REVIEW: ‘The Wheel Of Time’ Season 3 Episode 6 — “The Shadow In The Night”

In one of the series’ most vibrant installments to date, The Wheel of Time Season 3 Episode 6 introduces another portion of this gloriously ever-expanding world. “The Shadow in the Night” builds a strong narrative, weaving three distinctive plots together that help create the mounting stakes as Rand (Josha Stradowski), Morraine (Rosamund Pike), and company fend off the Forsaken and Darkfriends targeting them.

One of the very best aspects of The Wheel of Time is its fearless commitment to color. So often these days, even films or television series that tout their vibrancy are still muted by an overwhelming saturation. In comparison, The Wheel of Time flourishes as it embraces colorful fabrics and rich textures to create a world that’s lived in. A world that’s quite literally rebuilt itself from different eras. And while series such as The Rings of Power showcase their styrofoam costuming, here, there’s a tactile sense that these clothes have been worn before and will be again.

These details flourish in moments during The Wheel of Time Season 3 Episode 6 as we enter Tanchico. We’re privy to two versions of this hostile city where people must cover their faces and avoid eye contact. Liandrin (Kate Fleetwood) has always been one of the most fascinating characters in the series, and she is given even greater, more heartbreaking depth as we peek into her past. A very young Liandrin holds her crying son, hushing him with the bleak, nauseating line, “He doesn’t like it when we cry.” It lets the darkness to settle without directly probing at it.

It’s also why, by the time she escapes, her voice lost and ignored in the crowd, that we understand her undying loyalty to Ishmael, who finds and saves her—hears her. Her most severe and distinct character traits make sense, from aligning herself with the Red Ajah, who tracks down men, to turning to the Black Ajah. In a world corrupted and poisoned by the powerful who refused to hear her, she chose a path of strength and one paved by someone who saved her.

The Wheel of Time Season 3 Episode 6 links the many storylines. 

Her storyline converges with the other significant narratives as Lanfear (Natasha O’Keeffe) instructs her to kill Naomi, a member of the Black Ajah. Lanfear has her claws in everyone in The Wheel of Time Season 3 Episode 6. From taunting Morraine in the dream world to tormenting Egwene (Madeleine Madden), she’s ruthless in demonstrating the scope of her reach and power.

At the very least, the latter forces Rand and Egwene to talk as she tells Rand that Lanfear has been torturing her in her dreams, something Rand was unaware of. The end of their romance lacks real emotion because the two actors have never shared palpable chemistry. But it does feel like the end of an era.

But the most notable, cataclysmic event that Lanfear orchestrates in The Wheel of Time Season 3 Episode 6 comes with the arrival of the Forsaken Sammael, who attacks Rand. Rand can defeat him, but it comes at a cost when the girl he’d bonded with dies. It’s powerful in theory, though, again, Stradowski can’t quite bear the emotional burden. More than anything, though, it deliberately moves Rand’s story forward. While he spoke earlier in the episode about refusing to submit to the power he channels, here he almost loses himself to it. The series has long hinted that his path will lead to inevitable madness, and “The Shadow in the Night” offers our first concrete signs.

The Wheel of Time Season 3 Episode 6 is most engaging in Tanchico with Mat (Dónal Finn), Min (Kae Alexander), Nynaeve (Zoë Robins), and Elayne (Ceara Coveney). They seek the collar the Black Ajah would bind the Dragon Reborn in. The world of Tanchico is exuberant and allows all of the actors the chance to shine and work off one another. There’s room for playfulness in these moments before the darkness settles in, especially with the reappearance of Thom Merrilin, whom Mat and Rand met in Season 1.

This allows the world to converge, bridging the past with the present as they regroup and slink about the city, looking for clues before they find the bracelet, a significant component in their mission. The series doesn’t let us revel in their win for long, though, by reminding us of another major threat that’s been lurking in Season 3 with Moghedien. We’ve seen her power, but it takes on a more significant threat as she uses it against Elayne and Nynaeve to get answers about what they’re looking for and who the Dragon Reborn is.

Tanchico welcomes in a significant threat. 

It’s a wonderfully creepy sequence due to Laia Costa’s performance. Costa wonderfully imbues the character with a graceful threat. There’s a delicacy to the way she speaks and moves that adds an extra layer to her enigmatic dominance. Seeing her power, it’s hard to fathom how anyone else stands a chance. This is why it is so satisfying when she realizes Nynaeve is fighting against her mind control. We’re constantly told about Nynaeve’s potential and how much power she holds. But here is a clear demonstration of it. They might lose the bracelet, but the trade reminds them how much Nynaeve has yet to unleash.

In comparison, the Two Rivers storyline is less intriguing, though it’s mainly working as a set-up for a greater battle. The best moments come between Perrin (Marcus Rutherford) and Faile (Isabella Bucceri) as they bond while he heals. Rutherford and Bucceri share a nice, easy chemistry that helps alleviate the pacing issues of their storylines.

The Wheel of Time Season 3 Episode 6 delivers intrigue and fun in equal measures before succumbing to the darkness of the very present, very potent threat. Bottling the sensation of adventure, it exemplifies how strong the series can be when it embraces its fantastical leanings and allows its characters room to shine.

The Wheel of Time Season 3 Episode 6 is now on Prime Video.

Previous Episode | Next Episode