Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for the Season 2 finale of The Wheel of Time.
The Wheel of Time Season 2 has taken viewers through the expansive fantasy world, filling in much of the lore first laid out by Robert Jordan's book series. After an explosive penultimate episode, the show returns to wrap things up this week. The finale, titled "What Was Meant to Be," picks up where the last episode left off, with Rand (Josha Stradowski), Moiraine (Rosamund Pike), and Lan (Daniel Henney) on the way to Falme, accompanied by Lanfear (Natasha O'Keefe), where the rest of the cast is also converging, setting up a long-awaited reunion for the Two Rivers group — but the end of the season contains plenty of action and surprises.
The episode opens with a scene from 3000 years prior to the story when Lews Therin Telamon (Alexander Karim) imprisons Ishamael (Fares Fares), keeping him alive to prevent his rebirth. The conversation reveals how well the two enemies know each other. As Lews Therin leaves, Ishamael pleads for death rather than to be sealed away for thousands of years, but his former friend doesn't listen.
'The Wheel of Time' Season 2 Finale Brings Everyone to Falme
Now that Moiraine has regained access to the One Power and the group has entered the Waygate in Cairhien, Lanfear leads the Aes Sedai, her Warder, and Rand through the Ways. Pushing Moiraine and Lan out of the Waygate, she abducts Rand. On the beach outside of Falme, Lan expresses his desire to rebond with Moiraine despite her reluctance. He has forgiven her for her harsh words, but Moiraine admits that her words were only true because she considers Lan to be her better, and reopens the bond between them again. Later, the Aes Sedai and Warder discuss Lews Therin's friendship with Ishamael and Lanfear, fearing it will play out again with Rand and his own circle.
In Falme, Lanfear visits Ishamael, informing him that she's brought Rand with her. Though Ishamael fears she is moving things along too quickly, Lanfear insists Rand is ready to choose them over the Light and that they shouldn't keep delaying their plan. Meanwhile, Perrin (Marcus Rutherford), Aviendha (Ayoola Smart), and the other Aiel arrive in Falme after Perrin tells Hopper to stay safely behind. The Whitecloaks are preparing to attack the Seanchan invading Falme, yet Dain Bornhald (Jay Duffy) and his father Geofram (Stuart Graham) know the battle is hopeless due to the Seanchan's overwhelming numbers even if they don't share that information. Despite the odds, the Children of the Light arrive, charging the gates of Falme and beginning the battle.
Everyone in 'The Wheel of Time's Season 2 Finale Has a Plan
Nynaeve (Zoë Robins) disguises herself as a sul'dam with the clothes of the prisoner she and Elayne (Ceara Coveney) took as they prepare to save Egwene (Madeleine Madden). Nynaeve uses the a'dam to interrogate the captured sul'dam, Seta (Jade-Eleena Dregorius), and the woman begs for her freedom, offering anything they want — but she doesn't want to leave out of fear of others seeing her collared. Meanwhile, Renna (Xelia Mendes-Jones) is preparing Egwene for the battle against the Whitecloaks, but Egwene's resistance angers her. Threatening to remove her tongue, the sul'dam settles for Egwene's braid, cutting it off in one sweep of a blade.
Perrin and the Aiel maidens enter Falme, quickly reuniting with Loial (Hammed Animashaun), Ingtar (Gregg Chillin), and Mesema (Arnas Fedaravicius), who have managed to steal the Horn of Valere back from the Seanchan. Though Ingtar wants to protect the Horn at all costs, Loial makes an impassioned speech about being heroes themselves and the need to save the rest of their friends in the city, ultimately winning the argument. Loial, Perrin, and the rest are swarmed by Seanchan soldiers. In the fight, Ingtar loses his life, and the others must leave him behind. Lanfear meets with Bayle Domon (Julian Lewis Jones), offering to give him more cuendillar as long as he takes the other Forsaken's seals and drops them deep into the sea, unbroken. Despite the captain's hesitation, Lanfear offers to pay handsomely. Elsewhere in the city, the Seanchan High Lord Turak (Daniel Francis) orders his army to find the Horn but is confronted by Rand, who uses his power to kill the soldiers in his way. When Turak falls dead, his Voice (Akie Kotabe) kills himself as well.
Ishamael tells Padan Fain (Johann Myers) that Lanfear has betrayed them. Planning to kill the other Forsaken despite the immortality the Dark One gifted her, Ishamael moves forward in his plans against Rand, fearing that he may have to kill him instead. Padan Fain offers to help, but Ishamael knows who will kill him from Min's (Kae Alexander) vision — Mat (Dónal Finn). In order to fulfill the vision, however, he must use the dagger from Shadar Logoth. Padan Fain tries to convince Mat to turn to the Dark, locking him in a room with the dagger that possessed him in Season 1. Trapped, Mat looks for a way out and ultimately attaches the dagger to the end of a broad staff, careful to avoid touching it as he wields his new spear to burn through the lock on the door. Though Padan Fain guards the door, Mat escapes with several Seanchan guards in hot pursuit. In another room, High Lady Suroth (Karima Adebibe) rants about her confinement, revealing to Ishamael that Turak is dead and the Horn has been stolen. He instructs her to sail offshore with the rest of the damane and lie in wait to gentle a male channeler while he rushes off to handle the newest developments himself.
The Heroes Find New Allies in 'The Wheel of Time' Season 2 Finale
The sul'dam and damane, including Egwene, stand on the tower, attacking the Whitecloaks. Renna condescendingly compliments Egwene's powers, but when the sul'dam next orders Egwene to fight, Egwene defies her. Renna threatens Egwene, but the Whitecloaks make it through the wall, exploding part of the tower. Egwene digs herself out of the rubble, but so does Renna, who blames Egwene for the explosion and proceeds to torture her. Egwene is able to sneak an unlocked a'dam onto her captor's neck and reveals her knowledge that sul'dam have the "spark" to sense the One Power, too — they're just too weak to wield it themselves. Forcing Renna through the same brutal experience Egwene ultimately uses the a'dam to hang Renna by her neck until the sul'dam dies, just in time for Rand to make it onto the scene.
Nynaeve, Elayne, and Seta head to the tower in an attempt to save Egwene, but Seta is killed with a crossbow bolt, and the a'dam falls open upon her death, while Elayne takes an arrow to the leg. Nynaeve tries to heal Elayne from her wound, but she's blocked in her ability to channel. Unable to use the One Power, Nynaeve relies on her knowledge as a Wisdom to remove the bolt and takes the injured Elayne with her toward Egwene, fearing she won't be able to help alone.
Perrin's group wanders through Falme, and he reunites with Mat, who literally runs into them — along with a wave of Seanchan soldiers. Despite being outnumbered, the Aiel hold their own against the Seanchan. Mat tells Perrin and Loial that Rand is there, and they need to get the Horn to him, although the box will not open. Mat uses the Shadar Logoth dagger to open the box before a new wave of enemies attacks, realizing he has to be the one who takes it to Rand. The Whitecloaks also enter the fray, fighting the Seanchan, but Valda (Abdul Salis) attacks Perrin, too. Because of his connection with Perrin, Hopper rushes in to save Perrin and is killed by Geofram Bornhald. With a new rage, Perrin fights the Whitecloaks, avenging Hopper by cutting down Geofram, but in doing so, he makes a new enemy of Dain.
Meanwhile, before he can reach Rand, Mat encounters another group of Seanchan. In an act of desperation, he blows the Horn of Valere, summoning the ancient heroes who are bound to it to fight beside him — including Artur Hawkwing and Amaresu as well as Uno (Guy Roberts), who died earlier in the season. In that moment, Mat remembers his own former life as a hero. Together, they face their enemy, and the heroes of the Horn fight swiftly to defeat the Seanchan with their unbeatable powers.
'The Wheel of Time' Season 2's Final Battle Results in a Major Death
While Rand reunites with Egwene, trying to explain why he let everyone believe he was dead after Season 1, Ishamael reaches the tower, knocking out Egwene and using Suroth's army of damane to shield Rand. Ishamael offers Rand a chance to join the side of the Dark One, and Rand refuses, saying he will never turn away from the light. Mat arrives, and tries to throw the dagger through Ishamael — but the Forsaken has crafted an illusion of himself, and the blade hits Rand instead, fulfilling Min's vision. Egwene rises and confronts Ishamael herself with the One Power while Mat cradles a wounded Rand.
From their vantage point on the beach, Moiraine and Lan can see the ships where the damane are shielding Rand, and when the Aes Sedai senses what they are doing, she realizes they need to take out the ships — but the Seanchan attack them first, leading to Lan fighting to protect Moiraine as she begins to channel. At the tower, Ishamael overpowers Egwene, but reinforcements arrive, and Perrin helps to shield Egwene while Nynaeve and Elayne go to Rand. Once Elayne heals him with the One Power, they want Rand to help Egwene, but Rand is still shielded — and just in time, Moiraine takes out the ships, freeing Rand. With a combination of the One Power and his heron-marked sword, Rand kills Ishamael, burning a heron into his own palm as the blade disintegrates. Ishamael dies, turning to dust and crumbling.
'The Wheel of Time' Season 2 Finale Introduces a New Forsaken
In the aftermath of the battle, Moiraine uses the One Power to make a dragon out of fire in the sky, fulfilling the prophecy and proclaiming Rand the Dragon Reborn. As the people in the streets celebrate, the Aiel mutter the title "Car'a'carn," and Lanfear smiles. Later, Lanfear learns that all the Forsaken have been released by Ishamael when she encounters Moghedien (Laia Costa), who accuses her of being too close to the Dragon. Moghedien threatens Lanfear to stay away from Rand, saying "all five of them" belong to the other Forsaken before she departs — leading to Lanfear fearing for even Rand's future heading into the next season. With Rand revealed to the world as the Dragon Reborn and many more enemies released into the world, Season 2 of The Wheel of Time concludes in a very different place than it began, yet the action is far from over.
Seasons 1 and 2 of The Wheel of Time are available to stream on Prime Video.