The Road to the Spear is the fourth episode of season 3 of The Wheel of Time television series, and the twentieth episode of the series overall. It was written by Rafe Judkins and directed by Thomas Napper. It premiered on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
Synopsis[]
Official episode synopsis for The Road to the Spear from Prime Video:
Rand faces the forgotten history of his family as Moiraine learns the devastating truth of her future.
Plot summary[]
Lan and Rand continue their training, as Moiraine watches them from afar, and when the two take a break, they talk about how Tam taught him how to fight.
That night, Moiraine and Egwene sit in a tent with Bair and Melaine, where Moiraine asks them about how they knew they were coming. Bair and Melaine claim they knew Rand would come; however, it was unforeseen that Egwene would. It's also said that if Rand survives Rhuidean, then some of the Aiel will die.
Outside, Aviendha accosts Rand for using a sword and then directs her attention to Lan for doing the same. The two then fight as some Aiel warriors watch until Bair and Melaine stop. Aviendha then reveals that she's been chosen to become a Wise One but rejects wanting to become one; however, Bair enforces it, stating that she cannot outrun her destiny. Bair levels with Aviendha, stating she once rejected becoming a Wise One too, but had to give in to her destiny. After handing over her weapons and some of her clothing, Aviendha asks for permission to enter Rhuidean, and when given permission, she leaves to take the trial.
The next day, the group continues forth, and Rand briefly talks to Rhuarc until they see Rhuidean on the horizon. Shaido warriors then confront them, but their leader Sevanna calls for no bloodshed. Speaking in the Shaido tent, the group learns that Sevanna's new husband has taken the Chieftain trial in Rhuidean, and if he fails, his brother Couladin will take it. Rand then requests that he take the Rhuidean trial, which Bair and Melaine answer yes, despite Couldain voicing his disdain against it. After everyone in the tent leaves, only Rand and Moiraine are left, both of whom are granted passage into Rhuidean to take the trial.
Inside Rhuidean, Rand and Moiraine take note of the dense foggy area and the statue that doesn't appear to be Aiel-made. Soon they reach Avendesora, the Tree of Life. Moiraine claims that Cairhien once had their own, until her uncle Laman Damodred cut it down to create a custom throne, which triggered the Aiel War. The revelation makes Rand realize that he was born on Dragonmount, all because her uncle cut down the tree, and they have an uncanny connection with each other.
Rand continues alone, and as he does, he is taken to the past, where he relives the life of an Aiel warrior known as Janduin, who is fighting in the Aiel War on Dragon Mount. There, he learns that his lover was dead. Snapping out of the vision, Rand realizes that he has blood on his hands and that he experienced the final moment of his mother and father with each other.
The next one, Rand, is the first known Aiel Chieftain, Mandein, to take the trial of Rhuidean. His final one was as Lewin, the first person of the Aiel to break Way of the Leaf. This is because bandits stole his sister, Maigran, and in an attempt to rescue her, Lewin infiltrated their camp and killed some of the bandits there. The event triggered the modern-day way of the Aiel.
Continuing onward, Rand encounters Muradin, who cannot continue as he screams in agony.
Before continuing forward, Moiraine, still at the Avendesora, takes the white orb side of it and puts it in her pocket. She then encounters Aviendha inside one of the three rings. From it, she witnesses multiple possible futures.
Back at Rand, he abandons Muradin and continues onward, heading into another memory where he relives the life of Jonai, whose caravan was attacked by male Aes Sedai. This causes many of the surviving Aiel members to part ways with Jonai and his grandson Adan.
Rand's next memory he relives is as Rhodric, during the Breaking of the World, where he's entrusted by Latra Posae Decume with the Sakarnen. The final memory, Rand relives the life of Charn, who first encounters the Dark One.
Collapsing onto the ground, a pair of dragons forms on both of his arms. Once he awakens, he finds Aviendha unconscious on the ground, and after speaking with her, decides to stay until Moiraine returns. Moiraine continued to experience various possible futures.
At the camp, Egwene speaks to Lan about her concerns that it's been seven days since Rand and Moiraine had entered Rhuidean and have yet to return, but by morning, Rand exits Rhuidean carrying Moiraine.
Appearances[]
Cast and characters[]
Starring:
- Rosamund Pike as Moiraine Damodred
- Daniel Henney as Lan Mandragoran
- Zoë Robins as Nynaeve al'Meara
- Madeleine Madden as Egwene al'Vere
- Josha Stradowski as Rand al'Thor / various
- Marcus Rutherford as Perrin Aybara
- Dónal Finn as Mat Cauthon
- Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand
- Ayoola Smart as Aviendha
- Natasha O'Keeffe as Lanfear / Mierin
- Laia Costa as Moghedien
Co-starring:
- Katie Brayben as Latra Posae Decume
- Nukâka Coster-Waldau as Bair
- Björn Landberg as Rhuarc
- Salóme Gunnarsdóttir as Melaine
- Synnøve Macody Lund as Melindhra
- Natasha Culzac as Sevanna
- Set Sjöstrand as Couladin
- Judith Georgi as Sealdre
- Amrain Ismail-Essop as Sulwin
- Ferdinand McKay as Alijha
- Kiren Kebaili-Dwyer as Charlin
- Jennifer Steyn as Lewin's mother
- Thandi Sebe as Solinda
- Randy Yav as Comran
- Kolbeinn Arnbjornsson as Charendin
- Tereza Dušková as Maigran
- Peter Gilchrist as Older Adan
- Atom Uniacke as Young Adan
- Ania Marson as Older Latra Posae Decume
- Jean Thierry d'Almeida as Bruan
- Adam Vacula as Bael
- Christian Dunkley Clark as Bandit
- Fredrik Wagner as Muradin
- Diana Dulinkova as Colline
- Magdalena Sittova as Tigraine Mantear (uncredited)
Rand's paternal ancestors, portrayed by Josha Stradowski:
- Janduin, Rand's father
- Mandein, the first to go to Rhuidean
- Lewin, his sister Maigran was kidnapped
- Jonai, Adan's grandfather, he keeps his oaths
- unnamed (Rhodric), presumably Jonai's grandfather, he accepts the Sakarnen from Latra
- unnamed (Charn), he works the fields under Mierin
Mentioned or referenced characters:
- Tam al'Thor, who taught Rand how to picture a flame and void in his mind
- Lews Therin Telamon
- Laman Damodred, Moiraine's uncle and former king of Cairhien
For all characters appearing in season 3, see Season 3/Characters.
Groups[]
Locations[]
- Aiel Waste
- Moiraine's visions:
Objects[]
- Sakarnen
- Glass columns ter'angreal
- Three rings ter'angreal
Events[]
Concepts and powers[]
- Channeling
- The Way of the Leaf
- The Dark One
Quotes[]
Trivia[]
- The episode title The Road to the Spear was revealed alongside three other titles for episode 3-6, and the order of the four episodes was initially unknown. The titles revealed alongside it were Seeds of Shadow, Tel'aran'rhiod, and The Shadow in the Night. [1]
- The title card sequence music is played backwards this episode. The title card serpent also spins counter-clockwise this episode, rather than its usual clockwise spin.
Gallery[]
Promotional stills[]
Videos[]
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| Season 1 |
External links[]
The Road to the Spear at the Internet Movie Database
References[]
- ↑ WGA West Directory: The Wheel of Time. Writers for episodes 3-6 retrieved on April 4, 2024.