I feel like I am going to be having random WoT Finale thoughts for the next six months, but one I especially want to hit up now:

The actual logistics of the Whitecloak attack on Falme, from the military tactics to the geo politics of it all are so perfectly on point that it's like something Jordan would have written himself.

In the books the Whitecloaks are on Tomon Head for unrelated reasons to the Seanchan (ones that would be hard to establish properly in a tv format where we don't have the time to follow Bornhold Sr for six odd scenes), so the show runners shifted it so that they are explicitly answering a call for aid from a foreign throne. The Whitecloaks are a autonomous military body beholden to no nation that operates with pseudo-legality in most places that are not under their influence, and the idea of expanding that influence to another nation is far to tempting to resist, especially when no other power is answering the Falme's call for aid, including the White Tower, who are the Whitecloak's primary rival. On principles it seems like they are stepping up to help a victimized nation that the 'witches' have abandoned, or even orchestrated the fall of.

And then on a practical level, the actual tactics they employ are fiendishly clever. Using incense burners to create a fog to hide their approach and blunt the effectiveness of the enemy channelers (who need to be able to see something to target their weaves). This also makes sense on a world building level- the Whitecloaks probably have a dozen tactics in their back pockets to deal with an outright war against the Aes Sedai if it ever breaks out. Then once the Whitecloaks close up to the walls, they send in their cavalry first, to overwhelm enemy defenses before they can get the gates shut, then send in the infantry to secure and pacify the remaining resistance not taken out by the shock charge. At this point the Seanchan have to focus their fighting to the streets of Falme, and the best way to do that is to gather their damane on the nearby tower and rain down artillery fire in an attempt to break the Whitecloaks into retreat- a brutal strategy likely to result in the deaths of their own troops and civilians, but necessary if they are going to have any hope of holding the city.

And then is where things get INSANE. See, conventional medieval military wisdom dictates that in a situation where the gates are breached already siege engines have no use. Their too clumsy, taking to much time to aim and fire to be much use in a melee brawl like this. Siege engines are useful for breaking fortifications, toppling walls, etc, so if used offensively almost always come out first. That means that no one is expecting them to roll out of that fog and hurl stones at the damane's position. In one strike Bornhold Senior decapitates the enemy's primary advantage over him and tilts the battle in his favor. (And even if the damane had managed to counter the strike, they would be weakened significantly, having to focus on blocking further attacks and counter attacking the siege engines- not easy with the fog- instead of keeping the fighting in the streets under control).

This might be one of those things that only I care about, but good employment of medieval military tactics combined with magical fantasy elements always makes me go

I promise I’ll stop talking about this soon because I’m a few weeks behind the Discourse having just done this rewatch, but the main reason I personally think something was up with Siuan and Rand in the throne room in 02x07 is Siuan’s comment to him about using him as a weapon but not having him be the general. She didn’t get to be the Amyrlin without knowing that’s a dumb thing to say to *anyone,* especially anyone you want to work with you, let alone the dragon reborn who is the most powerful person in the world.

Two other things:

- Siuan says, “Can you imagine, Moiraine, if one of the Forsaken got their hands on him?” Are we supposed to believe that Moiraine and Siuan have written six months of letters and Moiraine never mentioned Lanfear? If Moiraine didn’t write about being stilled and didn’t mention Lanfear, what in the world was she writing to Siuan about? Unless she was trying to cut Siuan out entirely, which we have no reason to think she would. I guess maaybe it hasn’t been enough time to send a letter about Lanfear to Siuan.

- Why would Siuan want to announce Rand as dragon in Cairhien? Not only would that abruptly abandon the prophesy they’ve worked towards for decades and sacrificed everything for, wouldn’t it also bring all the forces of the dark to them immediately with only 14 Aes Sedai? Wouldn’t it be better to keep him a secret if they actually wanted to use him in the way she discusses? Or to declare him in Tar Valon where they can draw on all the resources of the White Tower?

I’m still not sure I think the heartbreaking ending of that episode was part of a scheme between Moiraine and Siuane—the “if you have ever loved me, don’t do this” feels too raw to me to be fake—but I *do* think something very weird was up with them in front of Rand.

I find myself perplexed by how readily even some platonic MoLan shippers tuck the Aes Sedai and her Warder into bed together.

Not be a stickler for canon (y’all do you), but I can’t recall them once sharing a bed in the books. Am I forgetting/overlooking a reference? (Genuine question.)

My assumption is that this stems, somewhat, from in ‘intimacy’ of the bath scene in episode 1.01 (even though Mo specifies “one room, two beds” upon their arrival at the Winespring.

The thing about the bath scene, it’s such a great straightbaiting feint. Absolutely consistent with the canon Shienaran bathing practices from the books. Co-Ed public bathing and all that, nothing romantic or sexual about it.

The only stretch of that scene being, what’s a tub like that doing in the Two Rivers? Do members of the Women’s Circle have weekly meet ups there, where they drink wine while they overshare or something?

Intrusive wheel of time thoughts...

Some Thoughts on Wheel of Time and Discipline/Education

(Disclaimer: I'm a first time reader that's currently reading Winter's Heart)

I continue to find it striking (and distressing) how pretty much all education in WoTworld (or Randland, if you prefer) is based on negative reinforcement and often outright abuse, particularly in female-run organizations. When it comes to men, so far the only groups worth mentioning are the Asha'man, Aiel warriors and various armies, but military discipline is one thing; the way the majority of women in the setting treat one another is something else entirely.

Intimidation, humiliation, bullying, physical punishment are the order of the day whether you're talking about the Aes Sedai, the Aiel Wise Ones, the Sea Folk, or on a smaller scale, various village Women's Circles. Even the Kinswomen, protectors of runaway girls, are no different. As soon as someone achieves a higher rank, she immediately lords it over a lower-ranking woman, and indeed, rank plays an extremely important (and often convoluted) role for them all. Being older, more powerful, or generally higher placed than somebody else entitles you to treat those below you arrogantly and harshly, while you yourself have to keep your head down lest someone above you takes notice and swats you back down.

Trauma? Trauma is not dealt with, or even generally acknowledged at all. The prevailing belief seems to be that hardship builds character (hence all the punishments) and "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." If you can't handle it, then it just means you are weak, or maybe spoiled (nothing a good public beating and a few weeks washing pots won't fix, and if that still doesn't do it, there are worse things lying in store. Even if it causes potentially irreparable damage.)

And...nobody challenges this. Perhaps it also explains why this world is full of people for whom fear and respect are often the same thing.

What if. What if Lews Therin made the seal holding the forsaken in the show in a way that only he could undo it.

What if that is why they HAD to lure Rand into the Eye of the World and channel there.

‘Cause you have to think otherwise they could have gotten a group of the strongest Black Ajah there to break it at some point. Like maybe not right away, the seal might have weakened enough to be broken only recently, but eventually.

And if it had to be Rand, it makes it more Rand’s fault which is much more dramatic!

(Or it had to be saidin and they couldn’t get any false dragons to co-operate who were strong enough, I guess. Taim isn’t that far down from Rand though? I think?)

Regardless, I think Ishamael was playing for win-win. Either he converts Rand (Great!) or Rand turns on him (seal’s broken, great!)

okay fine i'm falling back into the hole i'll summarise all my doctor whomst aus again

clara - canon. victorian clara au where she travels with the doctor after surviving the snowmen, otherwise following the events of canon (with eps set in her home life translated to the victorian era).

molly - bf canon. eight's companion, an irish maid-turned-wwi VAD. mostly set either during her travels or back in her own time once she stops travelling with him, when she's living in the doctor's house in london, a full nurse, and helping people out there. always alien things in london, even in 1918.

georgie - seconded to UNIT from the regular army after her courageous actions in horrifically traumatic situations, sgt lane is a combat medic, and on the front line of every awful alien event that seems to happen in the uk, because it's constant and it's all terrible. wants to leave the army, UNIT is declining, she's heavily traumatised, and she knows any time the doctor appears, something awful is about to happen. also has a similar au for third doc's time stuck on earth with UNIT in the '70s.

sidney - not technically an au; she's set in the future of our universe (which i can give more details about if necessary). an android with a gun for an arm, roller skates for feet, a cybernetic eye, and a love of grenades, dressed like a 1950s diner waitress, sid was originally designed to be an any-purpose droid. first and only of her line, has sentience and free will that she's still trying to figure out what it means. her canon is chaos and would cross over with dw very well (let her have some fun tardis adventures i Beg).

pippa - she had a marvellous time ruining everything. a regency era Eligible Young Lady (nonbinary if they had the word for it ty) who stole a time machine to escape a suffocating, miserable life, with absolutely no idea how any of it works. they love chaos, disrupting order and the way society is "meant" to be. keeps going back in time to change what's meant to be a fixed point so their best friend doesn't die, keeps destroying the fabric of the universe in the process and the universe keeps killing him so they do it again, and knows it bc they are time sensitive. they're just both selfish and terrified of being alone.

bea - from a future human post-apocalyptic colony, she has psychic abilities she is afraid of and doesn't know how to use. loves drawing, the stars, herbalism, and taking things apart to see how they work. travelling on her own when she likely stumbles across the doc + companion.

nate - UNIT captain with terrible commanders who seem to actively want the aliens to kill his platoon, fully begins operating by his own (lawful/neutral good) morals and not by what he's told to protect people, including refusing to fire. definitely leaves UNIT before it's disbanded but still actively ends up at scenes of Shit Happening to help people. might end up working with people who've had their lives displaced by Alien Shit? or even helping non-violent aliens stuck on earth in a very non-torchwood way. he'd hate torchwood.

--- PLOTTING CALL. [ specify your muse or mine, or both if you'd like ]

As I am decidedly not heterosexual I've only ever been able to examine the Lanfear stuff through a detached lens of narrative and analytic interest (though the magic thing about Robert Jordan is that basically his entire world and plot can stand up to that scrutiny), but heterosexual men have assured me repeatedly over the years that Lanfear's 'Selene' act in TGH a) would have worked on them and b) did represent a level of appeal that's Rand's ensuing Stupid(TM) re: Lanfear makes a lot of sense.

With that in mind I find it hilarious how the show has updated Lanfear's manipulation attempt, not to appeal to Rand but the audience, and what that says about the way what is attractive in women has shifted in the twenty odd years since TGH came out.

Basically, mysterious intelligent beautiful maidens who are eternally grateful to their rescuer are OUT and worldly confidant financially superior older women who wield their power over you in only benevolent and/or fun ways are IN.

[Closed] Never Been Tamed [WoT!Tessa]

"I am not who you are looking for. I am just a bookstore owner, nothing more." She said in a gentle, patient way. Her grip on the One Power was feeble at best and she did not feel the urge to hone her skill. She just wanted to run her shop and live her life in hopes of keeping her big brother and her son out of trouble.

@eskelwolf

drawing of alex I’m actually kinda proud of

AS YOU FUCKING SHOULD BE

honestly i literally adore seeing all of the characters in your style, it's like your own little extended universe. and i don't know what it is about this one, maybe the eyes? but this is someone that i could literally see in the arcane universe. its got that sorta vibe

also i LOVE his nose. mwah perfect. and the little patchwork sleeves on his outfit - a very small detail but a VERY good one.

this whole thing looks like something that penny might have drawn in a diary or something. i fucking love it.

presented without comment

My question is if we don't get to see the Wise Ones all sitting on Lan to keep him from chasing after Moiraine into Rhuidean...WHAT EVEN IS THE POINT?!!

@eynsavalow  -  🐉

"I am King here. The Dragon Reborn, as you've heard perhaps...being in The Westlands." He wasn't sure about other places in the world but here, he was certain, that one couldn't go into a city without hearing about him. Did he yearn for his anonymity back? "I have greeted you with pomp and respect as was suggested to me - " He glanced at his Steward and then back to the other. " - Might I inquire after the reasons for your visit?"

〘 @myristicisms​ ⋯  angst?!?  〙

“ Agent Valentine's lost communication with H.Q and Agent Redfield, we're not supposed to share this information until we're positive however Agent Redfield has been catatonic since communications've gone out and we suspect something may have happened to her; I wouldn't get your hopes up to her coming home from this mission, Oliveira. ”

;; For Carlos!!!

HE COULDN’T BELIEVE WHAT HE I HEARING, the words making him pause in what he was doing. He was on a mission of his own, one of the few where he hadn’t been partnered with Jill in some capacity. She was the supercop, she could handle herself better than anyone he had ever met before and even if she was in trouble, she has Chris will her and they had been partners for years, he wouldn’t let anything bad happen to her.  So he thought, and all he could think about as the words came through his headset was how much he could strangle the person on the other side for being so damn insensitive. He doesn’t even wait to see if they have finished properly,nor does he reply copy like he’s meant to do to rely that he understood the message. Instead he grasps that headset in his hands pulling it from his ear as he smashes it into the ground. It can’t be true, but even as he tries to reason with himself, the doubts begin to push through and Carlos begins to feel himself loose his shit. 

Anger, fear and heartbreak seem to course through him all at once, all he could hope was the next fucker that come around that corner was already undead.

“Ooh, I’m terrified.” ( frank or michael, in the most sarcastic way imaginable )

His head tilts. Was that mockery? Did he think he wasn't SCARY? The grip he had on his knife tightens as he walks towards the male now, lifting the knife over his shoulder now.

He doesn't take kindly to being seen as unscary. He WILL put fear into this man before he snuffs his life out.