In this episode Kelly and Lianna discuss the nature of good and evil especially in relation with the characters and themes of The Eye of the World. We also explore the concepts of moral relativism, moral absolutism, and the defining of the self in opposition with something else. Time stamps below: 00:32 - 01:29 (00:56) _ Episode Intro 01:29 - 04:10 (02:40) _ Spectrum of Good / Evil in TEotW 04:11 - 17:44 (13:32) _ Defining a Thing Through Opposition 12:54 - 15:00 (02:05) _ Minority Report Ethics 17:37 - 22:12 (04:34) _ Moral Absolutism / Relativism Argument 22:12 - 24:19 (02:07) _ Compelling Villains 24:19 - 26:24 (02:04) _ The Story of Lilith 26:24 - 30:13 (03:49) _ Ba'alzamon's Motivations 32:14 - 35:19 (03:04) _ Writing Through Character Perspective 35:19 - 39:49 (04:29) _ What if There is a Universal "Good"? 39:50 - 45:26 (05:35) _ Ethics in Combat 45:26 - 50:26 (05:00) _ Trust in Authority 50:30 - 58:10 (07:40) _ The Image of Evil in Fiction 58:16 - 1:08:03 (09:47) _ Hierarchy of the Shadow 1:08:08 - 1:10:20 (02:11) _ Good for Me May Be Evil to You 1:10:26 - 1:11:11 (00:45) _ Episode Wrap Up

In this episode Kelly and Lianna discuss the nature of the Pattern and each individual's ability to navigate it through acts of Will. A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to parsing out the various constraints that limit a person's free will, both external and internal, as well as considerations of the abstract for what is inherently implied in any structure with alternate possibilities: the multiverse. Time stamps below: 00:32 - 01:08 (00:36) _ Episode Intro 01:08 - 03:51 (02:42) _ Robert Jordan's Vision of the Whole Series 03:51 - 06:48 (02:56) _ Discussion Overview 06:48 - 14:36 (07:48) _ Lianna's Interpretation of the Pattern 14:36 - 19:23 (04:46) _ Library of Babel 19:00 - 24:35 (05:35) _ Unravelling the Pattern 24:35 - 27:41 (03:05) _ The Dark One's Servants 27:41 - 51:55 (24:13) _ External & Internal Constraints 47:42 - 51:55 (04:13) _ Rand's Naivety and Ignorance 51:55 - 53:46 (01:50) _ Next Episode Projection

In this episode Kelly and Lianna discuss the nature of our being born into our situation and largely having a world defined by luck. What are the means one has for hedging their bets against the odds life throws at us? The knowledge and skills we acquire that allow us to navigate this world. Lan in particular demonstrates this facet of approaching the world and we discuss it at length toward the end of the episode. Breakdown as follows: 00:32 - 01:59 (01:26) _ Episode Intro 01:59 - 04:12 (02:13) _ Definitions for Knowledge and Skills 04:12 - 16:02 (11:49) _ Hard / Soft Skill Distinction 16:06 - 19:05 (02:59) _ Defining Luck 19:05 - 23:10 (04:04) _ Being Aware of What You Don't Know 23:10 - 27:02 (03:52) _ Intelligence Segway 27:02 - 32:58 (05:55) _ The Power of Luck 32:58 - 37:36 (04:37) _ Skill / Knowledge Hierarchy 37:35 - 56:04 (18:28) _ Analyzing These in the Context of The Eye of the World 56:05 - 01:01:00 (04:54) _ Next Episode Forecast

In this episode Kelly and Lianna discuss the nature of duty, responsibility, and leadership and their appearance in the books. The conversation covers many real world scenarios and abstraction, including a discussion of a Japanese WWII veteran that continued fighting for 30 years after the surrender of Japan.

In this episode Kelly and Lianna discuss the relevance of gender in how characters interact with each other in Robert Jordan's world as well as certain elements of the mechanics of his Universe in relationship with the gendering of a soul. Timestamps below: 00:32 - 02:53 (2:20) _ Episode Intro 02:54 - 06:43 (3:48) _ Lianna's Overview of Gender Dynamics in The Eye of the World 06:43 - 11:57 (5:13) _ Machiavellian Politics 11:57 - 14:07 (2:10) _ Sex / Gender Distinction 14:07 - 20:29 (6:21) _ Dialogue with the Past 20:29 - 26:12 (5:43) _ Contemplations of the Soul and The One Power 26:12 - 33:13 (7:01) _ Relationship Between Books and Real World Politics 33:13 - 36:39 (3:25) _ Women Have To Buy in To Society for It To Last 36:41 - 43:20 (6:39) _ Moiraine & Lan's Relationship 43:20 - 51:24 (8:03) _ Defining Power 51:24 - 55:41 (4:16) _ Kelly's Definition of Power in Relationship with the Soul 55:42 - 58:12 (2:30) _ Kelly's Takeaway of Gender Dynamics in The Eye of the World 58:12 - 01:01:52 (3:39) _ Episode Closure

In this episode Kelly and Lianna discuss the concept of friendship both as an abstract and its specific representation in The Eye of the World. Timestamps below: 00:33 - 01:35 (01:02) _ Episode Intro 01:35 - 04:36 (03:00) _ Lianna's Definition of Friendship 04:36 - 11:05 (03:06) _ Chosen / Circumstantial Friendship Distinction 07:42 - 11:05 (03:22) _ Types of Friendships 11:05 - 14:45 (03:39) _ Soul Connection 14:45 - 18:57 (04:12) _ Placing Others in Roles 18:57 - 22:23 (03:25) _ The Cost of Being a Good Friendship 22:23 - 27:56 (05:33) _ Responsibility in Friendship 27:09 - 30:36 (03:26) _ Fated Friendship 30:36 - 36:01 (05:25) _ Shifting Friendship Roles 36:01 - 40:26 (04:24) _ Analysis of Moiraine & Lan's Relationship 40:33 - 42:40 (02:07) _ Only Actions Speak 43:12 - 49:15 (06:02) _ Loial Friends 49:33 - 51:51 (02:18) _ The Impact of Friendship On Identity 51:51 - 01:02:41 (10:49) _ Rand's Friendships After Channeling Saidin 01:02:41 - 01:12:14 (09:33) _ Gender Dynamics in Friendships

In this latest episode of the HaaMWoT Podcast, Kelly and Lianna explore the nature of identity as it relates with Rand, the rest of the main cast, Emmonds Field, the Aes Sedai and their relationship with the world, and even loftier explorations on the identity of an infinite soul. Time stamps below. 00:32 - 01:19 (00:46) _ Episode Intro 01:21 - 02:13 (00:52) _ Lianna's Observation of Rand's Self Identity 04:20 - 06:33 (02:13) _ Age Context of the Main Cast 06:42 - 08:37 (01:55) _ Observation of Rand's Values & Worldview 09:34 - 10:11 (00:36) _ Coming to the Realization That You Can Channel as a Man 10:11 - 14:07 (03:55) _ Thirst for Power 14:07 - 16:20 (02:13) _ The Emmond's Field Identity 16:20 - 20:50 (04:30) _ Heritable Identity 20:50 - 24:31 (03:40) _ Identity of the Soul 24:31 - 26:38 (02:07) _ Alternative Paths of a Soul's Life and the Relationship Among All Paths 26:38 - 31:14 (04:35) _ Infinity and the Divine 31:14 - 34:09 (02:55) _ Multiple Turnings of the Wheel 34:09 - 38:41 (04:31) _ Rand's Relationships with Others and their Impact on His Identity 38:41 - 47:18 (08:36) _ Power Dynamics in Group Identity 47:18 - 52:13 (04:54) _ The Way Our Identification of Others Constrains Our Ability to See Them 52:13 - 53:47 (01:34) _ Episode Wrap / Projection of Next Episode

In this episode Kelly and Lianna discuss the nature of story and what we can draw from it as a means of inspiration and guidance in our own lives. We look at myth and storytelling as a tool and discuss how the tools have been used historically and how we are able to alter the we we individually interact with the world and culturally through the power of story. 00:00:32 - 00:02:04 (01:32) - Episode Intro 00:02:04 - 00:04:32 (02:28) - The Function of Story 00:04:32 - 00:08:45 (04:12) - Western Approach to Story 00:08:44 - 00:09:53 (01:08) - Entertainment As An Unhealthy Escape 00:09:53 - 00:11:11 (01:18) - Reintegration of Story Into Education 00:11:11 - 00:12:45 (01:34) - Religion and Mythology 00:12:45 - 00:16:02 (03:17) - The Wheel of Time as a Mythos 00:16:02 - 00:18:23 (02:20) - Mirrored Traits in Book Characters 00:18:23 - 00:24:51 (06:28) - Truth vs. Fact 00:24:51 - 00:27:11 (02:20) - Deriving Understanding of Truth from The Eye of the World 00:27:11 - 00:34:16 (07:04) - The Power of Story in Shaping the Future 00:34:16 - 00:40:14 (05:57) - The Hero's Journey 00:40:14 - 00:52:58 (12:44) - The Heroine's Journey 00:52:58 - 01:03:17 (10:18) - Timelessness / Relatability Dynamic 01:03:17 - 01:06:34 (03:16) - Personal Narrative Arc 01:06:43 - 01:10:29 (03:46) - Birth / Death Cycle 01:10:29 - 01:11:39 (01:09) - Takeaway Thoughts

In this episode Kelly and Lianna discuss the book in general, covering their favorite characters, some of the mechanics of the universe, a definition of Grim Dark and how the Wheel of Time does not fit that sub-genre, among other topics. Time stamps listed below: 0:00 - 0:39 (0:39) _ 30 Second Intro 0:32 - 1:04 (0:32) _ Episode Introduction 1:04 - 6:03 (4:58) _ Kelly's Favorite Character 5:57 - 9:37 (3:40) _ Loial is Robert Jordan 9:37 - 16:51 (7:13) _ Lianna's Favorite Character 16:51 - 24:09 (7:18) _ Aes Sedai and Power 24:09 - 27:39 (3:29) _ Fate / Free Will 27:39 - 33:23 (5:44) _ General Feelings of the Book 33:25 - 37:15 (3:50) _ Ta'Veren 37:10 - 41:31 (4:21) _ Grim Dark 41:41 - 46:15 (4:34) _ Nynaeve is Annoying 46:15 - 47:52 (1:36) _ Saidin / Saidar 47:52 - 54:16 (6:23) _ Perrin, Elyas, & the Red Ajah 53:05 - 53:42 (0:37 ) _ Definition of Aes Sedai 53:42 - 54:16 (0:33) _ Conclusions on Saidin / Saidar Balance 54:16 - 55:42 (1:26) _ Lianna's Interpretation of Mat 55:43 - 58:12 (2:29) _ Lianna's Predictions 58:12 - 58:51 (0:39) _ Future Episodes 58:51 - 1:00:00 (1:09) _ Next Episode

In this episode Kelly and Lianna offer their thoughts on the film series season 1 and how it portrays Robert Jordan's beginning of the epic saga that is The Wheel of Time. Their analysis covers everything from Logain, to romances in the series, to the rules of Saidin and Saidar, among general praise and criticism for the film adaptation. Below is a detailed time stamp for the topics found in this episode.0:27 - 2:05 (1:37) _ Format Change2:05 - 3:07 (1:02) _ Episode Overview3:07 - 7:36 (4:28) _ Positives of Film Series7:36 - 12:13 (4:37) _ Differences Between Books / Film12:13 - 16:25 (4:11) _ Saidin/Saidar and the Soul Connection16:26 - 20:21 (3:55) _ Romance20:21 - 24:30 (4:08) _ Rules of Circles24:30 - 27:26 (2:55) _ Logain27:26 - 30:30 (3:03) _ General Criticism30:30 - 32:12 (1:42) _ Wrap Up