The Wheel of Time cast teases new faces and 'massive' scale in season 2
The Wheel of Time season 2 doesn't have a release date yet, but several cast members appeared alongside showrunner Rafe Judkins at New York Comic Con on Friday to tease what's in store for the future of the Amazon Prime Video fantasy series.
Rosamund Pike, who plays the Aes Sedai mystic Moiraine, wasn't able to make the convention in person, but she did record a very creative video message that began the panel. Usually these kinds of drop-ins are very basic, a few nice words from a star who couldn't make the event. But Pike actually filmed a whole elaborate bit in which she picked herself up for a ride in the Czech Republic (where The Wheel of Time is filmed) and talked to herself about what's in store for Moiraine next season.
Having lost her connection to magic at the end of season 1, Moiraine has a hard road ahead. Pike revealed that her character will return to her hometown of Cairhien, a place of "stifling traditions where everyone plays mind games," and in her despair will push away everyone who tries to help her — including her loyal Warder Lan (Daniel Henney), whose emotional connection to Moiraine has now been lost along with her magic.
Amazon Studios Marcus Rutherford as Perrin and Madeleine Madden as Egwene on 'The Wheel of Time.'
Henney did appear at the NYCC panel in person, alongside Marcus Rutherford (Perrin), Madeleine Madden (Egwene), and showrunner Rafe Judkins. Madden noted that every character will have to deal with problems of isolation and alienation in season 2 as the group splinters across the continent.
"I think a recurring theme for all the characters is to deal with this loneliness that they all face, whether that's losing the One Power or losing their home or figuring out their destiny," Madden said. "Everyone's isolated. But this is a really wonderful foundation for them to build themselves up, especially Egwene."
It's not all bad, though! There are also some new faces this season. Dónal Finn shows up as Mat Cauthon, replacing season 1 actor Barney Harris, and they played a room-exclusive clip of his first scene interacting with Moiraine's Aes Sedai rival Liandrin (Kate Fleetwood). As far as new characters go, Ceara Coveney showed up to tease her role as Elayne Trakand, a royal heir and Egwene's fellow Aes Sedai novice.
We’re ready to toss the dice on this one. Dónal Finn is Mat Cauthon. #TheWheelOfTime #WoTNYCC pic.twitter.com/Dk5eLA0Y1h
— The Wheel Of Time (@TheWheelOfTime) October 7, 2022
We’ve been waiting. Ceara Coveney is Elayne Trakand #TheWheelOfTime #WoTNYCC pic.twitter.com/yiW0iAFS0o
— The Wheel Of Time (@TheWheelOfTime) October 7, 2022
The panel wrapped up with a season 2 sizzle reel, which was not exclusive to the room and which you can watch below. In voiceover, Moiraine talks about how the climactic struggle with the Dark One (Fares Fares) at the end of season 1 ended up releasing his most powerful lieutenant, and there are glimpses of globe-trotting story
"This season is a lot of screaming, crying, fighting, and two people talking in a room," Judkins said in summary. "We did build that groundwork. You know who these people are, and now you get to see them go on these journeys. The journeys Robert Jordan created are epic. It's a gift for people who knows the books to watch the show, because they see contained in each of these characters the path that's in front of them. In season 2, we're on that path. By the end of the season, eight episodes later, it's just massive. I'm excited for people to see it."
Watch the teaser above, and stay tuned for The Wheel of Time season 2 on Prime Video.
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