In the midst of all the new storylines that have emerged, season 3 of The Wheel of Time has introduced a new ability that is sure to complicate the lives of the show’s main characters. The season started off with a literal bang, as the tension among the Aes Sedai came to a head when the treacherous Black Ajah revealed themselves in an explosive escape attempt. The stakes only continued to rise across the three premiere episodes, as Queen Morgase of Andor entered the narrative, with her Aes Sedai advisor Elaida do Avriny a’Roihan at her side.

The Aes Sedai’s supposed mastery of the One Power will be one of the core storylines of this season, as strife within their sisterhood will force many of them to choose sides in an ideological conflict over their duties and oaths. While Aes Sedai are bound by the Three Oaths to not do harm, there’s plenty of wiggle room for them to manipulate people; of course the Forsaken, twisted as they are, have no problems using the One Power to achieve their sadistic goals, and Compulsion is one of their favorite tools to that end.

Compulsion Is Used To Mentally Influence Others

Compulsion Can Even Be Used On Aes Sedai

Compulsion is the proper name of a weave of the Power that bends the target to the weaver’s will. There are effectively two forms of Compulsion; a lesser weave that influences the target and leaves them feeling giddy, and a stronger form that can be tied off and left to control someone’s every thought and action. The lesser form is often described in the books as being like a whip, and occasionally used by Aes Sedai as a way to motivate novices and Accepted, but full Compulsion is rarely used by Aes Sedai except in moments of dire need.

Although Compulsion is thought to have no lasting effects once the command has been carried out, repeated use on the same person can lead to them being generally more obedient and timid, even when not actively being Compelled, as if their will begins to erode. If someone under Compulsion is ordered to take an action that is already one of their innermost desires, that command will take hold and remain in place for the rest of their life. In other words, Compulsion can have a lifelong impact on a person, which goes to show why the Aes Sedai are so hesitant to use it.

How Compulsion Can Be Resisted In The Wheel Of Time Books

Compulsion Is Effective, But Not Impossible To Stop

While Compulsion is a powerful weave, it isn’t flawless. Someone actively channeling the One Power is generally immune to Compulsion, although a particularly strong channeler such as one of the Forsaken could theoretically overpower a weaker one, given enough time and metaphorical leverage. Forsaken are generally more powerful than most channelers, hence why villains like Rahvin find so much success with the weave. As the show has already revealed, someone with enough skill in Compulsion can Compell even the most competent channelers, Siuan Sanche included.

Breaking free of a Compulsion does not make one immune to future Compulsions…

Some people have a natural resistance to Compulsion, although even the most learned Aes Sedai have no explanation for where this resistance comes from other than it perhaps being a factor of a person’s strength of will. A strong enough weaving of Compulsion can still take hold of someone resistant, but over time their subconscious mind will find a way to break free of the weave. However, breaking free of a Compulsion does not make one immune to future Compulsions, from the same channeler or otherwise.

Wheel Of Time Characters That Use Compulsion

While all channelers are capable of using Compulsion, most avoid it, seeing it as a distasteful and inelegant form of manipulation. However, the eight Forsaken tend to disagree, particularly the still-unseen Graendal, who has turned Compulsion into her own personal art form. Rahvin, who was introduced in episode 2 of season 3 in his guise as Lord Gaebril, the Prince-Consort of Andor, also uses Compulsion extensively in order to maintain his disguise and keep Queen Morgase under his thumb.

As season 3 of The Wheel of Time continues, and Graendal and the other Forsaken begin to crawl out from beneath the rocks they’ve hidden under, the power of Compulsion and the ability to resist or break it will become increasingly relevant. If this season continues its trend of increasing faithfulness to the books, it’s likely we’ll see the unstoppable force of Graendal’s Compulsion clash against the immovable object of Nyneave’s will and determination more than once.