After decades immersed in Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson’s acclaimed Wheel of Time series, Andrew Cunningham and Lee Hutchinson return to recap Amazon’s adaptation for its third season. The duo previously shared insights, humor, and speculative theories throughout the show’s first two seasons, and they are back with fresh commentary and analysis.
These recaps will not cover every detail from each episode; however, they will contain significant spoilers from both the TV series and the original books. While the recap aims to avoid spoiling major future events from the books, there is always a possibility of inadvertent revelations. If you’re looking to avoid all spoilers and have yet to read the books, these recaps might not be for you.
New episodes of The Wheel of Time season 3 will be available to Amazon Prime subscribers every Thursday. This article discusses episode six, titled “The Shadow in the Night,” released on April 3.
Lee: Welcome to Tanchico! Here, veils are almost always in fashion—except when flirting at the local bars. Mat gets the most spectacular veil, fitting for his character. Even Nynaeve seems to enjoy herself! We have certainly learned quite a bit about the hills of Tanchico—yes, quite a bit indeed.
Andrew: Hats off to Robert Jordan for generally avoiding one of the peculiar staples of post-Tolkien fantasy: detailed in-universe song lyrics. While he occasionally includes them, they are not overly abundant. However, many songs are referenced, hinting at their often inappropriate content.
That’s not the case in the show! Elayne takes center stage with a song about “The Hills of Tanchico,” enthralling the audience for what feels like hours (the hills, by the way, are metaphorical for… breasts). I actually enjoy the scene, even if it does tend to drag on.
More importantly, who joins Elayne in this musical moment? A character from the books who had been absent for quite some time. Who makes their long-awaited appearance in Tanchico, Lee?
Lee: That’s right, everyone! Give a warm welcome to everyone’s favorite gleeman, seemingly back from the dead and sporting a familiar hat: it’s Thom Merrilin! (Audience applause ensues.)
Book readers might have felt a pang of nostalgia at Thom’s return, as his absence has been notable. In the books, he is a pivotal character, often interacting with the main cast. Though his disappearance mirrors the show’s, he typically does not remain absent for nearly as long in the source material.
I’m thrilled to see him back, especially as he provides invaluable insight and companionship to Elayne during her karaoke performance.
Andrew: The Tanchico crew is looking strong right now—Mat and Min are back on good terms, show-Nynaeve is a version the other characters seem to like, and now Thom is in the mix! It would be a delightful time, if not for the looming threat of the Black Ajah Aes Sedai and the dangerous Forsaken Moghedien, who is lurking around, controlling minds, creating chaos, and searching for a Seanchan-like collar to subdue Rand.
As the narrative progresses, the Forsaken begin engaging in conflicts among themselves as much as they clash with Rand and his allies, explaining why they don’t eliminate the heroes at the first opportunity. Moghedien maintains a creepy presence throughout this episode, adding an unsettling edge to the story.
Lee: Indeed, Moghedien’s manipulation of the Black sisters was particularly unnerving. She demonstrates a disturbing lack of filter, wielding her immense powers to exploit others. Watching her forcefully seize control of Nynaeve’s and Elayne’s minds through sheer power is a clear indication of how overwhelmingly powerful the Forsaken are compared to our current-day channelers. Although Nynaeve manages to resist slightly, the confrontation is still tense.
Meanwhile, there’s more unfolding in Tanchico—the search for the collars grows increasingly urgent! With each hour-long episode, there’s so much to discuss, including the re-emergence of familiar characters like our long-missing darkfriend, Padan Fain. Trouble is brewing in the Two Rivers!
Andrew: In the books, Fain never quite becomes a central antagonist but instead lurks around, creating chaos when our heroes least expect it. The show visually captures his growing corruption of the Whitecloaks, subtly hinting at the darkness he brings without directly acknowledging it. It’s telling that even Eamon Valda questions Fain’s stability. The series adeptly distinguishes between Whitecloaks who genuinely oppose Aes Sedai and those who are outright Darkfriends—often working toward the same ends.
Meanwhile, Perrin and Alanna, along with their allies, are recuperating from last week’s Whitecloak camp raid. I find myself recalibrating my expectations regarding “plot armor.” Our main characters suffer serious injuries, but this show operates under different rules, where healing seems almost commonplace. Alanna walks the Cauthon sisters through some basic healing, and her excitement unintentionally interrupts the budding romance between Perrin and Faile.
Are we still enjoying show-Faile? I couldn’t help but chuckle when the cartoonish representation of Mat holding the Horn of Valere resurfaced.
Lee: I am genuinely enjoying show-Faile, which is surprising since she’s often criticized as one of the more challenging characters in the series. In the books, Jordan portrays Faile as emotionally complex, often entangled in an unhealthy dynamic with Perrin. In the show, she comes across as a more grounded individual, navigating her relationship with more maturity. It’s refreshing to see a sweet, romantic connection develop between her and Perrin.
Concerning Alanna’s healing with the Cauthon sisters, I paused to consider the implications. The books emphasize that healing—including the basic methods that contemporary Aes Sedai use—can be remarkably intricate, with serious consequences for mistakes. Yet, these characters seem to intuitively grasp how to perform these techniques.
There is precedent in the series for young channelers exhibiting uncontrolled bursts of power under stress, setting the stage for the Cauthon sisters’ capabilities, even if it raises questions about the show’s approach to healing. I concluded that it moves the story forward effectively, so I won’t complain. What are your thoughts?
Andrew: I reached the same conclusion. Utilizing the One Power consistently requires extensive training. That said, the show has a relentless pace, leading to bizarre scenarios like this. It leaves so little time for character development or exploring the depths of complex story themes. However, if the series continues in a way that aligns with book four, I think it will manage to convey the necessary story arcs satisfactorily.
I feel more optimistic about where this season is heading compared to earlier seasons. Though the pacing hasn’t slowed down, it seems like they’re setting the stage for significant developments while keeping our understanding anchored in the overarching narrative. What about you? Is season 3 resonating with you as it is with me? I’m keeping an eye out for news about a potential season four renewal (still waiting).
Lee: I believe this season is the best so far. Any doubts I had during the previous seasons have vanished. I’m invested in this chapter of the story, and it feels like the show has found its footing. It would be a grave mistake not to renew it now. Are you listening, Bezos? The Shadow will take you if you pull the rug out from under us at this point!
Andrew: Right? You’ve spent money on worse things, Jeffrey.
