Why season 2 of The Wheel of Time will convince even doubters

I know it’s been a long time, dear fantasy fans. But can you still get in touch The wheel of time remember? Back then, Anno 2021, the series was the most elaborate that Amazon had to offer in terms of in-house fantasy productions. It was the year before The Lord of the Rings: The Power Rings and the anticipation of the film adaptation of Robert Jordan’s 15-volume epic* was enormous.

The first eight episodes turned out to be a very mixed viewing experience. An erratic narrative, sometimes annoying characters, strikingly clean costumes and too many stolen Lord of the Rings ideas diminished the joy of the fantasy adventure. But now season 2 on Amazon Prime Video * has started with a surprise. After only three episodes, The Wheel of Time has improved enormously. And we owe that mainly to a simple change to the characters.

The Wheel of Time: In Season 2, Amazon’s fantasy series learns from its mistakes

The initial idea of ​​The Wheel of Time has always been exciting. Only the implementation was not consistent. To break down the complex fantasy story full of rules and foreign words to the essentials: In a world where only women can safely practice magic, a new figure of light is prophesied. This so-called “Reborn Dragon” is designed to either save or destroy the world. The Aes Sesai (i.e. magician) Moiraine then finds five candidates for the chosen figure. It is only at the end that season 1 reveals who gets the role.

The podcast reminds you of everything important about The Wheel of Time (from minute 12:50)

Season 1 of The Wheel of Time suffered from many little things. While the epic fantasy landscapes and the creepy monsters of the Trollocs were convincing, the series often worked in dealing with its people emotionless. The shooting in Corona times often made the characters who kept their distance seem lost.

Also, the visual effects weren’t always compelling — and the narrative even less so. Instead of a smooth road, the story of The Wheel of Time traveled on bumpy cobblestones, tearing its companions apart and bringing them back together. It took effort to follow Season 1.

Luckily, all of this works in Season 2 more streamlined. The costumes apparently no longer come from the freshly washed costume store. The places appear more plastic. The story is clearly outlined with an invading naval force from the west (the Seanchan) and the search for a stolen artifact (the Horn of Valere). But most the series improves its characters.

A simple trick makes the characters in Amazon’s second season of The Wheel suddenly interesting

Instead of seriously dedicating herself to her characters, the fantasy series put in Season 1 put all their focus on a mystery that actually wasn’t one: “Who is the Dragon Reborn?” we should constantly ask ourselves. However, not only book readers, but also Rad der Zeit newcomers quickly realized that this mystery could only apply to Rand (Josha Stradowski).

So the end of the first season offered no big surprises. Unfortunately, the Amazon series tripped itself by choosing a pompous mystery over character acquaintance for eight episodes. First Season 2 will provide much-needed character development. Because the traveling companions are scattered to the four winds, we can suddenly discover them individually as independent people.

Egwene (Madeleine Madden) and Nynaeve (Zoe Robins) have to take different paths in their magician training and so lay new facets of their inner life open. On the horn hunt, Perrin (Marcus Rutherford) is allowed to explore the long-delayed fantasy question of his wolf connection. Moiraine’s loss of power drives a painful wedge between the previously inseparable duo of Aes Sedai (Rosamund Pike) and her bodyguard, Lan (Daniel Henney). The parts of the previous group need to ask themselves who they (alone) are. Through the simple trick of separating them, the characters gain depth.

Even Rand, previously annoying as a pouting hero, now has a new cropped hairstyle, power, and story of his own, making him an exciting chosen one to follow. The example of the man-hating red Aes Sedai Liandrin (Kate Fleetwood) shows the new character focus even better: Until now, she was the dull decal of an evil opponent. Now she can suddenly show through her own secrets and desires shades that she ambivalent and therefore more approachable make.

Please keep it up Amazon: The Wheel of Time is on the right track in Season 2

That Amazon’s The Wheel of Time suddenly rounder than ever works is an encouraging trend. Showrunner Rafe Judkins apparently understood what the fantasy series was missing before. In any case, the newly introduced daughter-heiress of a powerful kingdom, Elayne (Ceara Coveney), succeeds in her first appearance in season 2 immediately: we want to know more about this unusual princess.

Mat Cauthon, who is one of the books’ biggest fan favorites, has found it doubly difficult to return. He’s been worried (for his siblings) or grumpy (infested with a dark dagger) for most of the story so far. He was then torn from the story early because his actor Barney Harris left the fantasy series. But the new Mat, Dónal Finn, makes his debut convincing. He tears down walls in just one scene in Episode 2. The literal one, when he punches a hole in his dungeon wall, and the character one, when he finally exudes the mischievous charm in prison that his predecessor lacked.

If The Wheel of Time continues like this after the first three episodes of Season 2, the fantasy series on Amazon could still reach the heights that we had previously wished for. The It’s definitely worth continuing to watch, even for doubters and we can’t wait to see the characters continue to grow. There is definitely magic in the air here.

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