Warning: Spoilers for The Wheel of Time season 3, episode 6
After what happened to Sammael, there’s a good chanceThe Wheel of Timeis on the cusp of skipping yet another book in the series. Prime Video’s live-action adaptation ofRobert Jordan’sWheel of Timebooksmade a notable deviation from the timeline of events depicted in the source material when it shifted to the story ofThe Shadow Risingat the start of season 3. In doing so, the series effectively skipped from the end of the second book,The Great Hunt, to the fourth entry,The Shadow Rising. Evidently, the third installment -The Dragon Reborn- won’t be getting a full-season adaptation.
As for what course the show will follow after season 3 ends, that remains unclear. Chances are, it’ll have to merge certain storylines and perhaps skip other entries as well, especially sinceThe Wheel of Timeis a series that consists of 14 books. While it’s hard to say definitively which stories will be kept and which will get swept aside, a recent development is a sign that one particular book -A Crown of Swords- isn’t part of the long-term plan.
Sammael Is The Main Villain Of Rand’s Story A Crown Of Swords
Sammael Doesn’t Engage With Rand Directly Until Book 7
Picking up after the ending ofLord of Chaos,A Crown of Swordsis the seventh book in the series.A Crown of Swordsfollows three plotlines, with Rand al’Thor’s being focused on his conflict with Sammael, one of the13 Forsaken inThe Wheel of Time. In the book, Rand and Min traveled alongside his army of male channelers to the kingdom of Illian. Their mission was to confront Sammael, who had taken over the kingdom, claiming the Laurel Crown and the throne of Illian. Rand intended to unseat Sammael and wrest Illian from his control.
And with Sammael being a minor figure in the previous installments and mostly a subject of conversation among the main characters,A Crown of Swordsremains Sammael’s most meaningful contribution to the narrative.
Rand’s journey inA Crown of Swordsculminated in the Dragon Reborn finally catching up to Sammael. At the end of the book, the two engaged in an epic showdown in Shadar Logoth that tested their respectivecapabilities with the One Power. in contrast to some Forsaken in the books, Sammael didn’t survive his battle with Rand, resulting inA Crown of Swordsbeing the end of his arc in Robert Jordan’s series. And with Sammael being a minor figure in the previous installments and mostly a subject of conversation among the main characters,A Crown of Swordsremains Sammael’s most meaningful contribution to the narrative.
Sammael’s Ambush In Season 3 Risks A Crown Of Swords Not Happening In The TV Show
Rand Probably Won’t Go To Illian Now
The Wheel of Timeseason 3, episode 6sped up the conflict between Rand and Sammael by having the two face off early. InThe Shadow Rising, Sammael did indeed attempt to have Rand killed, but not in person; he arranged a surprise attack at the Stone of Tear but never put himself in harm’s way. That’s the opposite of the approach taken by the TV character, who took the fight directly to Rand and in turn, endangered his biggest story from the source material. The episode ended with Rand defeating Sammael, seemingly burying him under debris.
The show hasn’t confirmed Sammael’s fate one way or the other, but the ending certainly implies that Rand has succeeded in killing Sammael, making him the second Forsaken to fall to the Dragon Reborn. The possibility of Sammael’s death raises legitimate questions about what the show intends to do aboutA Crown of Swords. As the main antagonist of Rand’s story in the book, his entire arc doesn’t work without the character. If Sammael truly is dead, it’ll be fair to assume thatThe Wheel of Timewill skip overA Crown of Swordsentirely.
Thom’s Return To The Wheel Of Time Sets Up A Story I Wish Had Happened In The Books
Thom Merrilin’s return in The Wheel of Time season 3 lays the groundwork for a story that could have been perfect for Robert Jordan’s book series.
Theoretically, the show could replace Sammael’s role in a potential adaptation ofA Crown of Swordswith another Forsaken. But the chances of that scenario coming to pass are admittedly low, given the lack of options for a replacement. The show has alreadynarrowed its list of Forsaken from 13 to eight, apparently cutting five characters from the source material. None of the confirmed but unrevealed Forsaken - Graendal and Semirhage - would fit neatly intoA Crown of Swords’narrative, as they all have their own roles to fulfill in the story.
Of course,The Wheel of Timecould confirm that Sammael survived the battle, but that alone wouldn’t dispel the notion thatA Crown of Swords’place in the show’s future has been shaken. In displacing Sammael from Illian,The Wheel of Timehas removed Rand’s motivation for chasing him to Illian. If it’s true that the show hasn’t killed off Sammael, it could very well be that the point of this was for him to take on Asmodean’s role as Rand’s teacher in book 5,The Fires of Heaven.In any case,it’s hard to imagineThe Wheel of Timechanging course and sending Sammael back to Illian before it gets to book 7.
What Removing A Crown Of Swords Would Mean For The Show’s Story
The Wheel Of Time May Not Need Book 7 Anymore
Having Sammael taken off the board early could have major repercussions for the show’s future, with the most obvious of which being the fact that Rand wouldn’t seize control of Illian. Rand’s victory over Sammael does a lot to increase his influence and power in The Wheel of Time’s world, but it’s possible that the show could do without it, especially if it coversThe Fires of Heaven, the fifth book, in season 4. Its story sees Rand claim control over the kingdom of Cairhein, a location that the show has already introduced and could therefore easily revisit.
Wheel Of Time Season 3 Just Turned A Missing Book Character Into A Villain
The Wheel of Time season 3, episode 6 completely changes one book character - rewriting her as a Darkfriend and enemy for Rand al’Thor.
In other words, what Rand accomplishes in Illian isn’t exactly a first for the character; by providing sufficient attention to his takeover of Cairhein inThe Fires of Heaven,The Wheel of Timewill have delivered a depiction of Rand as a ruler and a conqueror. In this way, the series can justify excluding Illian from his list of conquests.
In some ways, skippingA Crown of Swordscan be advantageous to the series. Mat Cauthon missed out on the book entirely, so not adapting the book would avoid the conundrum of finding a new story for him or sidelining him for a full season. As for the other plotlines, both Nynaeve and Elayne’s escapade in Ebou Dar and Egwene’s efforts to combat Elaida are plotlines that continue into the next book,The Path of Daggers. That means the series could streamline thing by merging them into an adaptation ofThe Path of Daggers- not unlike the ways season 3 has cleverly inserted parts ofThe Dragon Reborninto itsShadow Risingstory.
The Wheel of Time
Cast
The Wheel of Time follows Moiraine, a member of the powerful all-female organization Aes Sedai, as she leads a perilous quest with five young individuals. Moiraine suspects one among them could be the prophesized reincarnation of a mighty figure destined to either save or doom humanity.
