Summary
Details aboutThe Wheel of Timeseason 3’s story help in identifying which members of the Forsaken are being cut from the show. At this point in this narrative, the evidence that Prime VIdeo’s series has changed the number of Forsaken inThe Wheel of Time’sworldis overwhelming. InRobert Jordan’sWheel of Timebooks, it’s well known thatthe Forsaken comprise 13 powerful channelers. But in the show, all signs point to there only being eight members of the group.
The number of Forsaken statues shown in a season 1 episode and the inclusion of six broken seals inWheel of Timeseason 2’s endingboth corroborate the idea that the series has elected to cut five Forsaken characters from the series. The identities of the five missing villains haven’t been confirmed, but clues have propped up over time. For instance, there’s already good reason to suspect Aginor and Balthamel won’t be in the show. And based on the direction the series is about to take, another Forsaken’s name may soon be added to that list.
Balthamel and Aginor are heavily theorized to have been cut from the show since they died inThe Eye of the World’sending, a story the show told without either character making an appearance.
Wheel Of Time Season 3’s Plan Means Be’lal Likely Won’t Appear
Don’t Expect Be’lal To Fight Rand In The Show
The Wheel of Timeseason 3is known to be an adaptation of book 4,The Shadow Rising, which lowers the odds of Be’lal making a live-action appearance. Established as the High Lord of Tear in book 3,The Dragon Reborn, Be’lal was one of two Forsaken to die at Rand’s hands in the novel, the other being Ishamael. Rand defeated them consecutively (Be’lal and then Ishamael) before claiming Callandor at the Stone of Tear inThe Dragon Reborn’sending. Because the show is apparently jumping straight intoThe Shadow Rising, it stands to reason that much ofThe Dragon Reborn’sevents will be skipped - and that likely includes Be’lal’s role.
Supporting this notion is the fact that the series already featured Ishamael’s death. Theoretically, he could return, but the feeling of finality to it indicates he’s gone for good and won’t get his rematch with Rand at the Stone of Tear. Killing Ishamael off early makes sense if it’s true thatWheel of Timeisn’t making room forThe Dragon Reborn’sstory. And if it doesn’t intend to adapt Rand and Ishamael’s fight at the end of the book, there’s even less of a chance it’ll use his battle with Be’lal, especially since the former was the more significant battle of the two.
Why Be’lal Is One Of The Easiest Forsaken To Cut From The Story
The Wheel Of Time’s Show Doesn’t Need Be’lal
Considering that the show already looks set to write out five members of the Forsaken, it’s not hard to imagine Be’lal being removed from the story.Be’lal’s impact was severely limited due to his early death, and as a consequence of that, he didn’t receive much character development compared to most of the other villains. Ultimately, he’s one of the books' least-essential Forsaken.The Wheel of Timewon’t miss out much by cutting Be’lal, which is all the more reason why a live-action interpretation of his fight with Rand shouldn’t be expected, regardless of whether it finds a way to incorporate the Stone of Tear story.
