This article contains major The Wheel of Time spoilers. The previous season finales of The Wheel of Time were certainly climactic, but the ending of season 3 put more characters’ fates in the balance than ever before, creating life-changing moments that will impact their journey in the most significant ways yet. Although Perrin got his own conclusion in the penultimate episode of the season, almost every other character found themselves at an important crossroads in the finale, leaving us with as many cliffhangers as triumphs. Just to make sense of it all, and to make sure we know what to watch for in season 4, let’s take a look at each of the pivotal character moments, some of which differed significantly from what played out in the books, for better and for worse. Mat and the Twisted Redstone Doorframe Mat inadvertently passed through the red gate to another dimension, one ruled by the Finn, creatures able to see the Pattern and even influence it. The Eelfinn are but one race of Finn, a fox-like people who are able to grant wishes, though not without cost. We witnessed in Elaida’s flashback that though she asked the Eelfinn to ascend to the Amyrlin Seat, she was defeated by Siuan Sanche those many years ago and is only now taking the post by force. Mat likewise may not find that his memory problems have been “fixed” in the way that he asked, nor does he perhaps realize the power of his wish to be left alone by magical forces like the One Power. The Eelfinn both praises and chastises him for using his final wish to leave their realm, but he almost loses his life for it, as foretold by Min’s visions. Keep an eye on the fox medallion around Mat’s neck in future seasons of The Wheel of Time; it may prove useful. Nynaeve’s Power Awakened Nynaeve very cleverly noticed the humble collar initially discarded by Liandrin in her frantic search, but although she had to forfeit the item, the Red Ajah darkfriend uttered a very telling phrase before taking it and propelling Nynaeve into Tanchico Bay: “I’m going to kill the strongest channeler in a thousand years.” Thanks for that reminder, Liandrin! Nynaeve apparently just needed a near-death experience to unblock her access to the One Power, and her abilities were on full display as she pushed aside the waters and walked ashore unscathed. They say that touching the True Source can be quite intoxicating, and Nynaeve’s release must have been cathartic enough to elicit a few blissful giggles of disbelief and wonder. Thom Merrilin and Lord Gaebril Elayne believes that she has known the queen’s consort Lord Gaebril since she was a child and is amazed to hear from Thom Merrilin, the bard who was once in the Andoran court himself when she was a toddler, that her mother never had a consort. In fact, his keeping tabs from a distance is what allowed him to know this for a fact. It seems that Rahvin, the Forsaken seen scheming with Lanfear elsewhere in The Wheel of Time finale, instead took on the identity of Gaebril and altered everyone’s memories to believe that he had been there the whole time as a trusted advisor. In reality, he likely escaped his prison only recently and insinuated himself into modern day politics to use his powers of influence for the Dark One’s purposes. The Fate of Siuan Sanche and Lanfear Moiraine’s defeat of Lanfear was far from complete, but the Aes Sedai held her own quite well thanks the the sa’angreal, a kind of magical amplifier, that she got from her visit to Rhuidean. Sadly, she was also greatly motivated by the death of her beloved, Siuan Sanche, which she felt from afar. Although this death did not appear in the books, it provided sufficient impetus for Moiraine to remove Lanfear’s sword and cut the Forsaken’s throat, forcing her to flee. How do readers feel about the beheading of Siuan Sanche? Although her influence in the later books was not insubstantial, it was perhaps not significant enough to warrant having her take up valuable screen real estate, and her death definitely gave Moiraine exactly what she needed to avoid one of the many deaths she saw foretold in Rhuidean. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! Rand and the Contest for Car’a’carn Moiraine saw that Rand was correct to recruit an army before trying to win support elsewhere, but Couladin of the Shaido clan nearly undid their hard work in bringing everyone together at Alcair Dal. He has the dragon on both forearms, the mark of the car’a’carn, thanks to Lanfear, and although he is not from the West, the Aiel might have been willing to overlook that through some sense of denial or discomfort with the unfamiliar. However, Couladin is not aware of the secret all clan chiefs carry: that the Aiel are Oathbreakers, having fallen from the Way of the Leaf in their common history with the Tuatha’an. When Rand reveals that he knows this truth, the chiefs know he is their car’a’carn. The fact that he could channel powerfully enough to bring rain to the desert probably didn’t hurt either. Except maybe it did in a different way. What makes The Wheel of Time season 3 finale so powerful is that Rand doesn’t let go of the One Power when Egwene asks him to. Is the madness he’s doomed to starting already? With Rahvin and Lanfear ready to kill him and Moghedien and Liandrin ready to collar him, Rand can’t afford any darkness in his life. And so we wait. The Wheel of Time has not yet been renewed for season 4, and leaving it here would certainly be a travesty. That being said, the journey all of the key characters took this season definitely felt both complete and satisfying in the arc that it followed. The anticipation is quite high for where things go from here.