History YMMV / LegendOfTheSeeker

** "Reckoning": [[OverlordJr Nicholas Rahl]] is Darken's son in a BadFuture where the latter married Kahlan. [[EnfantTerrible Nicholas]] Confesses his childhood playmate and forces him to cut off his own fingers, [[DisproportionateRetribution just because the latter refused to play with the same toys and games as Nicholas]]. When Kahlan noticed what her son was becoming and pointed it out, Nicholas stopped his father from executing her, wanting to kill her himself. [[SelfMadeOrphan After executing his own mother, Nicholas proceeded to murder his father]]. He ordered his father's former servants to destroy the land and kill anyone who refused to be Confessed by him. When Richard Cypher arrives in the future, nearly the whole world has been either killed or Confessed by Nicholas, except for a few peasants who were hiding and regard Nicholas as even worse than his father.

** "Reckoning": [[OverlordJr Nicholas Rahl]], Darken's son in a BadFuture, was born of a Mother Confessor (Confessors have magical powers). Most male Confessors get easily corrupted by their powers, and [[EnfantTerrible Nicholas starts off]] by [[KidsAreCruel Confessing his playmate]] and forcing him to [[{{fingore}} cut off his own fingers]], because the latter refused to play with the same toys and games as Nicholas. When Nicholas's mother, Kahlan, noticed what her son was becoming and pointed it out, Darken decided to execute Kahlan and Nicholas [[HopeSpot stopped her]], saying "Father, let me do it!" After executing his own mother, [[SelfMadeOrphan Nicholas]] proceeded to murder his dad when the two were standing in front of Kahlan's tomb. After that, he ordered his father's former servants (all of whom he all Confessed) to destroy the land and kill anyone who refused to be Confessed--aka {{mind control}}led--by him. 50 years later, Richard Cypher arrives and sees the misery that Nicholas caused and nearly all the world being either killed or confessed by Nicholas, except a few peasants who were hiding and told Richard that Nicholas was even worse than his father.

** [[EvilOverlord Darken Rahl]], The BigBad of season 1 and TheDragon to The Keeper in season 2, orders a [[WouldHurtAChild mass infanticide]], kills any he deems a threat, and tortures innocent peasants to keep his dark power. Rahl is also especially fond of blood sacrifices, using the blood as ink to pen notices and spells. Rahl also unleashes a plague on his own people in an attempt to [[FrameUp blame]] [[TheHero Richard]] and cause the people to turn against him. Throughout the series, Rahl is shown as nothing more than pure, unadulterated evil.

** [[OverlordJr Nicholas Rahl]], Darken's son in season 1’s "[[BadFuture Reckoning]]," was born of a Confessor. Most male Confessors get easily corrupted by their [[MindControl powers]], and [[EnfantTerrible Nicholas starts off]] by [[KidsAreCruel Confessing his playmate]] and forcing him to [[{{fingore}} cut off his own finger]], because the latter refused to play with the same toys and games as Nicholas. When Nicholas's mother tried to kill him for fear of what he was becoming, Darken decided to execute her and Nicholas [[HopeSpot stopped him]], saying "[[CreepyMonotone No, Father...let me do it.]]" After executing his own mother, [[SelfMadeOrphan Nicholas]] proceeded to murder his father when the two were standing in front of her tomb. After that, he ordered his father's former servants (all of whom he had Confessed) to destroy the land and kill anyone who refused to be Confessed by him. 50 years later, Richard Cypher arrives and sees the misery that Nicholas caused and nearly all the world being either killed or confessed by Nicholas, except a few peasants who were hiding and told Richard that Nicholas was [[TurnOutLikeHisFather even worse than his father]].

* AuthorsSavingThrow: When Nicci originally appeared, she didn't look at all like her book incarnation and did not wear black. Then she [[spoiler:was resurrected in a blonde body]]. Then she became badass. Then, for the season finale, she put on a black dress.

** [[OverlordJr Nicholas Rahl]], Darken's son in season 1’s "[[BadFuture Reckoning]]," was born of a Confessor. Most male Confessors get easily corrupted by their [[MindControl powers]], and [[EnfantTerrible Nicholas starts off]] by [[KidsAreCruel Confessing his playmate]] and forcing him to [[{{fingore}} cut off his own finger]], because the latter refused to play with the same toys and games as Nicholas. When Nicholas's mother tried to kill him for fear of what he was becoming, Darken decided to execute her and Nicholas [[HopeSpot stopped him]], saying "[[CreepyMonotone No, Father...let me do it.]]" After executing his own mother, [[SelfMadeOrphan Nicholas]] proceeded to murder his father when the two were standing in front of her tomb. After that, he ordered his father's former servants (all of whom he all Confessed) to destroy the land and kill anyone who refused to be Confessed by him. 50 years later, Richard Cypher arrives and sees the misery that Nicholas caused and nearly all the world being either killed or confessed by Nicholas, except a few peasants who were hiding and told Richard that Nicholas was [[TurnOutLikeHisFather even worse than his father]].

** In contrast the Sisters of Dark. They are much more femininely lovely women, with their flowing orange gowns, especially their leader Nikki, in comparison to the AmazonianBeauty of the Mord'sith, but even more evil, in service to the Keeper of the Dead, the Midlands/Hartlands version of the Devil.

** The second season marks a noticeable improvement. The series becomes darker and there is much more suffering for both the main cast and the people around them. The D'Haran army, now leaderless, has turned to pillaging and terrorizing villages and towns, each commander fashioning himself into a warlord. There is also some (very welcomed) character development, especially with regards to Richard: he no longer carries the IdiotBall all the time and at several points displays downright tactical genius (tracking the movements of invisible wizard-monsters by the tracks they leave in the mud; the way he both had the Sister of Dark captured AND got out of the Sisters of the Light's monastery). The addition of Cara to the main cast also improved the series, since she is not only eye candy but has an interesting character development arc of her own.

** The season one episode “Confession” was Creator/CarenPistorius‘ acting debut before she became an indie actress.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: Nicholas Rahl, the alternate timeline son of Darken Rahl and [[spoiler:Kahlan Amnell]]. Partially due to his story is spliced with the story of Richard and Cara trying to return home, and partially because he's an original character who wouldn't exist due to obvious reasons. [[spoiler:If he had at least appeared in more than one episode, maybe trying to ensure his birth in some way, that would at least be accepting]].

* TheWoobie: Among the first things which happens to Jennsen Rahl are getting kidnapped and then watching her mother die. It tends to get worse from there, and in the first half of the Season Two finale, in an alternate timeline, she's [[spoiler:kidnapped by Sisters of the Dark, who drain her blood and leave her to bleed slowly to death.]]

* EvenTheGirlsWantHer: Kahlan (Creator/BridgetRegan) seems to have attracted a lot of this from fans, [[http://www.carlsbadistan.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/bridget_regan_0004.jpg who]] [[http://fcbahistory.pbworks.com/f/Bridget%20Regan%2001.jpg knows]] [[http://i42.tinypic.com/1zp2zqs.gif why.]]

** Before his starring roles ''Series/BeautyAndTheBeast2012'' and ''Film/ItChapterTwo'', ''Creator/JayRyan'' made an appearance in the episode "Eternity" as the owner of the other amulet outside of the valley.

* FoeYay:
** In the episode "Home," [[spoiler:Rahl, as part of a spell inflicting a LotusEaterMachine on Richard, ends up role-playing as an old girlfriend of Richard's.]]
** And apparently the [[{{Satan}} Keeper]] and the [[{{God}} Creator]] were once lovers. Part of the reason he wants to end all life is he's jealous of the affection she shows to them. And in "Creator", he desperately tries to have her avatar dragged into the Underworld to be with him again.
** There's also quite a bit when Nicci is forcing Richard to lead her to the Stone of Tears.

* WhatAnIdiot: Darken Rahl trying to seduce [[RapeAsBackstory Nicci]] in ''Tears.'' He didn't know about her past, but still, it was pretty hamfisted.

* EvenTheGirlsWantHer: Kahlan/Bridget Regan seems to have attracted a lot of this from fans, [[http://www.carlsbadistan.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/bridget_regan_0004.jpg who]] [[http://fcbahistory.pbworks.com/f/Bridget%20Regan%2001.jpg knows]] [[http://i42.tinypic.com/1zp2zqs.gif why.]]

* TheWoobie: Among the first things which happens to Jennsen Rahl are getting kidnapped and then watching her mother die. It tends to get worse from there, and in the first half of the Season Two finale, in an alternate timeline, she's [[spoiler:kidnapped by Sisters of the Dark, who drain her blood and leave her to bleed slowly to death.]]
** Kahlan Amnell, even more so in the alternate future of Season 1's finale, Reckoning. [[spoiler: After seeing her friend Zedd killed and her love seemingly vaporized in an explosion, she's captured by Rahl and is given a marriage proposal so that he can end the resistance and have a powerful heir. She refuses and gets sent to a dungeon, where she learns Richard has been sent to the future and needs Confessor magic to return to his own time. With no other option, she accepts Rahl's proposal to ensure Confessors will survive. So, to save the world and the man she loved she had to marry the man she had nothing but hate for and let him impregnate her, raising a son she knew might one day become corrupt by his own power and be killed when she realized he had become too corrupt to help Richard and tried to kill her own son.]]

* OneTrueThreesome: Richard/Kahlan/Cara.

* LauncherOfAThousandShips: Cara is frequently shipped with Richard, Kahlan, Denna, Dahlia, Nicci and several other Mord'Sith. Sometimes, she'll be shipped with [[OneTrueThreesome two characters at once]].

* EvilIsSexy: The Mord'sith. Very Scary Warriors of Rahl, but also Very Beautiful Women in skintight Red Leather Bodysuits.

* WhatAnIdiot: Darken Rahl trying to seduce [[RapeAsBackstory Nicci]] in ''Tears.'' He didn't know about her past, but still, it pretty hamfisted.

* WhatAnIdiot: Darken Rahl trying to seduce [[RapeAsBackstory Nicci]] in ''Tears.''

* EvenTheGirlsWantHer: Kahlan/Bridget Regan seems to have attract a lot of this from fans, [[http://www.carlsbadistan.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/bridget_regan_0004.jpg who]] [[http://fcbahistory.pbworks.com/f/Bridget%20Regan%2001.jpg knows]] [[http://i42.tinypic.com/1zp2zqs.gif why.]]

* ClicheStorm or {{Troperiffic}}: The show is a fantasy cliche ''hurricane''. However, many of its fans cite this as why they love the show so much.

** [[OverlordJr Nicholas Rahl]], Darken's son in season 1’s "[[BadFuture Reckoning]]," was born of a Confessor. Most male Confessors get easily corrupted by their [[MindControl powers]], and [[EnfantTerrible Nicholas starts off]] by [[KidsAreCruel Confessing his playmate]] and forcing him to [[{{fingore}} cut off his own finger]], because the latter refused to play with the same toys and games as Nicholas. When Nicholas's mother noticed what her son was becoming and pointed it out, Darken decided to execute her and Nicholas [[HopeSpot stopped him]], saying "[[CreepyMonotone No, Father...let me do it.]]" After executing his own mother, [[SelfMadeOrphan Nicholas]] proceeded to murder his father when the two were standing in front of her tomb. After that, he ordered his father's former servants (all of whom he all Confessed) to destroy the land and kill anyone who refused to be Confessed by him. 50 years later, Richard Cypher arrives and sees the misery that Nicholas caused and nearly all the world being either killed or confessed by Nicholas, except a few peasants who were hiding and told Richard that Nicholas was [[TurnOutLikeHisFather even worse than his father]].

* FoeYay

** The second season marks a noticeable improvement. The series becomes darker and there is much more suffering for both the main cast and the people around them. The D'Haran army, now leaderless, has turned to pillaging and terrorizing villages and towns, each commander fashioning himself into a warlord. There is also some (very welcomed) character development, especially with regards to Richard: he no longer carries the IdiotBall all the time and at several points displays downright tactical genius (tracking the movements of invisible wizard-monsters by the tracks they leave in the mud; the way he both had the Sister of Dark captured AND got out of the Sisters of Light monastery). The addition of Cara to the main cast has also improved the series, since she is not only eye candy but has an interesting character development arc of her own.

** Kahlan Amnell, even more so in the alternate future of Season 1's finale, Reckoning. [[spoiler: After seeing her friend Zedd killed and her love seemingly vaporized in an explosion, she's captured by Rahl and is given a marriage proposal so that he can end the resistance and have a powerful heir. She refuses and gets sent to a dungeon, where she learns Richard has been sent to the future and needs Confessor magic to return to his own time. With no other option, she accepts Rahl's proposal to ensure Confessors will survive. So, to save the world and the man she loved she had to marry the man she had nothing but hate for and let him impregnate her, raising a son she knew might one day become corrupt by his own power and be killed when she realized he had become too corrupt to help Richard and kill her own son.]]

* TooCoolToLive: Care bore Darken Rahl a son, whom he had killed at birth. Just let all of that sink in for a moment. It may be a nod to a scene in the books, where Cara notes that Darken Rahl had taken her to his bed several times, but she was lucky enough not to get pregnant (in the books he tended to kill the mothers as well, and it happened to a number of her friends).

* AuthorsSavingThrow: When Nicci originally appeared, she didn't look at all like her book incarnation and did not wear black. Then she [[spoiler:was resurrected in a blonde body]]. Then she became {{Badass}}. Then, for the season finale, she put on a black dress.

* GrowingTheBeard: The first two episodes are rather rushed, basically cramming the first third of [[SwordOfTruth the original book,]] ''Wizard's First Rule'', into an hour and a half of screen time. The rest of the episodes have a more relaxed pace, and are a substantial improvement. In the premiere of the second season, this trope took a literal approach as well (Richard actually grew a beard.)

** [[OverlordJr Nicholas Rahl]], Darken's son in season 1’s "[[BadFuture Reckoning]]" , was born of a Mother Confessor (Confessors have magical powers). Most male Confessors get easily corrupted by their powers, and [[EnfantTerrible Nicholas starts off]] by [[KidsAreCruel Confessing his playmate]] and forcing him to [[{{fingore}} cut off his own fingers]], because the latter refused to play with the same toys and games as Nicholas. When Nicholas's mother, Kahlan, noticed what her son was becoming and pointed it out, Darken decided to execute Kahlan and Nicholas [[HopeSpot stopped her]], saying "Father, let me do it!" After executing his own mother, [[SelfMadeOrphan Nicholas]] proceeded to murder his dad when the two were standing in front of Kahlan's tomb. After that, he ordered his father's former servants (all of whom he all Confessed) to destroy the land and kill anyone who refused to be Confessed (AKA {{mind control}}led) by him. 50 years later, Richard Cypher arrives and sees the misery that Nicholas caused and nearly all the world being either killed or confessed by Nicholas, except a few peasants who were hiding and told Richard that Nicholas was [[TurnOutLikeHisFather even worse than his father]].

** [[OverlordJr Nicholas Rahl]], Darken's son in season 1’s "[[Bad Future Reckoning]]" , was born of a Mother Confessor (Confessors have magical powers). Most male Confessors get easily corrupted by their powers, and [[EnfantTerrible Nicholas starts off]] by [[KidsAreCruel Confessing his playmate]] and forcing him to [[{{fingore}} cut off his own fingers]], because the latter refused to play with the same toys and games as Nicholas. When Nicholas's mother, Kahlan, noticed what her son was becoming and pointed it out, Darken decided to execute Kahlan and Nicholas [[HopeSpot stopped her]], saying "Father, let me do it!" After executing his own mother, [[SelfMadeOrphan Nicholas]] proceeded to murder his dad when the two were standing in front of Kahlan's tomb. After that, he ordered his father's former servants (all of whom he all Confessed) to destroy the land and kill anyone who refused to be Confessed (AKA {{mind control}}led) by him. 50 years later, Richard Cypher arrives and sees the misery that Nicholas caused and nearly all the world being either killed or confessed by Nicholas, except a few peasants who were hiding and told Richard that Nicholas was [[TurnOutLikeHisFather even worse than his father]].