Thu, July 21, 2022, the day before Comic-Con 2022, was big. There were these announcements:
Still no release date for Season 2, though.
We're going to take a look at the first two and also how they affect our Season 2 Predictions. Note that my predictions are still a work in progress.
Also, I might try to make all of this into a video.
It all comes down to taking a look at the 35 stills that you can grab from the 1:06 minute video. We're going to reference other research into the BTS video, because why do all the hard work myself? Other resources include:
Lots of people seem to think this is Ayoola Smart playing Aviendha. I've already stated in my predictions that I thought Aviendha would be in Season 2. However, I was more leaning towards her meeting Nynaeve and Egwene on their way to Tar Valon rather that meeting Perrin. But a recent reminder of a rehearsal script leak has me rethinking that it might be the latter. Any way she could do both meets?
This image has nine people in it. I predicted that the following are the Hunters of the Horn, and I'm going to add Elyas and Hopper. Who are the others? Red shirt Shienarans? I don't see Loial or Mat in this shot.
Nae'blis has a theory that this might be at Barthanes manor. I kind of like that theory. There's also a lot of people noticing that Perrin is carrying a sword instead of an axe.
See the "Who Is This" subsection in the "Q & A with Rafe" section.
The Dusty Wheel seems to think that the four people atop the structure could be two suldam and two damane and this is blocking for a scene.
The Dusty Wheel says that Loial is the one in the back left. There was some speculation that the center person was Gawyn, but that was dismissed, and the next guess is that it might be a Hero of the Horn due to the style of his clothing. They guess that the person behind him could be Geofram Bornhald.
I think this is just Hammar, Galad and Gawyn practicing at the Tower. I'm betting that Mat might be just off-screen.
Fade nailed to a door is confirmed! (TGH,Ch11) People are now calling this the "Doordraal".
I see five Shienarans, Perrin and one other person who might be Elyas Machera. Again, I don't see anyone here who looks like Mat.
This doesn't tell us much. It's Rand, looking pensive, with some blood on him. The Dusty Wheel - Season 2 Theories noted that he's wearing different clothes.
I'm assuming this is just Lan practicing his sword forms. I think that maybe Rand is just offscreen and this is part of teaching Rand how to use his sword.
I don't think that this tell us much, plot-wise, except as confirmation that Fain is in Season 2. But we have that already with the "Doordraal" scene (Screenshot 24).
Geeky Eri says this is Karima McAdams. The next question is which character is this? Suroth? Semirhage? Lanfear?
It started with this:
I didn't have any Forsaken in my predictions, but it's nice to know that there will be more than one. Maybe I'll add something for Lanfear and Rand and maybe Semirhage with the Seanchan, which is who we might be seeing in screenshot 32.
Confirmation that the quarterstaff fight is in season 2. I had that in there already, so no changes to the predictions.
I already had used some interview quotes that point to this to predict Moiraine and Lan's part in season 2. No changes to the predictions.
We already had Elyas confirmed, so I'm guessing Hopper will be right there with him.
Excellent! And since that is TGH,Prologue, I'm going to predict that it's the cold open for Episode 201. The prologue for the 2nd book and the opening for the 2nd season.
I still think they're going to need a "One Month Later..." one time in the early part of season 2. Rand needs to be trained with the sword and Egwene needs time to learn in the White Tower plus some time with the Seanchan before she's rescued.
I predicted this plot line would be in this series. No changes to the predictions.
I predict Mat will rejoin the Hunters of the Horn, but I'm not completely sure how. So I predict that he will be at Falme and blow the Horn of Valere.
I think this is going to be a dark season.
There's already interviews where Rafe goes into more details, and I've included them in with my predictions.
I wonder if the relationships include 1) Adeleas and Vandene and 2) Barthanes?
I assumed that. No changes to the predictions.
Well, the end of the second book is the battle at Falme, but the end of the third book is TDR,Ch56 and Rand is carrying Callandor. Rafe also said that the final scene of the season is the one he liked the most. I was betting that Tear was not in season 2 and that Callandor and the Stone of Tear would not be moved to Falme. Do I need to change my mind?
If this means only two of the cities, then I choose Cairhien and Falme. It could also mean all three. It could also mean more than three, I guess. How much budget did they have?
Maiden of the Spear asked this question on 1:54am, Jul 22.
which prompted a flurry of guesses. Rafe finally responded at 2:45 PM, Jul 23.
Here's a list of the (wrong) guesses on that thread within that time frame.
So now we know who it isn't, but we still don't know who it is.
Sigh. No response. Maybe TOO good of a question.