Blood and magic spill across the battleground of Wheel of Times season 1 finale.
We meet Lews Therin Telamon (Alexander Karim), the previous Dragon Reborn.
He wants to “cage” the Dark One once and for all.
Josha Stradowski as Rand al’Thor and Rosamund Pike as Moiraine Damodred in ‘The Wheel of Time.'.Jan Thijs/Amazon Studios
The female Aes Sedai believes his desire is born from pride.
Lews would be among the first men driven to murder and madness by their connection to the Power.
Now, it swaps its fire-eyed visage for a human one as it works to manipulate the Dragon.
Zoë Robins (Nynaeve al’Meara), Madeleine Madden (Egwene al’Vere).Jan Thijs/Amazon Studios
He escapes the nightmare by goring himself with his sword, a grotesqueyet effectivemeans of waking oneself up.
She refuses, knowing the madness could very well consume him.
When he finally does channel, the sa’angreal will increase his power a hundredfold.
Sandra Yi Sencindiver (Lady Amalisa), Thomas Chaanhing (Lord Agelmar).Jan Thijs/Amazon Studios
Fresh off their tryst, Nynaeve reveals to Lan that it was Moiraine she was tracking, not him.
She shares her methods, allowing him to track Moiraine through the Blight.
Then they break up?
Josha Stradowski (Rand al’Thor), Madeleine Madden (Egwene al’Vere).Jan Thijs/Amazon Studios
Lord Agelmar (Thomas Chaanhing), Fal Dara’s leader, is convinced this is the end.
“It is not ours to win,” he says of the coming battle.
Lady Amalisa (Sandra Yi Sencindiver) isn’t nearly so despondent.
“I will not let our city fall,” she says.
That includes a small handful of women who can touch the One Power.
Egwene and Nynaeve join Amalisa and two other women, linking their powers to provide a powerful opposition.
Unfortunately, the strength of their collective power proves overwhelming.
She, too, is consumed in its heat.
It sparks memories in Rand.
Visions of 3,000 years ago, of Lews confronting the Dark One, surface.
He touches the symbol at its core andpoof, he’s back in Two Rivers.
Green grass, tall mountains, a cozy cottage.
“With this power you could make the world in your image,” the man says.
“Whatever you want it to be.”
It’s tempting, and this vision of his child dovetails with his connection to the One Power.
Tendrils of magic, both light and dark, begin to swirl around him.
But as he connects to the Power, Moiraine is severed from it by the Dark One.
In her state of powerlessness, she brings a knife to the throat of an unconscious Rand.
“If he doesn’t choose the light, I’ll choose for him.”
As Moiraine said to the false Dragon, it’s the wanting that corrupts.
Alas, an old friend resurfaces before anyone can get their lips around it.
Fain’s got plenty to say.
Horn in hand, Fain and the Fades leave Perrin alone amongst the dead.
Moiraine learns, too, that this isn’t the ending she’d hoped it would be.
She and Rand have emerged victorious, but not all is well.
She’s still severed from the One Power and he can feel the tendrils of madness grasping at him.
He leaves, and on his heels comes Lan, having tracked the two of them from the city.
It’s “cuendillar,” we learn, and it’s supposed to be near-indestructible.
Rather, it was the first.
The season ends with a tease of what’s to come.
Somewhere on the far Western shore is a fleet of ships filled with channelers in ominous-looking uniforms.
We’ll find out their deal in season 2, which, by the way, isdefinitely happening.
