Season 3, Episode 6, titled The Shadow in the Night, directed by Marta Cunningham and written by Rammy Park, deepens the horror and dread surrounding the Dark One’s servants—his fanatical followers, the Darkfriends, and his terrifying lieutenants, the Forsaken. The Forsaken are vile and cruel to everyone, including their own followers, showing no regard for morality. The Darkfriends are no different—they would slaughter and enslave any innocent soul they encounter to enhance their power, wealth, and influence or to pursue their nihilistic desire to break the Wheel.
The central theme of this episode is darkness. Both the Forsaken and the Darkfriends are depicted as terrifying agents of despair, their actions bringing nothing but suffering to all they touch. The Dark One’s desire to destroy the world and break the Wheel until nothing remains is made abundantly clear. Although his followers are aware of this ultimate goal, many still delude themselves into believing they will retain power and rule after the Shadow’s victory. Only those like the Black Ajah truly understand that the Dark One seeks complete annihilation. Some among them, like those who allied with Ishamael, support this end out of a desire to see the world’s suffering erased through total destruction, believing that peace can be found in nothingness.
In contrast, Forsaken such as Lanfear, Moghedien, Rahvin, and Sammael joined the Shadow in pursuit of power. They are willing to commit any atrocity to dominate their enemies and enslave the innocent, ensuring no light remains in a world already marred by war and catastrophe.
The Hills of Tanchico
In Tanchico, the search continues for the complete set of the Domination Band—an artifact capable of collaring a male channeler like the Dragon Reborn through the control of two women, each wielding one bracelet. Elayne (Ceara Coveney), Nynaeve (Zoë Robins), Mat (Dónal Finn), and Min (Kae Alexander) spend time learning about Tanchico’s culture, customs, and even its famously perverse and suggestive song, The Hills of Tanchico, once one understands its true meaning.
Elayne assumes the leadership role within the group, having conducted the most research into Tanchico’s society. Her knowledge allows her to blend in seamlessly by adopting the local accent, social norms, and cultural nuances—including the risqué humor. Min supports the team as their guide, drawing from her past experiences in the city. Mat contributes by recruiting Thom Merrilin (Alexandre Willaume), a traveling gleeman and old ally from Season 1. Nynaeve, still blocked from accessing the One Power, plays a supportive role by assisting Elayne and Min when possible.
The quartet ultimately succeeds in retrieving one of the Domination Band’s bracelets. However, Elayne and Nynaeve are soon ambushed in their inn’s guest room by Moghedien (Laia Costa), who places them both under compulsion. She interrogates them about their presence in Tanchico and forces Nynaeve to surrender the bracelet. Nynaeve momentarily resists Moghedien’s control, surprising the Forsaken, but it isn’t enough. Moghedien steals the bracelet and erases their memories of the encounter. Still, the two women manage to piece together what occurred after discovering the missing bracelet and noticing a small scar Moghedien left on Nynaeve’s cheek.
Liandrin and Lanfear
Liandrin (Kate Fleetwood) reflects on her life 95 years ago when she was a powerless young girl in Tanchico, abused by influential men until she discovered her ability to channel and escape. The younger Liandrin (Lola Shaw) is shown trying to protect her infant son while seeking shelter, eventually encountering Ishamael (Fares Fares), who, despite being imprisoned at the time, reaches out to her through Tel’aran’rhiod. Ishamael helps her by summoning Darkfriends in Tanchico to provide sanctuary and later recruits her into the Shadow. Under his guidance, she is trained and rises to join the ranks of the Black Ajah within the White Tower.
In the present, Liandrin is confronted by her new Forsaken master, Lanfear (Natasha O’Keeffe). Lanfear informs her that the Black Ajah have now pledged their loyalty to Rahvin following Ishamael’s death. Rahvin, known for his reason and pragmatism, prefers conquest through diplomacy and manipulation rather than brute violence. Many within the Black Ajah have logically chosen to follow him, especially in contrast to the instability of the other Forsaken. However, Lanfear is displeased and threatens Liandrin with torture and a slow, excruciating death if she doesn’t eliminate one of the Black Ajah sisters in her group who secretly serves Rahvin.
Liandrin discovers that Nyomi (Rachel Denning) is Rahvin’s spy. She kills her after extracting the location of the Domination collar, hidden within the Panarch’s palace. However, she fails to realize that Ispan Shefar (Olumide Olorunfemi) is also a Rahvin loyalist. Ispan is horrified by Liandrin’s ambition to become one of the Forsaken and her declaration that she will never again be helpless as she once was. She attempts to alert Rahvin in Tel’aran’rhiod but is intercepted by Moghedien, who tortures her for information about Liandrin before killing her. Moghedien then begins to spy on the Black Ajah under the guise of servitude, behaving like a psychotic, vindictive child, tampering with their food and clothing for amusement.
The Darkfriends in the Two Rivers
In the Two Rivers, Perrin Aybara (Marcus Rutherford) recovers from his injuries as his bond with Faile (Isabella Bucceri) deepens, culminating in the two becoming an official couple. During their romantic moments, Faile opens up about her heritage: she hails from Saldaea and comes from a military family. She recounts how her mother, a Darkfriend, once tried to recruit her into the Shadow. Faile refused and told her brother, only to witness her mother murder him to protect the family’s allegiance to the Dark One. Faile escaped and eventually joined the Hunters of the Horn.
Meanwhile, Alanna Mosvani (Priyanka Bose) is healed with the help of Mat’s younger sisters, Bode (Litiana Biutanaseva) and Eldrin (Lilibet Biutanaseva), both of whom can channel. Under Alanna’s guidance, they use the One Power to heal her wounds. Alanna couldn’t heal herself, as the One Power only allows channelers to heal others—a harsh but established limitation.
What the heroes don’t realize is that an army of Darkfriends and Shadowspawn, led by the treacherous Padan Fain (Johann Myers), is marching toward them. Once a loyal servant of Ishamael, Fain’s current allegiance remains unknown. His goal is to decimate the Two Rivers, starting by ambushing reinforcements from the Children of the Light. Disguised in stolen whitecloak uniforms, Fain and his men infiltrate the Children of the Light’s ranks—led by Dain Bornhald (Jay Duffy), who survived Faile’s earlier dagger attack. Fain plans to incite chaos from within, making it easy for his Darkfriend and Shadowspawn forces to conquer the region.
Rand Defeats Sammael
In Cold Rocks Hold, deep within the Aiel Waste, Rand (Josha Stradowski) and his companions begin to adapt to life among the Taardad Aiel. With help from Aviendha (Ayoola Smart), who still resists her role as his Wise One and advisor, Rand gains deeper insight into Aiel culture. He repeatedly asks Moiraine about what she saw in the rings of Rhuidean, but her responses remain vague—mentioning futures in which Rand loses his mind. Despite this, Rand shares what he has learned about the Sakarnen through ancestral memories. He explains that mastery over the Sakarnen requires full control of both Saidar and Saidin.
Soon after, Rand is confronted by Egwene (Madeleine Madden), furious over his relationship with Lanfear, who has been torturing her in her dreams. Rand is visibly shaken to learn this, but he also expresses frustration at Egwene’s emotional detachment. Despite claiming to want to remain romantically involved, Egwene continuously distances herself from him, seeking mentorship from Moiraine and the Wise Ones. Their relationship, in truth, exists in name only. Eventually, they both accept that their paths as Ta’veren must diverge—Rand as the Dragon Reborn, Egwene as an Aes Sedai.
Their painful breakup is cut short when Sammael (Cameron Jack) arrives, sent by Lanfear to test Rand—but not to kill him, in accordance with their alliance. Sammael leads a Shaido Aiel ambush. Egwene and Aviendha unleash the One Power to repel the attackers. Sammael mocks Rand by forging a warhammer from the One Power, but Rand counters with devastating lightning, ultimately defeating him.
The victory comes at a cost: Alsera (Julie Van Leeuwen), a young Aiel girl Rand had befriended, dies during Sammael’s attack, leaving Rand to mourn her loss.
Rating: 9/10
