The Shocking Transformation of a Wheel of Time Character: Moiraine's Power Loss Alters Their Destiny Forever!

Warning: Spoilers for The Wheel of Time season 2, episode 4

Summary

Despite the significant impact of Moiraine's loss of powers on her role, she maintains resolute determination to battle against the Dark One. Consequently, Lan's narrative has undergone significant alterations, resulting in a fresh character arc for him.

Despite Moiraine's altered abilities, her story remains faithful to the books, and there remains a possibility for her to regain her powers in the future. In The Wheel of Time, the loss of Moiraine's powers has naturally affected her storyline, but it is another character who has been greatly impacted by this change. The season 1 finale disrupted the status quo for Rosamund Pike's portrayal of Moiraine Damodred by seemingly stripping away her ability to channel. This deviation from the books suggested that Amazon's adaptation had completely changed the course of her character development.

Partially due to the profound depression that Aes Sedai typically experience upon losing access to the True Source, the second season of The Wheel of Time presents Moiraine with an array of unfamiliar challenges. In addition to this setback, Moiraine finds herself at a disadvantage, lacking the Aes Sedai's most formidable weapon, as she endeavors to aid the Dragon Reborn in fulfilling his prophetic destiny and vanquishing the malevolent forces of the Dark One. Despite these formidable obstacles, Moiraine remains unwavering in her commitment. With or without the One Power, she persists in her unwavering resolve to battle against the Dark One and his malevolent allies.

How The Wheel Of Time's Moiraine Change Has Impacted Lan's Story

Moiraine's loss of her powers surprisingly hasn't affected her character arc the most; it's actually Lan whose story has taken a drastic turn. Now stripped of the One Power and faced with the looming threat of the Forsaken, Moiraine has made the unexpected decision to leave Lan behind. This departure is a completely original development in the series. Lan, on the other hand, finds himself accompanying Alanna and her loyal group of Warders as they make their way to the White Tower. With everything that has transpired, Lan is now forced to contemplate a life beyond being Moiraine's dedicated protector, although it is certainly not a choice he made willingly.

This dilemma, along with its accompanying circumstances, starkly contrasts with the impact the books had on him. Despite Moiraine retaining her abilities, they remained together, journeying to the White Tower, conducting research at Adeleas and Vandene's residence, and reuniting with Rand in Falme. However, the show strays from this narrative, choosing to develop Lan's own storyline. While Lan eventually had to learn to cope without her in the books, Moiraine's cold rejection and early departure to fulfill her mission deviates from the source material and establishes a fresh character arc for Lan.

The Wheel Of Time Is Still Giving Moiraine Her Book Story

While the events of the season 1 finale have brought about significant changes to Lan's journey, it's important to mention that Moiraine's story has not been entirely altered - at least, not yet. There are certainly differences, but a substantial portion of her character development from The Great Hunt has been incorporated into the series, and it is likely that more will be revealed in the future. Her interactions with Verin and her research into the prophecy remain rooted in Jordan's Wheel of Time books. With Rand and Moiraine now united, their conversation with Siuan Sanche in The Great Hunt regarding Rand's identity as the Dragon Reborn can also take place.

Moiraine’s Powers May Not Be Gone For Good

Furthermore, the conclusion of episode 4 in season 2 of The Wheel of Time showcases that Moiraine's supposed incapability is not the insurmountable hurdle it initially seemed to be. By successfully ambushing Lanfear, one of the most formidable channelers in existence, Moiraine proves that she can remain relevant even without the aid of the One Power. Additionally, considering her limited involvement in the ongoing action, the inability to channel is unlikely to lead to significant deviations from the books in the near future.

In The Fires of Heaven, there will be upcoming events where Moiraine will engage in a climactic battle against Lanfear. If Moiraine's current situation does not improve, the show will need to make additional changes to the story. Ishamael's hand movements suggested that he created a shielding wave, which raises the possibility that Moiraine has only been shielded from the use of the One Power. This is similar to what Liandrin briefly did to Nynaeve earlier in season 2. Undoing a weave created by someone as strong as Ishamael will not be an easy task, though it can still be managed.

If the show follows this path, Moiraine can regain her powers, thereby preventing Wheel of Time from having to make further significant alterations in the future. Concerning Lan, there is a possibility that he could resume fighting alongside Moiraine as her Warder if she regains her abilities. However, it remains uncertain if their relationship will recover from the events of season 2. Lan has grappled with accepting Moiraine's unexpected declaration that she does not see them as equals, and this could potentially give rise to greater challenges ahead.

New episodes of The Wheel of Time are released on Fridays exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.