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Amazon renewed The Wheel of Time season 2 seven months before the premiere of the show — all the way back in 2021 — showing extreme confidence in its high-profile fantasy adaptation of the Wheel of Time novels. Led by showrunner Rafe Judkins (a noted fan of the Robert Jordan novels), Wheel of Time stars Rosamund Pike as Moiraine, a member of the Aes Sedai, a magical-wielding order of women who seek to protect the world. Wheel of Time season 2 will adapt the second book in Jordan’s series and parts of the third book, and what’s been seen so far of the return to the world of The Wheel of Time when the 2023 release date arrives looks promising.
Anticipation for The Wheel of Time season 2 news is high. The Wheel of Time season 1 adapted the first book of the series, The Eye of the World, while also bringing in elements from the other 13 novels. Rand al’Thor’s destiny as the Dragon Reborn is fulfilled, and his first fateful encounter with the Dark One sends him on a lonely path without the help of Moiraine and his friends from Emond’s Field. With Nynaeve, Egwene, and Perrin still at the fortress city of Fal Dara and Mat still nowhere to be found, it’s clear that Wheel of Time season 2 could have even more book changes than the first.
Wheel of Time Season 2 Recent News
Amazon Prime shared some great Wheel of Time season 2 news for fans. As a bonus scene following the end of the Wheel of Time season 1 finale, the opening scene for season 2 is available to watch. The scene, however, isn’t available outside of watching the series on the streamer – yet. This is actually similar to how Robert Jordan’s novels are published. The book series typically features the prologue or a tease for the first chapter of the next book at the end of the current novel to encourage readers to come back for more. The same idea is being applied to the Amazon Prime series.
The Wheel of Time season 2 opening scene is actually from one of the novels. It depicts the prologue of The Great Hunt, called “Darkfriend Social.” That’s fitting since that is the same novel that will provide much of the basis for season 2 of the series. Darkfriends are those who serve the Dark One, and the prologue depicts a gathering of many of them as they are given new commands, and though they wear masks, they can be identified by their clothing.
Along with the Wheel of Time season 2 news of this new scene, Amazon Prime also released its official summary of the new season:
Based on the best-selling Robert Jordan fantasy series The Wheel of Time, Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski, Gran Turismo) learns he is The Dragon Reborn-a dangerous figure from history destined to save the world … or break it. Desperate to protect him from the Dark One, an army of powerful women must reckon with his burgeoning power and encroaching madness. The Wheel of Time turns, and the Last Battle approaches. Though Rand thought he destroyed the Dark One, evil is not gone from the world. In Season Two, threats new and very old seek out the young friends from the Two Rivers, now scattered over the world. The woman who found and guided them is now powerless to help, and so they must find other sources of strength. In each other, or themselves. In the Light … or the Dark.”
Other Wheel of Time season 2 news include the release of several first-look images. These The Wheel of Time season 2 photos arrived in June 2023 and show the continued journey of Perrin (Marcus Rutherford) and Lan (Daniel Henney). It also features a look at a new character, Elayne (Ceara Coveney), the princess of the kingdom of Andor. A re-released book for 1990’s The Great Hunt is also coming with a brand-new cover featuring Rutherford and Henney’s Wheel of Time characters and a sticker tying it into the Prime Video series.
Wheel of Time Season 2 Release Date
The official Wheel of Time season 2 release date is September 1, 2023, with production on Wheel of Time season 2 well underway and the first cut of the first few episodes already delivered to Amazon. However, many expected Wheel of Time season 2 to arrive sooner, given that season 1 arrived on Prime Video back in 2021. Amazon’s other high-profile fantasy show, The Rings of Power, set in the world of JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, premiered on September 2, 2022, and Amazon likely didn’t want both airing at the same time as they both target similar demographics. As a result, Wheel of Time was pushed off to 2023.
Wheel of Time Season 2 Cast
Most of the faces from season 1 will be returning for the Wheel of Time season 2 cast. Rosamund Pike will be back as Moiraine, and she will be joined by Josha Stradowski as Rand, Madeline Madden as Egwene, Zoë Robins as Nynaeve, Marcus Rutherford as Perrin, and Daniel Henney as Lan. One major change has already been made to the cast, though — Mat Cauthon has been recast for Wheel of Time season 2, with Barney Harris being replaced by The Witcher‘s Dónal Finn. Additionally, several more cast members have been added to the show.
Ceara Coveney has joined the Wheel of Time season 2 cast as Elayne Trakand, the daughter-heir of Andor and an integral character to Rand’s journey. Additionally, Natasha O’Keeffe and Meera Syal have joined the show in undisclosed roles. Gary Beadle signed on to play Elyas Machera, a character who comes across Perrin and Egwene on the road. Finally, Arnas Fedaravicius, who plays Lord Ingelmar, will recur in Wheel of Time season 2 cast as a major character, as will Guy Roberts as Uno Nomesta and Gregg Chillingirian as Ingtar Shinowa.
Wheel of Time Season 2 Story Details
Wheel of Time season 2’s story will adapt book 2 of the saga, The Great Hunt, but there are still several plot threads from The Eye of the World that could be integrated into the show. A few things can be gleaned from Wheel of Time‘s season 1 finale that hints at the direction of the story, though. With Rand going off on his own, Mat returning to the dark city of Shadar Logoth, and Padan Fain stealing the Horn of Valere, the Emond’s Field Five will be scattered in various directions. The hunt for the Horn of Valere will take center stage, but Rand’s journey (including his reckoning with the fact that he is the Dragon Reborn) will be integral to Wheel of Time season 2.
Since there have been changes to the story of the novels, there’s nothing to be taken for granted when it comes to The Wheel of Time season 2 plot — but that doesn’t mean it’s going completely off-script. Showrunner Rafe Judkin also said that the Wheel of Time season 2 story will contain elements of the third book, The Dragon Reborn, as well. He announced this at the same time that he said Prime Video had already renewed Wheel of Time for a third season, which will follow the storyline from the fourth book, The Shadow Rising.
Amazon Prime’s official synopsis of the Wheel of Time season 2’s story confirms the focus on Rand and his Dragon reborn heritage as well as the scattering of allies around the world. What’s interesting about the summary, however, is the tease that some of the allies of the first season might be turning to the Dark One for strength instead of relying on one another when they’re so far apart.
Wheel of Time Season 2 Trailer
The full-length Wheel of Time season 2 trailer gives plenty of hints at what’s to come in the season. While the trailer depicts some changes from the book that it adapts, that’s not uncommon with fantasy shows as screenwriters work to streamline narratives a bit more. One of those changes, for example, is that the trailer sees Rand asking Logain to teach him channeling. In the books, the two don’t interact until the eighth novel, and they certainly don’t have a mentor-teacher relationship.
Other reveals in the trailer include a look at Elayne, a new addition for season 2. Though she didn’t appear in the first season of the show, Elayne is one of the most popular characters in the novels. Much of Elayne’s story in season 2 will likely occur alongside Egwene and Nynaeve as they all are trained in channeling at the White Tower.
One of the more exciting reveals in the Wheel of Time season 2 trailer is that the characters will begin interacting with the Aiel earlier than they do in the books. The Aiel are a desert people. While they play a big role in the series of novels overall, they don’t begin playing their part until the fourth book in the series. Introducing them in season 2 (made clear by their clothing and weaponry in the trailer) allows the characters to be fully integrated into the story before the events of the fourth book play out. It’s one change in The Wheel of Time season 2 that will be a welcome one for fans.
