Fantasy author Brandon Sanderson had some compelling critiques of Amazon’sThe Wheel of Time, and season 3 was starting to fix one of them.The Wheel of Timeis the creation of the late great author Robert Jordan, butMistbornauthorBrandon Sanderson is highly regarded among the book series' community as the author who penned the final three books after Jordan passed in 2007. With that in mind,Brandon Sanderson’sWheel of Timecommentsare worth diving into when considering the show’s legacy.
The Wheel of Time’scancellationcame as a shock to fans in May 2025, and it continues to spark ongoing discussions about fantasy’s place in Hollywood and whether or not the show was a successful adaptation. During a watch-through of season 2’s finale live onThe Dusty WheelYouTube channel in 2023,Brandon Sanderson made an interesting comment about how the show prioritizes scenes over arcs, and I think it’s a captivating point that highlights one of the show’s most notable inconsistencies throughout its three seasons. Read his full comment below:
“The show is doing a lot of things fantastically, and it’s really good at scenes. Butone of the things I keep arguing for is, ‘What are the arcs’? What is the theme? And arc and theme seems to fall by the wayside for cool scenes quite a bit, and that worries me. Particularly going into book four, where its the strongest Wheel of Time book and that’s partially because of themes of self-sacrifice and things like this.”
“I want to love it, and I like it.I think people are gonna enjoy watching this, I don’t think they’ll come back for it.Cause what brings you back are those moments where things culminate. You don’t come back for cool scenes.”"
The Wheel Of Time Season 3 Focused More On Its Character Arcs
Rand’s Arc Was A Highlight Of Season 3
Whether it was purposeful or not,The Wheel of Timeseason 3 really began to lean into Brandon Sanderson’s season 2 response, and arcs played a more prominent role. At least, that can be said for Rand al’Thor. WhileThe Wheel of Timesports an enormous ensemble cast, Rand al’Thor is the Dragon Reborn, making him arguably the most crucial for the show to get right, yet seasons 1 and 2 were commonly criticized for underutilizing him.Actor Josha Stradowski excelled with more material in season 3, as Rand finally became a focal point.
From an epic journey into Rhuidean all the way toThe Wheel of Timeseason 3’s ending, when Rand declared himself Car’a’carn in front of the Aiel clans,The Wheel of Timefinally began to embrace its most compelling dynamic. Rand is revealed as the Dragon Reborn fairly early in the series, so there’s no mystery there. The true mystery, instead, is whether that means he’s going to save the world or destroy it.Rand teeters on the edge of darkness through most of theWheel of Timenovels, and season 3 highlighted that aspect.
Rand is an incredible character, whose arc bears similarities to Anakin Skywalker, Paul Atreides, and other fantastically written fictional “chosen ones.” By tapping into the complexities of prophecy and heroism, transforming a small-town shepherd’s son into the most powerful man in the world, Robert Jordan redefined the fantasy genre into what we know it as today. It’s no wonder that, when the TV series started to embolden that arc as its central narrative element, it truly began to succeed.
Some Characters' Arcs Still Struggled To Find Their Form
While I understand that season 3 was widely praised and that its acclaim remains the leading argument for those still fighting for the show’s renewal, I believe it’s fair to critique it for its flaws.Even with vast improvements from seasons 1 and 2, arcs were still an issue inThe Wheel of Timeseason 3, and I’d like to highlight Perrin as an example.The Wheel of Time’sseason 3 story was adapted fromThe Shadow Rising, a novel that’s often considered among thebest of theWheel of Timebooks.
Much of his arc is about his desire to create, and the world constantly calling upon him to destroy—hammer versus axe.
In the novel, Perrin is the primary vessel that Robert Jordan used to explore the return to the Two Rivers and the conflict with the Trollocs and White Cloaks. Much of his arc is about his desire to create, and the world constantly calling upon him to destroy—hammer versus axe. The series tried to incorporate this element in episode 7 at the last minute, but there was barely enough time to build up to it in season 3. His growth in the penultimate episode didn’t feel earned.
A significant amount of the Two Rivers screen time went to Alanna and her Warder, as well as Perrin’s budding relationship with Faile while he heals. Despite Perrin having more to do than in previous seasons,the series still struggled to adequately demonstrate this character-defining internal strugglethroughoutThe Wheel of Timeseason 3. The return to the Two Rivers had memorable scenes, including a well-orchestrated battle; however, the arcs still required refinement. I believe this would have continued to improve if the series had gone on longer.
