Full spoilers follow for The Wheel of Time seasons 1 and 2.
The Wheel of Time (TWoT) has been somewhat overshadowed by its Prime Video sibling – The Rings of Power – since the latter’s initial arrival in September 2022. Indeed, if not for The Lord of the Rings‘ prequel series, The Wheel of Time would be the dominant genre force of its kind on Amazon‘s streaming platform.
Nevertheless, TWoT‘s live-action adaptation is still well worth watching – and, with the show’s third season set to be the darkest and most epic yet, it might even be strong enough to wrestle the high fantasy crown from its best Prime Video show peer.
Ahead of The Wheel of Time season 3’s release on March 13, I sat down with its cast to find out what we can expect from their individual and collective journeys, and how The Wheel of Time season 3 is going bigger and bolder than previous seasons. Light spoilers for season 3 and TWoT‘s source material follow, so proceed with caution.
Rosamund Pike as Moiraine Damodred
“The Moraine-Rand story is vitally important to this season,” Pike says of the Prime Video show’s two main characters. “For much of season 2, he tried to give her the slip, has fallen in love with a Forsaken [in Lanfear], and kind of gone rogue.
Moiraine still feels that Rand needs her
Rosamund Pike, The Wheel of Time actor
“Now, to add to the danger, the whole world knows he’s the Dragon Reborn, so different factions are suddenly closing in on him. They want to manipulate him for their own ends or, in the Red Ajah’s case, capture him and kill him.
“Moiraine still feels that he needs her,” Pike continues. “She needs to guide him because that’s part of the prophecy that she received – she has to prepare him for what he must face in the Last Battle.
“But, he’s being more obstructive to her. He’s like a teenager who’s rebelling and needs his own mind, and he wants to make his own decisions, which is understandable. That also impresses her, though, because he needs to find his mettle to fulfil his destiny. So, I think she’s learning that, in order to still have influence, she must follow him and that’s a whole new thing for Moiraine to deal with in this bigger, bolder, and bleaker season.”
Josha Stradowski as Rand al’Thor
“It was Moiraine who revealed Rand was the Dragon Reborn,” Stradowski reminds us of events that transpired in The Wheel of Time‘s season 2 finale. “And I think he realized that, next time, it’ll be him that will [use the One Power] to show he’s the Dragon. He knows there’s no running away from the prophecy anymore – he has to confront it.
“When I had conversations with [showrunner] Rafe [Judkins] I wanted to find out why Rand is the Dragon and what that means,” Stradowski continues about Rand’s decision to travel to the Aiel Waste, a vast desert region that might hold some clues to the Dragon’s origins.
“I was curious about the idea of a spiritual element to it, like there’s a hook pulling him to a place where he should go, or he gets signs or answers from people. It’s like a homecoming to a place he hasn’t been before; an echo of another life that leads him to the Waste. It’ll be a completely difference experience for him and I think that’s a very exciting thing to explore.”
Daniel Henney as Lan Mandragoran
“Unfortunately, every time Lan is with Nynaeve, it’s usually a moment where they’re parting ways,” Henney tells me of TWoT’s seemingly star crossed lovers. “I think he senses this imminent danger and anytime they part ways, it could be the last time they see each other. Zoe [Robins] and I don’t get a lot of scenes together, so it’s always nice to have those moments of levity or romance in our show.
As for the significance of Lan finally brandishing the Sword of Malkier, an ancient and powerful weapon created to fight the Dark One’s forces, not to mention only one of two family heirlooms he still has, Henney says: “He’s been haunted for years by this past he doesn’t know not much about and his family who was murdered. I think it starts to change his thought process about confronting his past and making his way toward that [becoming the rightful King of Malkier] and what that could mean in the future. Hopefully, we’re able to showcase that at some point in this show.”
Marcus Rutherford as Perrin Aybara
“Everything that’s happened in seasons 1 and 2 has given him time to reflect and learn things about himself,” Rutherford says of Perrin’s journey so far. “I think he’s slowly been piecing together the kind of person he is.
“In season 3, he’s reluctant to be involved in this journey anymore, or being thrust into the pattern and this prophecy, so he takes himself out of it and move back home. But, when he returns, there’s a there’s an immediate danger with the Trollocs and the White Cloaks, and he feels guilt over that. He feels like his actions elsewhere is why they’ve been attacking the village and the people that he loves.
Perrin is reluctant to be involved in this journey anymore
Marcus Rutherford, The Wheel of Time actor
“There’s also a real catharsis about returning home and moving on from Layla’s death [in season 1]. Once he comes to terms with that trauma, he can also see that, rather than hiding in the corner and not wanting to cause any damage to himself or anyone around him, he can be useful to the Two Rivers.
“Whether he likes it or not, he’s thrust into this leadership position,” Rutherford teases about Perrin’s coming-of-age arc in season 3. “There are so many sort of aspects this season that center on the reluctance of being a hero, but he becomes so integral to the village that he becomes someone that everyone rallies around. Again, there’s a reluctance to take that limelight, but those leadership qualities come out of him naturally. It’s why people look to him as the darkness physically looms over the horizon.”
Donal Finn as Mat Cauthon
“There are some pivotal Matt moments that, as someone who consumed the books at the same time as we were shooting, I was just delighted to see them put on the screen,” Finn mysteriously says about where Matt’s journey goes next. “We’ve all seen books adapted for big- and/or small-screen projects that you hope ends up being depicted how you imagined it in our head canon, and they became good focal points for Matt’s arc throughout the season.
“Obviously I’m not going to spoil anything for viewers who haven’t read the books!” Finn adds with a smile. “What I can say is, at the start of season 3, Matt is at the White Tower. It’s known that we’ll see Gawyn and Galad [Elayne Trakand’s half-siblings] training there, so all of the ingredients are there for a particular fight from the books to make it into the show. There are other moments that make it into the series from the novels as well and I think they stay true to what’s in the source material, so stay tuned.”
Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand
“At the end of season 2, Elayne understands so much more about herself,” Coveney explains. “Last season, she was kidnapped, thrust into a dangerous situation, and healed the Dragon Reborn to save him from certain death. So, she came face-to-face with her strength, but I also think her journey throughout season 2 exposed her flaws and that she needs her friends because they complement her so well.
I think we see her starting to put the pieces together of the incredible and powerful leader she’ll eventually become
Ceara Coveney, The Wheel of Time actor
“Coming into season 3, she has a new sense of self,” Coveney continues. “I think she’s really questioning what kind of Queen she wants to be [in the future], and how she can use her power to carve this path out before her.
“When we’re introduced to her family [who travel to The White Tower to find out what happened to her], we see this newfound struggle within Elayne. She’s made this new life for herself with friends, but she’s fully aware of her responsibilities and duties to Andor, her mother’s expectations of her and how that’s now being challenged, and why she doesn’t see it in the same way as her mother does anymore.
“However, her mother is a very powerful figure, so Elayne is faced with obeying her mother, or following her friends and fighting for what she believes in. That propels her on a journey of discovery and exploration this season. Elayne pushes boundaries in ways that she hasn’t before, and she fights with a passion and a fire that she’s found within herself. So, I think we see her starting to put the pieces together of the incredible and powerful leader she’ll eventually become, and I’m really excited for fans to see that.”
Ayoola Smart as Aviendha
“It’s a big season for Aviendha,” Smart says of her character’s increasingly pivotal role in The Wheel of Time. “When we met her in season 2, she had this clear objective [to find the Dragon Reborn].
“In season 3, she has this internal struggle raging inside her. What do you do when this person [the Dragon] you’ve been searching for your whole life, been taught about, and raised on within your culture, is someone who disappoints you and you find annoying? I think a huge part of Aviendha’s journey is coming to terms with the fact that you don’t always get the outcome that you’re expecting or wanting.
“But being able to go back to the Aiel Waste, and what that means for her, is a big deal as she’s bringing back this person who holds so much significance to her and her people,” Smart adds about Aviendha bringing Rand to her homeland. “How that plays out and what it means for her… I won’t say anymore, but it’s very exciting!”
Natasha O’Keeffe as Lanfear
“In an ideal world, Lanfear is wanting the whole ‘king and queen of darkness’ thing,” O’Keeffe says of the Forsaken’s obsession with Rand. “But, that wouldn’t be very interesting for her. Plus, her plan to do that isn’t as straightforward as it was last season because Rand isn’t falling for the techniques she previously employed.
“So, Selene [Lanfear’s human alias] had her moment and now Lanfear has to work with Rand and this new version of himself that he’s displaying. He’s evolving, which is an attractive prospect to Lanfear because she believes he’s slowly turning towards the Shadow. That makes for a fun push and pull dynamic between them.
“That all said, I think attaining power is her main goal this season,” O’Keeffe teases of Lanfear’s role in proceedings. “Rand would be a nice accoutrement, but she’d be okay without him!”
The Wheel of Time season 3 makes its Prime Video debut with a three-episode premiere on Thursday, March 13. New episodes air weekly until the season 3 finale on Thursday, April 17.
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tom.power@futurenet.com (Tom Power)
