The Wheel of Time 3×06 Review: “The Shadow in the Night”

The investigation into Liandrin and her plans intensifies in The Wheel of Time Season 3 Episode 6 “The Shadow in the Night.”

After arriving in the town of Tanchico in “Tel’aran’rhiod,” Nynaeve (Zoe Robins), Mat (Donal Finn), Elayne (Ceara Coveney), and Min (Kae Alexander) set out to find Liandrin (Kate Fleetwood) and figure out her objectives in “The Shadow in the Night.” The episode opens with an illuminating flashback of a younger Liandrin (Lola Shaw) that shows her rough past and helps explain why she ended up aligning herself with the Dark One, even if her present-day actions remain reprehensible.

Though the stakes of the mission are high, the storyline ends up being a lot of fun as the group teases each other as they try to blend in with the townspeople. Nynaeve and Min chase down leads in a tavern, Mat reunites with Thom (Alexandre Willaume), a character last seen in the first season, and Elayne is forced to perform an incredibly catchy song with Thom to maintain her cover.

Ultimately, the group is successful, discovering that Liandrin intends to use a fabled collar and bracelets to capture and control Rand (Josha Stradowski) and acquiring one of the bracelets Liandrin is looking for. However, the victory is unfortunately short-lived as one of the Dark One’s associates, Moghedien (Laia Costa) uses magic to hypnotize Nynaeve and Elayne to tell her everything, hand over the bracelet, and forget the interaction once the magic wears off. It’s an unfortunate end to a fun storyline, but hopefully, the group will ultimately overcome the setback.

In Two Rivers, Perrin (Marcus Rutherford) and Alanna (Priyanka Bose) struggle to heal from their wounds. Thankfully, Mat’s younger siblings Bode (Litiana Biutanaseva) and Eldrin (Lilibet Biutanaseva) use their recently discovered channeling abilities to heal Alanna which allows her to heal Perrin. Before being healed, Perrin shares a sweet moment with Faile (Isabella Bucceri), who helps him deal with his wife’s death. The two share a kiss, but Faile is upset when Perrin reveals that Mat already used the horn that she is seeking. With the Whitecloaks gearing up for another battle, the peace in the village won’t last for long.

Over in the Aiel Waste, Rand has some cute moments with Aviendha (Ayoola Smart) and a young girl named Alsera (Julie Van Leeuwen) as he continues to learn more about Aiel culture. Meanwhile, Egwene (Madeleine Madden) continues to train her abilities as she hopes to ward off Lanfear (Natasha O’Keeffe) and succeeds after a couple of attempts.

After a tense confrontation with Lanfear in her dreams, Egwene confronts Rand about his relationship with her. Though the fight over Lanfear was inevitable, the argument is still painful. Egwene is rightfully upset over what she’s discovered, but Rand is very callous when confronted. Egwene’s remark about him going mad may have gone too far, but her frustration is understandable with Rand’s attitude. To Rand’s credit, he seems a little less standoffish when Egwene reveals to him that Lanfear has been haunting her dreams.

As frustrating as Rand’s attitude is during the fight, it’s hard not to feel for him in the closing moments of “The Shadow in the Night.” As the Dark One’s associates attack him and Egwene, Aviendha and Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) arrive to fight them off. Alsera is killed in the fight, and Rand has a breakdown over being unable to bring her back to life. It’s a heartbreaking sequence as Rand struggles with his destiny. As enjoyable as the Tanchico mission was, the ending of the sixth episode provides a stark reminder that things will continue to get darker for the heroes as the lead-up to the final battle intensifies.

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Author: Jessica Wolff

Jessica Wolff is a graduate of Drexel University with a BS in Film/Video. She has a passion for entertainment and representation in entertainment. She currently resides outside of Washington, DC.

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