Top 10 moments of The Wheel of Time book series
The part of every blog people skip. “The Introduction”
I began reading The Wheel of Time book series in the early 2000s as a teenager. My mother bought me the first book. Afterward, I served a mission for my church and I was now 22, I began collecting and slowly reading more of the Wheel of Time books. When I started college I lost interest in reading, college, essentially having murdered the interest entirely. But near the end of my bachelor's degree, I decided I needed to read more of The Wheel of Time, therefore, I began renting a few books from the library. During my Master's program, I finally became dedicated and decided I wanted to read all of the books. I began to dedicate the short amount of time and effort that I needed to whittle my way through the last seven or eight books that I had not yet read. When I finished my Master’s program and started my career, I did not really gain much more time but I still pushed myself to finish. Finally earlier this year, 2024, I finished A Memory of Light, and then I read the prequel A New Spring which I just finished a few nights ago. However, I had listened to an audiobook of A New Spring a year or two ago. I merely wanted to read it with my eyes. I am now in my early 30s and I started The Wheel of Time in my mid to late teens, therefore it took a grand total of 20 years or so to read The Wheel of Time. What added to my issues or struggles with reading The Wheel of Time was my dyslexia and a small amount of time to read. But for 20 years on and off, my life was inundated with the characters of The Wheel of Time, and therefore I feel like I have been living in Robert Jordan's world for 20 years almost non-stop. Here are just a few of my top 10 favorite moments from The Wheel of Time books, not in any particular order. And needless to say, this entire article has extreme spoilers throughout all the books. Therefore if you have not finished The Wheel of Time book series then I suggest that you do not continue reading.
1: Rand Cleanses Saidin
To me, this is possibly my favorite moment in all of the books. I had chills going through my spine and moments that shocked me as I read when Rand with the help of Nynaeve, and the protection of other Ashaman and Aes Sedai was able to cleanse the male half of the source. I still remember shouting "Robert, you got me, you surprised me!" When it was revealed that that crazy old man who had been following Rand as an Ashaman, Corlan Dashiva was, shockingly, one of the Forsaken, Osan'gar. I am usually pretty skilled both in books, and television media at being able to anticipate such surprises, but Robert Jordan absolutely surprised me at that moment.
But what was truly the most fascinating moment to me was the reversal of what the Dark One had performed by tainting Saidin. Rand, a mortal, although a ta'veren, had been able to fix what the dark One had corrupted. This was something that was truly mind-boggling to me and I did not see this coming either. A few times throughout the books Rand had discussed with other people or hinted, or wondered at how he could cleanse Saidin, but I thought that that was just talk, I did not think it would happen. This was a major world-changing event. Now the men who wielded the one power could do so without going mad. This was a thrilling scene, and having always felt so disheartened for the men who could use Saidin in the books, this was cathartic for me to know that they now stood a chance, and possibly could once more become unified with the Aes Sedai, with women who could wield Saidar.
Now the actual battle that took place around Rand, to protect him, as led by Cadsuane was also something truly exciting, and thrilling. To witness the Forsaken being forced by the dark one to go there to try and disrupt the dragon reborn, but of course, their attacks were futile.
This moment was perhaps my top moment throughout the wheel of time.
2: Perrin saves the Two Rivers
These moments in books will get me every time. Moments when heroes who have been through adventures and grown and became full men, or full women return, to their hometown and are seen for the great person that they are. I loved it in the Return of the King when the hobbits had to cleanse the Shire of Saruman and his followers. I loved it when Perrin came back to the Two Rivers and led the defense of the Emond’s Field folk, the white cloaks, and The traveling folk against the horde of Trollocs and Fades who were attacking their village.
Parrin is my favorite character throughout the whole The Wheel of Time series. I feel that I can relate to him, or even more, have a kinship with him. I too am a large broad-shouldered man, and throughout my life, I have had to be very careful not to injure people around me, either with my anger or with my strength. Therefore, I felt as if I were living through Perrin as he was rescuing those who had grown up around him or had seen him grow up as a child. Suddenly his mentors and his childhood friends from the Two Rivers see him as a lord, a savior, and a protector. In some ways this story is a wish fulfillment for me, I think almost every human will see themselves secretly as some kind of hero and possibly even fantasize of times or situations where they could rescue those around them and be seen as someone great.
In these chapters, Perrin bonds somewhat more with his Wolf brothers and uses that skill to aid his folk and himself in the battle. And of course, the wonderful moment of him marrying Faile at home was something truly spectacular.
3: Lan slays Demandred
I have done some research into the last three books to know how much was Robert Jordan and how much was Brandon Sanderson. But I cannot discover if this moment was the mind-child of Brandon Sanderson more or if Robert Jordan had planned this all along. But the scene where Lan charges with his mighty steed Mandarb through the horde of Trollocs and Sharans, with a fox medallion around his neck to face a forsaken in a duel. This forsaken had truly proved himself as an undefeatable force, both as a general and as a combatant. Having pushed Matt to the brink of his strategical faculties, defeated two of the greatest blademasters of the age Galad and Gawyn, as well as besting Logain in a dual of Saidin. And now here was Lan himself, the one and only, best blademaster of his time facing arguably the greatest blademaster of the age of Legends.
Even the moment while Lan was charging and the Two Rivers folk blasted a way for him through the Trollocs with hundreds of arrows slaughtering all before him set my heart racing. But when he was battling Demandred, I could not help but wonder how this would end. Each time one of the two brothers whether Galad or Gawyn faced Demandred I expected either one of the two brothers to win. When Gawyn lost, I thought surely that Galad would win, thus avenging his brother. Galad was also hinted throughout the books to be a slightly better swordsman than Gawyn, which I misinterpreted as a promise and was expecting a payoff. But I was shocked when he fell as well at the hand of Demandred. Then when Logain faced this forsaken Demandred, I thought that this would be Logain's shining moment finally, a normal Saidin wielder of his age defeating a forsaken from the age of Legends would embed his name into the annuls of history and legend. But then he too is bested. Needless to say, when Lan was facing Demandred, I now did not know what to expect. This was the fourth challenger, would he win? Or die like unto the others?
Those chilling words of Lan took me off guard. “I did not come here to win, I came here to kill you.” When Lan took the blow from Demandred and then beheaded him, I almost gasped for breath myself, and I actually began to weep. Even when Lan admitted that Demandred was slightly the better swordsman, Lan still was able to trick Demandred which cost Demandred his life. Now in my opinion, I think it would have been a more powerful scene to have Lan die at the same time, and that is what I expected, and that is why I wept, for I thought Lan was dead. Now it does warm my heart that Nynaeve can retain her husband and live a happy life with him having children. But as a would-be author myself, I perhaps would have killed Lan off in that moment for the dramatic effect. But then again, perhaps Robert Jordan planned all along for Lan to survive the last battle.
4: Egwene Defends The White Tower
Book Twelve The Gathering Storm was essentially a book about Egwene. This of course is when she was taken captive by Elaida’s faction of the Aes Sedai and was being punished, shielded, and forced to be essentially a servant to humiliate her for thinking that she could be the Amyrlin Seat. And impressively she withstood all of the beatings that she underwent using her Aiel toughness and strategy, to the point that she was gaining followers even while captive.
At some point, she had a dream, that the White Tower would be attacked by the Seanchan but others would not believe her. But as foreseen, the night came and the Seanchan attacked. To her benefit, Egwene was able to get her hands on a powerful Sa’angreal the ‘White Rod’. The impressiveness with which the scene was written by Robert Jordan is astounding. That she almost single-handedly blasted the Seanchan out of the sky, on their flying creatures, and forced all of the enslaved One Power wielders to try and shield her, which they could not. Nor could they defeat her in combat with the powerful weapon that she wielded. In one fell swoop she defended the White Tower and proved herself as the true Amyrlin Seat, while Elaida was taken captive and enslaved by the Seanchan in shame. Vindication!
5: Matt accidentally forms the Band of the Red Hand and slays Couladin
In Book Five The Fires of Heaven, when Rand is leading his Aiel army against the Shaido Aiel under the command of Couladin who has rejected Rand as ‘He who comes with the dawn’ and Couladin has proclaimed himself ‘he comes with the dawn’ and they are engaged in a battle outside the walls of Cairhien. Matt, being Matt, wishes to escape and get as far away from Rand the most powerful ta’veren of their time, gets himself caught up in something else. There is one thing that Matt can never escape, and it is his desire, although verbally suppressed, to protect others, especially those close to him whom he loves.
Therefore, it is when he is escaping, he comes across soldiers who are being led very unwisely, and he can see that they are going to be slaughtered by Shaido Aiel. Matt then reluctantly rides in and takes control of the soldiers and leaves them not only to safety but to victory. They have several other battles, winning and defeating units of Shaido Aiel warriors from the Threefold Lands. Throughout the chapters, from what I recall, each time Matt is hoping eventually to abandon these soldiers and get out of the battle. Yet each time he gets caught up in another battle and has to strategize to save himself and his growing band of soldiers from multiple different countries.
Eventually, this hilariously leads him into hand-to-hand combat with Couladin who he slays. This earns him great fame and thus guarantees his inability to escape from this army. All of these soldiers essentially swear fealty to him, and the Band of the Red Hand is formed, which follows Matt throughout the rest of the books.
I'm a sucker for battles, and a sucker for strategizing, being the son of a historian and having watched and read many books, and documentaries about great leaders in battles. Needless to say, I found these chapters very enjoyable where Matt is forced to strategize to protect these soldiers and even take part in the battle himself. Although as reluctant as he was.
6: Nynaeve Heals Logain
Truly one of the top moments in all of The Wheel of Time books. This had been foreshadowed throughout the entire book, and I felt that it had been foreshadowed in earlier books as well. Because Nynaeve kept saying that everything could be healed save death. I thought for certain as she was inspecting Leane, Siuan, and Logain periodically, I was certain at some point she would have an “AHA” moment. But still, when the moment finally came, as I expected, it was sudden and surprising. There was no great “AHA” moment, she just saw something and stumbled into it, and she truly accidentally healed Logain. I remember I had to stop reading at this moment and pace because I was so excited at how this would change the world and what this meant for how great Nynaeve would be seen. This would truly her one of the greatest Aes Sedai of all time. Nynaeve is one of the most underrated characters in the books.
Then to add to the hilarity of the situation, she had to then shield, the now-healed, Logain as he tried to break free, this then led to her being manipulated or pushed into healing Leane and Siuan. What a truly emotional chapter that was for these two women, who wept having received the breath of life itself back into their existence. Touching that which they despaired they would never feel again.
Truly Robert Jordan crafted the scene, the promises, and the ultimate payoff, in a truly masterful way. Which is nothing less than what is expected of one of the greatest fantasy authors of our time.
7: Aviendha sees the future
I would say this is not necessarily one of the greatest scenes, it is more just one of the most eye-opening in my opinion. When Aviendah, accidentally goes back through the Glass Pillars in Rhuidean and sees the future, or a possible future of her people and her children. For me, it was one of the most shocking moments in the book to see what was possible. Here we are travelers through time with Aviendah and witnessing her horror and sadness at the dissolution of her progeny and all of her people.
We see the Aiel as a decrepit and ruined people who are essentially destroyed by the Seanchan. As time walks closer to the present we see how they fall slowly but surely, to the point when one of Avieendah's very own daughters helps manipulate things to start a war with the Seanchan and break the piece of the dragon, which ultimately leads to the destruction of her people.
This chapter was disquieting, although that does not describe it well enough. This chapter shook me to my core. I would not say the Aiel are one of my favorite cultures in fantasy, I think most of the cultures from The Lord of the Rings are still better, but the Aiel are, by far, in the top 10, and surely one of the most realized and fully fleshed out cultures in all of written sci-fi fantasy. Then to see them brought so low and laid to waste by the Seanchan an empire, a culture one can easily see as evil because of how they enslave women who can use Saidar. This was truly a heart-wrenching chapter.
8: Rand Destroys an Entire army outside the city of Maradon
Rand’s forces are fighting a losing battle, and almost all of his troops have fallen in this battle while led by General Ituralde. They were pushed off the heights they had been defending, pushed into the city, and they essentially lost the entire city. The rest of their people were being hunted as they fought house to house in the city. The chapters leading up to this moment were so depressing to see a magnificent army, with a magnificent general, with an incredible plan brought down to nothing, by the sheer forces and destructive power of the Dreadlords. Then steps in what some people call Zen Rand. The Rand who has faced the evil inside of himself, came to the brink of falling to darkness and destroying all matter, and the wheel itself, and chose the light, here he is now in his true dragon-reborn form.
He steps forward and in a disgusting, powerful, awe-inspiring, almost godlike display; completely obliterates a massive army of Fades, Trollocs, and other dark creatures. As the staggering visuals are written on the page, General Ituralde is dumbfounded and awed by the scene. The others there also stood motionless. Two dark friends who had witnessed the moment of the Storm of Light did not survive. One threw herself off of a balcony and the other gouged his eyes out not wanting to see the glory of the Dragon Reborn.
I believe, if I remember correctly, Rand even mentioned that he could not do that again, for it almost began the last battle which he was not yet ready for.
9 Logain Sacrifices Power to Save Lives
Logain attempted to destroy Demandred himself, a Forsaken, and he failed. Then he went and found Tiam’s body, enshrouded by glass made of the power by Egwene, to try and claim Sakarnen, one of the most powerful Sa’Angreal. He was pushing his desire almost to the brink of possible destruction when Androl and his other followers were telling him that there was a host of refugees being slaughtered by Trollocs and Logain and his Ashaman were the only ones who could save them. This was Logain's moment, I was worried that he wouldn't make the right choice myself. Logain always sought power, and thought highly of himself. But after being gentled by the White Tower and tortured by Taim to try and turn him into a Dreadlord, a darkness had entered him and he was not the same Logain. But this was his moment and chagrinly he decided to defend the people.
Then the beautiful scene came to pass. The Ashaman saved the refugees, destroyed the Trollocs, and changed their trajectory, changed the fame of men who could wield The One Power in one fell swoop. The refugees were crying and praising them. They were calling men from the Black Tower, men who could wield The One Power…saviors. This same class of men, for thousands of years, were hunted, slain, and feared as if they were the dark one himself, because they could use the one power that had been tainted by the dark one. Here was their moment of redemption.
The exact moment that brought me to tears was when a mother told Logain “I will send him to you to be tested when he is of age…I would have him join you, if he has the talent" as if instead of most people in these books who fear death for their sons if any of them were found to use the One Power, she hoped that her son could use the One Power and he could join the men of the black tower.
Logain had wanted to find something to give the Black Tower power, to give himself power and protection. He feared that the Black Tower could not stand against the White Tower once the Last Battle was over. He feared that people would seek to destroy them once more and he needed a way to secure the Black Tower’s future. Well now he had it, and it was by protecting people, not by some Sa’angreal he was trying to recover to give himself more power.
10: Rand Almost Destroys Existence
From almost the middle of the books until this moment, Rand had been struggling, as if there were two people inside of him. As if Lews Therin from the Age of Legends was trying to take control, and he thought he was going mad. But we learn that this truly was not the case. Rand portals himself to the top of Dragon Mount overlooking Tar Valon. This is where he battles with himself. He struggles between the light and the darkness within him, and he almost loses and darkness almost wins. He almost uses the greatest male Sa’angreal in existence in his hand to destroy the very fabric of reality The wheel of Time itself, to destroy their own existence. But as he comes to face himself he chooses. Lews Therin, his old self speaks with him and he remembers the words of his father Tam, which talk him down and remind him why he continues to live again and again. He chooses light and uses the Sa’angreal to destroy its source of power so no one will ever have that amount of power. Then he laughs and the real, old Rand comes back. This is the moment that some people title ‘Zen Rand’ comes to be. When the true essence of the Dragon-Reborn, the champion of the creator is present. This is when Rand truly steps into his role and accepts the two sides of himself and they become one. He becomes Lews Therin and Rand al’Thor all in one accepts who he is and knows his purpose and goals. He stops trying to be manipulative, he ceases trying to be too strong and hard, and he becomes a softer person again, one who can laugh and cry.
Bonus: Hinderstap the Village of Horrors
From the research I've done, from my understanding this was more of a Brandon Sanderson insert rather than Robert Jordan. But when Matt and the Band of the Red Hand stumble upon this village where people become essentially monstrous, or demons during the night trying to kill everyone and everything in sight and anyone who enters the village. Matt and his followers fight for their lives to escape, as they witness the horrors of the village as all the villagers kill each other.
Then the shock and the horror of the real story of the village is revealed. Matt eventually works his way back into the village and speaks with the mayor who tells them how they were essentially cursed by a Dark Bubble of Evil in the pattern of into living their lives this way. There was no escape, and anyone who got caught in the village and died there were forced to be reborn into this village of horrors every morning, forced to live at their days and try to repair the damages, and then they would become monsters again at night and kill each other.
When I began reading this chapter, it was near the end of my reading time and I needed to go to bed to work the next morning. But I literally could not put the book down, I stayed up late into the night until I finished the chapter. Then once I finished it I could not sleep for at least another hour as my mind was racing at the frightful scenes I had just been made privy to and yet how exciting it was. This was one of those moments I did not expect, but in the world in which it is set where there are bubbles of evil, it makes sense and is not outside the realm of possibility.
It is also hilarious, and clever how Matt uses this to his advantage against Demandred in the last battle. Essentially to have warriors who are immortal, and can surprise the enemy when they are alive again.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of this art, nor did I create it. They belong and were created by incredible artists who I am grateful for and borrowed from. Thank You, artists!
Your obedient, The Viking Ginger