‘The Wheel of Time’ Season 3 Finale Proves Rand and Moiraine Are Stronger Together
Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for The Wheel of Time Season 3 finale.
Throughout The Wheel of Time, many characters have joined forces. The Forsaken have long made alliances and betrayed each other, and even Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) and Lanfear have an understanding at the beginning of Season 3. Among the heroes, Moiraine and Siuan (Sophie Okonedo) have been working together for years, Nynaeve (Zoë Robins) and Elayne (Ceara Coveney) have become quite the duo, Mat (Dónal Finn) and Min (Kae Alexander) have worked together on several occasions — and that’s not even getting into the general unity of the five friends who left home together when this whole adventure began. Yet one partnership has proven stronger than the rest despite near-constant arguments. Rand (Josha Stradowski) and Moiraine have a common goal, though they are often at odds with each other, and despite everything, they have a solid partnership.
Rand and Moiraine have been working together since Season 1, though there have been considerable ups and downs. Rand has removed himself from Moiraine, accused her of manipulating him, and resisted following her suggestions, but they ultimately don’t let their complicated history get in the way. The Season 3 finale, “He Who Comes With The Dawn,” allows the best part of their relationship to shine through, as Moiraine compliments Rand’s choices and Rand acknowledges everything Moiraine has done for him. Rand and Moiraine may not always see eye to eye, but their conversation in the Season 3 finale shows the mutual respect and cohesive goals that make their alliance so strong.
Rand Has Needed Moiraine Since the Beginning of ‘The Wheel of Time’
When they first met in the Two Rivers, Moiraine wasn’t sure if Rand, specifically, was the Dragon Reborn, but she took steps to protect him, his friends, and their home, and has been with him every step of the way. Since learning of the role he has to play, Rand has been thrust into a world where everyone wants to either manipulate, control, or kill him, and Moiraine isn’t much different. Yet, she has been a constant guide for him as he discovers his abilities and everything they entail. In the Season 3 finale, Rand recognizes the lengths she has gone to to keep him moving, working with Lanfear in the Season 3 premiere to orchestrate an attack that would separate him from the others. Rather than getting angry about her methods, Rand admits that they worked and actually thanks her. Despite their issues in the past, Rand recognizes that Moiraine isn’t using him in the way the others are; she is just determined for him to succeed, and she believes in him.
Moiraine, for her part, admits that Rand made the right choice to go to the Aiel Waste rather than listen to her. At the start of Season 3, Moiraine wanted Rand to go to Tear and claim Callandor, which Rand refused to do. In hindsight, Moiraine is willing to swallow her pride and express her confidence in Rand. Together, they reach a place of clarity, showing complete trust in each other. While Rand asks her to stay by his side as long as she can, Moiraine sends him to win over the Aiel by himself, knowing he needs to gain their respect without Aes Sedai help — but, separated or not, she is still fighting for him, like she always has.
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Season 3 is streaming now.
Moiraine and Rand Share the Same Goal in ‘The Wheel of Time’
Moiraine and Rand have a complex dynamic that often involves Rand trying to impede Moiraine’s plan for him, but in the end, they want the same thing. As Rand thanks her, Moiraine admits that she is prepared to kill him as soon as help him if it comes to that. While several of the Forsaken have tried to kill him, others hope to turn him to the dark, and on top of that, there is the risk that he will go mad from channeling. Moiraine tells Rand clearly that she is there to ensure not only that he can win the Last Battle but that he will win it for the Light. As close as she has grown to him, she intends to win the conflict with the Dark One, even at the cost of Rand’s life.
While this vague threat might have concerned Rand, he actually appreciates it, showing that, for all their disagreements, Moiraine and Rand are on the same page about what ultimate victory is worth. Rand would rather be killed than break the world, and Moiraine understands that when few do. Season 3 shows Egwene (Madeleine Madden) fearing that Rand will go mad, but she doesn’t want to acknowledge the inevitability of it because she still thinks of him as the friend she grew up with. Meanwhile, Rand sees that Moiraine would, in all likelihood, kill him if that’s the choice it came down to. As grim as the thought is, Rand seems to know that he needs someone like that around, because there is a very real possibility that he will lose sight of his goal through manipulation or madness, and Moiraine will stop at nothing to ensure that doesn’t happen.
In ‘The Wheel of Time,’ Moiraine Is Willing to Sacrifice Everything for Rand
Rand is not the only one willing to die if that’s what it takes. Since her trip to Rhuidean, Moiraine expects to give her life for her mission, and though she wasn’t happy with the knowledge, she didn’t try to fight it. Moiraine has dedicated years to interpreting the prophecy and finding the Dragon Reborn. For the last 20 years, she has structured her life around the task of preparing Rand for what will come, and she is willing to see that through, no matter the cost. It already destroyed the relationship she had with Siuan, who shared this mission with her, though they went about it in different ways. In the finale, Moiraine expects to be killed while protecting Rand, putting a considerable amount of trust in him to carry on without her there to ensure he stays on the side of the Light.
Rand could never have made it so far without Moiraine, and he knows it. He acknowledges everything she has sacrificed for him, saying, “I’m here because of you,” which is a powerful expression of his gratitude. Though they don’t agree on much, they make the best allies of the series because of their shared goals and willingness to give up everything in service of their mission. After the scene they share in the Season 3 finale, Rand and Moiraine’s partnership is stronger than ever, with each putting their cards on the table and confessing the deep trust they have for the other.
The Wheel of Time is streaming on Prime Video in the U.S.
