A Taste of Solitude

***A Taste of Solitude*** is the first episode of season 2 of *The Wheel of Time* television series, and the ninth episode overall. It premiered on September 1, 2023 on Prime Video.

## Synopsis

Official episode synopsis for *A Taste of Solitude* from Prime Video:

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> Several months have passed since Rand and Moiraine battled Ishamael in the ancient ruins of The Eye of the World. Now, Moiraine and Lan’s once unbreakable bond is in turmoil as they are no longer connected to The One Power. At the White Tower, Nynaeve and Egwene train to become Aes Sedai, with Liandrin keeping a watchful eye on both novices as she puts her agenda into motion. Perrin and Loial travel together in search of the Horn of Valere.
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## Plot summary

### Prologue

In *Tel'aran'rhiod*, a young girl, Niko, plays outside a rural building. Trollocs spot her in the distance and run after her, and Niko runs inside the building and hides under a table where a meeting is being held. A man speaks to her, reassuring her before taking her outside to face the Trollocs. He strokes the face of one beast and encourages Niko to do the same, insisting she has nothing to fear from the creatures.

### Tifan's Well

Moiraine carries buckets of water uphill to a villa, where she pours herself a bath and washes her clothes. She cries to herself. Outside, Lan trains. A rider approaches, and Lan returns to the house where he tells Verin, Adeleas, and Tomas. It's the twentieth rider, and Moiraine hasn't told any of them what she's up to.

Lan brings the rider, Bayle Domon, to Moiraine's study, and Moiraine dismisses Lan. Bayle Domon shows Moiraine a piece of broken cuendillar aka heartstone, which is of interest since cuendillar shouldn't be able to break. It came into his position outside of Cairhien, and there was a poem at the site written in blood. Moiraine barters and purchases just the poem. She inquires about the men who Bayle Domon said were following him, and he describes hooded riders whose faces he couldn't see. Moiraine advises him to take his ship out to sea and to sail as far as he can. After Bayle Domon leaves, Moiraine reads the poem with concern.

Lan expresses the problems he's having with Moiraine to Tomas. He tries to speak with Moiraine but she's not opening up to him, frustrating him further. At dinner, Adeleas and Verin try to explain what Moiraine's going through since she can no longer channel. Lan brings her food up to her study but she isn't there.

Moiraine leaves on horseback but she is attacked by a Fade and unhorsed. She takes cover and pulls her dagger, and she's able to surprise one and stab it through it's jaw. Another attacks and she's wounded. As it raises its sword to kill her, Lan arrives and beheads it. Two more Fades attack him at once, injuring him. Adeleas, Verin, and Tomas arrive, killing the remaining Fades. As they lie wounded, Lan asks Moiraine what she isn't telling him.

### Tar Valon

Egwene and Nynaeve are now Novices in the White Tower, doing kitchen chores with other Novices. Alanna Mosvani visits them in the kitchens and shows them a weave to purify water. Nynaeve is unable to embrace the source and Alanna dismisses the others to talk to her and Egwene, since it's been 5 months and Nynaeve is still unable to channel at will. Alanna tries to get Nynaeve to embrace the source, but Nynaeve stubbornly drinks her dirty dishwater to end the lesson and she walks out.

Alanna reports to Sheriam Bayanar, the Mistress of Novices, at a meeting with the other Aes Sedai. Liandrin Guirale, who is not allowed to train novices since she got one killed, convinces Sheriam to let her talk to Nynaeve. Alanna advises against it but Sheriam allows it.

That evening, Egwene goes to Alanna for advise because she's having trouble controlling two weaves at once.

Nynaeve goes to the kitchens alone to try to practice the weave but she still can't embrace the source to channel. Liandrin visits her and blasts her with a weave of air. Angry, Nynaeve is able to channel in retaliation, doing the same wave back at Liandrin, who's impressed that Nynaeve only saw the weave once and was able to copy it. Liandrin then shields Nynaeve and talks to her, and leaves.

Nynaeve visits Egwene with a letter from Perrin. Egwene is making a Bel Tine lantern, and Nynaeve has forgotten it's Bel Tine. Nynaeve reads the letter, and they light the lantern for Rand, who they believe to have died at the Eye of the World.

Liandrin visits a cell in the White Tower where Mat Cauthon is being held. She reads the same letter to him, omitting Perrin's references of Mat to make it seem that the others don't care about him. After she leaves, Mat moves a dresser and chips away at the mortar holding the stones in the wall of his cell.

### Perrin Aybara, Loial, and the Shienarans

Perrin Aybara and Loial are traveling with the Shienarans through Arad Doman, tracking Padan Fain. Perrin writes a letter to Nynaeve and Egwene. Loial informs Perrin that they're saddling the horses and that the new tracker has lit a signal fire.

The party catches up with the new tracker, Elyas Machera. Uno Nomesta is frustrated about the fire, but Elyas informs him that he did not light it. He takes them to the location of an attack on a *Tuatha'an* family. Perrin has a vision of a little girl escaping, which Elyas confirms. They follow the trail into the woods where they find a dead dog and a Shienaran soldier. Perrin notes that the dog was protecting the girl, and Loial says that the soldier must have been one of the Darkfriends who let Padan Fain and the Fades into the city. Ingtar Shinowa orders for all the dead to be buried. They do so, and Perrin voices his rage to Ingtar.

Perrin later celebrates Bel Tine alone, sending two lanterns down a river. One presumably for Rand and the other for his wife Laila.

### Rand al'Thor

In an unspecified town, Rand al'Thor hangs up a Bel Tine lantern alone.

## Appearances

### Cast and characters

Starring:

* Rosamund Pike as Moiraine Damodred
* Daniel Henney as Lan Mandragoran
* Zoë Robins as Nynaeve al'Meara
* Madeleine Madden as Egwene al'Vere
* Josha Stradowski as Rand al'Thor
* Marcus Rutherford as Perrin Aybara
* Dónal Finn as Mat Cauthon
* Hammed Animashaun as Loial
* Priyanka Bose as Alanna Mosvani
* Jennifer Cheon Garcia as Leane Sharif
* Fares Fares as The Man
* Kate Fleetwood as Liandrin Guirale
* Emmanuel Imani as Ihvon
* Johann Myers as Padan Fain
* Taylor Napier as Maksim
* Meera Syal as Verin Mathwin

Co-starring:

* Gregg Chilingirian as Ingtar Shinowa
* Guy Roberts as Uno Nomesta
* Arnas Fedaravicius as Masema Dagar
* Nila Aalia as Adeleas
* Heikko Deutschmann as Tomas
* Rima Te Wiata as Sheriam Bayanar
* Gary Beadle as Elyas Machera
* Julian Lewis Jones as Bayle Domon
* Joelle as Joiya Byir
* Amy Sharp as Niko
* Salle Salée as Novice
* Petra Ptácková as Tuatha'an Mother

The 12 attendees at the Darkfriend Social:

* The Man
* Padan Fain
* Niko's Tuatha'an mother
* A Seanchan noblewoman
* An Aes Sedai of an unspecified Ajah, as her ring color is changed to black during the meeting
* A Shienaran soldier
* A Whitecloak
* Five other unspecified members

Mentioned or referenced characters:

* Siuan Sanche, the Amyrlin Seat
* Moiraine's 19 other visitors
* Lady Amalisa
* An unnamed man who has declared himself the Dragon Reborn in Saldaea
* Logain Ablar, it's said that the new false dragon is more powerful than Logain
* The Creator
* Laila Dearn, Perrin's wife

### Groups

* Aes Sedai and Novices
* Warders and Warder trainees
* Shienaran soldiers
* Tuatha'an
* Seanchan
* Children of the Light
* Darkfriends
	+ The Forsaken, aka The Chosen
* Shadowspawn
	+ Trollocs
	+ Fades

Mentioned groups:

* The Sea Folk, Bayle Domon says they're the "best in the game" at haggling

### Locations

* An isolated building at an unspecified location where the Darkfriend Social is held
* White Tower, Tar Valon
* Arad Doman
* Arafel
	+ Adeleas and Verin's home in Tifan's Well
* The unspecified location where Rand is staying

Mentioned locations:

* Cairhien, where Bayle Domon came across broken Cuendillar and a poem
* The Eye of the World, here Rand released The Man
* Fal Dara, where Lady Amalisa flattened a Trolloc army with Egwene and Nynaeve's power
* Illian, Bayle Domon is from there, and the Hunt for the Horn has been called there
* *Spray*, Bayle Domon's riverboat
* Saldaea, where another false dragon has declared himself
* Arafel, Trolloc raids are happening near there
* Watch Hill, the Shienarans almost caught up to Padan Fain there
* Whitebridge, Bayle Domon caught a glimpse of cloaked men following him

### Objects

* Bel Tine lanterns

Mentioned objects:

* The Book of Novices, signed by Nynaeve and Egwene

### Events

* Bel Tine
* Darkfriend Social

Referenced events:

* The attack on Fal Dara six months back
* Cuendillar broken a few months back in Cairhien, and a poem was written there in blood
* The Breaking of the World, Bayle Domon has an item from before the Breaking that Moiraine considers

### Concepts and powers

* Channeling the One Power
	+ Cleansing water using the elements water and earth
	+ Creating a sword of air
	+ A burst of air to hold a person against a wall
	+ Shielding
	+ Making a regular sword infused with fire

## Quotes

See also: A Taste of Solitude/Transcript

> **Liandrin**My sisters would have you believe there's only one way to channel, one way to become an Aes Sedai. But they're wrong. You're here to learn. Not about silt or swords but about power. I want to see you become so powerful that no man, no woman, will ever be able to take that away from you. Not even me.— Liandrin to Nynaeve about channeling

## Trivia

* On May 19, 2021, the episode's title was revealed when the picture of the title page posted to the official *The Wheel of Time* Twitter account. The Tweet was deleted within minutes. The title page was reposted the following day.
* The chapter title was released before the titles for the previous two episodes.
* The title is the same as the eighteenth chapter  (*book spoilers!*) of *Lord of Chaos  (*book spoilers!*)*.
* The first scene of the episode was released as a preview on August 2, 2023. It was added to the end of the season 1 finale episode on Prime Video.

## Gallery

### Promotional stills

Moiraine reads in her study at Verin's homeVerin at the dinner tableMoiraine hides behind a large stone during the Fade attackMoiraine holds her dagger ready to fight during the Fade attackA Fade raises its sword to kill Moiraine, and behind it Lan leaps to attackEgwene carries buckets as she works as a novice, and she takes a moment to admire the Amyrlin's golden dressEgwene working in the White Tower kitchens as a NoviceAlanna channels, demonstrating a weave for the novicesAlanna holds up a glass of clear water, purified with her weaveThe Aes Sedai meet to discuss how the novice training is goingEgwene sits in Alanna's roomLiandrin channels a burst of air at Nynaeve (offscreen)Egwene and Nynaeve hold a lantern together for Bel TinePerrin and Loial travel on horseback with the ShienaransPerrin's eyes turn goldenMat in his cellA Trolloc as its face is caressed by the little girl Niko (offscreen)
### Other images

Title page shared by the official Twitter account on May 19, 2021

## Navigation

1. *Leavetaking*
2. *Shadow's Waiting*
3. *A Place of Safety*
4. *The Dragon Reborn*
5. *Blood Calls Blood*
6. *The Flame of Tar Valon*
7. *The Dark Along the Ways*
8. *The Eye of the World*

Season 2
1. ***A Taste of Solitude***
2. *Strangers and Friends*
3. *What Might Be*
4. *Daughter of the Night*
5. *Damane*
6. *Eyes Without Pity*
7. *Daes Dae'mar*
8. *What Was Meant to Be*

Season 3
1. *To Race the Shadow*
2. *TBA*
3. *TBA*
4. *TBA*
5. *TBA*
6. *TBA*
7. *TBA*
8. *TBA*

## External links

* A Taste of Solitude at the Internet Movie Database

## References

1. ↑ Rosamund Pike names the location as Tifan's Well in the episode 201 extra featurette.
2. ↑ Tweet, posted May 19, 2021 at 4:33pm PDT, was located here (since deleted): https://twitter.com/TheWheelOfTime/status/1395159825303044098
3. ↑ Notifications for a new Tweet went out and were logged on various Discord servers and seen by various fans. Posting a link to the Tweet on Discord continued to show the preview with the original image, and some fans shared screenshots. The original image is still available on Twitter here. A few fans quickly retweeted the image and commented on the deletion: @MalkieriR, @DefaultRand, @johnnyvoid13. Live fan show *The Dusty Wheel* talked about it on their show that same day. May 19, 2021.
4. ↑ Official Twitter: With this many Ta’veren in one place, one season was never going to be enough. #TheWheelOfTime #TwitterOfTime. May 20, 2021. Also on Instagram. Showrunner Rafe Judkins also posted on his Instagram.