The Wheel of Time Season 3 Is an Impressive if Occasionally Hollow Fantasy Spectacle

By the time you reach the third season of a series like Prime Video’s The Wheel of Time, you probably know whether or not it’s a show for you. It’s certainly got all the hallmarks of a blockbuster fantasy: A sprawling cast of characters, dense lore, a cyclical timeline that repeats itself over and over again through the ages, and a familiar battle between the forces of light and darkness. And by this point, most of the show’s strengths and weaknesses are fairly baked in—the story’s unique focus on female perspectives and agency set it apart from almost every other fantasy series of its ilk, but it consistently fails to give its many fascinating women the depth and interiority they deserve. It’s a rough trade-off, but at this point, we all kind of know the deal, and you’re either in this thing until the Wheel stops turning or you’re not. Thankfully, the series’ propulsive and largely entertaining third outing makes the ride a bit easier. While The Wheel of Time Season 3 still has many of the same problems that have plagued the series since its debut, it also remembers something its second outing frequently forgot: How to have a good time. 

The story picks up in the wake of Season 2’s dramatic conclusion, which saw Dragon Reborn Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski) announce his return with a little help from his friends (and some showy Aes Sedai magic) during a climatic battle with the war-like Seanchan. As Season 4 begins, Liandrin (Kate Fleetwood) is called to the Hall of the White Tower to answer for her kidnapping of several novice Aes Sedai, and the subsequent revelation of her Darkfriend status sets multiple narratives on new paths.

With Tar Valon now demonstrably unsafe, Rand—already displaying troubling signs he may be a little too attached to his growing dark magic abilities—decides to head to the vast desert region known as the Aiel Waste in the hopes of claiming the prophesied title of Car’a’carn, or Chief of Chiefs, and the army of warriors that comes along with it. He’s accompanied by Egwene (Madeleine Madden) and Aiel spear maiden Aviendha (Ayoola Smart), along with Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) and her warder Lan (Daniel Henney), though it’s apparent that the Aes Sedai has her own plans for Rand’s future.

Meanwhile in the White Tower, Amyrlin Seat Siuan Sanche (Sophie Okonedo), no longer sure who she can trust, tasks young Accepteds Elayne (Ceara Coveney) and Nynaeve (Zoë Robins) with tracking down the rogue members of the traitorous Black Ajah and finding out their plans for the powerful magical objects they stole. The season’s sprawling story eventually spans the globe, from the mountain passes of the Two Rivers and the ancient city of Tanchico, as many fan-favorite characters face various moments of growth and reckoning along the way.

To be clear, there’s plenty to like about The Wheel of Time Season 3, not the least of which is that it’s steadily propulsive and downright fun to watch. The series’ third outing jettisons the frequently plodding pace that bogged down so much of Season 2, moving swiftly through multiple visually stunning action set pieces and indulging in viciously entertaining court politics that involves a shocking betrayal around every corner. The opening sequence in the season premiere, in which the White Tower explodes into a magical battle between the Aes Sedai and the Dark traitors hiding in their midst is thrilling television, and while Rand’s journey to the Aiel Waste doesn’t give us a great deal of insight to his thoughts about being a reincarnated magical being that might destroy the world, the trip fills in some much-needed backstory on the history of the series’ larger world. 

But despite its string of impressive visuals and entertaining battle sequences, The Wheel of Time still can’t seem to find the right balance comes to pacing and character depth. Part of the reason for that is there are simply so many storylines in this season that it’s inevitable that some will get stuck with the short end of the stick. At least a dozen new characters are introduced, including Elayne’s Andorian family, several new members of the Dark beings known as Forsaken, multiple Aiel wise women, the other members of Liandrin’s Black Ajah crew, and the powerful Red Ajah Elaida do Avriny a’Roihan (Shohreh Aghdashloo), who has a long and tortured history with the Amyrlin Seat. Outside of Elaida Sedai, you’ll struggle to remember any of their names let alone any genuine facts about who they are or what they want. 

Even some of the established regulars suffer from the season’s full-steam-ahead approach to storytelling, with several being shunted off to separate more siloed storylines and/or essentially disappearing from the larger narrative almost entirely. In terms of our core group, Mat’s (Donal Finn) arc doesn’t move much beyond his struggle to deal with the fallout from blowing the legendary Horn of Valare last season, and while everyone constantly mentions how powerful she is, Nynaeve doesn’t get to do much on her own beyond lamenting her inability to channel properly. As for Perrin (Marcus Rutherford), he returns to the Two Rivers for a subplot that often feels like it’s happening on a different show, though it’s at least notable for introducing one of the more controversial figures in the Robert Jordan fandom, Faile Bashere (Isabella Bucceri). 

Because The Wheel of Time is blessed with an exceptionally charming cast, even the most paint-by-numbers scenes and obvious exposition dumps feel more compelling than they have any right to be, and the season is full of standout performances. Pike gets to play a Moiraine who feels deliciously more complicated this time around, both in terms of the things she’s willing to do in the name of guiding Rand to the Last Battle and to sacrifice to keep him safe. Coveney shines as an Elayne who finally feels as though she’s coming into her own, claiming both her identity and power in satisfying and unexpected ways. (Her excellent chemistry with Robins means Elayne and Nynaeve’s friendship is one of the season’s best partnerships.) Madden’s Egwene gets the necessary opportunity to process some trauma from her time with the Seanchen, and the White Tower rivalry between Elaida and Siuan gives powerhouse performers Aghdashloo and Okonedo the chance to rip into a relationship that’s positively bristling with longstanding resentment and open dislike.

It’s true, The Wheel of Time Season 3’s eight episodes (all of which were available for review) often feel overstuffed, and much of its story isn’t given the space to breathe that it deserves as the narrative pings from major plot point to major plot point with fairly remarkable speed. Would I prefer it if more of the show’s key relationships and characters were given greater depth and emotional complexity than they’re offered here? Yes. Absolutely. 100%. But it’s also true that Season 3 is a marked improvement over the series’ second outing, and genuinely fun in a way some of our current moment’s other sprawling fantasy adaptations can’t seem to manage. Perhaps the Wheel will never weave this show into the version some of us (read: me) want it to be. But there’s certainly still plenty to enjoy about the one we have. 

The Wheel of Time Season 3 will premiere on Prime Video on March 13.

Lacy Baugher Milas is the Books Editor at Paste Magazine, but loves nerding out about all sorts of pop culture. You can find her on Twitter and Bluesky at @LacyMB

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