Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Season 2 of The Wheel of Time.
The Wheel of Time presents many threats, from the Forsaken to the Whitecloaks, but not all enemies are as clear as others. The Aes Sedai Liandrin (Kate Fleetwood) may never have been a hero per se, but despite her problematic actions, she did fight for the Light, or at least seemed to. As a member of the Red Ajah, Liandrin was anxious to still men, but that is to be expected, and though she overstepped their laws to gentle Logain (Álvaro Morte), she claimed it was to keep her sisters safe. And the man did present a great danger to the Aes Sedai present, so she wasn’t entirely wrong. Liandrin and Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) did not see eye to eye, but when Mat (Barney Harris/Dónal Finn) chose not to go into the Waygate outside of Tar Valon, Moiraine sent word to the Red Ajah, and Liandrin apprehended him.
Though she can be cruel, Liandrin’s character runs deeper than that. The character appears much the same as in Robert Jordan‘s books, yet the TV series has given her a new backstory to explore her choices further. This includes the addition of an elderly son (Vladimír Javorský) she cares for despite the Red Ajah’s well-known hatred of men. This development shows her as more than the cold and vicious character she seems to be. Not completely evil, but not a hero, Liandrin has become a complex character rather than the definitive villain her introduction made her seem. Though even a soft spot for her family doesn’t excuse her actions, she perhaps deserves some pity.
‘The Wheel of Time’ Season 2 Gives Liandrin a Secret Son
In Season 2, Liandrin inserts herself into Nynaeve’s (Zoë Robins) training, assumedly trying to take advantage of the girl’s immense power. Liandrin’s unique methods get results, unlike most Aes Sedai who attempt to help Nynaeve, so Nynaeve and the White Tower go along. But even that doesn’t earn Nynaeve’s trust. In Season 2, Episode 2, “Strangers and Friends,” Liandrin sneaks off, and, believing her to be up to something nefarious, Nynaeve follows the Aes Sedai through the streets. There, she finds Liandrin with an elderly man who is clearly in pain. Initially, Nynaeve believes Liandrin will kill him because she hates men, but instead, the Aes Sedai gently cares for him. Liandrin is a powerful Aes Sedai, but she knows little of healing, and with Nynaeve’s experience as a Wisdom, she can instantly tell the treatment will fail to dull the man’s level of pain. Angry, Liandrin sends Nynaeve away, but she breaks down, apologizing to her son, clearly upset she cannot heal him — and the old man comforts her as she cries over her inability to help him. This moment shows Liandrin has a heart, even if it rarely appears.
In Episode 4, “Daughter of the Night,” Liandrin discusses her son with Nynaeve in a brief moment of vulnerability. She admits that she hid him for his safety but kept him near for herself. Liandrin bitterly discusses the experience of watching those she loves age and die. The pain Liandrin has experienced is evident. With the longevity given by the One Power, she has watched generations die. Whether she is remembering the loss of parents, friends, or the father of her child, or anticipating her son’s impending end, her suffering is undeniable. Though most Aes Sedai remove themselves from the world, Liandrin hasn’t, not completely, and that explains her motivation.
Liandrin Is No Hero in ‘The Wheel of Time’
Though the pain she suffered may make her more sympathetic, Liandrin is far from being a hero in the story. She is a member of the secret Black Ajah, meaning she serves the Dark One, working against the White Tower. Threatening the fall of the Amyrlin, Siuan Sanche (Sophie Okonedo) is one thing, but Liandrin continues to be manipulative and outright harmful towards Nynaeve, Min (Kae Alexander), Mat, and anyone else who gets in her way. Pretending to be Nynaeve’s ally, she informs her of Perrin (Marcus Rutherford) and Loial’s (Hammed Animashaun) capture by the Seanchan, giving her all the information Nynaeve needs to find them herself. And predictably, that is what she does, taking Egwene (Madeleine Madden) and Elayne (Ceara Coveney) with her. As they sneak out, Liandrin stops the girls, admitting that Elayne is a complication but using the One Power against all three of them anyway.
Liandrin’s actions go further than that. After Mat’s experience with the cursed dagger, she captures him for observation but then keeps him trapped for months. She gives him news of his friends, omitting parts of their letters that discuss him, leading Mat to think they no longer care for him. During this time, Mat befriends Min, who is in the cell next to him, but Liandrin has staged even this, bribing Min with freedom from the visions that plague her. Min believes she’s working for a trade with an admittedly cruel Aes Sedai, but when she meets Liandrin’s colleague for instructions and finds the Forsaken, Ishamael (Fares Fares), Min learns the truth. Liandrin manipulated her into working for the Dark. Liandrin unashamedly uses and hurts those around her for her own means. She certainly is protecting herself above others, but she at least prioritizes her family.
Why Is This Change Significant to ‘The Wheel of Time’?
Providing a glimpse at Liandrin’s past seems like a minuscule change from the book series, especially when it doesn’t actively contradict anything about her, yet it provides motivation for her choices that is not present in the books and makes her a more interesting character. Season 1 portrays Liandrin as a clear antagonist, but now the lines are more blurred. Ultimately, Liandrin serves the Dark, but not just because she can. The pain in her past and whatever she was promised to ease it led her to that point. This creates complexities for the character, giving her a solid motivation for her evil actions. The best villain of any story is one who has an understandable reason to become what they are, and that is what Liandrin’s past provides. Her situation earns her a little sympathy, though it cannot excuse her deeds. Yet it explains her choices, making her a better and more complex character than before.
New episodes of The Wheel of Time Season 2 premiere on Fridays on Prime Video.
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Khushi Patel is a science fiction author who lives in Austin, Texas. She has published three novels, and her work has been praised for its originality and imagination. Khushi is a graduate of Rice University, and she has worked as a software engineer. She is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and her books have been nominated for several awards.
