Prime Video’s unexpected cancellation of The Wheel of Time after its best season yet was a disappointment for fans, especially with so many storylines left incomplete. There are several stories that The Wheel of Time should get the chance to continue (please Netflix, Apple TV, or anyone else who may be listening), ranging from Perrin’s (Marcus Rutherford) arrest by the Whitecloaks to the chaos that the White Tower has descended into. One, in particular, stands out to me because what the series set up cannot be found in the books, meaning there is no way to predict how it would have played out. The Wheel of Time has ample source material, as it is adapted from Robert Jordan‘s lengthy book series, but the show didn’t shy away from making changes, and Season 3 set up a much different plotline for Elayne (Ceara Coveney).
The Daughter-Heir of Andor quickly became a main character after her debut in Season 2 and has already played an important role, but the Season 3 finale hinted that she may be headed home to deal with the threat of the Forsaken influencing her mother. While this is similar to Morgase’s (Olivia Williams) storyline in the books, Elayne never gets involved with that conflict, and I’ve always found that odd. Sending her back to Caemlyn to deal with the massive threat to her family and her future power makes sense, though it would have been a deviation from the book. Yet, if done right, this new Elayne story could have been an improvement on her established plot, and I wish we could see it play out.
‘The Wheel of Time’s Season 3 Finale Hints at a New Story for Elayne
Elayne spends most of Season 3 in Tanchico chasing the Black Ajah, but in the finale, she learns about a different threat. When she mentions Lord Gaebril (Nuno Lopes), who has supposedly been Morgase’s consort for most of Elayne’s life, Thom Merrilin (Alexandre Willaume) recognizes that something is off. Though The Wheel of Time has kept most of his past a mystery, Thom admits that he’s been keeping an eye on Morgase’s court since his departure years ago, and he has never heard of Gaebril, insisting that the years with him that Elayne remembers are a lie. Their conversation is interrupted when Jeaine Caide (Olivia Popica) attacks, but the confusion forces Elayne to realize that something isn’t quite right.
As they hide, Thom instructs Elayne to return home and figure out what is going on, telling her that the only person who could plant memories in her head is a Forsaken. Though the show didn’t commit to anything, I don’t feel like there’s much else Elayne can do after Thom told her with perfect clarity, “Your mother is in danger, and so is your throne.” Of course, when he explains all this to Elayne, Thom intends to sacrifice himself to Jeaine’s balefire weapon, but since Elayne saves him, they can return together to confront Gaebril if the show manages to return. The only glimpse of Elayne we get afterward shows her on a boat, leaving Tanchico, but her destination is unknown, and given what she’s just discovered, Caemlyn is a natural choice.
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Elayne Going Back to Caemlyn in ‘The Wheel of Time’ Would Be a Major Change From the Books
I realize that many fans are already angry at the show’s deviations from the book plot, and this would be a huge one. However, some changes are justifiable and can even be for the better. That’s not to say Elayne’s story in the books is terrible. In fact, the show was already moving into an eventful plot for her as she and Nynaeve (Zoë Robins). Had The Wheel of Time been renewed, or if it manages to return, Season 4 would be partially adapted from The Fires of Heaven, which puts Elayne and Nynaeve against Moghedien (Laia Costa). As they search for the Aes Sedai that did not support the coup, this pair makes an ally of the Hero of the Horn, Birgitte Silverbow, whom Elayne saves by bonding as a Warder after Moghedien casts her out of Tel’aran’rhiod. In truth, the most important part of Elayne’s plot in The Fires of Heaven — bonding Birgitte — can happen from anywhere as long as she has access to Tel’aran’rhiod.
While Elayne and Nynaeve go on their journey, Caemlyn has separate problems to deal with. Rather than Elayne, who grew up in the city and is the heir to the Lion Throne, Caemlyn’s story centers on Rand (Josha Stradowski), which I think is an odd choice. After Morgase flees to escape Rahvin, who disguises himself as Gaebril, Rand hears the rumor that she is dead and goes to face Rahvin to avenge her. In this version of events, Rand kills Rahvin with Nynaeve’s help, who is there when he ventures into Tel’aran’rhiod, but Elayne is far away. It’s strange to me that Rand is the one who wants to avenge Elayne’s mother, whom he barely knows, rather than Elayne herself, but The Wheel of Time was positioned to change that.
If It Continues, ‘The Wheel of Time’ Could Create a Compelling Plot for Elayne
By having Elayne discover that Gaebril was not who she thought, The Wheel of Time sets up her greater involvement in this mystery, which I still desperately want to see. Especially with Rand still needing to accomplish important plot points (like claiming Callandor), the series could have given this story to Elayne, allowing her to be the one to reclaim her home and avenge her mother, as it always should have been. The Wheel of Time even gives her a friendly relationship with Gaebril, which could have grown into an emotional arc to complement her ascent to power.
It’s also worth noting that when Elayne does return to Caemlyn in the books, Rand’s conquest of the city causes conflict for her, as Elayne must prove to her many political rivals that she deserves to be there before they accept her rule. The Wheel of Time never had hopes of adapting all 14 books, and this change could prevent Elayne’s later power struggle, leaving more time for other stories. Even if she weren’t the one to kill Rahvin, I feel that involving her in the mission of saving her kingdom from the man who wronged her mother would be the rise to power that Elayne deserves, and The Wheel of Time almost gave that to us. Though The Wheel of Time has been canceled on Prime Video, many fans still hope to see it return somewhere else, and if it does, I need the show to make this change to Elayne’s story.
The Wheel of Time is streaming on Prime Video in the U.S.
