The Wheel of Time (Season 3 Review) | The Pattern Weaves as the Show Rises

Well, The Wheel of Time season 3 finale just left me with tears and a bad taste in my mouth but it leveled up, big time.

A promotional still from season 3 of The Wheel of time featuring Bair (Nukâka Coster-Waldau), Egwène (Madeleine Madden), Melaine (Salome R. Gunnarsdottir), and in the Aiel desert looking up with curiosity and wonder in their eyes.

From the first episode, the show kicked into high gear with a sense of urgency and dread we haven’t consistently felt in past seasons. Season 3 is hands down the strongest so far, it’s darker, tighter, faster – sometimes a bit too fast -, and packed with payoffs for both book fans and newcomers. If Season 2 was the show finding its footing, Season 3 is it sprinting full-speed toward potential greatness. The Forsaken are loose, the stakes are higher than ever, and the Emond’s Field five are being pushed to their limits, both by external threats and their own inner demons. And for the first time, it feels like everything is finally clicking into place.

A promotional still from season 3 of The Wheel of time featuring Rand Al'Thor (Josha Stradowski) channeling the one power (fiery and dark swirls around him) with a determined look on his face.

This season doesn’t waste any time, but maybe it should. The pacing is a bit brisk, but the storytelling is sharp, the action looks great, and the character development is there. They are moving through these books like they’re trying to tell as much of the story as they can before they can’t. There were moments where certain plotlines could’ve used a little more breathing room. But honestly? These are minor gripes. As fast as the rhythm is this year, I love the arcs we’ve had this season. Rand’s arc alone is worthy of note, especially giving how Josha Stradowski absolutely crushed it, bringing emotional weight, subtle nuance, and an impressive command of his scenes. His journey through Rhuidean alone was an amazing highlight. We’re starting to feel the growing burden that he has to carry.

A promotional still from season 3 of The Wheel of time featuring A grinning Padan Fain () dressed dirty White Cloak garb with a Trolloc behind him.

And it’s not just Rand. Aviendha, Lan, Nynaeve, Matt, Elaine, Perrin and Egwene, they all get moments to shine this season. There’s a maturity to how their stories are being told now. The show’s no longer seem to just set things up, it’s exploring and deepening this rich world Robert Jordan created. Even side characters like Gaebril, Sevanna, and Couladin got strong, purposeful introductions that immediately hint at who they are and how much of a problem they’ll be.

A promotional still from season 3 of The Wheel of time featuring Perrin Aybara (Marcus Rutherford) wearing an armor, and Faile Bashere (Isabella Bucceri) both with a concern look on their faces. There are some wooden houses in the  background.

Visually? The Wheel of Time has never looked better. The Gateways are beautiful, the battles are brutal and have real weight, tension, and sheer scale. It’s everything I’ve been waiting for. The show’s finally leaning into what makes Robert Jordan’s world so rich: the layers, the mythos, the emotional undercurrents beneath all the prophecies and power struggles.

A promotional still from season 3 of The Wheel of time featuring Moirane (Rosamund Pike) channeling the one power through a globe in her hand, green and gold lights are converging toward it. Lan (Daniel Henney) stands next to her, his sword at the ready.

Of course, it’s not perfect. Perrin’s storyline still feels a bit incomplete – book readers would know -, and that got me a little nervous. I’m not totally sold on the direction they’re taking with him just yet. But the season as a whole? Easily the strongest we’ve seen. It’s bolder and more confident. It’s a series that finally knows what it wants to be, and is embracing it fully.

So, did they stick the landing? Honestly, yeah. A bold choice was made, one that I don’t particularly like but totally understand. Season 3 ends with momentum, emotion, and plenty of juicy setups for what’s next. It’s the kind of season that makes you rewatch earlier episodes just to catch more of the clever build-up.

A promotional still from season 3 of The Wheel of time featuring Elaida (Shoreh Aghdashloo) in her quarters, dressed in rich red robes and dripping with jewelry

If you’ve been on the fence with this show, Season 3 is the one to watch. If you’ve been here from the start, this is the season you’ve been waiting for. The Wheel of Time is becoming a great fantasy series in its own right.

Now, how long do we have to wait for Season 4? The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills… but hurry up, Amazon.

Rating: 9 out of 10.

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