The Amyrlin Seat's Favorite Moments

Author: Jahily al'Karee

Published: November 18, 2021 - Tar Valon Times Blog Link

Please note: This article contains spoilers for The Wheel of Time As I put the finishing touches on this article, The Wheel of Time has just premiered worldwide on television. It feels like the entire Community has been holding its collective breath, for weeks and months, waiting for this moment. With excitement. Trepidation. Concern. Anticipation. Will it be good? Will it be true to the books, the world that Robert Jordan created, and people have loved for many years? Will it be recognizable to the book lovers? Will it draw in new fans through the medium of the small screen?

So many questions, and theories, have been bandied about. And now the moment is here, for the fan community to see and judge and (hopefully) embrace.

We’ve been focusing this week on favorite moments, and who better to usher in this new chapter in WoT history, than our own Amyrlin Seat, Serinia Edoras. Thankfully we live in a Digital Age, so I was able to catch up with Seri by phone, to talk about The Wheel of Time — her favorite moments and memories, and of course, the #WOTonPrime.

Jahily: You mentioned you have some favorite and funny stories, what can you share with us?

Serinia: I remember a lot of very specific moments.

For example, I don’t know if Toral (Delvar) knows that he’s how I found out that my name had been used in the books. The prologue for AMOL had been released right before Anni or Fall Ball? I’d started to read it on the plane but hadn’t gotten that far. Then when I got to the event, Toral was like “OMG you’re in there!” [See this entry for reference.]

The thing I remember the most was the biggest experience I ever had with spoilers. I started reading the books in 1997. I was in college so I couldn’t read as fast as I wanted. By the summer of 1998 I was reading Fires of Heaven. But I’d also purchased the “big bad book of bad art” The World of Robert Jordan’s "The Wheel of Time". And I think I had books 6 and 7 standing by, but I hadn’t read them yet.

The big bad book isn’t full of that many spoilers. And I remember pretty vividly, I pulled out the big book, and I gave myself the biggest spoiler in the world.

You see, my favorite character was Egwene.

At the time I joined Dragonmount and I was looking for names of Gray Aes Sedai. I looked in the Book at the list of Amyrlin Seats and got down to Egwene’s name. And I was like “What???” I couldn’t believe I ruined it for myself! I was excited since she’s one of my favorites, but ugh!

I’m super sensitive now to spoilers. I really just want to experience things as intended.

The memory is so vivid, I can remember exactly where I was; and things like the chair I was in, my desk and what was on it. And I was so mad that I gave myself the biggest spoiler of all time.

Jahily: I hate spoilers too! Were you able to attend one of the preview events this week?

Serinia: No, I had an invite to the one in Atlanta, but with my travel schedule I wasn’t able to go. Did you enjoy it?

Jahily: No spoilers! But yes, I did. So what is one of your favorite moments from the series?

Serinia: One of my favorite quotes in the series is from Winter’s Heart, Chapter 33, Blue Carp Street. Rand and Lan are in Far Madding looking for traitorous Asha’man, and Nynaeve uses air to lift them up to the roof of a shop for them to investigate. They end up in a confrontation with Fain, and then while retreating Lan slips and Rand grabs his wrist as they both slide down the roof trying to grab on to something. Lan goes over the edge and Rand is holding on to him from the roof…

“‘Let go,’ Lan said quietly. He looked up at Rand, his eyes cold and hard, no expression on his face. ‘Let go.’

‘When the sun turns green,’ Rand told him.”

I just love this scene and really the whole chapter. It shows Rand and Lan’s relationship and how much it’s grown. Lan still calls Rand sheepherder, but they understand each other at such a deep level, and understand what is important. “When the sun turns green” is definitely one of my favorite lines in the series.

Jahily: Thank you for sharing that with us. I hope you enjoy the series, and I can’t wait to hear what you and the members of our Community think!

Readers, share your favorite moments with us, either on the forums, or comment here on the blog or our socials. We also want to hear your reactions to the television series! #TarValonreacts