*This article may contain some spoilers for the Wheel of Time books and TV series
For all those high-fantasy show fans who have been waiting for the next big saga since Game of Thrones, the upcoming Amazon Prime Video show, Wheel of Time, promises a lot. To be released globally on November 19, the show is based on the 14 books and one prequel created by Robert Jordan. Jordan’s books were published beginning in 1990, and though he passed away before the last instalment was published in 2013, his widow Harriet McDougal and Brandon Sanderson finished the series based on his copious notes.
And right there is the biggest benefit Wheel of Time has over Game of Thrones: The ending is written already and therefore cannot be messed up by things like shortage of time, characters and storylines which have been cut completely, or overenthusiastic producers whose final product has to be petitioned to be remade. For those who want to engage with the world created by Jordan, with or without the show, all the information is out there. But if you want to get into watching this series without the whole tapestry unravelled, here is what you should know (with as few spoilers as possible).
What is Wheel of Time about?
“The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again.”
As the name, Wheel of Time, suggests, the story of the books is a cyclical one. The source of all magic in this world, called the True Source, generates the One Power. The One Power—quite like Hindu mythological stories about Shiv-Shakti and Chinese mythological stories about Yin and Yang—has two halves: the male (saidin) and the female (saidar). Because of something the Dark One (the story’s main antagonist) did, the saidin half became corrupted, and so, men who can channel the One Power inevitably go mad.
And this leaves the women of this world, the saidar, as the only ones capable of wielding the power of magic. Most of these women channelers of the One Power are part of an organisation called the Aes Sedai, where women from around the world who can control various aspects of magic come together to serve the world and keep the Dark One’s forces away. More power to women characters is a great thing and will make for a great watch, right? That would certainly appear to be the case, as confirmed by the Wheel of Time trailer which heavily features Rosamund Pike, who plays Moiraine Damodred of the Aes Sedai.
Another Chosen One story?
It would appear that most fantasy fiction stories are about prophecies about a Chosen One, whether it’s Harry Potter, Daenerys Targaryen or Jon Snow. The Wheel of Time is no different, at least on the surface. In the mythology of this book series, a prophecy says that the reincarnation of a single soul, the Dragon Reborn, battles the Dark One again and again—sort of like Lord Vishnu from Hindu mythology taking multiple avatars through the ages to defeat evil in every form. The Dragon Reborn plays a central role in this story because it is believed that he or she can defeat the Dark One.
Women in the Wheel of Time
Since women, especially the Aes Sedai, play a huge role in these books, their presence and power are undeniable. All the Aes Sedai are trained at the White Tower of Tar Valon, and once their training is completed and all tests passed, they are bound by the Three Oaths to the Aes Sedai cause. The women are then assigned one of seven colour-demarcated Ajahs or groups within the Aes Sedai, each of which has certain powers. The leader of the Aes Sedai, the Amyrlin Seat, is the one woman who belongs to “all Ajahs and none”.
Some of the Ajahs most prominently featured in the Wheel of Time trailer are the Blue one, to which Moiraine belongs, and the Red one. The Blue Ajahs engage in activities to do with justice and righteousness, making Moiraine the perfect person to seek out the Dragon Reborn. But, you should also know about the Red Ajah, which focuses on eliminating those who use the One Power wrongfully. Their main work is to capture male channelers and remove their abilities before they turn mad or go corrupt. The books present the Red Ajah in almost a vicious and ruthless cast, which is why they often appear to be as dangerous as the Dark One himself.
Undoubtedly, this is a world that deserves to be brought to life on screen, and this makes the new show worth the watch and much-awaited even before its release. However, some critics point out that Jordan’s work is a little sexist (to say the least) because of the way it portrays the nature of women. For example, the books say that the male channelers must control the powers of Fire and Earth, while the women channelers must submit to the powers of Air and Water. It’s a subtle difference, but giving force to men and compliance to women is so reminiscent of the stereotypes we know so well in the real well that it does sound a little sexist.
And yet, women like Moiraine wield the power of Earth and Fire with aplomb, indicating that the urge to overcome stereotypes is as vigorous in the minds of power-wielding women in the Wheel of Time as it is in real-life women. This, and the obviously rich weave and grand scale of the story makes the Wheel of Time a book series you must read, and the now show one that you must watch.