Although the first season of The Wheel of Time departed in many ways from The Eye of the World, the Robert Jordan novel upon which it is based, the elements it included and left out give us some clues as to where the series might be headed in its already renewed second season. Despite proving that its willing to change the plot quite drastically, spoiler-free guesses can be made about what might show up from the books given the way showrunner Rafe Judkins and his writers have made their decisions so far.
A Love Interest for Rand
The Wheel of Time made slightly more out of the romantic feelings between Rand and Egwene in season one than what appeared in the books, and that’s okay. The dramatic tension provided a way in the finale to illustrate Rand’s ability to push back against the temptations of the Dark One and his servants. By showing that Rand had enough power to remake the world, the show could visually represent what was mostly an internal struggle in the novels. However, it’s important to note that because of Rand’s deference to Egwene’s desire to become an Aes Sedai, a future partner will likely be in his future. The casting of one such love interest from the books has already been announced: that of Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand, a noblewoman who was originally introduced in The Eye of the World. It makes sense, given the way the writers framed Rand’s relationship with Egwene, that Elayne’s entrance would be tabled until The Wheel of Time season 2, but it’s definitely coming. Instead, it’s likely that Rand will go on a personal journey separate from his friends to discover his new place in the world as the Dragon Reborn. In fact, this quest may allow him to visit Andor to meet Elayne as mentioned above. Additionally, The Wheel of Time season 2 could find the male channeler on the run from the Red Ajah or the Soldiers of the Light before finally reuniting with his fellow Two Rivers residents.
The Horn of Valere
Since Jordan’s second book is entitled The Great Hunt, it should come as no surprise that the Horn of Valere, which Padan Fain absconded with in The Wheel of Time season 1 finale, is of central importance to the story to come. The Horn is purported to call upon the heroes of the past to fight in the Last Battle against the Dark One. The ghostly army is likened to the Wild Hunt of European folklore, but in this case, they serve the Light behind the banner of the Dragon. As in the books, Padan Fain is a darkfriend who posed as a traveling merchant on his visits to the Two Rivers and who presumably guided the army of trollocs to the small town in The Wheel of Time premiere. He presumably stole the Horn in the finale to prevent its use against his dark lord, but in the books he also stole Mat’s dagger, which was needed to cure the young man of his corruption. This brings us to our next prediction for season 2.
The Return of Mat Cauthon
In one of the largest departures from the Jordan novels, Mat Cauthon did not participate in the journey to the Blight or the attack on Fal Dara in The Wheel of Time. Without getting into spoiler territory, his fate is largely tied up with the Horn of Valere, so he will definitely need to rejoin the company in order to regain this artifact, and even if Padan Fain doesn’t have his corrupted dagger, Mat is still not out of danger from its dark touch on his soul. In a strange way, Mat’s absence from the actions of the finale may help make the transition to a new actor a bit easier for The Wheel of Time audience. The role has been recast for season 2 with Dónal Finn taking over for Barney Harris, who delivered one of the opening season’s best performances. Regardless of who’s playing Mat, though, the resentment some characters may feel about his abandonment of the group will certainly add a new dynamic to the second season that was not present in the books. It should be clear by now that just because Rand was revealed as the Dragon Reborn, it doesn’t mean the other four candidates aren’t powerful in their own ways. Nynaeve and Egwene have practically reversed death, and both Mat and Perrin also have hidden depths that will most certainly be plumbed in the second season, bringing them into their power before eventually rejoining Rand to help him fulfill his destiny.
The Seanchan
The elephant in the room at the end of The Wheel of Time season 1 finale is the presence of a fleet of ships off the coast of whatever continent all this takes place on. Channelers on board are definitely not Aes Sedai, and they are acting aggressively towards the land that they’re approaching, invoking a giant tidal wave to beat the shore, killing the poor soul watching from the beach. This is the Seachan, a race from overseas that figures prominently in later The Wheel of Time novels. Not much can be shared about this seafaring nation without revealing spoilers, but suffice it to say that they will pose a substantial threat to civilizations that already occupy the land they’ve just reached. Rand and the others will certainly have their work cut out for them if they hope to stop this invasion.
