The Wheel of Time season 3 expands the lives of characters introduced in the last season while continuing the journeys of those who have been there all along. Largely pulling from Robert Jordan’s novel The Shadow Rising, The Wheel of Time season 3 sees Rand Al’Thor embracing his identity as the Dragon Reborn and unseen threats materializing into very present dangers. The season also explores the warrior culture of the Aiel by sending its characters to their homeland with Aviendha (Ayoola Smart).

The new season also introduces audiences to other key members of the Kingdom of Andor, filling out the family of Elayne, played by Ceara Coveney. Elayne herself continued to grow in the show’s early episodes both personally and romantically, with a long hinted-at book romance brought to the screen for the first time. Elsewhere in the world, Siuan Sanche (Sophie Okonedo) hopes to maintain control of the White Tower while Lan Mandragoran (Daniel Henney) hopes to ground Rand even as the weight of the world rests on his shoulders.

ScreenRant spoke with stars Ceara Coveney, Ayoola Smart, Daniel Henney, and Sophie Okonedo about their work on The Wheel of Time’s freshest season yet. Coveney and Smart discussed their characters’ relationships with each other and how that might affect other book moments going forward. Henney and Okonedo shared their thoughts on Rand’s journey and the arrival of new forces in the White Tower.

Elayne & Aviendha’s Kiss Brings Book Subtext To The Forefront

“It Feels Like It’s All In There Anyway”

The early episodes of The Wheel of Time season 3 make a few big changes to Robert Jordan’s source material, and one of them is the kiss shared by Aviendha and Elayne. Aviendha actor Ayoola Smart commented on the development, saying, “I feel like there is such a rich depth to their friendship and their relationship in the books that it feels like it’s all in there anyway.”

Ceara Coveney, who plays Elayne, agreed: “There is such a connection between the two characters and it is really lovely to be able to open up their romantic lives so early in the season as well, especially because we haven’t seen that side to either of the characters.” She continued, saying, “To have a moment of connection… it was really wonderful. It’s a nice seed to plant and, hopefully, audiences will be wanting to see more in the future.”

(Note: If you are avoiding reading/learning about future plot points based on the books, skip this paragraph) This is a bold step away from the books in that, in Jordan’s works, Aviendha and Elayne both become romantically involved only with Rand. While they are in the same polycule in the novels, their own romance is never explicitly described. Smart commented on whether this development will change the Rand of it all, saying, “I don’t think taking that very definite step over the line necessarily has to impact their relationship in a divergence from the books, really, in any way.”

Lan Is A Grounding Force In Rand’s Life, Reveals Daniel Henney

Rand Is In Need Of A “Strong Male Figure”

Some of the most touching moments in The Wheel of Time season 3 are those between Josha Stradowski’s Rand al’Thor and Daniel Henney’s Lan Mandragoran. Henney would likely agree with that sentiment: “It’s a very powerful thing when Moiraine asks [Rand] what he’s up to, training with Lan, and he says, ‘Well, Lan listens.’” As Rand settles more and more into being the Dragon Reborn, Lan is shown to be one of the few people who still treats him like a normal person.

Henney elaborated on the dynamic, saying, “It’s very important to have a strong male figure in Rand’s life. Coming from the Two Rivers, being a very simple farm boy, I think he’s in need of something like that. And Lan is very strong, he does listen, and you are going to see that continue throughout the season. The sword forms and the training [were] something I looked forward to for a very long time, and finally we’re doing it. It was very rewarding.”

Still, Lan is very aware that Rand is something of a ticking time bomb: “You can see him devolving, you can see the corruption, you can see the power within him and his struggle to control that sweetness. He talks about how much it’s affecting him, and you can see in Moiraine’s face that she knows what that means. They all know what happens to men who can channel eventually.” While Lan can be seen helping Rand as much as possible, Henney said, “You have to put that into [the] algorithm in your head as a character.”

Sophie Okonedo Weighs In On Siuan Sanche’s White Tower Relationships

Siuan Experiences Love & Rivalry In The Wheel Of Time Season 3

While Siuan Sanche actor Sophie Okonedo doesn’t have social media, she knows the relationship between Siuan and Moiraine has resonated with fans. “My kids say, ‘Oh my God, people love that relationship,’ so I hear it from them. It was just so lovely to hear about that,” Okonedo said, “because when you’re doing something, you have no idea how it’s coming across … I ended up doing this show because of Roz. We’re together because we really like each other, and to have that come through in the show is brilliant.”

On the other end of the spectrum, audiences have met Siuan’s biggest rival in Elaida do Avriny a’Roihan, played by Shohreh Aghdashloo. “It gets real,” Okonedo said about their dynamic, “the scenes, I hope, will be really powerful between us. I met my match. She’s really great–her voice, the way she acts, the part… she’s so scary, and they were really fun scenes to do. I don’t want to give too much away, but there were some really fun scenes between me and her, and we definitely go head-to-head.”

Ceara Coveney Weighs In On Queen Morgase’s Arrival

Elayne And Her Mother Are Similar, But Different In Key Ways

The Wheel of Time season 3 has finally introduced the rest of Elayne Trakand’s family, with her mother Morgase Trakand (Olivia Williams) making an especially memorable–and brutal–entrance. When asked if Elayne was in any way similar to her mother, Coveney didn’t say no: “I think she’s more like her mother than she believes she is.”

It’s more complicated than that however: “I definitely think there’s a conflict inside [her], looking up to her mother and the path that she chose, and I think she really questions whether she has the same capabilities,” Coveney continued. Thankfully for those who don’t want Elayne to turn into a ruthless monarch, the actor said, “I think she sees her path to her destiny differently. She can see the ways in which she is going to become the queen she wants to be … and that is maybe different to what Morgase sees for her.”

Ayoola Smart Reflects On Bringing Aviendha To Her Homeland

“It Was A Really Emotional Experience”

The character of Aviendha was introduced last season, but The Wheel of Time season 3 brings audiences into her homeland (the Aiel Waste or the Three-fold Land, depending on whether or not you’re a wetlander) for the first time. “It was a really emotional experience,” Smart said, “having her be surrounded by her people. There’s an internal struggle there about what it means for her to be coming home, and [with] who she’s bringing with her as well, and what that means for her people.”

There’s a struggle for Aviendha’s own identity as well, said Smart: “Outside of the Waste, she’s largely one of the only representations of the Aiel that we have. Putting her back into being surrounded by her people, we get to see her individualism and her uniqueness within the Aiel culture. She’s incredibly Aiel, but she’s also not, and there’s that path she’s forging for herself.”