The Wheel of Time is about to come full circle again. In “What Was Meant to Be,” fate leads Rand (Josha Stradowski) and his friends to a showdown with their enemies. So much happens in this episode! Get Ready!
We start with a flashback. 3000 years ago, the day that Lews Therin (Alexander Karim) put Ishamael (Fares Fares) in his prison. Ishamael wanted to break the wheel so he wouldn’t have to live his life again. Lews had other ideas about the wheel and sealed all of the Forsaken in their prisons. All Ishamael wanted was to die, but Lews won’t kill him. And the wheel keeps turning.
We knew we were headed into a battle in the finale. But we didn’t know the White Cloaks would be the first to strike. Led by Geofram Borhald (Stuart Graham), the White Cloaks’ objective is to take out the damane at the tower. Only Dain (Jay Duffy) is concerned with the prophecy about Falme and the Dragon Reborn. In Falme’s greatest time of need, the Dragon will return. Above the watcher shall the Dragon be proclaimed, bannered across the sky in fire. Geofram says prophecies are just lies of dead witches.
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The Wheel of Time Season 2 -Rosamund Pike (Moiraine Damodred), Daniel Henney (Lan Mandragoran) CR: Jan Thijs/Prime Video. Copyright Amazon Content Services LLC and Sony Pictures Television LLC
Lanfear (Natasha O’Keeffe) leads the group to a waygate. She pushes only Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) and Lan (Daniel Henney) through the gate, telling Moiraine to throw up the banner when the time comes. Rand is upset with her, but she knows a faster way to Falme. He has no choice but to trust her. Once in Falme, Lanfear informs Ishamael that Rand is in Falme. He gets upset because he’s not ready. They need Rand to choose them, but Ishamael needs more time to prepare. Lanfear also told Rand she would help him kill Ishamael, revealing her betrayal. They sit quietly together, looking at five large, round sculptures in the room.
Nynaeve (Zoë Robins) and Elayne (Ceara Coveney) use the a’dam and cuff to get answers about Egwene’s (Madeleine Madden) whereabouts. Their damane is Seta (Jade-Eleena Dregorius). She tells them that the damane wil be moved to the top of the tower to fight the White Cloaks. She is also seriously embarrassed that she was collared and begs Nynaeve not to make her go to the tower. Nyneave seems to enjoy the power of the cuff. She says she can feel Seta in her mind. She says it’s like a bundle of sensations and all she has to do is push. Nynaeve makes Seta lead them to the tower, through all of the fighting going on in the streets.
High Lady Suroth (Karima McAdams) sends the damane to the tower. Renna (Xelia Mendes-Jones) warns Egwene not to disobey her or she will lose her tongue. Egwene immediately disobeys before they even leave her cell. Renna cuts off her braid instead.
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Ishamael changes up his plans. He sends Paden Fain (Johann Myers) to turn Mat (Dónal Finn) to the Dark with the ruby hilted dagger from Shadar Logoth. Mat says he won’t touch it. Paden leaves him in the room alone to tempt him into touching the dagger, releasing his darkness. Mat is clever though. Mat tears a piece of the bed frame and moves the dagger to the floor. Then he takes a piece of cloth and wraps it around the dagger and pole, making a spear. All the while, never touching the dagger. Then he uses the dagger to burn the lock on the door and escape. Paden is waiting for him, but gets scared when he realizes Mat didn’t touch the dagger. He runs away as Mat fights off the Seanchan.
Lan and Moiraine end up on the beach near Falme. They make up and Moiraine lets Lan back in, strengthening their bond. They discuss the Forsaken. Moiraine says Lanfear, Ishamael and Lews Therin were inseparable before the War of Power. They were best friends. Lan thinks it sounds a lot like the kids from the Two Rivers. They come to realize that Lanfear sent them there for a reason.
The Wheel of Time Season 2 – Marcus Rutherford (Perrin Aybara) CR: Jan Thijs/Prime Video. Copyright Amazon Content Services LLC and Sony Pictures Television LLC
Perrin (Marcus Rutherford) with the Aiel, Aviendha (Ayoola Smart), Bain (Ragga Ragnars) and Chiad (Maja Simonsen) make their way to Falme. They see smoke approaching and know the day is going to be long. Perrin tells Hopper to stay behind because the city isn’t safe. Perrin finds Loial (Hammed Animashaun) and Ingtar (Gregg Chilingirian) as the fight reaches them. Loial has the Horn of Valere and he wants to find Egwene. Ingtar tries to fight off the Seanchan so the others can get away and ends up getting killed.
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Rand sees Egwene being led to the tower and follows her. Egwene and the other damane are positioned at the edge of the tower so they can see their targets. Renna gets annoyed that Egwene won’t attack. Egwene sees the White Cloaks and targets their position. She stops when she sees the White Cloaks helping the injured. Renna get angry and pulls Egwene to the center of the roof to punish her in front of the other Sul’dam.
Rand runs into High Lord Turak (Daniel Francis) and his guards. He is greatly outnumbered but channels the One Power to kill them all at once. Rand enters the tower and makes his way to the top. Meanwhile Lanfear finds Bayle Domon (Julian Lewis Jones) he is stealing gold from the market. She tells him that she has six cuendillars, fully intact. She asks Domon to take them to the sea and dump them in the deepest part. They make plans to meet up later that night.
High Lady Suroth is eager to get involved in the battle. She informs Ishamael that Turak is dead. He sends her to her boat, with the strongest damane they have. He tells her to wait beneath the tower for his signal.
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Nynaeve, Elyane and Seta walk through the city towards the tower. They get to the stairs that lead to the tower and something hits the tower. The white cloaks start attacking the tower with large boulders. One of them hits the top of the tower where Renna is about to punish Egwene. Geofram orders their archers to attack and rally the townspeople to fight with them.Seta leads Nynaeve and Elayne up the stairs, but a white cloak kills Seta. The bond with Nynaeve is disconnected and her cuff falls off. The archer shoots again and hits Elayne in the leg.
The Wheel of Time Season 2 – Madeleine Madden (Egwene al’Vere). CR: Jan Thijs/Prime Video. Copyright Amazon Content Services LLC and Sony Pictures Television LLC
Egwene wakes up from the attack and sees a lot of Sul’dam and damanes are dead. Maigan Sedai (Sandy McDade) is one of them. Her a’dam fell off her neck when she died and lies next to Egwene. Renna climbs out of the rubble and faces Egwene. Renna blames Egwene for the Sul’dam’s demise on the tower and starts to hurt Egwene. When she stops the pain, Egwene stands up quickly, placing the a’dam on Renna’s neck. Renna laughs and calls her stupid, saying the a’dam only works on women who can channel. Egwene knows that. The a’dam collars Renna.
Egwene figured out that the Sul’dam were able to see the damane’s weave, meaning they were born with power too, but weaker. Renna tries to hit Egwene, but the cuff stops her and she falls to the ground in pain. Egwene reminds her of the first rule. She cannot hurt her Sul’dam. Egwene says the only way Renna is getting out of the collar is if she lets her out. First Renna has to release Egwene.
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Egwene throws Renna against a pillar and chokes her. Renna says Egwene is still her damane. She will feel what Renna feels. If Renna dies, Egween will die too. Egwene chokes her until Renna removes her cuff, releasing the a’dam from Egwene’s neck. Renna tries to plead for her life, but Egwene chokes her to death. She falls to the ground, exhausted and Rand walks up behind her, calling to her.
The Wheel of Time Season 2 First Look –
Avienda played by Ayoola Smart, Perrin Aybara played by Marcus Rutherford. CR: Jan Thijs/Prime Video. Copyright Amazon Content Services LLC and Sony Pictures Television LLC
Perrin leads Loial and the Aiel through the city. He stops because he senses someone coming. Mat runs out of the smoke and straight into Perrin’s arms. The Seanchan are right behind Mat so they have to run. Perrin, Mat and Loial get to the tower. They know Egwene is up there. Mat tells Perin that Rand will be there too. Loial says they have to get the horn to Rand, but they can’t open the box. Mat takes the dagger and uses it to burn the box open. He takes out the horn as the Seanchan arrive. Perrin and Loial fight them off so Mat can run to Rand.
Egwene is shocked to see Rand. He apologizes for not telling her. Ishamael appears and they go on the defensive. The Forsaken One throws Egwene to the side as the High Lady Suroth’s damanes throw a shield on Rand from below the tower. She tells her damane to hold the shield until they see the signal and then they will gentle the Dragon.
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Ishamael tries to convince Rand that they’ve done this before. Rand says he is not Lew Therin though. So Ishamael blames Rand for Egwene’s situation, saying he abandoned her and made her a killer. And if Rand keeps fighting, he will turn all of his friends to the Dark, just like he did in his last life.
In the city below, the White Cloaks start to fight alongside Perrin and Loial until Eamon Valda (Abdul Salis) sees Perrin. He attacks Perrin, determined to find out what he is. Hopper runs in and attacks Valda, but Geoform hits the wolf with an ax, killing him. The fight moves without Perrin as he sees Hopper’s spirit leave his body. Perrin gets angry, picks up an ax and runs toward the fight. He finds the White Cloak commander and Perrin swings his ax into Geoform’s chest.
The Wheel of Time Season 2 – Dónal Finn (Mat Cauthon). Cr: Jan Thijs/ Prime Video. Amazon Content Services LLC and Sony Pictures Television Inc.
Mat is stopped by a troupe of Seanchan. He looks at the horn and decides to blow it. Time slows down for everyone but Mat. The Heroes of the Horn appear behind Mat. He says he remembers that he is a Hero of the Horn. One of them is a Sheinaran, Uno (Guy Roberts), the one who died at Atuan’s Mill. They all raise their weapons as Mat yells something in another language. The fight begins and the Heroes are much faster and stronger than the Seanchan. Mat flies through them, becoming an amazing fighter all of a sudden.
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Dain sees Perrin kill his father and rushes at him. Loial pulls Perrin out of the fight. Uno jumps down from the Tower and throws Dain back. The White Cloaks grab Dain and drag him away. Perrin and Loial are shocked. Uno tells them not to be surprised that he’s a Hero of the Horn and hands Perrin a shield. Loial tells him to run to Rand as Uno fights off the Seanchan.
Nynaeve has to push the arrow through Elayne’s leg to get it out. Elayne tells Nynaeve to leave her behind, but Nynaeve isn’t sure she can channel. Egwene will need her when they get to her.
Ishamael asks Rand to join them and Rand refuses, saying he will never serve the Dark One. While Ishamael tries to convince Rand that he is exactly like Lews Therin, Mat sneaks up behind him. Mat throws his spear at Ishamael and the Forsaken One disappears. The dagger hits Rand in the stomach. Mat rushes to him, apologizing for hurting his friend. Ishamael starts to channel and steps toward Rand, but Egwene blocks his attack with a powerful shield. Ishamael is surprised that he can’t penetrate her shield so he keeps throwing fireballs at her.
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Moiraine can see the shield coming from the boats, but is unsure who it is shielding. She thinks it’s Rand and wants to attack the ship to break it. Lan warns her that the people on the boat could be innocent. Moiraine says she will let a thousand people die if it means Rand will live. They hear the Seanchan running toward them. Lan prepares to Moiraine while she channels the One Power.
The Wheel of Time Season 2 – Marcus Rutherford (Perrin Aybara). Cr: Jan Thijs/ Prime Video. Amazon Content Services LLC and Sony Pictures Television Inc.
Egwene is getting weak when Perrin shows up with his shield. He protects her while she protects Rand. Elayne sits next to Rand and starts to heal his wound, leaving a strange scar behind. After Rand is healed, Mat tells him to do something, but he can’t because he’s still shielded.
Moiraine channels all of her power and throws it at the ships in the water, hitting the damanes first. The shield is lifted and Rand stands up. He takes his sword and walks toward Ishamael, stabbing him in the heart. Ishamael falls to the ground. He says it’s beautiful and asks if Lews sees it. Rand asks what he sees. Ishamael turns to ash and says he sees nothing. Moiraine destroys every boat in the water except for a few that retreat. Moiraine recites the prophecy and raises the banner of fire in the form of a dragon. The dragon of fire flies around the tower, stopping at the top. The people of Falme begin cheering and the bells toll.
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Rand walks to the edge of the tower and looks down, proclaiming himself the Dragon Reborn. The Aiels look up at him and Aviendha calls Rand, Car’a’carn, chief. The Heroes of the Horn disappear. Lanfear stands with the people, smiling. Egwene, Perrin, Mat, and Nynaeve stand next to Rand on top of the tower.
After the celebration, Lanfear returns to Ishamael’s room for the cuendillars. She finds them all broken and Moghedien sitting in the middle of the room, whispering, “softly, softly, in the shadows.” Moghedien says Ishamael released all of them because he had suspicions that Lanfear would betray him. Lanfear asks where the others are and tries to attack, but Moghedien is quicker.
Moghedien says Lanfear and Ishamael were always too close to the Dragon. But the rest of them aren’t. She reminds Lanfear of how she thought Moghedien was too cautious and afraid. Lanfear warns her that she doesn’t want to fight her. Moghedien says it’s not a fight, but a warning. She tells Lanfear to stay away from Rand. He’s theirs now. All five of them are theirs. Moghedien tightens her web on Lanfear before disappearing and releasing her.
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Stream The Wheel of Time seasons 1 and 2 on Amazon Prime.
News Editor, Senior Contributor, and Press Editor. Coordinate breaking news, trailers and press releases. I also contribute reviews, recaps and interviews. Creator of the Indigenerd Wire, a column dedicated to the Indigenous creatives in pop culture.
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