Includes SPOILERS for The Wheel of Time season 3 finale and spoilers from the book series.

Season 3 of The Wheel of Time has come to a close, but each of the main characters should return in season 4 to continue their narratives. The epic fantasy TV series is adapted from Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time books, but due to the order of events being changed to better fit the television medium, it’s become harder to discern where exactly the show will go from here. Season 3 adapted The Shadow Rising, which would make The Fires of Heaven the natural progression, but it likely won’t be so straightforward.

The Amazon Prime Video adaptation skipped book three, The Dragon Reborn, meaning they’ll likely go back for at least the important parts. The Wheel of Time show’s next book to adapt will primarily be The Fires of Heaven, but the series also seems to have set up stories from Lord of Chaos and even Towers of Midnight, the thirteenth book in the series. These are just predictions, but they’re based on how the events of the season unfolded for specific characters.

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Rand

Rand Needs To Go To Tear

Rand’s story heading into season 4 is possibly the most clear. As the Dragon Reborn, he needs to continue fulfilling the Karaethon Cycle, the prophecy that will help prepare him for the Last Battle. The next step, at least in the chronology of the books, is a step backward, as he needs to obtain the sa’angreal sword, Callandor, from a fortress known as the Stone of Tear. This may have come as a point of confusion to book readers, as that happens before The Shadow Rising in Robert Jordan’s version.

Speaking with RadioTimes before the season, producer and Moiraine actress Rosamund Pike explained skipping The Dragon Reborn, saying, “We haven’t neglected the Stone of Tear, we’ve just rearranged the order.” Moiraine also mentioned in The Wheel of Time season 3’s ending that now, with the Aiel on Rand’s side, he’ll have an army to take the Stone of Tear. Obtaining Callandor will likely be Rand’s next objective, but after that, he can continue with his narrative from The Fires of Heaven, taking him to Caemlyn, the capital city of Andor.

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Moiraine & Lan

Moiraine’s Fate Might Drastically Change In The Show

Moiraine’s story going forward is somewhat confusing, as her character actually disappears for several novels in the middle of The Fires of Heaven. This occurs during a battle with Lanfear, where the two of them fall through a redstone gateway and aren’t seen again. Given that we already saw Moiraine and Lanfear go at it in the season 3 finale and that Rosamund Pike is the show’s main star and one of its producers, it seems doubtful they’d kill her off for a significant portion of the story.

The best prediction I have is that Moiraine will learn of the events at the White Tower and, hearing of Siuan Sanche’s fate, will take up much of her role in the subsequent novels after she’s done grieving. This means mentoring Egwene and helping the rebel Aes Sedai faction form against Elaida’s White Tower. Lan was barely featured in The Wheel of Time season 3, but there were multiple hints at his regal past. His storyline could lead him back to Nynaeve, or he could simply remain by Moiraine’s side for the time being.

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Mat

Mat’s Show Differences Make Him Hard To Pin Down

Mat has been one of the most difficult characters to predict in the television adaptation, because he’s been almost entirely out of place since season 2 began. Mat spends The Shadow Rising and a decent amount of The Fires of Heaven in the Aiel Waste with Rand, so the fact that he was in Tanchico in season 3 likely means further deviation for his character. He may continue to follow Nynaeve and Elayne, or he could reunite with Rand in Cairhien.

Mat Cauthon is a fantastic character in the books, but he’s been sidelined for most of the TV series. Much of his conflict in the books sees him trying to escape from Aes Sedai, the One Power, and even Rand al’Thor, once he realizes that his friend is the Dragon Reborn. He wants little to do with responsibility of any sort, which is why he wishes to be rid of the One Power when he meets the Eelfinn in the books. Given the show’s differences in his development, his narrative is challenging to predict.

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Perrin

Perrin Will Resolve His Conflict With The White Cloaks

Perrin’s return to the Two Rivers in season 3 was fairly direct from The Shadow Rising, but his path forward is more difficult to ascertain. Book four of Jordan’s series ends with Perrin refusing to be apprehended by the White Cloaks, then they leave, and he remains in the Two Rivers to recover from his battle wounds, making him absent in The Fires of Heaven. The TV series isn’t going to eliminate Perrin for an entire season, which is probably why they changed his ending to have him go with the White Cloaks.

Perrin’s next storyline in the show is likely going to be drawn from Towers of Midnight, which is the book where he finally has his confrontation with Dain Bornhald and the Children of the Light. His submission to the White Cloaks means that this plotline will happen much sooner than it does in the books. He could reunite with his friends toward the end of the season, but Perrin might spend the majority of season 4 captured and arguing for his life in the White Cloaks’ trial.

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Nynaeve & Elayne

This Pair Will Continue To Pursue The Black Ajah

Nynaeve and Elayne will remain together for most of The Wheel of Time season 4, resuming their story from Tanchico. Moghedien has taken the Domination Bands, and the Black Ajah are still on the loose, with Liandrin looking to become a Forsaken. Nynaeve’s story in The Fires of Heaven sees her continuing to pursue Moghedien, this time in Tel’aran’rhiod, the World of Dreams. This will likely involve Liandrin as well, and could result in the Black Ajah attempting to capture Rand with the Domination Bands.

There will be some points of interest in The Fires of Heaven regarding Elayne’s family in Caemlyn, especially with Rand going to fight Rahvin. For the most part, she’ll be by Nynaeve’s side with the pair of them making their way to the rebel Aes Sedai camp. This includes obstacles like them joining a traveling circus and reuniting with Galad Damodred, who has become a White Cloak. The TV show may skim over most of their travels and have them remain in direct pursuit of the Black Ajah and Forsaken.

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Egwene

Egwene Could Join The Rebel Aes Sedai Camp

Egwene doesn’t have a terrible amount to do in The Fires of Heaven, with most of it still in the Aiel Waste. If the aforementioned prediction is true about the TV show moving ahead and skipping Moiraine’s death, Egwene’s story could head straight to Lord of Chaos, which would involve her joining the Rebel Aes Sedai camp in Salidar, meaning she could have some massive developments by the end of season 4. In season 3, she progressed through her training as a Dreamwalker rather quickly and was able to help defeat Lanfear, but this will also develop further.

A notable aspect of the TV series is that the show still hasn’t shut down the Egwene Rand romance, which is finalized in The Shadow Rising. The Wheel of Time show still explored it toward the end of season 3, with Rand’s romantic interest in Lanfear sticking a wedge between them. In the books, Egwene has already begun considering Gawyn Trakand, Elayne’s brother, whom we met earlier in season 3.

Sources: RadioTimes

The Wheel of Time

Release Date

November 18, 2021

Network

Prime Video

Showrunner

Rafe Judkins

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