Season 2 Episode 2: Strangers and Friends

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Strangers and Friends
Season	2
Episode	2
Director	Thomas Napper
Previous Episode	A Taste of Solitude
Next Episode	What Might Be

Author: Ilverin Matriam

Synopsis

Moiraine and Lan part ways. Rand has a new life in Cairhien. Perrin and the Shienarans are captured by unknown soldiers. Egwene and Nynaeve are growing apart, while Nynaeve is also being summoned for testing.

Cast

Main Characters	Supporting Characters	Minor Characters
Rosamund Pike - Moiraine Damodred	Kae Alexander - Min Farshaw	Jennifer Cheon Garcia - Leane Sharif
Daniel Henney - al'Lan Mandragoran	Hammed Animashaun - Loial	Emanuel Imani - Ihvon
Zoë Robins - Nynaeve al'Meara	Priyanka Bose - Alanna Mosvani	Taylor Napier - Maksim
Madeleine Madden - Egwene al'Vere	Kate Fleetwood - Liandrin Guirale	Nila Aalia - Adeleas
Josha Stradowski - Rand al'Thor	Meera Syal - Verin Mathwin	Gary Beadle - Elyas Machera
Marcus Rutherford - Perrin Aybara	Rima Te Wiata - Sheriam Bayanar	Guy Roberts - Uno Nomesta
Dónal Finn - Mat Cauthon	Gregg Chilingirian - Lord Ingtar	Arnas Fedaravicius - Masema Dagar
Ceara Coveney - Elayne Trakand	Natasha O'Keeffe - Selene	Karima McAdams - High Lady Suroth

Summary

Rand is having bad dreams where he is responsible for killing his friends. He has been having nightmares. He now lives in the city of Cairhien's Foregate, a place for the poorer folk outside of Cairhien. Rand works in the inner city, at an institution for mentally unstable people.

After the Myrdraal attack, Moiraine and Lan are still recovering, being Healed by Verin and Adeleas. Verin announces to Moiraine that the Brown Sisters have decided to accompany her on her journey. Verin assumes they would head to the White Tower first. Moiraine keeps shutting Lan out, being cold and dismissive towards him.

The Shienarans, lead by Elyas, reach a farm, where Ingtar says that "something does not feel right." Perrin enters the main house and has a vision of the family getting slaughtered. Elyas seems to have the answers to what is happening to Perrin. There is also a disturbing sight, a Fade has been nailed to a door. Some of the company think this might be Fain's doing. Ingtar announces they will sleep in the nearby village.

In the sanatorium in Cairhien, Rand is taking out an old man called Errol for a walk. Errol calls Rand an Aielman, tells him that the Aiel are a vicious fighters, but that he still remembers sword forms since he will always remain a blademaster. There is another employee at the sanatorium, Yann, who has a better position than Rand and who can go outside to take care of the more "famous" residents in the gardens.

At the White Tower, Egwene is looking for Nynaeve, but Liandrin has taken her away from the kitchens. They are in the healing tents, where Nynaeve sees a girl who is suffering from breakbone fever getting healed by an Accepted. Liandrin explains to Nynaeve that when she is raised to the Accepted, she may choose her lessons and learn from the different Ajahs. Channeling the One Power slows the aging process, which means Nynaeve will have a long time to dedicate to her chosen purpose. Liandrin thinks the Red Ajah's purpose is to think of the big picture, instead of saving one human life, make it so that there is no disease or murder at all. Liandrin wants Nynaeve to take her Accepted's test and go through the Arches. This way teh Red can teach her.

Liandrin later brings sweetcakes to Mat in his "cell". Mat is suspicious of her and her kindness. Liandrin tells him that he is being held there, so that the Sisters can see if there are any lasting effects from the dagger's evil. After she leaves, Mat gets up and starts working at disengaging a brick in the wall to the next room. After removing the brick he finds it is just another room like his. But there is someone there. Min from Fal Dara has been closed there by Liandrin too. They both dig and remove more of the bricks between the wall and start hanging out. Mat asks Min why she is in there. Min tells him of her ability to see the future as auras around people. Mat does not want to know what she sees around him.

In the Novices quarters, Egwene meets the girl who she will be living next door to. It turns out to be the Daughter-Heir of Andor, Elayne Trakand. Elayne is excited to be let in to live with the other novices, regardless of her royal blood.

Alanna has accepted Sheriam in her rooms for a conversation. Sheriam thinks that some conversations should be left between Aes Sedai, so she has not brought her Warder. However, Alanna's Warders are present. Sheriam tells Alanna of Liandrin's plan to raise Nynaeve to the Accepted. Alanna does not agree with this, because Nynaeve cannot even embrace the Source without being angry or afraid. The Last Battle is near, and the Pattern is giving them all these strong channelers to use against the Dark One. Sheriam says the Hall will be voting on it.

Nynaeve is looking for Liandrin in the Red quarters, but Liandrin had just left. Nynaeve follows her and finds out of a secret passageway out of the Tower into the city. Nynaeve follows Liandrin into a place, where Liandrin is giving diluted crimsonthorn root to a man on a bed, seemingly in pain. Liandrin sees that Nynaeve is there and panics, hitting her and telling her to get out. The man turns out to be Liandrin's son, who she cannot heal.

Perrin and the Shienarans enter the village of Atuan's Mill, where they will stay for the night. Elyas will not be joining them since he says he prefers to sleep under the stars. During the night, however, they are attacked by unknown soldiers, who are capturing everyone at the village. The Shienarans and Loial fight back, but in the end are overpowered by women who can channel.

Moiraine, Verin, Adeleas, Tomas, and Lan have reached the White Tower and are camping a few miles away. Verin shares to Moiraine that her and Adeleas had promised each other not to come to the Tower before finishing their "History of the World Since the Breaking." She asks Moiraine why would three Fades be hunting her, Verin's suggestion for the reason lies with one of the boys Moiraine brought with her to the Tower last fall. Verin thinks Moiraine has found the Dragon. Moiraine betrays herself by threatening Verin. The Brown Sister is satisfied with Moiraine's reaction and says that she wants to protect the Dragon, but see him free in the world, instead of caged somewhere where Aes Sedai can control him.

At Cairhien's Foregate, Rand is stalking Yann and later attacks him. During the attack, in his anger, Rand channels accidently, hears whispers, and gets scared. He runs to his room, where Selene is waiting for him. During the night while they are together, Selene asks Rand who he thinks about when he is with her. Rand responds he thinks about someone he wants to forget about.

At the White Tower, Egwene and Elayne are getting to know each other. Infront of Elayne's room Sheriam Sedai is furious someone has decorated the novice's room. Elayne does not want to blame any of her maids, so she is willing to receive the punishment herself. Egwene points out that any time an Aes Sedai is paying attention to her is only when asking after Nynaeve.

After their novice duties are done for the day, Egwene visits Elayne in her room. Elayne gives her a drink she has fermented herself, she likes to tinker with things. Meanwhile Nynaeve is looking for Egwene and overhears what Egwene says about her, that Nynaeve is seemingly not doing anything, but gets all the attention, while Egwene studies hard and is not getting the appreciation she thinks she deserves.

Nynaeve is sitting in her room when a knock at the door makes her think Egwene has come to visit. It is Liandrin who is summoning Nynaeve to the Arches, the test to raise her to the rank of Accepted.

Later at the camp, Adeleas asks Moiraine and Lan how they met. Moiraine tells the story of how Lan dropped her into a pond, unknowing she was an Aes Sedai. During the night, Lan is going through Moiraine's saddle bags and finds the poem she purchased from Bayle Domon. He takes it. Moiraine tells him he must go to the Tower without her. Alanna and her Warders are there to bring Lan with them. Moiraine tells Lan that the Last Battle is coming and that Rand is still alive, that they have let one of the Forsaken out - Ishamael is free.

At the sanatorium, Rand gets Yann's position and gets to go out into the gardens. There he meets Logain, who Rand will be taking care of for the next few months.

Production

• Directed by: Thomas Napper
• Written for Television by: Katherine B. McKenna
• Aired on: September 1, 2023
• Runtime: One hour and eight minutes

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