Includes SPOILERS for The Wheel of Time season 3 finale.
The Wheel of Timeseason 3 has come to an epic close, and book readers and television fans alike may be left with a lot of questions. The Amazon Prime Video adaptation of Robert Jordan’s prolificWheel of Timebook seriesadapted season 3 fromThe Shadow Rising, the fourth novel in the saga. It’s one of the biggest novels in the series, and the first to really spread the narrative across the entire world like Jordan intended, withseason 3’s ending showing each of its main characters at a different location throughout the world.
Perrin Aybara’s narrative in the Two Rivers concluded inThe Wheel of Timeseason 3, episode 7, leaving the three other storylines for the season finale.Rand al’Thor proclaimed himself as Car’a’carn in front of the Aiel clanswhile Moiraine and Lanfear battled in the desert. At the White Tower, Elaida organized her coup against Siuan Sanche, bringing the Aes Sedai under her control. In Tanchico, the crew of heroes fought their own individual battles as they tried to secure the Domination Bands from the Black Ajah.
How The Wheel Of Time Season 3 Sets Up Rand al’Thor’s Fate
Rand Is Car’a’carn, But At What Cost?
Rand al’Thor’s final moments inThe Wheel of Timeseason 3 are a bit different from the novels, but many of the ideas are the same. In Alcair Dal, Rand opposes Couladin, an Aiel manswearing himself to be Car’a’carn. Having been raised among the Aiel clans, Couladin attempts to win the people over to his favor, swearing that he will achieve glory for his people.Rand chooses a different, more honest route, forcing the Aiel people to reckon with their past, which he experienced throughhis visions in Rhuideanearlier this season.
The Aiel are known for their talent in warfare, but that all stems from them breaking their oaths following the Way of the Leaf. Rand stirs up controversy by sharing this knowledge, butit allows the clan chiefs, who have also seen these visions but kept them secret, to know he is telling the truth and that he is Car’a’carn.
Rand’s final expression foreshadows the dark line he will have to tread in future seasons, dancing between light and dark as the One Power attempts to consume him.
Rand summons a rainstorm using the One Power, and the season ends with Egwene calling out to him to cease his channeling. Rand’s final expression foreshadows the dark line he will have to tread in future seasons, dancing between light and dark as the One Power attempts to consume him. Rand is extraordinarily powerful, but the male half of the One Power is tainted by the Dark One, and the more he grows comfortable using it, the more hold it will have over him.
The Breaking Of The White Tower & Siuan Sanche’s Death Explained
Elaida Has Taken Control Of The Aes Sedai
The Breaking of the White Tower is one of the most compelling plotlines fromThe Shadow Rising(and my personal favorite in the series), which was foreshadowed from the season premiere’s opening shot of Siuan Sanche staring out into the rain.Elaida was a member of the Red Ajahplaced besideQueen Morgase Trakand of Andorfor years, but her return to the White Tower saw an immediate friction, stemming from a rivalry between her and Siuan years prior. In season 3’s finale,Elaida finally takes control and becomes the Amyrlin Seat, though at the cost of Siuan Sanche’s life.
Siuan Sanche doesn’t die in theWheel of Timebooks, making this a massive departure from the text.
We already confirmed earlier this season that Elaida isn’t one of the Black Ajah, but arguably something worse. She’s an Aes Sedai who is convinced she’s serving the light by using extreme methods, with her plan being to capture and gentle Rand. She believes anyone who opposes her, such as Siuan or Moiraine, to be a Darkfriend and plots to eliminate them.The White Tower, one of the most powerful forces inThe Wheel of Time’sworld, is now working against Rand, inadvertently serving the Dark One.
Moiraine & Lanfear’s Final Battle In The Wheel Of Time Season 3 Explained
Moiraine Has Held Back Lanfear For Now
Moiraine and Lanfear’s tentative alliance came to a close inThe Wheel of Timeseason 3 finale as she and Lan face off with the Forsaken in the desert. Her visions showed her perishing at Lanfear’s hands, and it almost comes true when she’s stabbed with a sword. Moiraine feels the pain of Siuan Sanche’s death, andshe uses the Sakarnen, which she obtained in Rhuidean, to help her muster more of the One Power, blasting Lanfear backand postponing their fight to the death for another day.
Nynaeve Finally Surrenders To The One Power
Image via Prime Video
Nynaeve has had a channeling blockthroughoutThe Wheel of Time, preventing her from accessing the One Power unless she was angry. Saidar is the female half of the One Power, and it requires its user to surrender to it, something Nynaeve has had trouble with throughout the saga. While the moment is unclear in the show, the books have a nearly identical scene, and they explain thatby surrendering to her imminent death, Nynaeve finally breaks her channeling block. This allows her to carve out space in the water, preventing her from drowning.
“And with hope gone, flickering on the edge of consciousness like a guttering candle flame, she did something she had never done before in her life. She surrendered completely.”
What On Earth Just Happened To Mat?
Mat Was Granted Three Wishes
Mat’s big moment inThe Wheel of Timeseason 3 is one of the most curious in the show so far, and definitely requires some additional book context. While pursuing the Black Ajah in Tanchico, he discovers and enters a redstone gateway. These gateways exist in the books and are used to access a parallel dimension that contains two species called Aelfinn and Eelfinn. In the episode,Mat speaks with an Eelfinn, who grant three wishes to anyone who meets them. Mat isn’t aware that his statements are making wishes that are going to be fulfilled.
Herequests to clear his mind of all the ancient memories he received fromthe Horn of Valere, to be free of the One Power and Aes Sedai, and to get outof the dimension. The Eelfinn responds to his requests, letting him back into the real world, though he’s left hanging from a rope, which Min saves him from. Mat also receives a pendant protecting him from the One Power. This moment is different in the books, as it happens in Rhuidean with himhanging from Avendesoraand Rand saving him.
Moghedien’s Deal With Liandrin & The Domination Bands Explained
Liandrin Continues To Butter Up To The Dark One
The Tanchico plotline followed the protagonists in an effort to obtainthe Domination Bands, ter’angreal devices that could be used to detain a male channeler.Liandrin escapes with the cuffs, one of the pieces needed to form the Bands, and hands them over to the Forsaken Moghedien. Liandrin’s goal is to become one of the Forsaken, and the two will be working together in futureWheel of Timeseasons.
