As Prime Video prepares to bring back its epic fantasy seriesThe Wheel of Time, the stakes are higher than ever.Season 2 endswith Rand (Josha Stradowski) being proclaimedthe Dragon Reborn, but with many enemies on the loose — including newly released members of the Forsaken — he and his friends are in more danger than ever. Fortunately,Moiraine (Rosamund Pike)is back in control of her abilities after believing herself to have been stilled, but it may not be enough.Season 3’s newest trailershows just how precarious a position these heroes are in.The upcoming season is set to adaptThe Shadow Rising, the fourth book ofRobert Jordan’s series, with parts ofBook 5,The Fires of Heaven. The trailer only hints at what is coming, but it promises an eventful third season, which premieres March 13.
‘The Wheel of Time’ Season 3 Will Explore the Unrest in the White Tower
At the beginning of the trailer,the Aes Sedai are warring with each other.In the first two seasons, the Aes Sedai have had their disagreements, and Season 2 even highlighted the existence of the secretBlack Ajah, which consists of Darkfriends working against the White Tower’s interest. It’s no surprise that the White Tower is seemingly divided, but the outright fighting marks a significant change.
The conflict pits two powerful Aes Sedai against each other: the Amyrlin Seat,Siuan Sanche (Sophie Okonedo), andLiandrin (Kate Fleetwood), who Season 2 revealed to be a member of the Black Ajah. The new Season 3 trailer sees Siuan holding Liandrin with the One Power in front of the leaders of the Aes Sedai before things get… explosive. Even Alanna (Priyanka Bose) and her Warders can be seen fighting in Tar Valon, but it is Moiraine who reminds viewers of the significance of this unrest, saying,“If the White Tower does not bend the knee to Rand al’Thor, he will lose the Last Battle.“With the Aes Sedai divided, the powers of evil have an opportunity.
Rand Isn’t the Only One in Danger in ‘The Wheel of Time’ Season 3
While Rand is now on everyone’s mind, he is not the only person the servants of the Dark One will target. Moiraine’s Warder,Lan (Daniel Henney), issues a warning in the trailer, saying, “They won’t just come for Rand. They’ll come for all of us.” And, sure enough, all the characters are in danger, most obviously Perrin (Marcus Rutherford), who can be seen facing trollocs in the middle of a battle. Yet it isn’t all doom and gloom for the Emond’s Field five. After spending most of Season 2 apart, the trailer showsRand laughing with Perrin and Mat (Dónal Finn). The three childhood friends, as well as Nynaeve (Zoë Robins) and Egwene (Madeleine Madden), finally reunited in theSeason 2 finale, though they were unable to enjoy the reunion at the time, so seeing them together and not fighting for their lives is a refreshing change of pace.
However, their enemies are still out there. Though the heroes defeated Ishamael (Fares Fares) in Season 2,other members ofthe Forsakenwill do the Dark One’s work.Lanfear (Natasha O’Keeffe)deceived Rand in Season 2, but she is cozying up to him again in the trailer — though it’s unclear whether it’s in reality orTel’aran’rhiod, the world of dreams. As long as she is free, Lanfear poses a threat, especially as she is tied to Rand through his past life. Season 2 also introducedMoghedien (Laia Costa), yet another Forsaken who appears in the trailer as she interacts with Nynaeve, quietly laughing in a way far more terrifying than anything she could say. With enemies like these, no one is safe in Season 3.
‘The Wheel of Time’ Season 3 Explores the Aiel Waste
Season 2 introducedthe Aiel, a civilization of warriors who live in a desert referred to as the Waste. Yet the new trailer reveals several characters are going to be navigating the desert landscape, including Rand and Moiraine.Surrounded by the Aiel, Rand has a unique journey ahead of him while he learns about their culture.Fans of the books may recognize the phrase “Each step forward is a step backward through time,” which suggests Season 3 will venture tothe Aiel city of Rhuidean. In Season 2, the Aiel briefly mention the Car’a’carn, or the “chief of chiefs” in the Old Tongue, and the trailer explains that they believe Rand is the Car’a’carn, someone they have been waiting for, according to an old prophecy. Already recognized as the Dragon Reborn, Rand has a new legendary role to fulfill, giving the audience the chance to learn more about the Aiel in the process.
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Rand and Moiraine’s Fates Are Tied in ‘The Wheel of Time’ Season 3
As two of the series' central characters, it’s no surprise thatRand and Moiraine seem to be connected, but in the trailer, they take a strange journey in what appears to be Rhuidean. They are seen suspended in the air inside a structure made of three rings, and later, Moiraine explains what she saw to Lan during the experience, saying,“In every future where I lived, Rand dies. And the only way he lives is if I don’t.“This is accompanied by foreboding images of their potential fates, hinting at the death of one of them. And with Moiraine seen cradled in Lan’s arms and Rand accepting his fate as the Dragon Reborn, things do not look so good for the Aes Sedai.
‘The Wheel of Time’ Season 3 Will Continue Longstanding Storylines and Introduce New Characters
The Season 3 trailer also includes several developing relationships, with a kiss between Nynaeve and Lan and glimpses of drama around Rand. Initially, Rand and Egwene were together in the past, but they have grown in different ways in their time apart, anda tearful exchange between them in the trailer suggests Rand loves someone else. Not only does he kiss Lanfear, but the trailer features Rand getting valuable advice fromElayne (Ceara Coveney), someone with whom he shared a fleeting but significant moment in the Season 2 finale.
In addition to continuing these storylines,the trailer also gives us glimpses at new characters, including Elayne’s mother,Queen Morgase (Olivia Williams), as well as her brothers Galad (Callum Kerr) and Gawyn (Luke Fetherston), the Aes SedaiElaida (Shohreh Aghdashloo), the Hunter of the Horn known asFaile (Isabella Bucceri), and one of the Aiel Wise Ones named Bair (Nukâka Coster-Waldau). Their presence suggests they will play a significant role in the upcoming season. In just two and a half minutes, the trailer proves thatThe Wheel of TimeSeason 3 will be eventful.
The Wheel of TimeSeasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Prime Video in the U.S., with Season 3 set to premiere on March 13.
The Wheel of Time
