I figured it was a good time to have some The Wheel of Time predictions for Season 3. I’ll stress up front that I have read the books. Ergo, this is not an article designed for show only readers. Instead, this will include some major SPOILERS for the story that is coming ahead. Whilst I can’t predict with complete accuracy where the story will go next, having read the books at least gives us an idea of what will probably happen and why.

So, if you are reading this as a show only fan, then please think twice before continuing. There are probably other articles out there from non-book readers giving their predictions. This is more for me as a book fan to make sense of where I think Season 3 and onward will head. Book SPOILERS Below!

The Wheel of Time Book SPOILERS Below!

So far what has been covered in Seasons 1 and 2? Well the plan was to try and get as much of the first three books covered in the first two seasons as possible. The idea being that they could follow the books a little more closely in Season 3, which will incorporate mostly elements from Book 4. However, it certainly won’t all be book 4 and we’ll look at why that must be the case.

The ending of Season 2 matches most closely with the ending of book 2. Yet, there are many character elements in Season 2 which are actually from the third book. However, there are also some characters who don’t quite feel ready to step into the fourth book plotline. Namely, Egwene, Elayne and Rand. That has to be addressed.

Elayne and Egwene pass their accepted tests in book 3. This status change allows them some freedom from the tower in book 4. Elayne can go on to go hunt Liandrin and the Black Ajah with Nynaeve. However, Egwene heads to the Aiel waste with Rand, Matt, Moiraine, Lan and the Aiel.

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To follow this story then, in my mind we need several situations to happen. Egwene, Elayne and Nynave need to go back to the tower. This would allow the younger two to become Accepted and for them to be given the mission to hunt the Black Ajah. At the same time we need our main characters outside of Perrin to meet the Aiel and explore their own prophecies concerning the Car’a’carn. Before the gang can come along with the Aiel, we need to find out more about them. Rand has to accept his role as Car’a’carn.

My prediction then is that the show will begin to introduce the Aiel to Rand and his friends early. At the same time Elayne and Egwene need to go back to the tower, even if only once. The main draw of Season 3 (and book 4) is Rhuidean and all that happens there to Rand, Matt and the Aiel themselves.

Tear

However, what about Tear, the finale to book 3 in the series? So far that has been absent and given how necessary Callandor is for the end boss fight, it surely has to happen? So will it happen in Season 3?

I believe it’s possible that Tear could be moved into Season 4. However, I don’t think it will be. If it is in Season 3, where does it fit in? There are two possibilities I see. One, that Tear happens early in the season and we then move into the Rhuidean plot. The second, is to place Tear as the climax to Season 3 and to happen after Rhuidean. In the climax of book 4 Rand and the Aiel who follow him make plans to leave The Waste en masse. Given that the city closest to The Waste is Cairhinen, we end up with a big battle there at the start of book 5. Mainly because the city is now controlled by one of the Forsaken. Whereas, the climax of book 4 is Rand fighting Asmodean and his eventual shielding by Lanfear, more on that later.

Or Not?

The problem I could see with switching Tear and Cairhinen is geography. How do we get the entire Aiel party across the map to Tear from The Waste? I’m not 100% sure how this is resolved unless we have the Aviendha and Rand Travelling moment? Perhaps Rand uses Travelling to bring the army where he needs them? Placing it instead at the start of the season would require some pretty quick set up. I mean, so far Callandor hasn’t even been mentioned. In other words, either scenario presents challenges to overcome. My guess is we will get Tear and it will be Rand’s most explosive moment yet. However, it surely cannot be Rand v Ishamael, again, can it? Ergo, I think we could get one of the other Forsaken instead. However, this all remains to be seen and I’m not sure how it will be fit in.

Love

The next problem, or plot we have to progress with is Rand’s love life. The showrunner has already hinted Rand’s four way love square will remain. The shot of Rand and Elayne meeting in Season 2 clearly sets up that love story. However, before Rand goes to Rhuidean he kinda needs to already be smitten with Elayne, and vice versa. At the same time, for the Aviendha love story to work, possibly in Season 4, Rand needs to have to spend time with Aviendha after she is already a ‘sister’ to Elayne. So far Rand hasn’t met Avi and she has never met Elayne. Later on we have to add in the Min complication, but that likely won’t be relevant until later seasons. The main point is that plot wise it would make no sense to have Aviendha fall for Rand until he’s already semi linked to Elayne.

Rand and Elayne initially spend a lot of time together after Tear falls. That could factor into the Tear discussion above in terms of why it should be at the start of Season 3. Then the show progresses to Rhuidean, all the revelations there, and the battle against Asmodean. Note to Rafe Judkins. I’ve got one name for Asmodean and it should be who you go after, David Tennant. He will only have to stick around for 1-2 seasons anyway.

This leads us to our next point.

Training

So far Rand hasn’t been able to instinctively do any of the things he did in the books with the One power. The show has made a thing about how ignorant Rand is and helpless compared to the Forsaken. The books has Rand just instinctively beat everyone until Amsodean, then the training happens in book 5. My guess is the show will not do that. I therefore have wondered whether Amsodean could turn up already shielded by Lanfear when he arrives? This would mean no battle between the two in Rhuidean. However, it could make for the better drama on screen. Frankly, Asmodean was at his most interesting to me when he was powerless. We even had some hints that he could have been redeemed until his death in the books.

Equally, we need to have Rand become a good swordsman and again this is hinted at in Season 2. The person to train Rand on swords is surely Lan? Lan goes with Moiraine and Rand to The Waste. Ergo, that journey could involve Rand training with a sword, and potentially the One Power?

Logain and the Coup

At the same time, we have hints that Logain is being lined up as Rand’s early teacher at least. That however could simply be a red herring and Logain follows his story with Siuan as in the books. I really cannot see Logain heading to The Waste for example. Additionally, I can’t see the coup at the White Tower happening till Season 4.

It will happen, because Shohreh Aghdashloo is playing Elaida in Season 3. However, I think it would be too much to cover the full White Tower plot, all the way up to deposing Siuane, within Season 3. We need that White Tower plot to be the one we circle back to at times rather than the main focus. Unless…. Could Nynaeve and Elayne remain at the White Tower during the coup? However, that would make it difficult for them to then be off away as only Accepted.

It’s Season 3 though, and it’s time for Rand to learn how to use his power. Now Rand needs a moment to show why he’s the Dragon. That moment may fit best at Tear. However, as we said above, that causes some issues to be overcome also.

Perrin and Nynaeve

There seems no doubt that Perrin will head home to the Two Rivers. They’ve set up his plot with Bornhald and the White Cloaks already and we need something for Padan Fain to be up to. Therefore, I cannot see much outside of Perrin doing what he does in book 4. Going home with Loial, meeting Faile, learning to dreamwalk and defending the Two Rivers against the forces attacking them.

As for Nynaeve, I’m not sure? Book 4 sees her and Elayne on the hunt for the Black Ajah in a completely different location than anyone else. The most important moment for Nynaeve is her fight and defeat of Moghedien. To me that comes in the books after Nyn has been training for a little. Really the only thing holding Nyn back at this point in the books is her block. However, she can get angry fairly easily, so she can still function as one pretending to be full Aes Sedai. Elayne and Nyn need to be together at this point and they need to be regularly meeting with Egwene in the dreamworld as they work out what is happening.

Will we get the Finn?

Honestly, I’m starting to doubt we will get the Finn in Season 3, or even at all. However, what would that mean for Moiraine’s story in the later books? All I will say is that I seriously hope we do still get the Finn. It’s such a unique moment in Wheel of Time where it links the story back to sci-fi with the Finn as either aliens or extra dimensional beings. Without them, how can Rand know what he has to do? How can Moiraine know to take out Lanfear and then know to leave the letter for Thom (actor coming back for Season 3)?

Would that mean completely abandoning the tower of Ghenji adventure with Matt and Thom to rescue Moiraine? Surely that’s one of the best set pieces in the series? I guess I’d be disappointed if we don’t get the Finn and I’d worry too many plot points would be lost as a result.

Wrap It Up

No adaptation is easy, and as I’ve explored here there are options a plenty for how to deal with book 4 in Season 3. What we cannot say is what ideas the showrunners have themselves. What seems important to cover from my point of view is based on where the books go. Perhaps there are elements that have been abandoned completely for the show as they know they just don’t have the time to cover them?

Either way, my speculation above has to at least be somewhat accurate. After all, we were told Season 3 would follow book 4 more closely. It simply can’t be that close because of the things we are still missing. Therefore, I think the best idea is to find a way to introduce these elements still missing rather than skip pieces of important plot. Can the journey with the Aiel be cut a little to get straight to The Waste (without Portal Stones)? Then perhaps we can have the set up for the Aiel at the beginning of the season, then Rhuidean. However, where does Tear go? Thus you see where some decisions need to be made.

What do you think of my The Wheel of Time predictions for Season 3? Any book readers out there with an alternative take on how some of things can be handled in one season? Oh and if your comment is, the show is garbage and I hate it, so who cares, then you’re not really the target audience I was hoping to attract, but thanks for reading anyway, you’ll always have the books.

Let us know below as always.

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