Since its premiere, Amazon’s The Wheel of Time has demonstrated that it has the makings of one of the biggest fantasy series events in the history of television. There are many reasons that it has been so successful, but one has been that it manages to recreate a great deal of the meticulousness that made Robert Jordan’s novels so enduringly popular.
There are many hidden details tucked away in most of the episodes, but they only truly come to light upon subsequent viewings, revealing just how textured this fantasy series really is.
Padan Fain Is In Almost Every Episode
When he first appears in the Two Rivers, it seems that Padan Fain is little more than a peddler. Very quickly, however, it begins to look like there’s more to him than meets the eye, as can be seen from the fact that he appears in almost every episode.
Thus, when he finally reveals himself in all of his twisted glory in the season finale, it’s the culmination of his ever-growing and evil influence on the events taking place in the young heroes’ lives.
The Ancient Symbol Of The Aes Sedai Consistently Appears
By the time the series concludes, viewers have come to know a great deal about the powerful Aes Sedai, the wielders of the One Power. What they might not realize, however, is that the ancient symbol of this group consistently appears in various places, including the moment when Nynaeve kills a trolloc in the sacred pool and when Siuan’s house is burned down.
It’s a haunting reminder of the price of power in this world, and how the use of the One Power especially comes with many risks as well as rewards.
Opening Credits Show The Wheel Weaving The Great Tapestry
There are many great opening credits in television series, and those that begin The Wheel of Time deserve to be considered among them.
Canny viewers will recognize that the credits have meaning in themselves, and that, in this case, they show the Wheel weaving what is known as the Great Tapestry. Thus, these opening credits bring into the open some of the key themes that motivate the series, including whether it is ever possible to escape what has been fated.
Fain’s Whistles Are Often In The Background
In addition to being in most of the episodes, his whistles can often be heard in the background. At first, neither the characters nor in most cases the viewer really recognizes what this means, but as it becomes clear in the finale, Fain has been a part of their lives for their entirety.
He is just as much a part of their future and their destiny as Moiraine, though as an emissary of the Dark One, he wants to do everything he can to turn them away from the Light.
The Patchwork Is On The Inside Of Thom’s Cloak
Thom is one of the bravest characters in The Wheel Of Time, in large part because he takes Rand and Mat under his wing even though he hardly knows them. As a gleeman, it’s his responsibility and profession to entertain, and in the books, he wears a patchwork cloak.
In a noteworthy change, the series has those patches on the inside rather than the outside. With such an inversion, the series clearly wants the viewer to understand that there is far more to this singer and entertainer than meets the eye.
Valda Eating Ortolan
The Whitecloaks are some of the most sinister characters to yet appear in the series, and they are made all the more so by the fact that they clearly believe they are absolutely in the right about everything. Eamon Valda, one of their leaders, eats a bird (very much like an ortolan), noting that the method of doing so is meant to be at least somewhat painful.
It’s a reflection of the type of character he is, in that he is clearly a person who likes inflicting pain in the service of something higher than himself; the implications of eating such a dish seem to escape him.
Moiraine Doesn’t Heal Rand’s Horse With The Others
Moiraine is one of the most powerful characters in The Wheel of Time, and she shows this consistently during the early episodes, healing several of the horses (as well as their riders). Most notably, however, she doesn’t heal Rand’s horse, and though this doesn’t become significant for quite some time, it eventually is revealed that Rand is actually the Dragon Reborn.
It’s another detail whose full significance doesn’t become clear until very late in the season, and it shows just how narratively textured this show remains.
Moiraine’s Weave To Open The Waygate (Shaped Like An Avendesora Leaf)
The Ogier have an important part to play in the story, and Loial is one of the series’ most likable characters. He is an essential part of the company making its way through the dark and sinister Ways.
When Moiraine weaves the Power to open the Waygate, observant viewers will note that it is in the shape of a life. This is especially significant because the Avendesora, the tree of which that leaf is a part, is a key part of both Aiel culture and a key reason that they went to war against Cairhien.
The Stone Dog in the Aiel’s Clothes
The Aiel are another group that comes to play a bigger and bigger role in the series as it goes on, but in the first season, their presence is already remarkable.
Even before it’s revealed that Rand was born of an Aiel woman on the slopes of Dragonmount, he encountered a dead Aiel in a cage and felt a strange affiliation with him. It’s yet another piece of foreshadowing and, what’s more, Rand’s feeling of affinity for the dead man is an indication of why he is one of The Wheel of Time's most likable characters.
The Age Of Legends Ruins
As the series reaches its conclusion, it becomes clear that Rand’s destiny as the Dragon Reborn is tied to his previous incarnation, which the series gives a glimpse of in the cold open to the finale.
In particular, the viewer sees the pinnacle of civilization known as the Age of Legends. Later, however, those buildings are shown in ruins, utterly consumed by the Blight. It’s a haunting reminder of just how much has been lost in this world, and how pernicious the Dark One’s influence continues to be.