I was thrilled with it too! The threads really came together in a satisfying way. And it was nice to get a solid (but not too complete) win for our heroes. Rafe knew just what we needed to feel satiated (he wrote this episode with another person, whose name eludes me).

Yeah season 2 was good television and the finale closed it well. Unlike last season, at least half the episodes were really memorable. As a book reader, I wasn't unhappy with any of the plot departures that were made this episode - it all made sense within the Turning that the show depicts. Although I can't say I loved the showy CGI in the sky at the end- those sort of things rarely stand up over time and I think it looked goofy.

Me too! I was very satisfied with this whole season, and the finale really capped it off well.

The SFX budget was REALLY well used here. They've cut down the scale of the battles, but they've made the SFX look crazy good, and I'm fine with that trade.

Hoppers death was significantly better than in the book. That made me tear up, where in the book I never really cared that much when he died because you didn't get enough time with him.

Only plot I was frustrated with this episode was Nynaeve, I think she needed a bit more of a role here.

My quick thoughts (I’ve only read the first 3 books)

• Show Ishamael was so good I didn’t want him to die.
• Letting us see what Lanfear was up to more was cool
• Perrin and hopper worked well
• Egwene doing it in her own worked well, though I feel like the damane loop idea is a bit strange.
• Rand not being able to just fly in the sky and have magic sword battles was very nice IMO. The final stab from Rand though seemed a bit off. Why did Ishy just take it? He wanted to die?
• nyneave was definitely short changed a bit here though I feel like they felt they needed to hit certain character moments.
• Ulmo speaking on behalf of the writers about being a hero of the horn was hilarious
• Giving us old hero Mat was cool
• The show is struggling to balance staying true to the show and it’s short runtime. It did well, but I can see the strain.

Question that doesn’t want spoilers (only finished book 3) but can’t help but ask … Rand being stabbed by the shadar blade … is that not a problem with the grander cannon?

EDIT: final positive verdict… I want more. Genuinely sad the season is over.

Otherwise, overall, I like the story they’re telling in the first two seasons, better than the books IMO as a story, except Ishy’s death may have been a bit forced here.

The finale felt a little bit rushed to me, but overall I liked it. Probably my third favourite episode of the season.

I just have a question about the a’dam. Did Egwene just interpret it as not a weapon and then put it on her. Would that line of thinking really work? I know it doesn’t do direct damage but the action surely must be seen as threatening?