The Red Ajah destroy a mountain passage just to stop a man that can channel, and it's their job to track down, battle and subdue rogue channelers.
Moiraine channels the One Power while fighting Trollocs and kills many when they attack Emond's Field.
Nynaeve and Egwene fight back against the Trollocs somewhat too here, unlike in the books, as does Perrin's wife Laila.
Age Lift: Egwene has been aged up compared to her book counterpart, where she was younger than Rand by a few years. Downplayed for Mat, Rand and Perrin: their age is the same as in the books (19-20, as established by the dates given in the glossaries of the books) but they are portrayed as far more mature than in the books, including Perrin already being married.
Badass Bystander: After the initial panicked flight, the Emond's Fielders under attack from the trollocs begin to gang up against them, wielding farming implements, and manage to kill a few this way. They still need help from Lan and Moiraine to turn the tide of the battle, but they're not helpless.
Career Versus Man: Unlike in the books, a Wisdom cannot marry. Egwene would have to abandon Rand if she became Nynaeve's apprentice.
De-power: Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah are devoted to hunting down men who can channel the One Power, after which it's stripped from them, which they call "gentling". It's shown in the pilot (with very ungentle effects).
Disposable Woman: Perrin is given a wife, Laila (very briefly mentioned in the books as his likely future bride). He accidentally kills her the same episode she's introduced to show that his latent wolfbrother ability's coming up and getting him carried away while fighting, after which he can be devastated for it happening.
Doomed Hometown: Though not completely destroyed, much of the protagonists' home village Emond's Field is burned and many residents killed in the pilot by attacking Trollocs.
Dramatic Chase Opening: After Moiraine's Opening Monologue about the Dragon, the scene cuts to a man being chased in a mountainous area by a group of Red Ajah, who intend to gentle him.
The Cauthons, and not played for laughs. Natti is a drunkard, Abell sleeps around and has no horses despite calling himself a horse merchant. The twin daughters are neglected, and Mat has been gambling and stealing to take care of them.
An openly naked Lan enters Moiraine's bath without any sexual reaction or comment from either of them, thus showing that their Warder bond is platonic and non-sexual in nature.
Liandrin Guirale, an Aes Sedai from the Red Ajah, leads a party of Red sisters in pursuit of Logain and tells him calmly about how male channelers make the Source 'filthy'
Mood Whiplash: The village celebration is abruptly cut short when one of the revellers takes a Trolloc spear in the back.
Myth Prologue: Moiraine's Opening Monologue in the first scene narrates how the Dragon broke the world and how the Aes Sedai "pick[ed] up the pieces" as she gets dressed. Her voiceover says the Dragon has been reborn and is now of age, and she and Lan set out to find them.
