Warning: Spoilers for The Wheel of Time season 3

Arguably the most dragged-out storyline in The Wheel of Time season 3, episode 7 wrapped up the show's take on Perrin Aybara's story in The Shadow Rising, the fourth book in Robert Jordan's book series. It concluded with Perrin in the custody of Dain Bornhald and the Whitecloaks, a development that raises questions about the plan for the Wolfbrother as the show heads into a possible fourth season.

In contrast to what happened in the episode, Perrin and the Two Rivers folk spurned the Whitecloaks when they tried to capture him in the aftermath of the fight with the Trollocs. But since Dain actually helped them fend off the Trollocs, Perrin agreed to a peaceful surrender. In taking this direction, the TV series made a significant departure from Jordan's Wheel of Time books and laid the groundwork for a book story that was once thought to be far off. What's more, it indicated that it'll be reversing - rather than adapting - an arc that has long been a source of frustration among book readers.

Perrin's Search For Faile Lasted Way Too Long In The Books

Perrin Looked For Faile Across 3 Books In The Series

In The Path of Daggers, the eighth book in the series, Faile Bashere and her allies were apprehended by the Shaido, the rogue Aiel clan that refused to recognize Rand al'Thor as the Car'a'carn. In the sequel, Winter's Heart, word of Faile's kidnapping reached Perrin, setting off an attempt to rescue her. Tracking down the Shaido and saving Faile became the focus of Perrin's story in Winter's Heart, both in his adventures in the waking world and in the Wolf Dream when he slept.

The prospect of Perrin facing a trial for what the Whitecloaks perceive as crimes against them appears to be inspired by the plot of Towers of Midnight, the thirteenth book in the series.

Perrin's search continued into the following book, Crossroads of Twilight. Once again, the rescue of Faile served as Perrin's endgame, with this book showcasing Perrin's desperate measures and willingness to do whatever it takes to save his wife. However, the story culminates not in Perrin saving her, but finding a means to that end - Perrin discovered that by allying with the Seachan, who had been utilized mostly as villains in the books, he might have a way of overcoming the threat posed by the Shaido.

Book 11, Knife of Dreams, finally pays off Perrin's efforts by showing the fruits of his alliance with the Seanchan. Together, the two sides hatch a plan to take down the Shaido. However, this is a fight that takes up most of Perrin's arc in the novel. Toward the end of Knife of Dreams, Perrin finally has his reunion with Faile, who res his adventures after an unusually long absence.

Instead of having Perrin head off and save her right away, the books made it a long-term goal for the character, creating what was essentially a three-book saga for Perrin.

In hindsight, there was little reason to suspect that the Shaido's capture of Faile would shape the series for books to come, but that's exactly what ended up happening. Instead of having Perrin head off and save her right away, the books made it a long-term goal for the character, beginning what was essentially a three-book saga for Perrin. For what was basically just a rescue mission, three novels seemed more than what was necessary.

The Wheel Of Time Positions Faile To Lead A Rescue Plan

It Looks Like Bain And Chian Will Be ing Faile In An Effort To Follow The Whitecloaks

In an interesting turn of events, season 3 inadvertently - or perhaps purposely - created a reversal of the two characters' situations in Winter's Heart, Crossroads of Twilight, and Knife of Dreams. Following Perrin's capture in the penultimate episode of the season, the Wheel of Time season 3 finale briefly revisited this storyline in its final minutes, via a brief glimpse of Faile, Bain, and Chiad. Faile appeared to be on her way to an unknown destination, with both Bain and Chiad in tow. This specific gathering of characters carries the implication that a rescue mission is in order.

Depending on how long Perrin remains their prisoner, stopping the Whitecloaks from killing him could be a season-long goal for Faile and the two Maidens of the Spear.

Faile has only recently met Chiad and Bain, so it makes sense to assume that if they're traveling somewhere together, their aim is to find Perrin. And given Faile's romantic feelings for Perrin, such an endeavor doesn't come as a surprise. As this scene suggests, one of the storylines in The Wheel of Time's fourth season will center on Faile Bashere as she, Chiad, and Bain journey to the Whitecloaks' headquarters in an attempt to free Perrin from captivity. Depending on how long Perrin remains their prisoner, stopping the Whitecloaks from killing him could be a season-long goal for Faile and the two Maidens of the Spear.

The Wheel Of Time Adapting Perrin's Search For Faile Is Less Likely Now

Perrin's Three-Book Arc Has Probably Been Scrapped

Given that Perrin's captors are the Whitecloaks and not the Shaido, the arc doesn't look to be an adaptation of his rescue mission from books 9 through 11. Even so, the similarities between these scenarios are strong enough to detract from the likelihood of it reaching the small screen. It's hard to imagine the show devoting a multi-episode storyline to Faile saving Perrin from the Whitecloaks, only to follow this up with Perrin trying to rescue Faile from the Shaido. The repetition this would lead to hurts this story's chances of ever making it to live-action.

Faile's captors from the book, the Shaido, exist in the lore of the show, having been introduced in season 3's Aiel Waste story arc. However, they don't currently have any connection to Perrin.

Not only that, but it would limit the show's ability to fully explore Perrin and Faile's relationship from the books. After all, it would mean separating them for potentially two seasons or more, with Faile looking for Perrin in one and Perrin searching for her in the other. Considering that the show certainly won't match the books in of the number of seasons, it has less time to flesh out their relationship and will struggle to do this properly if they spend more time apart than together.

Cutting out Perrin's pursuit of the Shaido and Faile chasing the Whitecloaks is a decision that would make a lot of sense for The Wheel of Time, if that is indeed what the show is looking to do. After all, getting a book-accurate interpretation of the story would have been difficult to pull off in any case, with the show unlikely to have the time to adapt multiple seasons of a tiring search for Faile.