Warning: This post contains spoilers for The Wheel of Time Season 3.
The Wheel of Timeis the hit Amazon Prime Video original series based on a series of 15 novels by the lateRobert Jordan, with the books being finished byBrandon Sandersonafter Jordan’s untimely death from heart disease. The show got off to a rocky start in 2021, but has recently become a huge hit with fans, as each season has only improved upon the previous episodes. Generally, each season is based on one book, with Seasons 1 and 2 being based on books 1 and 2, respectively. The third, however, opted to skip book 3 for now and go straight to book 4.
As with any television adaptation of a popular book series, there are going to be some artistic liberties taken, which is part of the reason why book readers weren’t too pleased with the first season to begin with. The show has made some major deviations from the source material, and while they are becoming fewer, there’s still enough of them that it’s noticeable.These are the biggest changesThe Wheel of Time’s third season madefrom the original novel. They will be ranked based on how different they are and how much they impact the plot.
The Wheel of Time
10Thom Merrilin
Thom should’ve reappeared a lot sooner
Thom Merrilin (Alexandre Willaume) is the travelling gleeman who saves Mat (Dónal Finn) and Rand (Josha Stradowski) from certain death at the hands of a Myrddraal back in the first season. His fate is left uncertain, but considering the swift deadliness of the Fades, fans can only assume the worst. Let’s be honest, how well exactly can a travelling musician do against some of the Dark One’s most dangerous assassins?
But worry not, Thom does survive this encounter, though he is permanently injured and left limping after the fact. While Thom’s reappearance does happen in both the book and the show, the difference is the timing. In the books, Thom actually appears in the second novel, meaningThom should have appeared in Season 2, not in Season 3. It’s great that he’s back, but hisabsence fromThe Wheel of Time’s second seasonreally did make it seem like he wouldn’t be coming back this time, especially with how often the show kills off characters much quicker than the books.
9Elayne and Aviendha
Elayne and Aviendha’s relationship is different
In the third season, Elaune (Ceara Coveney) and Aviendha (Ayoola Smart) are in an active romantic and sexual relationship, making it one of several queer romances that happen in the show. There’s nothing wrong with it at all, butit definitely doesn’t go down that way in the books. It’s true that Aviendha and Elayne are very, very close in the novels, considering each other more than best friends and bonding as “first-sisters,” an Aiel cultural term.
There are very few secrets between them, and they are comfortable enough with each other that they have no problem undressing in full view of the other, butthere’s nothing romantic or sexual between them. In the books, Rand actually engages in his ancestral practice of polyamory and develops lasting romantic and sexual relationships with both Aviendha and Elayne, though the chemistry between Rand and Aviendha is very different from that between him and Elayne.
8Rand Saves Mat
It isn’t Min who saves Mat from hanging
When Mat enters the realm of the Eelfinn, he forgets to set a price for his three wishes, causing the Eelfinn to create one. The price is Mat’s life, and when Mat reappears in his original dimension, he is hanging from a noose. In the show, Min (Kae Alexander) finds him hanging from the doorway that acts as a portal to the Eelfinn’s dimension, and quickly severs the rope, cutting him down and resuscitating him, saving his life.
It’s a little different in the books. The broad strokes are the same: Mat forgets to set a price with the Eelfinn, and when he is sent back home, he is hanging from a noose, which leaves a permanent scar around his neck. But in the novel,Mat inexplicably reemerges in the abandoned city of Rhuidean, which doesn’t bode well, since there’s seldom anyone around. Lucky for Mat, though, this happens whenRand is in the midst of his journey to Rhuidean, and promptly cuts Mat downafter finding him, causing Mat to join up with Rand’s party in the Aiel Waste.
7Final Showdown
Nynaeve’s duel in Tanchico isn’t with Liandrin
In the season finale, Nynaeve (Zoë Robins) emerges from the Palace of Tanchico and gets into a magical duel with Liandrin (Kate Fleetwood), an Aes Sedai formerly of the Red Ajah who leads a small group of sisters that belongs to the shadowy cabal known asthe Black Ajah. Here, Nynaeve overcomes her block, allowing her to channel even when she isn’t angry or scared, and bests Liandrin in combat.
A similar showdown does occur in the books, but it’swith Moghedien(Laia Costa), the weakest of the Forsaken, yet still far more powerful than most channelers. That said, Nynaeve is roughly on par, if notbetter than Moghedien in terms of power, so this magical duel at the novel’s climax is much more impactful and is a bigger achievement for Nynaeve. This change was likely becauseMoghedien has a different role in the show.
6Eamon Valda’s Fate
Eamon Valda doesn’t die in the book
Eamon Valda (Abdul Salis) is a high-ranking officer in the order of the Children of the Light, also known as the Whitecloaks. He is one of the more antagonistic members of the order and is vehemently opposed to helping the people of the Two Rivers. Like many others in the order, he also has no love for the Aes Sedai, though he may be a bit more extreme than some of his fellow brothers-in-arms.
In the show, Valda meets his horrific fate towards the end of theepic battle that is the seventh episode, burning to death as the action comes to a close. While Eamon Valda does indeed die in the books as well, it isn’t until much later, and it’s by a totally different method.It’s not like anyone was exactly upset to see Valda bite the dust, and while his death is satisfying in both forms,the book version allows him to have a more established presence.
5Siuan’s Fate
Siuan doesn’t die in the book, either
Siuan (Sophie Okonedo) is the Amyrlin Seat, meaning she presides over all of the Aes Sedai in the White Tower. She is also the best friend of Moiraine (Rosamund Pike), with the two sharing a friends-with-benefits type of relationship in both the book and the show. Like Eamon Valda, Siuan does eventually die in the novel series, though at a much later point. In the books, Siuan survives until the Last Battle, but unfortunately, meets her end in the apocalyptic conflict.
In the show, she is executed by Elaida (Shohreh Aghdashloo) after she ousts Siuan from the Amyrlin Seat and seizes control of the White Tower, causing what will later come to be known as the Great Schism.In the novels, while Elaida still overthrows Siuan, she does not outright kill her. Instead, Elaida stills Siuan, permanently cutting her off from the One Power before throwing her into the dungeons of the White Tower. Siuan eventually escapes, though she is unable to channel. Siuan isone of the most beloved Aes Sedaiin the series due to her no-nonsense attitude, so seeing her meet a premature end was rather emotional for long-time fans.
4Loial’s Fate
Loial doesn’t die in the books at all
The death of Loial (Hammed Animashaun) in episode seven is a swift gut punch that few could have seen coming. Loial is a fan favorite due to his calm, soft-spoken demeanour, studious habits, love of books, and optimistic outlook, making him a pleasant presence throughout the series. The showrunners, however, decided the TV series would bemore emotional if Loial were killed off… and they were right. As Trollocs traverse the Ways and are about to emerge through a Waygate overlooking the Two Rivers, Loial valiantly sacrifices himself to destroy the Waygate, ensuring the forces of the Shadow at Emond’s Field don’t receive any reinforcements and turning the tide of the fight.
In the novels, Loial similarly closes the Waygate, but he doesn’t need to sacrifice himself to do it. His fate isn’t even a case of a character being killed off prematurely, becauseLoial doesn’t die whatsoever in the novels.The Wheel of Timealready faked Loial’s death once, so it’s unlikely that they’ll try it a second time. It’s more than likely that this time, it’s for real, which is truly tragic and served as a brutal moment of sorrow for those who loved Loial.
3The Aelfinn
Mat meets two mythical beings beyond the red door
Upon arriving at the Palace of Tanchico, Mat and his friends search the basement for a particularter’angrealthat the Black Ajah is hunting for. Mat accidentally steps through a red doorway, taking him to a dimension outside the Wheel of Time itself. Within this realm is the mythical Eelfinn (Robert Strange), a fox-like figure of legend whogrants Mat three wishes, in exchange for a price, which Mat forgets to set, leading to the hanging incident.
But the Eelfinn isn’t the only inhabitant of this realm, and in the book, this encounter isn’t even Mat’s first time in the dimension. The basement of the White Tower contains a similar doorway, and Mat steps through it earlier on, meeting the Aelfinn, a serpent-like humanoid. Instead of giving him three wishes, the Aelfinn promises to answer three questions truthfully, but of course, these answers come in the form of riddles. Yet, the appearance ofthe Aelfinn is pretty importantbecausethey reveal who Mat will marry and what his fateislater on. However,they’re nowhere to be found in the show.
2Sammael and Moghedien
These Forsaken take the roles of two others
Season 3 introduced multiple new characters, one of them being the Forsaken known as Sammael (Cameron Jack). One of themost powerful of the Forsaken, Sammael poses as the King of Illian, yet has secretly been ruling the nation with an iron fist whilst serving the Shadow. In the show, Sammael doesn’t last much longer and is killed by Moghedien in the later episodes, who uses the One Power to take his life in a truly gruesome fashion.
This comes on the heels of Rand attempting to use Sammael as a sort of teacher, since Sammael is one of the only male channelers, meaning he will know how Rand can control his power. In the books, there is a similar plot that happens, but the characters present in it are totally different. Instead of Sammael serving as Rand’s teacher, it’s the Forsaken Asmodean, whom Rand confronts in Rhuidean. And instead of Moghedien killing Asmodean, it’s the Forsaken Mesaana, but this doesn’t happen until the end of the fifth book. In short,the subplot is pretty much the same; it’s just thatthe two major players involved are completely different.
1Missing Characters
Lots of characters that appear in the book are missing
As with many book-to-TV adaptations on this scale, there are going to be a lot of character omissions. That’s just kind of how it works in television, from shows likeThe Wheel of Timeto darker fantasy series likeGame of Thrones. It’s understandable, as too many characters can overcomplicate things sometimes, which doesn’t always bode well for TV. Yet, bizarrely, the third season ofThe Wheel of Timeopted toomit a few characters who appeared in prior seasons, even though they appear in the book.
This ranges from the Seanchan Lady Suroth (Karima McAdams) to the Illianer seafarer Bayle Domon (Julian Lewis Jones), who appeared in Season 2, yet are, for some reason,nowhere to be found in the third. Some more minor roles from the books, like the White Tower Novice, Sahra Covenry, don’t appear either, but for a generally good reason, as Sahra serves no other purpose other than to get killed. In any case, that hasn’t stopped fans from hoping their favorite character, like Berelain and Juilin Sandar, will show up at some point.
