Includes SPOILERS for The Wheel of Time season 3, episode 7, and minor SPOILERS for the book series.
Rand al'Thor's father, Tam al'Thor, is notably absent from Wheel of Time books, and the show's depiction of Perrin's return to the Two Rivers has been some of the best work in the series so far.
While the season has been critically acclaimed, with episodes 4, 6, and 7 being among the show's highest-rated on IMDb, there are still notable differences from the source material. It's par for the course when adapting such an enormous text that material might be cut and changed, but viewers are still going to question when an important character is absent from an entire storyline. That's been the case for season 3, with Tam al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn's adoptive father, gone throughout.
Why Tam Is Missing From Perrin's Two Rivers Story
Tam Is Defending Perrin's Family Elsewhere
The Wheel of Time season 3 has done a decent job at populating Emond's Field with enough characters to spread out the narrative. Aside from Perrin, Loial, and Alanna, the plotline has also introduced Faile and the Cauthon sisters, Mat's younger siblings. However, there's only so much time in an eight-episode TV season, and there are some notable figures cut from the townsfolk. Chief among them is Tam, who plays a vital role in The Shadow Rising, helping Perrin lead the defenses.
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The TV adaptation provided some expectation to explain his absence, with characters earlier in the season suggesting that Tam, Abell Cauthon, and Bran al'Vere are still alive but are with Perrin's family. With the Children of the Light coming to the Two Rivers in pursuit of Perrin, the Aybarra family would have been tortured or killed, so some of the village's leaders were elected to escort them to safety. Unfortunately, this caused Tam, one of the most valuable warriors in the region, to miss the battle. Practically, it could have just been due to budget or scheduling issues.
Tam's Role In The Shadow Rising Explained
Tam Helps Defend In The Battles Against The Trollocs
Tam al'Thor survived the original Trolloc attack on the Two Rivers from The Wheel of Time season 1, and the books explain that he's primarily lingered around the area while we've been away. In the novels, Tam and Abell Cauthon journey to Tar Valon after the boys, looking to find out what has happened to their sons after Moiraine departed with little word. At this point, Tam still doesn't know that his son is the Dragon Reborn, and Perrin hesitates to talk about it during The Shadow Rising.
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When the White Cloaks initially arrive at the Two Rivers in the books, Tam and Abell Cauthon are forced to flee to resist arrest, which isn't too dissimilar from the show's variation. However, in the novel, Tam returns and reunites with Perrin, using his combat experience, which is extensively rare in the Two Rivers, to help lead the defense. He also trains Aram, the Tuatha'an who broke his Way of the Leaf pacifism, defending himself from a Trolloc in The Wheel of Time season 3, episode 7's ending.
When Tam Could Return In The Wheel Of Time
We Might Not See Tam For A While
Image via Prime Video
Tam al'Thor is played by Game of Thrones star Michael McElhatton, and the actor has only appeared in three of the show's episodes so far. It's unclear if the actor's schedule was a factor in determining his return in season 3 or if the showrunners chose to save space for other characters by sidelining him for the time being. In either case, it's certainly not impossible to bring him back at some point throughout the series, especially given the emotional value of his learning of his son's tremendous role in the world's future.
Throughout the remaining Wheel of Time books, Tam becomes a prevalent force among Perrin's growing armies
Throughout the remaining Wheel of Time books, Tam becomes a prevalent force among Perrin's growing armies, helping in the fight against the Dark One in several battles. That isn't until Knife of Dreams, though, the eleventh book in the series. While Amazon's depiction of The Wheel of Time is progressing through the source material at a quicker rate, it should still be a while before we reach the point of Tam's return, so it's hard to say what that will look like. I also wouldn't rule out an appearance in season 3's finale, but it's just a possibility.
The Wheel of Time
- Release Date
- November 18, 2021
- Network
- Prime Video
- Showrunner
- Rafe Judkins
Cast
Moiraine Damodred
al'Lan Mandragoran
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Sanaa Hamri, Ciaran Donnelly, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Thomas Napper, Maja Vrvilo, Wayne Che Yip
- Writers
- Amanda Kate Shuman, Dave Hill, Rohit Kumar, Justine Juel Gillmer, Celine Song, Rammy Park, The Clarksons Twins, Katherine B. McKenna
- Franchise(s)
- The Wheel of Time
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