THE WHEEL OF TIME REWATCH 11/∞ — 1x6 ❝ The Flame Of Tar Valon ❞

LA MODERNA ― E218

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the different types of spaces we hold and the ones held for us in relationships with friends, family and romantic partners. How some spaces make us feel loved unconditionally, free to express ourselves without judgement and how others can be a detriment to our overall well being.

I was thinking about Carla and Lisa’s dynamic and when it comes down to it, Carla has always held a safe space for Lisa. No matter the ups and downs they’re going through even if it’s with each other, Carla still shows up, putting herself aside to check in on Lisa, to let her vent, to let her just exist, always speaking life into her. I think unbeknownst to Lisa, with every encounter Carla was slowly chipping away the high walls she built, the loneliness she was so accustomed to.

It became starkly evident in the latest scene with them. Lisa’s heart and mind are in completely different places. Her mind was the one who ended things before they even started but her heart was the one who couldn’t stay away, who needed to see Carla the next day only to tell her again she wasn’t ready to start things. Her heart was the one who immediately rushed to the hospital after hearing about Carla and who stayed by her bedside all night into the morning, pleading with her to wake up because she couldn’t go through this again. Yet, her mind was the one who rejected coffee and taking a break, instead insisting on going to work to catch whoever did this Carla. Her heart was the one who went back to the hospital to see Carla after hearing she was awake but her mind was the one who didn’t tell her anything about her case, simply just saying I can’t say.

Ultimately, with her mind and heart continuously at war, when her back was against the wall with new news of Becky’s case, it was Carla’s safety she sought out because she knew that above all things, Carla would be there to talk, would allow her to vent and would hold a safe place for her, a place to come undone. And that’s exactly what happened. Not only did Carla provide that for Lisa but she even reaffirmed it by saying, “you can tell me anything, anytime, you know that. It’s ok.”

Carla who’s in the hospital recovering from brain surgery after burglars ransacked her factory—a mess initiated by Lisa’s daughter, who was scared Carla was taking her late mom’s place. Carla who was going to tell Lisa what Betsy had done but again put herself to the side and kept that information to herself because she knew it would push Lisa over the edge. With all of that, she still offered Lisa a safe place to just breathe.

Am I the only one who doesn’t fully trust Pelayo?

Okay. So, the thing I was spoiled on was Siuan’s death. So it’s hard to say what my actual reaction is to that. Because I knew it was coming. But one thing is for sure: I think it's stupid and I think the justifications that Rafe gives for it are stupid too. But to be honest, book!Siuan has been dead a while, and they only ever let glimpses of her out anyways.

Last season, people got mad at those of us who were angry with what the show did to Siuan's character-- making her literally the opposite of her book character and using her storyline as an accessory to Moiraine's rather than her own-- saying 'wait, you'll see/you can't keep everything in the books/trust the process/you guys never like anything the show does'. Many of us felt less enamored with the show and the fandom after that, some haven't been posting and some haven't been watching.

I hate saying we told you so, but we did. They killed off Siuan, a character whose biggest storyline comes after she was deposed, not before, to give Moiraine the reaction that lets her 'kill' Lanfear. They decided that everything Siuan does after she is deposed-- guiding Egwene, becoming a mentor to her and a secret force of support to her, telling a story about how a woman who has lost everything comes back and finds a purpose-- is less important than finding a will for Moiraine to do something that she had already planned to do.

And let's talk about Moiraine for a second, without the Twisted Doorway, what was Moiraine's cutting Lanfear's throat really worth?? That is the exact same injury that Lanfear healed herself from in season two, she isn't out of commission, and if she is, that's just another inconsistency they've introduced. As for Moiraine without the Tower of Ghenjei to be trapped in, I doubt this is actually 'her death' or we would have had more of a reaction and them talking about it in the actor conversation afterwards. So, we have Moiraine, who has hardly any story left, alive and not trapped and Siuan, who has plenty of story left, dead. I don't know who they will have fill Siuan's role if they fill it at all, whether it will be Leane or Moiraine, or if Moiraine will maybe take Cadsuane's role. But this sucks, completely cutting off Siuan's storyline to add to Moiraine's story in such a minor way. I think it would be horrible to do regardless of who played Moiraine and Siuan, but I think that it must be said that it is an especially bad look that they have seemingly extended the white actress/character's storyline while prematurely cutting off the black actress/character's storyline.

As for Rafe's justifications that Siuan's story after her deposition is 'not at the forefront' and that he wanted Sophie Okonedo to be able to have a big moment before leaving, what complete fucking bullshit. As I've already discussed Siuan's most meaningful plot was ahead of her, Siuan with the wondergirls in Salidar especially Egwene was iconic and important. And Sophie's big moment and monologue could have easily come before her being stilled, not her being killed. And even if the show felt like they couldn't have justified keeping an actress like Sophie on for more seasons cost wise, the book gave them the perfect out--after being stilled, Siuan is de-aged, she could have easily been recast with a cheaper actress. The truth is that the showrunners and writers never respected Siuan as a character outside of her relationship with Moiraine and don't really care about a lot of elements of the story that are important.

Emma Amos (American, 1938-2020), Slow Time, 1983. Color monotype, color pastels and stencil with paper and fabric collage on paper, 28 x 37 in.

THE WHEEL OF TIME REWATCH 11/∞ — 1x6 ❝ the flame of tar valon ❞

Siuan Sanche and Moiraine Damodred 3.05 | Tel'aran'rhiod

LA MODERNA ― E213

It’s just, sometimes the way he looks at Marta has me squinting like sir why are you looking at her like that??

Am I the only one who doesn’t fully trust Pelayo?