Unveiling the Sinister Secrets: The Ultimate Guide to the 13 Major Villains in The Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time's Forsaken: Unleashing chaos and treachery, these 13 villains wield immense power as they strive to conquer the world From the cunning Lanfear to the enigmatic Ishamael, each Forsaken poses a unique threat to our heroes in this epic fantasy series
Summary
The Forsaken are powerful channelers who gave themselves to the Dark One, and their seals are weakening, allowing them to walk the continent again.
Ishamael, referred to as the Betrayer of Hope, stands as the most formidable and perilous of the Forsaken, bearing a conviction in the eventual triumph of the Dark One.
Lanfear, the preeminent female member of the Forsaken, was driven by her adoration for Lews Therin and instigated the War of the Shadow in her relentless pursuit of power.
In Amazon's The Wheel of Time, the most formidable antagonists, known as the Forsaken, are gradually being introduced. Although the show has yet to fully explain all 13 of them, significant information has been revealed. Among the dangerous and malevolent characters in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time novel series, none compare to the Forsaken. During the Age of Legends, this group of powerful channelers willingly surrendered themselves, body and soul, to the Dark One.
As the Dark One's highest-ranking followers and exceptionally skilled channelers in The Wheel of Time, they were imprisoned just prior to the Breaking of the World. Nevertheless, with the weakening of the Dark One's prison seals throughout The Wheel of Time, the Forsaken are now reemerging on the continent. This allows for the revelation of certain Forsaken members in The Wheel of Time, while others still remain cloaked in mystery.
13 Ishamael
Ishamael, also known as the Betrayer of Hope, holds the position of the most formidable and perilous of the Forsaken. As the closest servant to the Dark One, he holds the esteemed title of Nae'blis throughout the series, granting him direct control over all other followers of the Dark. Among channelers, Ishamael is one of the few considered to possess nearly equal strength in the One Power as Lews Therin Telamon/Rand al'Thor. Choosing to align himself with the Dark One in the Age of Legends, Ishamael believed that the continuous turning of the Wheel inevitably ensured the triumph of evil.
Recognizing the ultimate destruction of the world and the unraveling of the Pattern, Ishamael reasoned that it would be advantageous to join the Dark One and reap the rewards of his power. He proclaimed himself as the Champion of the Dark, mirroring Lews Therin's role as the Champion of the Light, sparking a fierce rivalry with the individual who became known as the Dragon. Across the ages, Ishamael has committed numerous heinous acts, and Lews Therin's incomplete imprisonment allowed him to freely wander the world in approximately 40-year intervals every thousand years or so. On the Wheel of Time television adaptation, Ishmael is portrayed by Fares Fares.
12 Lanfear
Lanfear, the formidable female Forsaken in The Wheel of Time series, holds the title of being the most powerful among her counterparts. In a previous era known as the Age of Legends, she had been deeply in love with Lews Therin Telamon. However, her affection turned to bitter resentment when Lews Therin chose his wife, Ilyena, over her. Despite this, Lanfear never fully suppressed her desires.
During the Age of Legends, Lanfear and her colleagues stumbled upon a startling discovery while searching for a new source of power. They unintentionally punctured a hole in the Dark One's prison with their drilling, thereby unleashing the perilous True Power, which was under the Dark One's control.
Driven by her pursuit of this newfound power, Lanfear unwittingly unleashed chaos upon the world, resulting in the catastrophic War of the Shadow and the subsequent collapse of the once-idyllic society. Seduced by her insatiable thirst for power, she aligned herself with the Dark One and swiftly rose to become one of his most significant assets. Additionally, Lanfear possesses mastery over Tel'aran'rhiod, the World of Dreams.
In The Wheel of Time, Lanfear manages to evade her imprisonment by assuming the guise of Selene, portrayed by Natasha O'Keefe in the series. Under this facade, she endeavors to seduce Rand al'Thor and steer him towards darkness, aligning him with the Shadow.
11 Aginor
Aginor, recognized as one of the most cunning members of the Forsaken, gained fame for his creation of the Shadowspawn, which encompasses Trollocs, Gholam, Myrddraal, and Draghkar. Initially renowned as a biologist, Aginor faced a ban on his genetic experiments due to the lack of ethics exhibited. Consequently, he aligned himself with the Shadow to freely pursue his mysterious scientific endeavors. While the Wheel of Time series portrays Aginor's demise at the Eye of the World, he ultimately experiences resurrection by the Dark One, assuming the new identity of Osan'gar.
10 Balthamel
Balthamel, a former historian, was lured into the clutches of the Dark One by his insatiable craving for immortality. Once enlisted, he took charge of an extensive network of spies during the War of the Shadow. Notorious for his supervision of human camps designated for feeding Trollocs, Balthamel ultimately meets his demise at the Eye of the World in the Wheel of Time series. However, his story does not end there, as the Dark One resurrects him under the new name Aran'gar.
9 Asmodean
Asmodean, a gifted musician, became famous for his talents before succumbing to the influence of the Shadow in the Age of Legends. Dissatisfied with the recognition he received, he chose to align himself with the Dark One to attain everlasting life and gain the acknowledgement he believed he deserved. Asmodean gained a notorious reputation for harming or disabling fellow musicians whom he perceived as his rivals. Additionally, he contributed to the Shadow's cause as a capable administrator, serving as a governor during the War of Power.
In the Wheel of Time book series by Robert Jordan, Asmodean forms an alliance with Lanfear for a period of time until his defeat by Rand in Rhuidean. Rand successfully captures Asmodean, with the assistance of Lanfear, and compels him to teach him proper channeling techniques. However, Asmodean's life is ultimately cut short under Graendal's orders, leaving the identity of his killer uncertain.
8 Graendal
Graendal, a psychologist during the Age of Legends, had a strong fixation on both beauty and control. For centuries, she possessed strict moral standards before ultimately embracing the Shadow. Realizing that no one could meet those exacting standards, she made a decision to live in stark opposition to them. She discarded her modest, simplistic style in favor of opulent jewelry and alluring gowns. Utilizing her understanding of the human mind, Graendal honed her mastery of Compulsion and became one of the foremost wielders of this power in the world.
Compulsion is a skill that utilizes the One Power of The Wheel of Time, enabling the user to manipulate another person's thoughts. Graendal had a penchant for completely emptying the minds of her servants, rendering them little more than lifeless shells. In the Wheel of Time series, Graendal is eventually killed for her failure to capture or eliminate Perrin Aybara. However, she later experiences resurrection at the hands of the Dark One.
7 Moghedien
6 Mesaana
Moghedien, also known as The Spider, became a member of the Shadow shortly after the Bore was exposed. However, she kept her true allegiance hidden for a considerable amount of time, operating covertly within Lews Therin's network to undermine the forces of the Light. This earned her the nickname "The Spider." During the War of the Shadow, she also led the Shadow's most extensive spy network. In the Wheel of Time books, Nynaeve eventually captures Moghedien and compels her to teach her and Egwene weaves from the Age of Legends.
Mesaana, overlooked by the Collam Daan University during the Age of Legends, turned to the Shadow. Resenting her enforced teaching role instead of pursuing her research, she joined the Shadow for the freedom to conduct her experiments. Mesaana, one of the most formidable female channelers ever, grew cruel after aligning with the Shadow. Infamous for indoctrinating children to worship the Shadow and betray their own families, she infiltrates the White Tower and guides the Black Ajah in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time books.
5 Demandred
Demandred, renowned as one of the Forsaken's most formidable members, surpasses everyone in the Power except for Lews Therin, Ishamael, and Rahvin. Driven by jealousy, he aligned himself with the shadow and developed a profound animosity for Lews Therin as the hero consistently outperformed him in every aspect. Throughout the War of Power, Demandred ascended to the rank of the Shadow's foremost military strategist, and in the final book of the Wheel of Time series, he commands the forces of the Shadow in The Last Battle. Earning a reputation for his unparalleled guile and treacherous nature, Demandred's unrelenting enmity for the Dragon surpasses all other motivations.
Demandred - Placeholder:
4 Sammael
Sammael, similar to Demandred, was driven to join the Shadow out of envy towards Lews Therin. While initially serving as a military commander on the side of the Light during the War of Power, his bitterness towards being stripped of his authority by the Dragon led him to align himself with the Shadow. Regarded as one of the most formidable channelers in history, Sammael establishes his base of power in Illian during The Wheel of Time's primary timeline. As one of the foremost military strategists of the Age of Legends, this member of the Forsaken poses a formidable challenge to the forces of good.
3 Rahvin
2 Semirhage
Rahvin's strength in the One Power rivaled that of Ishamael and the Dragon throughout history. Despite his formidable abilities in the five threads of the One Power, Rahvin's lack of caution hindered his ascent within the ranks of the Forsaken. Driven by an insatiable lust for power, he succumbed to the Shadow's allure. In The Wheel of Time, Rahvin manipulates Queen Morgase of Andor through Compulsion to seize control. Later, he engages in a duel with Rand al'Thor within the confines of Caemlyn's palace.
During the Age of Legends, Semirhage was renowned as the world's most skilled Healer. However, her true nature was revealed when it was discovered that she had been inflicting torture upon her patients during the healing process. Faced with a choice, she was given the option to swear an oath on the Oath Rod never to commit such acts again, or to be completely severed from the One Power. Instead, she made the dark decision to align herself with the Shadow, transforming into one of the most sadistic and fearsome members of the Forsaken. In The Wheel of Time, Semirhage unleashes a fireball that obliterates Rand's hand, and later ensnares him using a male a'dam. Yet, in the end, it is Rand who prevails, ultimately destroying her through the powerful use of balefire.
1 Be'lal
Be'lal, a former general for the forces of the Light during the War of Power, succumbed to jealousy and joined the Shadow, much like Sammael and Demandred. While not much is known about Be'lal, he was renowned as a skilled Blademaster, almost on par with Lews Therin. After escaping imprisonment in The Wheel of Time, Be'lal assumes the identity of the High Lord Samon and cunningly leads Rand to the Stone of Tear. His ultimate aim is to manipulate Rand into retrieving the powerful sa'angreal known as Callandor, which can only be touched by the Dragon Reborn. Be'lal manages to overpower Rand, but is ultimately slain by Moiraine before he can claim Callandor.
