You know, it could be me, but The Wheel of Time’s Moiraine might need to worry about Lanfear. Maybe it’s just paranoia, but there’s a good chance the Aes Sedai is headed for trouble with The Forsaken.
After kicking things off with a literal bang, the series has not wasted time throwing the characters into one adventure after another with enough action to keep sci-fi enthusiasts foaming at the mouth.
This episode, in particular, helped to expand so many aspects of The Wheel of Time, from the history of the current dragon to the lore surrounding the different ages.
More than anything, though, “The Road to the Spear” showed the clear inspirations drawn from recent hits with other fantasy and science fiction franchises.
The Wheel of Time Continues to Emulates Clear Themes and Story Elements Found in Other Big-Budget Fantasy Franchises.
It’s not fair to say that one fantasy series is a rip-off of another because all fantastical stories borrow the same elements.
It’s almost impossible to tell a story with otherworldly aspects without introducing the “Chosen One” trope, which is present in almost every TV show and movie.
From Harry Potter to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the chosen one is a time-honored cliche that is not going anywhere anytime soon, with The Wheel of Time fully embracing this plot device.
So, I’m not going to ding The Wheel of Time for being so similar to other popular fantasy franchises, but we’re not just going to ignore the glaring parallels, either.
In the Dune stories, there are the “Fremen” or the “sand people” who live by very specific traditions and believe a savior is coming foretold by a group of mystical women. Sound familiar?
These “Fremen” also have a trial called “The Agony,” usually used to ascend a woman to a high priestess-like status. However, there is a prophecy that a male would come along who could survive “The Agony” and connect with his male ancestors. Again, sound familiar?
It’s incredible how Dune and The Wheel of Time could be carbon copies of each other on paper. And, yet, if you watch Dune: Prophecy, you’ll notice the apparent differences in execution.
Hey, I’m not mad about the apparent similarities between the two fantasy franchises. At least we finally got an honest look into Rand’s bloodline and where exactly he comes from.
It Took Three Seasons, but the Wheel of Time Is Finally Giving Rand His Due Time to Become the Prophesized Dragon and So Much More
For most of The Wheel of Time Season 1, the show spent its time worldbuilding and setting up the story. That’s understandable. There was a lot to wrap our heads around.
We also explored how the in-universe world had changed through thousands of years and how the traditions, particularly with The One Power, had evolved.
There was so much happening from one corner of the world to the other that we’ve never had the chance to sit down and get Rand’s side of the history of the world.
Every reference to his importance as the dragon has been tied to his previous incarnation, Lews. We’re finally seeing how everything has led to Rand’s role as the world breaker or savior.
At first, seeing Josha Stradowski play the different ancestors of Rand was a little off-putting. The face makeup was pushing it, but the whole thing worked in the end.
“The Road to the Spear” felt like its own self-contained episode, exploring what the world was like before the great breaking.
Speaking of catastrophe, what in the world happened there during Rand’s last vision? You know, where the sky suddenly broke, and it looked like reality was disintegrating. What the hell was that?
To be completely honest, there is a little confusion about when everything goes down — especially with Natasha O’Keeffe’s (Sherlock) Lanfear.
We saw her chatting with one of Rand’s ancestors, but does Lanfear recognize Rand through his bloodline or only as the next reincarnation of the dragon?
Also, why is she at the center of all of Moiraine’s deaths? And why does Lanfear seem so hellbent on slicing open Moiraine’s neck in every vision of the future?
Rand And Moiraine’s Paths Have Always Been Closely Tied Together, and It Seems Their Futures Have No Plans to Change That
The Wheel of Time is one of those shows that only gets a handful of episodes, so it has to cram as much plot into every single one as possible. However, this one was filled to the brim with visual exposition.
In just a few seconds, we saw a parade of possible futures for the blue Ajah, and it didn’t seem like there were many happy endings to her road.
Sure, there were the futures where Moiraine was The Amyrlin Seat and even one where she and Rand were getting down and dirty, but those were far and few between.
To be fair, it’s been a long time coming for Rand and Moiraine.
They should be much closer than they are, considering how tied their destinies are, but they spent zero time together on The Wheel of Time Season 2.
It finally feels like Rand and Moiraine are on the journey they set out on two seasons ago. In fact, the entire story has come to a head where it feels like something genuinely epic is headed our way.
For the most part, the series has focused on everyone around Moiraine, with the blue Ajah getting enough screen time to make her feel just as important.
However, we’re finally seeing how she is just as crucial to the world’s fate as the dragon. If Rand is meant to decide the universe’s destiny, maybe Moiraine is intended to determine Rand’s.
Now that Moiraine and Rand have made it through the trial with the dragon coming out twice marked from the ordeal, it’s back to doing, you know, whatever the heck it is they are doing.
The Wheel of Time Has Taken on an Ambitious Amount of Storylines, with Not All of Them Poised to Pay Out
As amazing as the Amazon Prime series is at keeping the pace up to ensure the story doesn’t get stale, it can be easy to get lost in the plot.
Honestly, there are so many plates spinning in the air that it’s hard to keep track of who wants to kill whom.
Moiraine wants the dragon to kill the Dark One. Lanfear wants to kill Moiraine, though it’s not entirely clear why. And Moghedien seems like she’s down to kill anyone, especially Lanfear.
While all this is happening, Perrin has become the new leader of Two Rivers, and God only knows what Mat is up to.
Where does that leave Egwene? On the sidelines, watching everyone else fulfill their respective destinies.
The girl just got a sassy new hairdo and a big boost in her channeling capabilities. Why aren’t we seeing her kicking butt or, at the very least, training?
Maybe it’s because I like RPG games with clear-cut quests and missions, but I’m lost as to why Moiraine and Rand are out in the wastelands with the Aiel.
Is it because of their prophecy that parallels the one about the dragon? Is it supposed to help Rand understand his role in the final battle?
And how does Ayoola Smart’s (Killing Eve) Aviendha fit into Rand’s destiny?
She apparently went through the trial as well, even though we didn’t see her test. What connects her to the dragon, and will she get to see the princess, Elayne, again?
What do you think Moghedien is up to?
Did you find the timeline depicted from Rand’s ancestors confusing?
Please drop a comment below to let me know what you think, and join me again when I review another episode of The Wheel of Time.
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