“I have given my life to finding the Dragon Reborn, finding Rand, and seeing him ready to face the Last Battle. I will see that done, whatever it requires. Nothing and no one can be more important than that.” -Moiraine Damodred.

Moiraine is my favorite character in the books and the show.

She is the Aes Sedai of the saga, truly a “Servant of All”. She is utterly devoted to the Light and getting Rand to victory over the Dark. The only character who sacrifices more for the good of the world is Rand himself.

In the books, she is mysterious, always cloaked in secrets. The show peels back the curtains considerably, and Rosamund Pike’s incredible portrayal lets us get to know Moiraine on a much more intimate level. We learn the truth about everything she sacrifices.

Season 3 gave me what I’ve always wanted more of for Moiraine: appreciation. Acknowledgment of everything she has done, everything she has given. Rand’s simple words to her: “Thank you. I’m here because of you. I see that now.”

Rosamund Pike’s eyes are always so expressive as Moiraine, but her reaction to these words is something truly magical. She IS Moiraine, finally receiving the recognition she deserves, and from the very person for whom she has sacrificed so much. It is a genuine human experience captured artistically through the lens of a camera.

In a way, I feel like Rand represents me in that scene, thanking Robert Jordan for the incredible story of the Wheel of Time. His life’s work helped me through difficult times. It still does. I wish he could hear my words across death’s threshold:

“Thank you. I’m here because of you. I see that now.”