The Great Serpent ring is an item of organizational regalia worn by the Aes Sedai, as well as their upper initiates, the Accepted. It is a golden ring fashioned into the shape of a serpent biting its own tail, a symbol of the Wheel of Time itself.
Overview[]
The Great Serpent ring is given to women training at the White Tower after she is raised from novice to Accepted.[1]
When a woman is raised from Accepted to Aes Sedai, the ring is set with a gemstone matching the color of an Aes Sedai's Ajah. Some rings will have no stones, meaning that a woman is either still an Accepted, or was put out of the Tower before she could reach the rank of Aes Sedai.[2]
After an Aes Sedai dies, her ring may be melted back down into gold, joining the gold of other melted rings, and from which new rings are forged.[3] If the Aes Sedai has a surviving Warder, it is considered a responsibility for him to bring her ring back to the White Tower for this purpose.[4]
History[]
Appearances[]
Great Serpent rings appear often, in nearly every episode that features an Aes Sedai. Some notable appearances:
- 101 Leavetaking - Upon first arriving to the Winespring Inn, Moiraine Damodred presents her ring to Marin al'Vere, who recognizes it instantly and greets her as "Moiraine Sedai".
- 102 Shadow's Waiting - Eamon Valda has a collection of rings, and removes another one from an Aes Sedai's severed hand.
- 105 Blood Calls Blood - Stepin brings Kerene's ring back to the White Tower, and there is a ceremony for him to return it to the melted gold of other Aes Sedai rings.[3] Egwene takes Valda's collection of rings.
- 106 The Flame of Tar Valon - Egwene gives Valda's collection of rings to Moiraine.
- 107 The Dark Along the Ways - Lady Amalisa has a ring without a stone, showing she trained in the Tower but did not become Aes Sedai.
Gallery[]
Video[]
Behind the scenes[]
Merchandise[]
Jalic Blades sells officially licensed Aes Sedai rings, available in all seven of the Ajah colors. They were made available for preorder in August 2022 for USD $60.[5][6]
Changes from the book series[]
The Great Serpent ring is an adaptation of the item of the same name 
(book spoilers!) from the book series.
References[]
- ↑ The Wheel of Time Origins, episode 5: The White Tower.
- ↑ Rosamund Pike. Live Q&A with Rosamund Pike. November 19, 2021.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Research consultant Sarah Nakamura confirmed on Twitter that a ring is brought "back to the Tower, so that it could be melted in the Flame and reunited with the gold of the rings of all Aes Sedai from the past." When asked if "new [rings are] made from it", Nakamura responded: "That's the idea!"(Screenshots.
- ↑ As indicated by Moiraine, and later shown in ritual, in: The Wheel of Time, season 1 episode 5: Blood Calls Blood.
- ↑ Jalic Blades: Aes Sedai Ring. Retrieved November 17, 2022. (archived)
- ↑ Jalic Blades posted on Instagram on August 30, 2022.