Dhruv Trivedi
‘The Wheel of Time’ on Amazon Prime follows a complex story that spans millennia and is set in a vast and magical world. As seen on the high fantasy television series, the narrative picks up from Moiraine, a member of the magical Aes Sedai, embarking on a journey to discover the legendary Dragon Reborn, who holds the fate of the world in their hands. We are dropped into the middle of a long series of events and given a few hints about how we got here. If you’re looking for some clarity and wondering what exactly went down, we’ve got your back! Here’s the ‘Wheel of Time’ timeline to get you all caught up.
What Year Do the Events of The Wheel of Time Take Place?
According to Robert Jordan’s book series of the same name on which the show is based, the world of ‘The Wheel of Time’ extends back many millennia and has gone through tumultuous changes categorized by “ages.” The first era recorded in the timeline is the Age of Legends (AL), which is a time when both men and women could manipulate magic by channeling the One Power under the guidance of the Aes Sedai. This is a period of prosperity and technology, which eventually ends with the accidental release of the Dark One and the “Breaking of the World.”
During The Breaking, as is briefly explained at the beginning of episode 1, a female Aes Sedai member prophecies that the Dragon will be reborn to fight the Dark One in the future. The cataclysmic event, which almost wipes out humanity and lasts (according to the books) for about 300 years, finally ends when the last male channeller of magic is killed by a female.
Following The Breaking, the era that dawns is referred to as After Breaking (AB). In 98 AB, the White Tower — stronghold of the female Aes Sedai — is constructed. A great many intricate events take place in the books during this era as well, but for the purposes of the show, we can jump to 1000 AB, when the Trolloc Wars begin. The wars end sometime around 1300 AB, giving way to the Free Years (FY). Once again, a tumultuous but relatively peaceful time emerges, which ends with the climax of the War of the Hundred Years in 1117 FY.
With the end of the war, the New Era (NE) begins, which is the age in which the show’s narrative begins. In 956 NE, Moiraine Damodred, the show’s central character, is born. Following that, in 973 NE, Nynaeve is born, and soon after, in 978 NE, Perrin, Rand, and Mat are born. This is also confirmed on the show since the three men are 20 years old (which is the age at which the Dragon Reborn is prophesied to reveal themself), while Nynaeve informs Moiraine that she is 25 years old. In 981 NE, Egwene is born.
Thus, we can conclude that the events depicted at the start of the show, when Moiraine sets off in search of the 20-year-old Dragon Reborn, take place in the year 998 of the New Era (NE). Considering how much has already occurred so far, we can expect to keep getting details of the past as well as moving forward in the timeline to follow the journey of the central characters and the Dragon Reborn.
Read More: Where is The Wheel of Time Filmed?
