A Thrilling Ride: Wheel of Time Season 2 Pushes Epic Battles and Leaves Viewers on Edge!

Warning: Spoilers for The Wheel of Time season 2, episode 8

Summary

The season 2 finale of The Wheel of Time made significant changes to two major fights from the books, resulting in a loss of certain elements and ultimately making them underwhelming.

One major alteration was the elimination of the duel between Rand and High Lord Turak. Instead, Rand relied on the One Power to conquer him and his soldiers, which served as a demonstration of his unrefined swordsmanship abilities.

The epic scale of Rand's battle against Ishamael in the sky was significantly downplayed, as Rand was able to defeat him with just one blow on top of a tower instead of engaging in a prolonged battle amidst the clouds. These changes, similar to those of the season 1 finale, highlight a recurring mistake. In adapting the first Wheel of Time book, The Eye of the World, season 1 concluded with a live-action portrayal of the novel's final chapters. It was expected that season 2 would follow suit with The Great Hunt as its sequel.

Similar to how the first season of The Wheel of Time concluded alongside The Eye of the World, the second season aligned its finale with the conclusion of the second book. In this particular novel, the various plotlines ultimately culminate at Falme, where Mat wields the Horn of Valere and Rand encounters Ishamael. Prime Video's adaptation of The Great Hunt beautifully portrayed these pivotal moments, yet there were certain elements that did not fully transition in the process.

The Wheel Of Time Season 2 Finale’s Changes 2 Major Fights From The Books

The conclusion of The Great Hunt featured not one, but two epic battles involving Rand al'Thor. The first encounter saw him facing off against High Lord Turak, a renowned Seanchan Blademaster. Despite not being an officially recognized Blademaster himself, Rand displayed his formidable swordsmanship by engaging in a duel with Turak, utilizing his father's heron-marked sword. Remarkably, Rand managed to defeat Turak without utilizing any channeling abilities. In contrast, Rand's portrayal in the book omitted the swordfight altogether, as he swiftly decimated both Turak and his soldiers using the formidable One Power. While this alteration may have dulled the intensity of the pivotal fight as depicted in the books, it was a predictable adjustment considering that the televised version of Rand has not yet received training in the art of swordsmanship.

In addition to removing the duel with Turak, the season 2 finale of The Wheel of Time significantly diminished the grandeur of Rand's battle against Ishamael in the sky. Similar to the events in The Great Hunt, Rand was able to defeat Ishamael by simply stabbing him. However, unlike the book where Rand and Ishamael engaged in a contest of the One Power for several minutes before a victor was determined, Josha Stradowski's Rand triumphed with just a single blow. Furthermore, their confrontation was supposed to take place, or at least be witnessed, "in the clouds."

Rand’s Fights With Ishamael & Turak Continue A Season 1 Mistake

The climax of Rand battling Ishamael in the sky, which was initially built up, underwent a significant alteration in the show's season 1 finale. In the Eye of the World, a memorable confrontation unfolded at the Eye of the World involving six characters: Rand, Ishamael, Aginor, Balthamel, the Green Man, and Moiraine. However, the show chose to focus on only three individuals. Departing from the book's ending, where Rand faced a single Forsaken, the show introduced another challenge by pitting Rand against both Balthamel and Aginor. Furthermore, Rand received aid from the enigmatic Green Man, whose extraordinary abilities ultimately secured his victory.

Removing these characters from the equation, The Wheel of Time deviated from the ending presented in The Eye of the World. Regrettably, the series encountered this error once more during Rand's confrontations with both Turak and Ishamael. In that sense, it was not as ambitious. However, it certainly did not hold back with Mat, as the summoning of the Heroes of the Horn provided one of the most gratifying action sequences in the show. One can only hope that season 3 will guarantee that Rand receives an equally monumental moment.