It's Interesting Hearing People Talk About The Polycule In The Books Vs Show, And The Possibility That

It's interesting hearing people talk about the polycule in the books vs show, and the possibility that the show will go "full polyamory" or whatever. There's this implication that the book polycule would have been more accurate if Min had also been dating Elayne and Aviendha, so all four characters would have been romantically entwined together.

Obviously it's a fantasy series and the writers can do whatever they want, but irl most polyamorous people date individually in dyads, rather than 3+ person relationships. It's much more realistic that not all of Rand's partners are dating each other.

Triads, quads, and other group relationships are uncommon in polyamory because they're notably more difficult than dyadic relationships. Lots of newbies experiment with them because of the stereotype that it's how polyamory works.

Anyway, this is all to say that I think the relationships in the show will work best if Rand is dating all three women, Elayne and Aviendha date each other, and Min only dates Rand. Developing romantic relationships between Min & Aviendha and Min & Elayne would take more time than the show has, and it's not necessary for the polycule to work.

Going on a bit of a side tangent here, but I'm obsessed with how Nynaeve's dream world emphasizes the things she doesn't know about Lan as well!!

Potential book spoilers ahead! I'm trying to be vague but still

Rand got out of his dream by knowing absolutely that Egwene wants more than he can give her in the two rivers. But Nynaeve and Lan are still learning about each other. They're attracted to each other, and they respect each other, but we're still at the phase where Nynaeve thinks that if Lan could just see through Moiraine's plots he would leave and then they could be together. Yet when we switch to Lan's perspective we can see that he is seeing through Moiraine's facade (at least a bit)!

So what's the difference? What is motivating him to stay within her plan? It can't just be his loyalty to Moraine, so there has to be some driving force behind Lan's behavior that Nynaeve + the audience hasn't seen yet! This is just a small part of why I've been obsessed with Nynaeve/Lan for literal years lol the fact that they don't just know everything about each other right off the bat is just so *chef's kiss*

Thinking about the parallels between Rand’s vision in 1x08 in the Two Rivers with Egwene as his wife and Nynaeve’s trip through the third arch in 2x03 to return to the Two Rivers with Lan as her husband. They both have daughters showing the power of matriarchy and it’s prominence in their world. And Nynaeve and Lan’s daughter being named Elnore after her mother. I just need a minute.

YEAH!!!!! dreamworlds of domestic bliss in the two rivers with little daughters are something that can be so personal!!!

and it's so fitting because rand and nynaeve are the two characters most anchored in the two rivers. egwene wants More Than This Provincial Life, perrin has trauma there because of laila, mat does want to go back for his sisters yet also wants to get away from his parents, but rand and nynaeve? all they've ever wanted is to stay at home and take care of their loved ones. i'm fine!!

Blep

i've been replaying origins and just had this question and was wondering if you had the answer (i know i could probably ask google but you seem v knowledgeable about the mage origin)

they mention that amell/surana's phylactery was sent to denerim, and i'm wondering if there is any text or dialogue in game that would explain why loghain didn't use that to hunt down a mage warden. (or maybe he did and i've just missed it over the years) is it just because really only templars know how to use a phylactery to track down mages? surely some of the templars in denerim would know how to and could be easily convinced to do so.

oh i hadnt thought abt this! i would say that the chantry is very proprietary over assets like that and not on suuuper good terms with loghain. i would also say that amell/surana’s phylactery was sent to denerim when they were harrowed, and considering the state of chaos ferelden immediately gets plunged into—for example that kinloch hold never hears back from the grand cleric on the right of annulment—i would not be surprised if the phylactery didn’t make it to denerim. which doesn’t necessarily mean it was destroyed or lost either, i could simply see it being holed up in some chantry for the duration of the blight

those would be my go-to explanations, i have no idea if canon considers it

Morrigan, Witch of the Wilds Some experiments with new brushes

zevran tarot card shall be my first drawing of the year!