Summary
This season ofThe Wheel of Timemight have taken creative liberties to steer away from the books, but has managed to keep viewers glued to their screens. The stunning visuals, epic storytelling, and intriguing narratives are more than enough for viewers to be interested in the show. The first three episodes of Season 3 showed the internal conflict between the Aes Sedai and how the Black Ajahs exited the White Tower to accomplish their sinister mission. Meanwhile, Perrin and the group have returned to the Two Rivers to put up a fight against the White Cloaks. But the most interesting narrative is happening in the Aiel Waste where Rand’al, Moiraine, and the group are getting for the trial in Rhuidean.
Rand has to undergo this trial to make everyone realize his power and the prophecy. By the end of episode three, viewers see that the group has to go to Rhuidean for the trial. Of course, it won’t be easy for him to pass the trial because many have come and perished. In Episode 4 of thePrime Videoseries, titledThe Road to the Spear, Rand is ready to prove his worth and pass the trial. In the process, he would have to confront certain realities about himself. Will he be able to overcome everything to prove his worth? Or do things not go as planned? Let’s see what happened in Episode 4 ofThe Wheel of TimeSeason 3.
Rand’al and the group reach Rhuidean, and Aviendha forced to give up weapons
Under the harsh Aiel sun, Rand al’Thor trained with Lan Mandragoran, his sword slicing through the air with precision. Sweat dripped down his face, but his mind was elsewhere. He spoke of the man who raised him, and of his longing for a true family—somewhere he could belong, not as the Dragon Reborn, but as a person. Meanwhile, in a dimly lit tent, Moiraine and Egwene sat before the Wise Ones, seeking answers. Moiraine asked how they had foreseen their arrival in the Aiel Waste. One of the Wise Ones responded, revealing something unexpected—they had never seen Egwene coming. They hadn’t believed Rand would come either, but here he was. If he survived Rhuidean, some of the Aiel would survive as well. Without this journey, they would all have perished. The path ahead was clear—without Rhuidean, death awaited them all. While they were talking, Rand and Lan were walking toward their tents when Aviendha told Rand to not use any swords when he was around the clan. Moreover, she told Lan the same, but Lan just smiled and took his sword out of its disguise to call her for a fight. During the fight, Aviendha realized that she might not be the most skilled fighter in the world as Lan outclasses her on multiple occasions. However, the fight is stopped when the wise ones arrive. But it seems Aviendha doesn’t want to be a wise one. Instead, she wants to be a fighter for the clan. However, she is forced to give away the spears and do what she is asked to do.
As Rand al’Thor, Moiraine, and their companions made their way toward Rhuidean, the weight of what lay ahead pressed on them. Rand had learned that all clan chiefs must enter Rhuidean to face their trial, but only a few ever returned. Those who survived bore a dragon tattoo on their arms, marking them forever. The desert air was thick with tension as they neared the hidden city, and soon, they encountered the Shaido Clan. A tense conversation unfolded between the two Aiel factions. Savannah, a Shaido leader, mentioned that her son was inside Rhuidean, undergoing his trial. As the discussion continued, Rand abruptly requested permission to enter the city. The Wise Ones granted his request but insisted that only he could go inside. However, when Moiraine asked to enter as well, they surprisingly allowed it. One of the Wise Ones told her that she would find three rings inside the city. If she stepped through any of them, she would witness glimpses of her future—different variations, some truths she needed to know, and others she might regret learning. For Rand, his trial would be even more daunting. He would walk through the glass columns, reliving the past through the eyes of his ancestors, uncovering secrets buried deep in his bloodline. Every step forward would take him further into the past, revealing the truths that shaped his destiny. With Rhuidean before them, there was no turning back. The path to their fates had already begun.
Rand’al, Moiraine confront their past and future in the misty city of Rhuidean
AsRand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski) and Moiraine (Rosamund Pike)stepped into the misty city of Rhuidean, an eerie silence surrounded them. The ruins of a forgotten past loomed in every direction, shrouded in mystery. As they explored deeper, they stumbled upon a towering tree—The Tree of Life, said to be over 3,000 years old. Moiraine gazed at it with a rare look of nostalgia, telling Rand that she had seen a tree just like this where she grew up, centuries ago. Rand frowned, confused. He had never seen such a tree in Cairhien. Moiraine then revealed a bitter truth—one of her uncles had cut the sacred tree down to craft a throne that no one could ever replicate. That single act of arrogance led to war. The Aiel, furious at his betrayal, burned cities in their pursuit of justice. They finally caught and executed him on the slopes of Dragonmount. As Rand listened, a strange realization settled over him. This story was not just history—it was personal. It tied him to Moiraine and the Aiel in ways he had never understood before. His past, his destiny, and his connection to the people of the Waste were clearer than ever.
As Rand al’Thor pressed forward on his journey, a sudden, powerful wind howled through the barren land, pushing against him with relentless force. The gusts were so strong that he struggled to take another step. Weighed down, he dropped to one knee, his hand pressing against the cold ground for support. The moment his fingers touched the earth, everything around him shifted. In an instant, he was no longer in Rhuidean. Instead, he found himself in the middle of a battlefield, surrounded by chaos. His appearance had changed—his face was lined with experience, a beard covering his jaw, and he carried spears in both hands. Without hesitation, he fought his enemies, his movements swift and deadly. Blood stained the dry land as he cut down his foes. Then, a familiar voice called out. One of his fellow warriors approached, breathless, and told him they had found “her.” Rushing to her side, he knelt and whispered to her, calling her “love.” But she was already gone, her lifeless body lying on the blood-soaked ground. Worse still, she had been pregnant. Another warrior confirmed that there was no sign of the child. Overcome with grief, Rand let out a scream that echoed through the mountains. Just as suddenly as it had begun, the vision shattered, and he was back in the present, gasping for air. The experience left him shaken, the weight of the past pressing down on him like never before and his hands were covered in blood.
As he continues to overpower the strong winds, he sees another vision, and this time Rand is seen as one of the clan chiefs who have been called to Rhuidean by one of the Aes Sedai. The Aes Sedai had called several clan chiefs, telling them to go through the glass columns to know who they were. Moreover, know why Aes Sedai calls them “the oath breakers.” The reason why he was called an oath-breaker is explained in the upcoming visions in which he killed some bandits to save his sister, and because he killed someone, he was no longer an Aiel. Also, he was labeled as an oath-breaker.
Moiraine sees her future, and it’s filled with blood
On the other hand, Moiraine uses her magical powers to take out a glowing white ball from the Tree of Life before moving ahead. She comes across the three rings she was told about. Surprisingly, Aviendha was present there too, and walked through the ring to have the same fate as Moiraine. Nevertheless, as soon as Moiraine crosses the ring, she starts flying in midair and sees different variations of her future. In the future, Moiraine becomes the Mother of the Aes Sedai and kills Rand in the middle of the great hall. In the other version, she releases Lan from his duties and makes Rand her Malkieri Warder. Meanwhile, one of the visions shows her that she is now devoting her life to the Dragon Reborn. As a whole, Moiraine sees different variations of her future.
The episode ends withRand surviving the trial and meeting Mierin, aka Lanfear, in one of his visions. The vision saw him talking to Mierin and discussing something so powerful that they could see what was happening on the other side. However, as soon as he left the sphere, the sphere came crashing down and cracks began to appear in the sky. That vision brought him back to the present and that Dragon tattoo appeared on both his arms. He meets Aviendha and tells her that now he understands why she didn’t want him to use a sword. Aviendha tells him to leave, but Rand says that she won’t leave without Moiraine, who is still seeing different versions of her future. However, one of them was dark and saw her being surrounded by everyone she knew, including Egwene, Elayne, Perrin, Nynaeve, and Lanfear. They were all wearing black and with one swift move, Lanfear slit her throat. The next set of visions seen by her were all about Lanfear killing Moiraine in different ways. The visions disappear and they both finally come out of the city of Rhuidean.
The Road to the Spearis undoubtedly one of the finest episodes in fantasy television. Everything is top-notch. From the visuals and direction to acting performances and storytelling, there’s not a single thing that was flawed. Also, this episode belongs to Rosamund Pike and the way she conveys her emotions. The scenes of Rand and Moiraine seeing different versions of their lives have been shot exceptionally well. Moreover, the cinematography and background score make the viewing experience even better.
The fourth episode ofThe Wheel of TimeSeason 3 is available for streaming now on Prime Video.
