Not The Beginning

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Dallas reads through Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series - Will's favorite series - and they discuss their thoughts and feelings on the epic fantasy series.

Will & Dallas Smith


    • Mar 12, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 1m AVG DURATION
    • 68 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Not The Beginning

    We're Back! Season 2 Recap

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2025 73:46


    After a long break, Not the Beginning is back! We're recapping season two of the Amazon Prime show ahead of season three's release.

    S6E3: Nothing Really Happens

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2023 57:02


    Lord of Chaos 6-8. The Forsaken do some infighting, we're reintroduced to dream-spying, and Nyneave hears a story about Theodrin's experience with twins.

    S6E2: Fun Uncle

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2023 69:20


    Lord of Chaos Ch 1-5. Rand and Taim get into a size-measuring contest, A disembodied voice wants to do a murder, Armies make the best punchlines for jokes, and Mat tells an ophan that he smells.

    S6E1: Just The Beginning

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2023 80:03


    Prologue of Lord of Chaos. Shaidar Haran is confusing to several forsaken, some body-swapping is occurring, the Shaido are up to no good, and we get more viewpoints than we know what to do with.

    Bonus Episode: Ever After Always

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2023 66:50


    We're back after a longer than anticipated break, and talking about a romance novel - Chloe Liese's Ever After Always.

    S5E11: Explosive Finish

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2023 82:33


    The Fires of Heaven 53-End. Lan basically openly weeps, Rand gets a lesson in gender equality, Nyneave gets her head out of a dark place and Rahvin tries to get a new pet dog, but instead revives three whole people.

    S5e10: Moiraine with a Chair

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2023 67:22


    The Fires of Heaven 50-52. Rand plays the Game of Houses, then gets some upsetting news. Mat has a nasty breakup. Moiraine auditions for the WWE.

    S5E9: Valan Luca's Boring Circus

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2023 51:13


    The Fires of Heaven 45-49. Nyneave is annoying about packing, money, and being on her least favorite method of transportation. Mat gets put in charge unwillingly. Rand shows off his new skill at the Game of Houses.

    S5E8: Battle Planning

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2023 57:14


    The Fires of Heaven 40-44. Mat can't help but get involved, Rand overworks himself, and we're still with Valan Luca for some reason.

    S5E7: Bow and Arrows

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2023 55:29


    The Fires of Heaven 34-39. Nyneave and Birgitte have a bad dream, then wake up to a bad reality, Birgette may have been Robin Hood in a past life, and some flaming insane borderlanders make an appearance.

    S5E6: Igloo Fun Time

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2023 81:30


    The Fires of Heaven 27-33. Gareth Bryne joins the rebel Aes Sedai because he needs his laundry done, Kadere does some dismembering, and Rand is forced to warm Aviendha with his body.

    S5E5: Short King

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2023 74:07


    The Fires Of Heaven 20-26. Mat doesn't have a Napoleon complex at all, Rand almost gets hit in the head by Aviendha, and Siuan finally arrives in Salidar.

    S5E4: Not Cool, Egwene

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2023 72:32


    The Fires of Heaven 15-19. Egwene needs to get her head on straight, Nyneave has a bad time in the dream world, and Morgase finds some clarity.

    S5E3: Please Don't Try to Sleep With Thom

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2023 56:20


    The Fires of Heaven 8-14. Nyneave needs to take a chill pill, Elayne needs to not flirt with Thom, and Siuan finds the least helpful fountain of youth.

    S5E2: Scratchy Voices

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2023 72:08


    The Fires of Heaven 3-7. Aviendha "hates" Rand, Mat gets lucky in multiple ways, evil dogs attack, and Moiriane changes tactics.

    S5E1: Gareth Bryne is a Chill Guy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2023 72:09


    The Fires of Heaven Prologue-2. Elaida has some issues to work out, Rahvin is just awful, Siuan should be a lawyer, and Rand is stared down.

    Bonus Episode: Always Only You

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2022 67:38


    Will reads yet another romance novel: Always Only You, by Chloe Liese. This time, it's a sports romance with way too many nipple references.

    S4E11: We're Not Reading Bridgerton

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2022 115:59


    The Shadow Rising 54-58. All plots are resolved - Nynaeve gets punchy, Perrin sure does love his wife, and Rand continues to channel the spirit of Muad'dib.

    S4E10: Loial Deserves a Tuxedo

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2022 67:41


    The Shadow Rising 49-53. Rand has a fun dream with some watchers, and does his best Paul Atreides impression. Bayle Domon has an admirer. Nyneave does some sleepy snooping. Loial is true Best Man material.

    S4E9: Padan Fain Isn't A Serial Killer?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2022 75:13


    The Shadow Rising 45-48. Nothing happens in the Waste, Perrin enjoys the life of a project manager, and Siuan isn't thrilled with recent events.

    S4E8: A Little Bi, As A Treat

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2022 55:58


    The Shadow Rising 39-44. Elayne says goodbye to the Windfinder, everyone's favorite boat captain returns, and Perrin gets to watch others have all the fun.

    S4E7: Seanchan Tongue-Twister

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2022 79:42


    The Shadow Rising 34-38. Rand and Mat get harassed by a variety of Aiel. Aviendha gets an annoying new student. The Seanchan are up to something in Tanchico.

    S4E6: Justice For Tomas!

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2022 60:50


    The Shadow Rising 28-33. Perin has it real rough. Loial is the ultimate friend, and justice is fulfilled for a certain warder.

    S4E5: Back to the Future

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2022 65:41


    The Shadow Rising 23-27. Mat has a bad time with some foxes. Rand goes on a wild trip. Perrin and Faile continue to have a fight (but this time there are shadowspawn).

    S4E4: Spear Daddy

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2022 56:21


    The Shadow Rising 18-22. Rand plays the game and goes on a trip. Elayne and Nyneave get some traveling companions. Perrin gets a head start. Rhuarc's vibe is identified.

    S4E3: Genie in a Ter'Angreal

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2022 87:11


    The Shadow Rising Ch 11-17. Loial gets what he deserves, Dallas' dreams are fulfilled, and noted car enthusiast Will Smith definitely understands the difference between Mitsubishi and Mercedes.

    S4E2: What in the Disney Princess

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2022 62:24


    The Shadow Rising Ch 4-10. Elayne is in love with Rand, the maidens are great wingwomen, and more Laneave please.

    S4E1: Weird Flex, But OK

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2022 64:29


    The Shadow Rising Ch 1-3. It was not the prologue, but it was a prologue. And also too many points of view to count. With murderous reflections and playing cards as a bonus.

    Bonus Episode: Only When It's Us

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2022 56:26


    Will reads a romance novel - Only When It's Us, by Chloe Liese - and has strong feelings about banter, pranks, and anatomical differences.

    S3E10: An Explosive Finale

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2022 98:17


    The Dragon Reborn 51-56. Mat has a moment of explosive imagination, Egwene goes on a rampage, Perrin goes falconing, and Ba'alzamon is finally gone for good.

    S3E9: Wisdom-Off

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2022 42:34


    The Dragon Reborn Ch 47-50. Everyone ends up in Tear (aboard even more boats), Nyneave gets quizzed, and Perrin finally gets to do some blacksmithing.

    S3E8: Grumpy/Sunshine

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 48:16


    The Dragon Reborn Ch 41-46. Perrin gets caught in the middle of a stare-off and chased down by some not-so-good dogs. Mat does the one thing he was told not to do, and discovers a plot.

    S3E7: Is Rand Ok?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2022 47:22


    The Dragon Reborn 36-40. Perrin and Egwene have weird dreams. Rand does some murdering of people who are definitely maybe darkfriends. Mat and Thom get an explosive reward.

    S3E6: I'm On a Boat

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2022 40:55


    The Dragon Reborn 30-35. Mat gets lucky, meets an old friend, and gets on a boat. Perrin meets some new friends, and gets on a boat.

    S3E5: As Pretty As A Girl

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2022 53:32


    The Dragon Reborn 24 -29. Mat gets better, then waves his stick at Galad. Egwene has some messed-up dreams and has feelings about Lanfear. Else Grinwell is a lie.

    S3E4: Grandma Academia

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2022 55:59


    The Dragon Reborn ch 18-23. Mat gets healed, Egwene gets traumatized, and Verin's got vibes. Also #JusticeForTomas.

    S3E3: All Aboard the Gawyn Dinghy

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2022 45:40


    The Dragon Reborn Chapters 11-17. The girls get berated, Siuan gives Egwene and Nyneave a secret mission they immediately tell Elayne about, Gawyn starts rowing, and Elaida remains a piece of work.

    S3E2: Three Weddings and a Ta'veren

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2022 45:35


    TDR 5-10. Perrin wolfs out on a Fade and doesn't understand women, Moiraine is weirdly good at fishing, Rand causes some weddings, and Egwene loses it at some Whitecloaks.

    S3E1: Frozen Mountain Lakes

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2022 47:29


    The Dragon Reborn Prologue-Ch 4. Jaichim Carridin has made some bad life choices, Rand has boarded the stuggle bus, and Perrin almost falls into Lan's eyes.

    Bonus Episode: The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2022 60:59


    Will reads a romance novel - The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels. Pirates, flying houses, and Queen Victoria. What could possibly go wrong?

    TV1E6: The Eye of the World

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2021 70:59


    Will and Dallas discuss the season one finale of Amazon's The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World. Spoiler warning - this episode has spoilers from The Dragon Reborn in it. Spoilers start at 13:15 and end at 16:49.

    S2E10: Mat Gets Horn-y

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2021 74:15


    The Great Hunt 46-50. Ingtar was sketchy the whole time. Mat does some tooting. Round two of Magic Sky Swordfight.

    TV1E5: The Dark Along The Ways

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2021 53:15


    Will and Dallas discuss the seventh episode of Amazon's The Wheel of Time: The Dark Along The Ways

    TV1E4: The Flame of Tar Valon

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2021 54:23


    Will and Dallas discuss episode 6 of Amazon's The Wheel of Time: The Flame of Tar Valon

    S2E9: Liandrin Really Is the Worst

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2021 54:15


    The Great Hunt 40-45. Liandrin betrays the girls. Nyneave and Elayne sneak around Falme while Egwene has a Bad Time. Rand makes Sword Dad proud.

    TV1E3: Blood Calls Blood

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2021 53:43


    Will and Dallas discuss episode 5 of Amazon's The Wheel of Time - Blood Calls Blood.

    TV1E2: Episode 4 - The Dragon Reborn

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2021 60:23


    Show Episode 4. Will and Dallas discuss the fourth episode of Amazon's The Wheel of Time: The Dragon Reborn.

    S2E8: Stedding Tofu?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2021 53:26


    The Great Hunt 35-39. Aiel, banter, warnings, and flower crowns - all in an Ogier stedding. Rand learns why time travel is never a good idea. Liandrin remains the worst.

    TV1E1: Episodes 1-3

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2021 70:10


    Show Episodes 1-3. Will and Dallas discuss the first three episodes of Amazon's The Wheel of Time: Leavetaking, Shadow's Waiting, and A Place of Safety.

    S2E7: Loial is Shaped Like a Friend

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2021 51:30


    The Great Hunt 30-34. The boys are reunited and go to a fancy party, then they all leave for the forest. Meanwhile, Fain is creepy, and Thom goes on a mission.

    S2E6: No Body, No Crime

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2021 64:43


    The Great Hunt 24-26. Egwene goes to lady Hogwarts, Dallas' prophecy was revealed as true, Perrin meets an Aiel. Bornhald and Domon are also around for some reason.

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