Episode Five: "Listener" - Synopsis

The episode starts with Richard, Zedd and Kahlan coming across a group of Darken Rahl’s personal guards, the Dragon Corps, led by his right-hand general Ashgar. Fortune has smiled on them it seems, as they can just follow the soldiers and be led directly to Rahl, who can then be defeated by Richard. As they continue to follow the soldiers they find out the purpose and reason why Rahl has dispatched his most important servant. They are purchasing a Listener, a young boy named Renn who is able has the ability to read minds and decipher even the most hidden of secrets. Ashgar tests the boy, finding out of the soldiers under his command is actually working to bring Rahl down. He arrests the soldier and purchases the boy, whom Richard is eager to save from the clutches of Rahl’s men. Kahlan and Zedd agree that the boy must be rescued, if for nothing else then to prevent Rahl from taking advantage of his powers.

In order to follow the soldiers and keep an eye on the boy Zedd changes his appearance, stages an attack on the soldiers, saves them and is thus able to join the group of soldiers. During the staged attack Richard and Kahlan free the boy Listener, who is not so happy with it. They nevertheless decide to take the boy to his home village, where they find out that the boy’s father sold him in the first place, and then left. Failing to find his family, they set out to take him to a school for children with special abilities. Renn, however does not want this, and manages to alert the soldiers of their position. A fight ensues in which Richard is injured, but they nevertheless manage to escape their attackers. While Kahlan is tending to Richard, Renn learns a secret they both share. He also learns that not everyone just wants to take advantage of him.

The next day his father catches up to them and begs Renn to come with him. Renn does, to the disappointment of both Richard and Kahlan, who soon find out that his father lied and took the boy straight back to the D’Harans.

Zedd, meanwhile, manages to free the arrested soldier, but blows his cover in the process and gets captured. Once back in the soldiers’ camp Renn spreads discord among the D’Harans by pitting them against each other and manages to free Zedd. Richard and Kahlan arrive to the camp, a fight ensues and the four manage to escape. At the end of the episode they safely deposit Renn at the school.