Unveiling the Shocking Truth: The Ultimate Betrayal in The Wheel of Time
Unveiling the Betrayal: Can Liandrin Redeem Herself by Breaking the Black Oaths in The Wheel of Time? Discover the truth behind Liandrin's potential betrayal of the Dark One
In The Wheel of Time season 2, episode 6, Lanfear's comment regarding Liandrin's inability to betray the Dark One holds significant implications within the books. As confirmed in the current season, Liandrin's loyalty lies not with the White Tower, but with the Shadow. This revelation occurred when Liandrin handed Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne over to the Seanchan.
The Black Oaths In The Wheel Of Time Explained
The show has deviated from the books in terms of Liandrin's motives. While in the books her alignment with the Dark One was driven by her desire to save her dying son, the show has taken a different approach. In season 2, episode 6 titled "The Eyes of Pity," Lanfear, portrayed by Natasha O'Keeffe, uses the One Power to bring an end to Liandrin's son's life. With this tragic event, Liandrin loses all hope of achieving her desires. However, this does not mean that she can simply switch sides.
In the episode, Lanfear mentioned that Liandrin had sworn unbreakable oaths to the Dark One, known as the Black Oaths. These oaths are a crucial element in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. Members of the Black Ajah, a hidden group of rebellious Aes Sedai, take these oaths. The Black Oaths serve two main purposes: they release the Aes Sedai from their traditional Three Oaths and bind them to eternal servitude to the Dark One. This is achieved through the decree that they must obey all commands issued by those of higher rank in service to the Great Lord.
How Liandrin Can Betray The Dark One (& Get Redemption)
These words are what bind Liandrin to the Dark One’s service, regardless of her desires. Liandrin is a member of the Black Ajah, which means she has taken the Black Oaths, as all Black Sisters have. However, as Lanfear has pointed out, Liandrin is not specifically sworn to Ishamael. In other words, unless Ishamael gives her a command directly from the Dark One himself, it is possible for her to defy him and follow Lanfear instead. After all, Lanfear is also a servant of the Dark One. Given this circumstance, it is likely that Liandrin will continue to play the role of a villain, but possibly with a different master in future episodes.
The presence of the Black Oaths poses a significant obstacle for Liandrin's potential redemption. However, a storyline from the books presents a loophole within the Black Oaths. In the original text, Verin successfully infiltrated the Black Ajah and managed to betray the Dark One, even though she had sworn the Black Oaths. One of these oaths compelled her to keep the secrets of the Black Ajah until her death. Verin chose to consume a fatal poison, granting her the opportunity to expose all she knew about the Dark One's plans. For Liandrin, this means that when The Wheel of Time reaches its culmination, she may have the chance to strike a deceitful blow against the Dark One with her last breath.
The Wheel of Time releases new episodes on Friday on Amazon Prime Video.
