A heron-mark sword is a weapon in the Prime Video series The Wheel of Time. The sword is initially owned by Tam al'Thor, and Rand al'Thor takes it with him when he leaves the Two Rivers. The blade is notably marked with a heron.
Overview[]
The blade is slightly curved and sharp on only one edge. It has a bronze heron etched on the steel near the hilt.
History[]
Tam's history[]
Tam earned the rank of blademaster when he traveled away from the Two Rivers during his youth, joining the Illianer Companions as a Second Captain. This gave him the honor and distinction of being allowed to use a heron-mark sword. During the Aiel War, Tam wielded the blade and brought it to the throat of a Maiden of the Spear, Tigraine Mantear, during the Battle of the Shining Walls. However, realizing that she was in labor, he spared her life and set the blade to one side as he helped her deliver the baby, who he raised as his own son, Rand.[1]
Season 1[]
Tam kept the sword in a case beneath his bed. When a Trolloc attacks Tam and Rand at their farm, Tam pulls out the sword out from under the bed and holds off the trolloc's attack. After he and Rand kill the trolloc, Rand takes Tam back to the Two Rivers because Tam has been injured, and Rand wears the sword on his hip when he returns. Moiraine convinces Rand that he needs to leave with her, and when he does so, he takes the sword with him.[2]
When the group enters Shadar Logoth and run from the darkness there, Rand uses the sword to break open a gate for him and Mat to escape.[3]
When Dana confronts Rand, she draws his sword and uses it to hold him off. He breaks down the door of the room and runs, and she chases after him with the sword through Breen's Spring, eventually cutting them off. After Thom Merrilin stops Dana, Rand retrievs his sword before they leave.[4]
Season 2[]
Rand has nightmares that he's killed his friends. His hands are covered in blood, and the sword is on the ground also covered in blood.[5]
Rand mentions his sword to Errol, who is a blademaster and a patient at the Cairhien sanitarium where Rand works. Rand says he might sneak his sword in again so Errol can show him some more sword forms, and Errol agrees.[5]
When Rand accidentally sets fire to The Crescent Inn, he grabs his sword as he evacuates.[6]
Rand takes the sword with him when he visits a cabin on Kinslayer's Dagger with Selene. He tries to use it against a Fade, but the Fade quickly disarms him. Moiraine later uses the sword to stab Selene through the chest, since Selene is actually the forsaken Lanfear, temporarily killing her to get Rand away from her.[7] Moiraine later uses the sword again to kill a horse, so as to not leave a way for Lanfear to follow them.[8]
Rand again has a dream where he's killed his friends and his sword is bloodied beside him.[9]
Rand is wearing his sword as he waits to see the Amyrlin. While preparing him, Lan tries to take the sword, but Rand moves to keep it. Lan says he can keep the sword since "if the Amyrlin's afraid of [him], it won't be for a sword," and Rand wears it to greet her. He later takes it with him as he escapes Cairhien.[10]
Rand wears the sword into Falme. He confronts High Lord Turak, who recognizes the heron mark on it as the mark of a blademaster. Turak unsheathes his own sword and challenges Rand, but Rand channels and instantaneously kills Turak and his guards without a sword fight. Rand gets up to the top of the tower to help Egwene when Ishamael confronts him. Rand channels into his sword and stabs Ishamael through the heart. This kills Ishamael, destroys the blade, and leaves a heron-brand on Rand's hand from where Rand held the blade.[11]
Appearances[]
The heron-mark sword appears in the following episodes:
| The Wheel of Time appearances | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 episodes | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Season 2 episodes | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Gallery[]
Behind the scenes[]
On December 2, 2020, the official social media accounts for the series released a first look video of the sword.[12]
Merchandise[]
Jalic Blades sells an officially licensed replica of the sword. The item is listed as "Heron Mark Sword of Rand al'Thor" and was made available for preorder in November 2022 for USD $360.[13][14]
Changes from the book series[]
Rand's heron-mark sword is an adaptation of the same sword 
(book spoilers!) from the book series.
- Heron location - In the book series, the heron is on the sword hilt. In the TV series, the heron is on the blade and the sheath. Note that in episode 208, a heron is briefly added to the hilt, which Turak sees, but this is inconsistent with how the sword otherwise appears in the TV series.
References[]
- ↑ The Wheel of Time, season 1 episode 7: The Dark Along the Ways.
- ↑ The Wheel of Time, season 1 episode 1: Leavetaking.
- ↑ The Wheel of Time, season 1 episode 2: Shadow's Waiting.
- ↑ The Wheel of Time, season 1 episode 3: A Place of Safety.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Wheel of Time, season 2 episode 2: Strangers and Friends.
- ↑ The Wheel of Time, season 2 episode 3: What Might Be.
- ↑ The Wheel of Time, season 2 episode 4: Daughter of the Night.
- ↑ The Wheel of Time, season 2 episode 5: Damane.
- ↑ The Wheel of Time, season 2 episode 6: Eyes Without Pity.
- ↑ The Wheel of Time, season 2 episode 7: Daes Dae'mar.
- ↑ The Wheel of Time, season 2 episode 8: What Was Meant to Be.
- ↑ Official Twitter account for The Wheel of Time: December 2, 2020, featuring a first-look video of the sword.
- ↑ Jalic Blades posted on Instagram on November 14, 2022.
- ↑ Jalic Blades: Heron Mark Sword of Rand al'Thor. Retrieved November 17, 2022. (archived)