Warning: This article contains spoilers for season 3, episode 8 of The Wheel of Time, as well as the book series.seemed to be telegraphing to the contrary, Amazon's version of Randland does indeed include the elusive Eelfinn and Aelfinn — something that would be quite a revelation to end a season on, if it weren't eclipsed by the finale's other staggering surprises.
In fact, we got visited by Elaida do Avriny a'Roihan (Shohreh Aghdashloo) through another redstone doorway, this one in the White Tower — which means that Mat could still eventually visit the twisted snake-folk.
The Wheel Of Time Season 3 Reveals How Mat Can Meet The Aelfinn
It seems that The Wheel of Time might be inverting the order in which Mat encounters both of the enigmatic groups of Finn. In the books, Mat first steps through a redstone doorway ter'angreal in the Stone of Tear at the beginning of The Shadow Rising. There, he meets the Aelfinn, who set him on the path towards his destiny. Later in the same book, Mat steps through another redstone arch, this time in Rhuidean, where he meets the Eelfinn, and receives his foxhead medallion, ashandarei, and a head full of battlefield wisdom.
Wait, Maybe The Wheel Of Time Hasn't Cut That Huge Villain From The Books After All
The death of a major Forsaken in The Wheel of Time season 3 finale indicates that a major storyline once thought to be cut is still happening.
Interestingly, while the Eelfinn in the show gave Mat both of the physical objects, they seem to have taken memories away instead of granted them – namely, the memories Mat was forcibly given as a result of blowing the Horn of Valere back in season 2. It also seems that more memories may have been lost, which hopefully will help drive Mat to somehow find his way through the second redstone doorway, which is likely still in the White Tower, so he can still meet the Aelfinn.
Why Meeting The Aelfinn Is So Important To Mat's Future
Mat's meeting with the Aelfinn in The Shadow Rising is majorly critical to the events of that book, as the first prophecy they give him regards the importance of him accompanying Rand to Rhuidean; obviously, this is no longer relevant, as the show had Mat go to Tanchico instead. Yet it's the second prophecy they deliver that still needs to find its way into the Amazon Prime series:
Abruptly a dozen of the yellow-clad men were around Mat, seeming to appear out of the air, trying to pull him toward the door. He fought with fists, elbows, knees. "What fate? Burn your hearts, what fate?" It was the room itself that pealed, the walls and floor quivering, nearly taking Mat and his attackers off their feet. "What fate?"
The three were on their feet atop the pedestals, and he could not tell which shrieked which answer.
"To marry the Daughter of the Nine Moons!"
"To die and live again, and live once more a part of what was!"
"To give up half the light of the world to save the world!" (Robert Jordan, The Shadow Rising, Chapter 15)
In order, the books fulfill these prophecies by: Mat marrying Tuon Paendrag, the heir to uses balefire to kill Rahvin; and Mat losing an eye while fighting to free Moiraine from the Silver Tower, and then being a part of the victory at the Last Battle. All of these events could still play out, one way or another, in Amazon's The Wheel of Time – so long as Amazon (and the Wheel) wills it.
The Wheel of Time
- Release Date
- November 18, 2021
- Network
- Prime Video
- Showrunner
- Rafe Judkins
Cast
Moiraine Damodred
al'Lan Mandragoran
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Sanaa Hamri, Ciaran Donnelly, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Thomas Napper, Maja Vrvilo, Wayne Che Yip
- Writers
- Amanda Kate Shuman, Dave Hill, Rohit Kumar, Justine Juel Gillmer, Celine Song, Rammy Park, The Clarksons Twins, Katherine B. McKenna
- Franchise(s)
- The Wheel of Time
Your comment has not been saved