Warning: This article contains spoilers for Wheel of Time season 1, episode 7.
The Wheel of Time episode 7 has revealed that Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski) is the Dragon Reborn. Although he was one of the original five candidates singled out by Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) in the series premiere, the series has actually been casting less suspicion on Rand and more on the others as of late.
To book readers, Rand’s sudden discovery may not have been a big surprise, especially since being the Dragon Reborn is his destiny in Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time books. However, the show has been using misdirects to point the finger at the other candidates. Not only that, but it added two additional characters that weren’t originally part of the conversation. In the first book, The Eye of the World, Moiraine had her search narrowed down to just Rand, Mat, and Perrin, but the series changed the prophecy to put a female Dragon Reborn on the table. As a result, both Egwene (Madeleine Madden) and Nynaeve (Zoë Robins) joined the discussion.
Nynaeve’s unusually high power level and Mat’s paranoid behavior distracted attention from the other three candidates at different points in the story. Plus, Rand and Thom (Alexandre Willaume) openly suspected that Mat (Barney Harris) could channel the One Power. Over the course of six episodes, Moiraine wasn’t able to confidently settle on any of the five, which has culminated in a big dilemma for season 1’s ending. According to Moiraine, entering the Eye of the World will bring harm to those who aren’t the Dragon Reborn. But in the season’s penultimate episode, a major breakthrough was made that could set the course for all the main characters and determine what goes down at the Eye of the World in the season 1 finale.
Wheel of Time Reveals Rand Is The Dragon Reborn
In the episode, Rand was visibly troubled by what the Black Wind whispered to him while they were in the Ways. At the time, it appeared that his concerns were about his relationship with Egwene, but a later scene revealed otherwise. After a heated debate over whether or not the Two Rivers villagers should accompany Moiraine into the Eye of the World and risk dying, Rand pondered over what the Black Wind said. Apparently, it told him that he was the Dragon Reborn. Though he knew that it lies in order to plant seeds of doubt, the remark caused Rand to do some serious thinking over things that have happened. Rand’s ability to knock down the door, the fact that he recognized Dragonmount (the prophesied birthplace of the Dragon Reborn), and a confession from his father all added up. Knowing that he must be able to channel and that he was born outside the Two Rivers helped Rand realize that he’s the person Moiraine has been looking for.
Rand's Backstory & Dragon Reborn Prophecy Connection Explained
Rand’s memory of a talk with Tam and Wheel of Time episode 7’s opening sequence both tie in directly to Rand’s connection to the Dragon Reborn prophecy and provide a book-accurate backstory for his character. The prophecy states that the Dragon Reborn will be born on the slopes of Dragonmount, a place that was created by the power of the original Dragon (Lews Therin Telamon). It was for this reason that Moiraine believed that the true Dragon Reborn had to have been born outside the Two Rivers. In The Eye of the World, a big clue was dropped when Tam accidentally hinted that Rand wasn’t really his son, and that he brought him to the village from somewhere else. Wheel of Time hid this detail until episode 7. Tam didn’t say anything about this to Rand in the series premiere, but Rand’s flashback confirmed that this important book moment did indeed happen. Finally, Rand’s backstory isn’t a secret anymore.
The fight at Dragonmount and Tam’s presence there are key aspects of how Rand was brought into the world and how he came to live in the Two Rivers. After marrying into one of the Aiel tribes, Rand’s mother gave birth to him on the mountain. The baby was saved by Tam, one of the soldiers in the opposing army. Tam then took Rand back home to Two Rivers and raised him as his own. If Moiraine knew this from the beginning, she could have already had the answer to the Dragon Reborn mystery.
What Rand's Decision Means For Wheel Of Time Season 1's Ending
Wheel of Time episode 6 set up a major change to The Eye of the World’s ending when Mat decided not to enter the Ways. In the book, Rand, Mat, Perrin, Egwene, Nynaeve, and Loial (Hameed Animashaun) were supposed to go with Moiraine and Lan to Fal Dara and the Eye of the World. Episode 7 made an even bigger alteration to the source material by having just Rand and Moiraine head off without the others coming along. What set this change in motion were Moiraine’s rules about visiting the Eye of the World and Rand figuring out the truth early. In the original story, Rand didn’t know he could channel until he went there with the group, but since he was able to put the pieces together beforehand, he knew it wasn’t necessary for his friends to risk their lives. Now, Rand is ready to enter the Eye of the World and stop the Dark One. This could allow for a thrilling showdown between Rand, Moiraine, and the villains in the season finale. As for Lan and the others, it’s not clear yet if they’ll be able to catch up in time.
How Wheel of Time Can Still Offer A Dragon Reborn Twist
There’s no doubt that Wheel of Time episode 7 confirmed the Dragon Reborn’s identity, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be some sort of game-changing twist in the next episode. It’s worth noting that episode 6 set up a massive Dragon Reborn change when Moiraine wondered if the Dragon’s soul could be “split into many”. What this suggests is that there’s at least a chance that more than one character can be the Dragon Reborn. That would go against everything that the books established about the prophecy, but it will remain a possibility until The Wheel of Time season 1 finale. If there’s something they don’t know about the Dragon Reborn, all will be revealed when they enter the Eye of the World.
The Wheel of Time releases new episodes on Fridays on Amazon Prime Video.