Warning: Spoilers for The Wheel of Time season 2, episodes 1-3
Summary
- Elayne Trakand's introduction in season 2 of The Wheel of Time marks a departure from the books, but she is set to become a crucial ally to Egwene al'Vere in the White Tower.
- This will likely have a significant impact on her story and her romance with Rand.
- The show may still find a way for Elayne and Rand to meet before the end of season 2, possibly during a showdown in Falme. This interaction could help align the TV adaptation with the book version of Elayne's story.
How Elayne finally came on board for The Wheel of Time is sure to have a massive impact on one of the biggest romances in the books. Played by Ceara Covenay, Elayne Trakand has emerged as a new player in the story unfolding in The Wheel of Time season 2. Introduced as the daughter-heir (princess) of a kingdom, the new season 2 character is shaping up to be an ally and confidante to Egwene al’Vere in the White Tower.
Based on her debut, Elayne is in a position to follow in the footsteps of her book counterpart, who shared a long list of adventures with Egwene and Nynaeve al’Meara. As a trio made up of the three most important female characters in the TV version of Elayne is poised to go down the same road. However, it’s important to point out that she actually showed up later than the book character. By saving her introduction for season 2, The Wheel of Time has made a big change to a crucial part of her story.
How Elayne Was Introduced In The Wheel Of Time Books
Interestingly, it was Rand’s story – not Egwene’s – that introduced Elayne in the source material. She made her first appearance in The Eye of the World when Rand, in his efforts to get a look at Logain, climbed over a wall and accidentally wound up in the palace gardens. He was found by Elayne, who immediately took an interest in the mysterious stranger. Understanding that he was there only because of an accident, Elayne grew protective of him when others learned of his presence. As her step-brother Galad had put it, Elayne had a tendency to care for “strays.” Elayne fiercely defended him and successfully pleaded his case to her mother, Queen Morgase.
Though Elayne and Rand didn’t meet again for quite some time, that brief meeting was of great significance to their stories. Despite barely getting a chance to really know him, Elayne had become smitten with Rand – and it showed when she was with Egwene and Nynaeve at the White Tower. Her questions and curiosity about Rand provided clues to her developing feelings for the Two Rivers boy she barely knew. By the time she saw him again at the end of The Great Hunt, she was already falling in love with him.
Elayne’s Romance With Rand Has To Be Different From The Books
Because of the timing of her introduction, Elayne and Rand’s romance can’t take off in the same way it did in the books. What happened in The Eye of the World was a key building block to the story they would later share. While the show has been known to change the timing of numerous book moments, this isn’t one Wheel of Time can simply move to a later point in the story (unless it happens as a flashback somehow). Since Elayne is no longer in the confines of the palace, the circumstances of her first meeting with Rand will have to be different. Protecting him in her capacity as the daughter-heir of Andor from the queen and the palace guards is a scenario that won’t work anymore.
When Will Elayne And Rand Finally Meet In The Wheel Of Time?
The conditions will differ considerably, but Rand and Elayne can still cross paths in The Wheel of Time before season 2 ends. In the book, she finds herself drawn to an injured Rand after the big battle in Falme. Through Perrin Aybara's storyline, The Wheel of Time is already laying the groundwork for that showdown with Ishamael to happen. Assuming the show finds a way to get both Rand and Elayne there, the two could see each other then. Since Rand was unconscious at the time, he didn’t find out about Elayne’s presence until later, but The Wheel of Time may change this since their first meeting at Caemlyn was avoided.
In order to set Elayne on the path of the book character, it may be necessary for whatever happens at Falme to involve meaningful interactions between the two. Even if they have to go their separate ways again for a long length of time, a chance rendezvous at Falme could serve as a much-needed course correction for the series. An episode where Elayne is forced to single-handedly help Rand could go a long way toward helping The Wheel of Time deliver a somewhat accurate interpretation of her story from Robert Jordan’s books.
The Wheel of Time releases new episodes on Fridays on Amazon Prime Video.