The Big Picture
- Season 2 of The Wheel of Time will explore the aftermath of Moiraine and Lan’s separation, as they deal with the consequences of their severed bond.
- The time apart will allow Lan to grow as an individual and learn important lessons about building relationships outside of the One Power’s connection to his Aes Sedai.
- In Season 2, the heroes of the series will embark on their own journeys, with Lan returning to the White Tower and the possibility of a reunion with Nynaeve.
Season 2 of The Wheel of Time opens in a precarious spot for Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) and Lan’s (Daniel Henney) relationship. Where Season 1 drove home the nigh unbreakable bond between an Aes Sedai and her Warder, the new episodes grapple with the fallout of what would happen if that connection were severed. With no ability to call on the One Power or feel her telepathic connection to Lan after her confrontation with The Dark One, Moiraine ultimately makes the difficult decision to split from her faithful companion. Their separation may be for the best, however. In an interview with Collider’s Carly Lane prior to the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strike, Henney explained how the split gave Lan the room to grow away from Moiraine.
From the beginning of Prime Video’s hit fantasy series, viewers see Moiraine and Lan tied at the hip. They share baths together, confide in each other, and feel what the other is going through. Both are also confronted with the very real fear of losing each other after witnessing the death of Kerene (Clare Perkins) and her Warder Stepin (Peter Franzén) who later takes his own life out of grief. While neither dies, Moiraine and Lan lose the foundation of their relationship after the Season 1 finale which creates a rift that can’t be easily bridged.
The time apart, then, could give Lan the chance to learn some important lessons about being a better listener and forging a new bond that doesn’t rely on the One Power. Regarding whether it was a good decision for both parties to go their separate ways for the time being, Henney was totally on board with giving Lan space to broaden his horizons and rethink his relationship with Moiraine:
“Yeah, I do, 100%. They need time apart. Especially for him – I think it’s more for him. I’ve thought about this a lot, and for Lan, Season 2 is a very formative season for him. He needed time alone, and then he goes and spends some time with some other people and with some other cultures, and he changes. He’s different. You’ll see him physically different, you’ll see him mentally different, and it helps him to get back on the road to where he needs to be. Just like anything, you need to go through some stuff to build calluses.”
What’s in Store for the Heroes of ‘The Wheel of Time’ Season 2?
Now separate from his Aes Sedai, Lan is bound to return to the White Tower with Alanna (Priyanka Bose) and her Warders while Moiraine continues on her journey to guide the Dragon Reborn. Each of the heroes of the series based on the novels by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson will experience their own journeys in Season 2 after being sent to different corners of the earth. With Lan heading back to the Tower, a reunion with Nynaeve (Zoë Robins) could be in order as she’s currently training there with Egwene (Madeleine Madden) to become an Aes Sedai.
The rest of the returning cast for The Wheel of Time Season 2 features Josha Stradowski, Marcus Rutherford, Kate Fleetwood, Priyanka Bose, Sophie Okonedo, Kate Alexander, and Hammed Animashaun with Dónal Finn taking over as Mat Cauthon. Uncharted writer Rafe Judkins returns as showrunner as well. So far, reviews are citing its return as a marked, darker improvement on the first season.
The first three episodes of The Wheel of Time Season 2 are streaming now on Prime Video.
