks her long, lacquered fingers. Stepping forward are a young woman ("Miri") in a plain dress with a metallic mouthpiece and gorget, another woman with a painted face, and two guards. The young woman goes through the crowd as if searching for someone. She ends up pointing at a girl whom the guards take away[1].

The Seanchan leader flicks another finger and the third person on the palanquin ("Alwhin") steps forward and addresses the crowd. She claims that those here are squatters on land that was stolen from them and the Seanchan are taking it back. Miri walks through the crowd again and points to another girl, whom the guards also take away. Alwhin continues, saying that when Luthair Paendrag's fleet crossed the Aryth Ocean, the "return" was promised, and this was it. Miri again points to another girl, whom the guards also take away. Uno whispers to Ingtar that they cannot allow this to continue, but Ingtar responds that they're outnumbered and unarmed. Uno then shows the dagger he has hidden away. Alwhin continues, stating that when the prisoners swear the oaths and bow before the High Lady Suroth, their forefather's debts will be forgiven.

Uno stares down one of the Seanchan soldiers. Alwhin asks who will be the first to swear the oaths. Uno's guard volunteers him and two other Seanchan soldiers grab him and take him forward. Uno manages to stab them twice before they disarm him. Alwhin commands Uno to avert his eyes and kneel, but he refuses. Alwhin tells him to bend the knee and swear the oath, but again Uno refuses, spitting in her direction. High Lady Suroth raises all four of her long nails, pauses, and then lowers them. The Seanchan guards force Uno to his knees at the base of the palanquin, where a sharp, curved, hornlike object is attached. Alwhin warns that those who do not swear the oaths will have the oaths sworn for them. All of the Seanchan soldiers, in unison, shout "To obey. To wait. To Serve." Uno still refuses to swear. High Lady Suroth raises two fingers, pauses , and then lowers them. One of the Seanchan guards slams Uno's mouth onto the horn, and then the second slams his foot on the back of Uno's shoulders, forcing the horn through Uno's head. With that, High Lady Suroth slowly, precisely, says "All will bow." Everyone bows with the Shienarans and Perrin last, and while Perrin bows to one knee, he stares at Ishamael. Alwhin then speaks the oath and everyone repeats it.

Scene 10 - How Long Will It Take You / I Remember You / Brighter Than Any I Had Ever Seen / Control

TBD

Scene 11 - Hunt for the Horn

TBD

Scene 12 - She Never Came Out

TBD

Scene 13 - You Left Them

TBD

Scene 14 - It's the Ones Who Survive

TBD

Scene 15 - One Less Poor Mouth

TBD

Scene 16 - You Can't

TBD

Scene 17 - Not Now

Mat finds Egwene crying by herself in Tower garden. He start to go to her but stops and then decides to leave and return to his room.

Scene 18 - The Door Is Open

Mat at Min talk. They both decide to leave.

Scene 19 - Wolf Rescue

Ishamael talks with Perrin before the wolves and Elyas rescue him.

Scene 20 - Setup

Min conspires with Liandrin.

Scene 21 - The Roof Is On Fire

Rand is burning down the house.

Scene 22 - Help Me Or Leave

Egwene tries to bring Nynaeve back.

Scene 23 - Home

Nynaeve's life back in Two Rivers. It ends badly, but she returns back through the arch where Egwene and Elayne are sleeping.

Notes (Possible Spoilers)#

Categories: Category.Episodes | Category.S2 Episodes
Copyright (c) 1998 by Gary Kephart
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