Summary

• Aviendha's early introduction in Season 2 of The Wheel of Time sets up the next arc for the show, which will be based on the fourth book, The Shadow Rising. This means her character will be more closely connected to Rand al'Thor and the Aiel.
• The change in Aviendha's story draws parallels to Gaul's introduction in the book, The Dragon Reborn. It appears that Aviendha's character took inspiration from Gaul's role, indicating that Gaul may have been cut from the show.
• The exclusion of Gaul from The Wheel of Time would impact several storylines and character dynamics, particularly Perrin's arc. Gaul played a major role in Perrin's journey and their dynamic was well-received by fans. Including both Aviendha and Gaul as separate characters would be beneficial for the show.

A massive change to Aviendha's story in The Wheel Of Time season 2 creates the impression that a key character from the source material may have been cut. In Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series, Aviendha came onto the scene toward the end of the third book, The Dragon Reborn. Rather than follow the same course, Prime Video's adaptation brought in Aviendha during season 2, at a time when the show was still telling the story of the second book, The Great Hunt.

As indicated by the The Wheel of Time season 3. That goes hand-in-hand with the show's decision to send Aviendha and the Aiel into the orbit of Rand al'Thor and the others. After all, meeting the Aiel is what leads Rand on a journey into the Aiel Waste, the primary setting of the fourth and fifth books.

Wheel Of Time Season 2 Gave Gaul's Book Introduction To Aviendha

When looking at all the implications tied to the change in Aviendha's story, it's important to note that her introduction wasn't simply an invention of the show; it was an inversion of a significant moment from The Dragon Reborn. In the book, Perrin is in a town called Remen when he comes across Gaul, the leader of an Aiel tribe called the Stone Dogs. After freeing Gaul from a cage, the two work together to fight the Whitecloaks who put him there and evolve into allies. Having been saved by Perrin, Gaul was bound by Aiel custom to protect him with his life. As a result, Gaul became a recurring figure in Perrin's Wheel of Time story.

What happened in The Wheel of Time season 2 when Perrin met Aviendha draws obvious parallels to Gaul's introduction. Not unlike the incident in Remen, Perrin rescued an imprisoned Aviendha from a cage and helped her fight her Whitecloak captors. In the immediate aftermath, Aviendha told Perrin she owed him a life debt, or "toh" in the Aiel language. Based on all the similarities, it's apparent that The Wheel of Time took inspiration from Perrin's first encounter with Gaul when introducing Aviendha.

Why Gaul May Not Appear In The Wheel Of Time

Rewriting Gaul's introduction gave the show an organic way to pull Aviendha into the main narrative, but also raised questions about what this means for Gaul himself. Theoretically, The Wheel of Time still could have set up The Shadow Rising if Gaul had been in the cage in Aviendha's place. If this had happened, it most likely would have been Gaul - and not Aviendha - who called Rand the "Car'a'carn" after seeing him standing on the tower in Falme in The Wheel of Time season 2 finale. It's worth wondering if the decision to have this happen with a different character is a sign that Gaul has been removed from the equation.

While Gaul is an important ing character, such a move is fitting with the approach that showrunner Rafe Judkins has already embraced for the series. Judkins said in the past that due to the number of characters and the length of the series, not everyone would appear. As Judkins explained, it will become necessary for some Wheel of Time characters to be combined. In fact, the series has already used this strategy a few times, including when it merged Vandene Namelle with Verin Mathwin. With that in mind, this may explain what's happened with Gaul and Aviendha.

What Stories Wheel Of Time Would Risk Losing If Gaul Is Cut

If The Wheel of Time doesn't use Gaul, the show would risk changing several stories and character moments. First and foremost is Gaul's role in The Shadow Rising, in which he was a major character. In the novel, Gaul took part in Perrin's return to the Two Rivers and gradually formed a bond with the character. Gaul also ed Perrin while the latter slowly grew into his role as a Perrin's arc in The Wheel of Time season 3 would be considerably different without Gaul.

The Wheel of Time's adaptation of The Shadow Rising wouldn't be the only story altered by Gaul's exclusion. It was ittedly his biggest story, but he was also relevant to other books as well, including Lord of Chaos, A Crown of Swords, Towers of Midnight, and A Memory of Light. But more than a specific storyline The Wheel of Time would be robbed of without Gaul, the biggest drawback of cutting him would be Gaul's dynamic with Perrin in general. Their mutual respect and Gaul's unwavering loyalty to Perrin made them a popular character duo in the series.

Why The Wheel Of Time Needs Both Aviendha & Gaul

Judging by how deeply connected he is to Perrin's story and what's expected of Aviendha's future, merging the two Aiel would be a complicated task for the series. In the books, Aviendha is a love interest to Rand and Elayne's best friend. She's heavily ingrained in both characters' stories, meaning most of her arcs should involve traveling with one or the other. The problem with that is that Perrin is often on his own adventures, separate from both Rand and Elayne. In other words, if The Wheel of Time season 3 sends Aviendha to the Two Rivers with Perrin, she won't be able to accompany Rand to the Aiel Waste since both stories happen at the same time.

The diverging trajectories of Aviendha and Perrin's stories go to show why The Wheel of Time would be better off including her and Gaul as separate characters. Of course, heading in this direction would likely call for The Wheel of Time season 3 to craft a brand-new introduction for Gaul. It's difficult to imagine the show repeating season 2 and having Perrin meet Gaul the same way he teamed up with Aviendha.

As for where he could fit, it's possible that Gaul and the Stone Dogs can enter the picture before the core group parts ways. If Perrin befriends Gaul early in the story (albeit differently from what was in The Dragon Reborn), the two can still head to the Two Rivers together and develop their book-accurate friendship in The Wheel of Time's future. But while this can still happen, unfortunately, the chances of The Wheel of Time following the books and making Gaul a part of the story aren't nearly as high as they were before Aviendha showed up.

The Wheel of Time's first two seasons are available to be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.