Warning: This article contains spoilers for Wheel of Time season 1, episode 8.
The Wheel of Time season 1 finale set up season 2’s story, but also greatly lowered its chances of being an accurate adaptation of the characters’ next adventure. With the season 1 finale wrapping up the story of the first book, the show is free to move on to the next installment in Robert Jordan’s award-winning series. Amazon’s Wheel of Time show is now on track to adapt the second book, The Great Hunt.
The show’s take on The Eye of the World closed the door on an important chapter in the Wheel of Time saga. Thanks to the realization that Rand al’Thor reached in the season’s penultimate episode, viewers finally have their answer to the Dragon Reborn mystery. Just as it was in the source material, the reincarnation of Lews Therin Telamon is none other than Rand. Moiraine believed that taking Rand to the Eye of the World would lead to the Last Battle, which is the prophesized final encounter with the Dark One. However, she figured out at the end that their fight with the Dark One and his allies is only just beginning.
It’s become clear that Wheel of Time season 2 will kick off with the journey to find Padan Fain, who departed Fal Dara with the Horn of Valere and Mat’s ruby-hilted dagger. That’s in line with The Great Hunt, which focused on the challenges the characters endured while trying to track down Fain and recover the Horn. The problem is that Wheel of Time greatly complicated its season 2 setup by making some significant changes to The Eye of the World’s ending. Many of the characters previously thought to be heavily involved in their second adventure won’t be available.
The original group that set off after Fain in The Great Hunt consisted of Rand, Mat, Perrin, Loial, Verin Mathwin, Lord Ingtar, Uno Nomesta, and more. No matter how Wheel of Time season 2 approaches The Great Hunt, it will be unquestionably different from the books, considering that Uno (one of the casualties of Fain’s surprise attack) is now dead. Uno was important to the adventure and was one of the characters who pledged loyalty to Rand when he declared himself the Dragon Reborn. Now, this can't happen. According to Wheel of Time showrunner Rafe Judkins, Loial survived, but there doesn’t seem to be any doubts about Uno's early demise.
Uno's fate in the Wheel of Time season 1 finale is far from the biggest issue with the show’s season 2 setup. There’s also the matter of what the show is doing with Rand and Mat. Mat, who has been recast for season 2, is nowhere near the other characters. He’s back in Tar Valon, which is on a different side of the map. In the book version, Mat had to go with them because getting the ruby-hilted dagger back was vital to the Healing process. As for Rand, he’s off on his own, rather than staying in Tar Valon along with everyone else. Having decided to isolate himself from his friends, Rand isn’t currently a candidate to be in the group that looks for the Horn of Valere.
Since both characters’ stories in the second book are directly connected with their roles in the group, it’s unlikely that The Wheel of Time is removing them completely. Somehow, the series may have to find ways to get Mat through a Waygate and Rand back in the company of his friends. As a result, the search for Fain could be delayed but can still happen (albeit with an adjusted lineup of characters).