Dhruv Trivedi
‘The Wheel of Time’ follows Moiraine, a member of the magical Aes Sedai, as she embarks on an epic journey in search of the Dragon Reborn. The group of five youngsters with her, one of whom is destined to be the Dragon Reborn, is now fragmented, and Moiraine is grievously wounded. Episode 3, titled ‘A Place of Safety,’ essentially divides the story into multiple narratives as we begin to follow each of the central characters of their epic journeys.
The climax presents a surprise that threatens to bring Moiraine’s search to a premature close. Is the Dragon Reborn already captured? Let’s dive into ‘The Wheel of Time’ episode 3 and figure out exactly what’s going on. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Wheel of Time Episode 3 Recap
The episode opens with a flashback, showing us how Nynaeve escaped by outsmarting and killing the Trolloc that abducted her. Back in the present, Lan is shocked that the young girl is able to track his movements and requests her to heal Moiraine, who is in critical condition. Nynaeve obliges but remains cold and suspicious towards Lan as she repeatedly asks him where her friends (Egwene, Rand, Perrin, and Mat) are.
Meanwhile, Egwene and Perrin find themselves in the open wilderness after escaping the dead city. They take shelter and struggle to light a fire until Egwene summons her powers and sparks a flame. Eventually, they fall asleep, and Perrin has a nightmare about his dead wife, only to then be woken up by Egwene, who says they are being chased by wolves. Eventually, they are rescued by a nomadic tribe called the Tinkers.
Rand and Mat, unable to find the others, decide to continue east in the hopes of being reunited with Egwene at the White Tower. They come across a town where a friendly tavern worker gives them shelter. However, she is then revealed to be a sympathizer of the Dark One who hopes to deliver the valuable Dragon Reborn to the malicious overlord. She confirms seeing the five youths in her dreams but is then murdered by a traveling bard named Thom, who warns Rand and Mat to escape quickly before the dark forces arrive.
The Wheel of Time Episode 3 Ending: Has Liandrin Captured the Dragon Reborn?
By now, Nynaeve’s medicine begins to heal Moiraine, but the latter still remains exceedingly weak and unable to ride on her own. Lan carries the magician on his horse, and the three of them continue their journey to the White Tower. However, they are soon intercepted by a group of Aes Sedai members in red, led by Liandrin, who claims to have captured a man who calls himself the Dragon Reborn. The episode then closes with Moiraine staring at the ominous and scruffy man held prisoner in a cage behind Liandrin.
Hence, it looks like the vicious Liandrin has captured the Dragon Reborn. Or at least a man who claims to be the reincarnation of the ancient warrior. Knowing Liandrin’s disdain for males that channel magical powers, and seeing as how she has the man imprisoned in a cage, it is likely she plans to either kill or use him.
Seeing the ominous appearance of the man, we can also tell that he is no ordinary human being, which is something that Moiraine also senses. Hence, the man likely has some dark powers, which could prove to be dangerous for his captors in the times ahead. However, it is worth noting that he looks a lot older than twenty years. According to lore, the Dragon Reborn was born twenty years ago and is therefore supposed to be twenty years of age. Hence, the man captured by Liandrin is most likely not the Dragon Reborn.
What Magical Powers Does Nynaeve Have?
Nynaeve refers to herself as a “Wisdom” and is a magical practitioner of a different caliber than Moiraine. The latter visibly channels energy with explosive effects, and we have seen her take down hordes of Trollocs and buildings using fire, lightning, and flying rocks. Nynaeve, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to have such powers, which becomes evident when we see her .fend off a Trolloc using a small sword.
However, Nynaeve does have the power to “listen to the wind,” which allows her to detect approaching omens and also track Lan over vast distances. She also has the skills to heal, which she uses to save Moiraine. It is mentioned earlier that magical practitioners cannot heal themselves, but only each other, which is why they always travel in pairs or groups. Thus, it seems like Nynaeve practices a more subtle form of magic.
This could also be because she is much younger than Moiraine and has only practiced magic for about five years. Hence, there is also a possibility that Nynaeve will eventually have magical abilities that are as explosive as the Aes Sedai. However, it is equally likely that Nynaeve (who is scornful of the Aes Sedai) will become proficient in her own brand of magic which will be equally powerful but different from that of Moiraine’s
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