Unveiling the Enigmatic Lanfear: The Ultimate Guide to the Wheel of Time Villain
Lanfear, a formidable villain in the Wheel of Time series, is a member of the dreaded Forsaken Her alluring charm hides a dangerous obsession with the Original Dragon, and her intricate plans for Rand will unfold in surprising ways Season 2 of the Wheel of Time hints at a significant shift in Lanfear's captivating story
Warning: Spoilers for The Wheel of Time season 2, episode 4
Summary
The Wheel of Time introduces Lanfear, an imposing antagonist and love interest of Rand al'Thor, as a formidable new villain. She is one of the 13 Forsaken, a group of ancient channelers who serve the Dark One, and is widely regarded as the most perilous among them.
Lanfear initially intended to join forces with Rand in order to establish their dominance over the world, driven by her jealousy and possessiveness towards him. However, the show suggests a significant shift in her storyline.
A surprising development uncovers Rand al'Thor's romantic interest in Lanfear, who emerges as a formidable new antagonist in The Wheel of Time. Portrayed by Natasha O'Keeffe, Selene appears to be deeply disturbed upon discovering Rand's ability to channel. Yet, it soon becomes evident that Selene is much more complex than her initial introduction suggested.
Lanfear Is One Of The 13 Forsaken In The Wheel Of Time
A surprising convergence of storylines took place in The Wheel of Time season 2, episode 4, titled "Daughter of the Night." Upon discovering a poem obtained by Moiraine from Bayle Domon, Alanna and her Warders made a shocking realization that a character named Lanfear had been set loose upon the world. This revelation, coupled with Selene's channeling, made it abundantly clear that the show's new threat had already encountered the Dragon Reborn. Undoubtedly, she will pose a significant adversary for the characters in the upcoming battles.
Lanfear, acknowledged by Alanna, her Warders, and Moiraine, is one of the 13 Forsaken - an ancient group of channelers devoted to the Dark One. Among them, Lanfear stands out as one of the most powerful. In the Wheel of Time series, only Ishamael surpasses her command over the One Power, while Moiraine considers the TV version of Lanfear to be the most dangerous among the Forsaken. Initially known as "Mierin Eronaile," Lanfear, with a male Aes Sedai named Beidomon, accidentally released the Dark One during their research on the True Source in a time when men could become Aes Sedai.
Sometime after that,
Lanfear Was In Love With The Original Dragon
, she transformed herself into Lanfear and dedicated herself to the Dark One. Adopting the title "Daughter of the Night," she joined the other 12 Forsaken, a group known as "the Chosen." United, they fought alongside the Dark One during the War of Power, clashing against the original Dragon and his army of Aes Sedai known as the Hundred Companions. Despite the formidable power possessed by the Forsaken, they were unable to emerge victorious given the Dragon's vast number of allies. As a consequence, the Forsaken, along with their master, were ultimately sealed away at Shayol Ghul, a location famously referred to as the Dark One's prison.
What sets Lanfear apart from her fellow servants of the Dark One extends beyond her remarkably high power level. Her connection with the Dragon, Lews Therin Telamon, distinguishes her further. Prior to aligning with the Dark One, she and Lews Therin were lovers. However, their romance crumbled when Lews Therin discovered her insatiable thirst for power. In his perception, she loved his strength in the One Power more than him as an individual. Consequently, he abandoned Lanfear and fell in love with another woman, Ilyena. Lanfear harbored intense hatred towards Ilyena, as she wrongly believed her to be the cause of their separation. It appears that Lanfear's jealousy, resentment, and ambition ultimately drove her to embrace villainy.
Lanfear’s Original Plan For Rand Explained
Selene’s interactions with Rand in the show confirm that this aspect of her backstory with Lews Therin has been carried over to the small screen. It becomes evident, upon realizing that Selene is actually Lanfear, that the unnamed lover she spoke of to Rand was, in fact, Lews Therin. Selene reminisces about their past love and expresses her devastation when he abandoned her. Through Selene's words, we glimpse Lanfear's reaction to being rejected by Lews Therin 3,000 years ago. It appears that her television counterpart has also not been able to move on from the Dragon.
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Lanfear’s emotions towards the Dragon heavily influenced her choices throughout The Wheel of Time books, including the events of season 2. The fear she displayed when Rand channeled in “The Daughter of the Night” contradicted her true feelings towards his abilities. In the books, Lanfear was drawn to him because of his status as the most powerful channeler in existence. She deliberately pursued Rand and assumed the identity of Selene to win his affection, but her efforts were in vain. Unlike the majority of the other Forsaken, Lanfear did not desire to overthrow the Dragon Reborn - instead, she longed for them to unite as allies.
In the third book, The Dragon Reborn, Lanfear made an attempt to persuade Rand to join forces with her in order to conquer the world alongside the Dark One. Rand, however, rejected her proposition. Despite their differing aspirations, Lanfear remained steadfast in her pursuit of him. This led to intense and violent confrontations with other women in Rand's life, driven by her envy. Lanfear's possessiveness of Rand and her inability to tolerate his involvement with others ultimately drove her to attempt his murder in the fifth book, The Fires of Heaven.
Wheel Of Time Season 2 Hints At A Major Change To Lanfear’s Story
The content of "Daughter of the Night" reveals a significant deviation from Lanfear's intentions in the book. A particular line in the poem states, "she seeks a new lover, one who will serve her and die." This line implies that when Lanfear was sitting over Rand with his hands bound in the subsequent scene, she had intentions of ending his life. It is true that Lanfear attempted to kill Rand in the original story, but only in response to her perception of betrayal. Killing him was never part of her initial plan.
If the poem isn't misinterpreting her intentions, it appears that The Wheel of Time is taking her story in a completely different direction. It's possible that the show is purposely distorting Lanfear's actions and that she wasn't actually planning to kill Rand. However, if she was, it would fundamentally change her character. Lanfear's attempt to reignite the past love she had with Lews Therin thousands of years ago was a significant part of her story in The Wheel of Time books. Therefore, Lanfear trying to kill Rand early in the saga would deviate greatly from the source material and raise new questions about her true objectives.
New episodes of The Wheel of Time are released on Fridays on Amazon Prime Video.
