The Unseen Struggles: Unraveling Nynaeve's Journey to Master the One Power in The Wheel of Time

Warning: Spoilers for The Wheel of Time season 2, episodes 1-3

Summary

Nynaeve's difficulty with channeling stems from a blockage in her capacity to tap into the One Power, caused by her anger. Throughout the books, she manages to conquer this obstacle by wholeheartedly embracing the One Power in a circumstance that is devoid of anger.

Nynaeve's struggle with her channeling block is expected to persist throughout a considerable duration in the TV show. Despite being recognized as one of the most powerful channelers to join the White Tower in The Wheel of Time, Nynaeve faces greater challenges in utilizing the One Power compared to her contemporaries. Despite spending months in the White Tower, her progress in channeling has been rather limited. Surprisingly, even individuals weaker than her, such as Egwene, seem to encounter significantly less difficulty in harnessing the One Power.

The Wheel Of Time Books Explain Why Nynaeve Struggles With Channeling

As mentioned by Liandrin in the premiere, Nynaeve possesses a hindrance known as a "block." In The Wheel of Time, this concept refers to an emotional obstacle that hampers an individual's ability to tap into the One Power. The nature of this block can vary, encompassing fears, low self-esteem, or other personal challenges. Similar to her portrayal in the television series, Nynaeve in the books grappled with her own block. In her case, it manifested as anger, a trait that Zoe Robbins' character in the show has also exhibited thus far.

How Nynaeve Beat Her Channeling Block In The Books

In the White Tower, Nynaeve's attempts to channel the True Source often resulted in failure, similar to her portrayal in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time books. However, in moments of heightened emotion, Nynaeve's ability to effectively channel would emerge. This requirement of being in a specific mental state made her inconsistency apparent. The television series showcased this aspect of her character during her intense confrontation with Liandrin. It was only when Liandrin provoked Nynaeve by making derogatory remarks about Lan that she was able to access her channeling powers, clearly evoking a strong reaction in her.

In The Wheel of Time season 2, Madeleine Madden, Zoë Robbins, and Ceara Coveney portray their characters, including Nynaeve, who faces a significant challenge. Unlike in the source material, where it took a considerable amount of time for Nynaeve to overcome her block, it seems unlikely that the TV character will conquer it anytime soon. Throughout the series, Nynaeve relied on her anger to channel her powers, but it wasn't until the sixth book, The Lord of Chaos, that she managed to push past it. In a dangerous encounter orchestrated by Moghedien, one of the 13 Forsaken, Nynaeve found herself in a sinking boat, faced with the threat of drowning. This particular predicament stood out because, for once, her rage was not a contributing factor.

Fearing for her life, but harboring no resentment towards anyone, Nynaeve found herself compelled to fully embrace the One Power during this ordeal, ultimately breaking through her inhibitions. Being thrust into a situation where she must wield the Power without a target for her anger may be the catalyst Nynaeve needs to overcome her block in the Amazon Prime Video adaptation of "The Wheel of Time." However, given the protracted duration it took to resolve this issue in the original books, it is plausible that Nynaeve will contend with this struggle for an extended period of time. Tune in to Amazon Prime Video on Fridays for new episodes of "The Wheel of Time."