The Wheel of Time is back for season 3 on Prime Video. On Thursday, March 13, the first three episodes of the season dropped, so let’s talk about what happened in the season premiere.
The Wheel of Time season 3 episode 1, “To Race the Shadow,” begins with an epic battle. It’s not Falme, like we ended season 2, but it’s an incredible opening sequence that everyone got to see, thanks to Prime Video sharing the first 11 minutes of the season early.
Liandrin and the Black Ajah attack the Amyrlin Seat and steals a bunch of important items
In Tar Valon’s White Tower, Siuan Sanche (Sophie Okonedo), the Amyrlin Seat, accuses Liandrin (Kate Fleetwood) of being a Darkfriend. Liandrin, in return, accuses Siuan of aiding Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski), the Dragon Reborn, of escaping. Nynaeve al'Meara (Zoë Robins) is called as a witness. She testifies that Liandrin is a Darkfriend, and all hell breaks loose. Liandrin fights back, along with the other members of the Black Ajah.
Siuan and the good Aes Sedai almost win the fight, but other Black Ajah show up to help. They try to flee the city via ship, but Alanna (Priyanka Bose) and her warders show up. They almost stop Liandrin and the Black Ajah, but again, they are bested. Liandrin kills one of Alanna’s warders, Ihvon (Emannuel Imani).
Siuan continues her pursuit of the Black Ajah, but she finds herself trapped by lower ranking members. It looks like she’s going to die until Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) returns and saves Siuan’s life before the building topples on her.
Among the chaos, Lan (Daniel Henney) returns to the White Tower and saves Nynaeve.
Rand, Egwene, Perrin, Mat, and Nynaeve are together again
The Emond’s Fields Five are finally back together again in Tar Valon, and Moiraine is ready to leave for Tear, to avoid the Aes Sedai, Black Ajah, and the Forsaken. Enemies surround them. The Aiel won’t leave Rand alone. They follow him everywhere. Rand needs the sword Callandor to defeat the Forsaken, allegedly.
As for a quick status update, Egwene (Madeleine Madden) is struggling after Renna (Xelia Mendes-Jones) tortured her, abused her, and used her power. To unwind before they hit the road again, Perrin Aybara (Marcus Rutherford), Mat Cauthon (Donal Finn), and Rand head to a tavern. For a minute, it feels like old times. That can’t last, of course, not when the Forsaken have been freed.
Lanfear returns and make a deal with Moiraine
Verin (Meera Syal) tries to stop Moiraine from charting Rand’s path as The Last Battle looms.
Finally, Lanfear (Natasha O’Keeffe) returns, and she speaks to Moiraine and Lan. She tries to convince Moiraine to let her help, which she accepts for now. Together, they know that Rand can not live without Callandor, a crystal sword that should give him the power to survive what looms.
To get the show on the road, Lanfear has an idea. She convinces Moiraine to allow her to do some dream magic and get Rand to leave his friends behind. It’s too dangerous for them, she says, so Lanfear does a little magic while they sleep to scare them straight and let Rand go on his own journey.
Moiraine is not above such wickedness if it’s for a good cause; we know that by now. So, Lanfear does her thing, scares the Emond’s Field Five, but it goes wrong! More on that in a minute!
Egwene gets her Great Serpent Ring
Later, Siuan makes her pitch to Nynaeve and Egwene to rejoin the Aes Sedai. Even if Rand wins, he will lose himself and become a danger to his friends, she says. She wants Nynaeve and Egwene to have the power to stop him when he does.
Egwene agrees on one condition: to go through the Arches. And, she does. In the Arches, Egwene sees a future Rand, who has just killed Perrin. She’s also the Amyrlin Seat! On, the future.
Then, she’s out of the Arches again like it never happened!
Moghedien attacks Rand and his friends
Using a Grey Man, Moghedien (Laia Costa), the member of the Forsaken we met at the end of season 2, attacks. The Grey Man nearly kills Nynaeve, but Lan finally leaves his bedroom where Moiraine was holding him and he “kills” the Gray Man.
Moiraine runs in and heals Nynaeve (and Perrin, too, who was also injured in the attack). And, it all works exactly how they planned it. Rand finally agrees to leave his friends behind.
Rand makes his choice to travel to the Aiel Waste
Throughout the episode, we see a lot of discussion about Tear, the Stone of Tear, and Callandor. It’s all part of the great prophecy about the Dragon Reborn and all that. Rand gathers a lot of information. He meets with Loial (Hammed Animashaun) and discusses the Stone of Tear. One of the prophecies of sorts claims the Dragon will travel to Tear, be joined by “the People of the Dragon,” and then claim the weapon, the Stone of Tear.
So, Rand needs a little army!
After the attack by the Forsaken, Rand sends Perrin back to the Two Rivers to get his life back on track. Mat sticks around in Tar Valon while he waits for a cure to his issues, for lack of a better word.
But, it’s actually Elayne Trakand (Ceara Coveney), the Princess of Andor, who convinces Rand where to go. After Aviendha (Ayoola Smart) talks to her, among other things, Elayne makes Rand reconsider his position about what the next move should be. If he is the Car’a’carn, who will lead the Aiel as the Prophecy of Rhuidean states, Rand will have his army.
On the morning when they all part ways, Rand reveals that he is going to the last place the Forsaken and Black Ajah will expect: The Aiel Waste. Let’s go!
Egwene, Aviendha, Moiraine, and Lan go with him. That’s important to remember, too.
Moghedien turns Jaichim into a Grey Man
Last but not least, we see Moghedien playing with her food. She’s torturing a Whitecloak called Jaichim into one of her Soulless, a Grey Man. Jaichim doesn’t want to do her bidding, but Moghedien freezes his blood until he relents and does what she wants. It’s actually horrifying, but hey, this is the Forsaken we’re talking about.
The episode ends with Moghedien telling Jaichim that she has someone he needs to find. It has to be Rand, right? We’ll probably find out shortly!
The Wheel of Time season 3 episode 1 review
So, that’s the first episode of The Wheel of Time season 3. I don’t think all of the season 3 episodes are going to be that good. Honestly, I loved everything about the season premiere. It was the perfect reintroduction back into this world after the long gap between season 2 and season 3.
Plus, The Wheel of Time season 2 finale was such a heavy episode. There are a lot of moving pieces around on the board in the season premiere, but it’s nice to see all of these great characters in one place, trying to figure out the next move.
In season 2, this story essentially became Rand’s story, but it’s also really important to remember that this isn’t just Rand’s story. There are a lot of different characters affected by his actions, but they are affected by their own actions, too.
I have extremely high hopes for the rest of the season after Rafe Judkins and his team pulled off an incredible season premiere.
I don’t love giving grades for individual episodes, but this episode is an A+.