Josha Stradowski on Rand accepting his destiny on The Wheel of Time

The latest episode of The Wheel of Time, “The Dark Along the Ways,” finally answered the question we’ve been wondering since the start of the series: Who is the Dragon Reborn? Since the first episode, we’ve known that this messianic figure was fated to either save the world or destroy it, and that it had to be one of several kids from the Two Rivers. And now we finally know which one.

As readers of Robert Jordan’s book series have known for decades, it’s Rand al’Thor, who ended the episode by accompanying Moiraine to the Eye of the World for a confrontation with the Dark One. Actor Josha Stradowski couldn’t say what happens after that, but he did talk to TV Line about Rand’s journey so far.

“I think Rand in Episode 1 has a pretty good idea of who he is and what he wants in life,” Stradowski said. “Of course, Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) entering the village changes everything. But what really changes everything is what happens in Episode 7. Realizing that he’s the Dragon Reborn means that he’s not who he thinks he was. And it’s the start of a huge identity shift.”

"He’s completely cut off from his roots because his dad might not be his dad. And now he’s the messiah, the only person who has the ability to save or destroy the world. That means that in order to beat the Dark One and beat evil in the world, he can’t be that naive Two Rivers boy. He has to change, and I think that Episode 7 is the start of a change in his heart."

When he was in the Ways, Machin Shin whispered to Rand that not only was he the Dragon, but that he had always known he was the Dragon. We got a flashback to a scene from Jordan’s book that didn’t appear in the first episode, where a delirious Tam al’Thor (Michael McElhatton) reveals that Rand may have been adopted. Rand has been thinking about that this whole time.

The moment when everything changed for Rand al’Thor

But it’s one thing to suspect you have a destiny to reshape the world and another to actually accept it. “I mean, who would dare to face such a truth?” Stradowski asked. “I think a key moment is the channeling [in the Ways]; that changes a lot for him. And then Moiraine says that whoever goes to the Eye of the World who’s not the Dragon will die there. That really forces him to face the truth, finally, because once again he has to do that in order to protect his friends.”

"He doesn’t have a choice. He’s the chosen one. He has to go on this mission he never signed up for. He has to do it, and he knows it. And he’s doing it alone with Moiraine."

Speaking of Moiraine, she and Rand haven’t always seen eye to eye, but they’re undertaking this final challenge together. “[T]heir relationship is constantly about trust, really,” Stradowski said. “From Episode 1, he’s the first one that questions her, that stands up to her. And that’s what he has been doing for the whole season, really. I feel like in that way, he’s really the person that’s taking responsibility and also thanking her first for saving Mat. I think he has decided that he now has to trust her. They have to do this together.”

Josha Stradowski is almost done reading The Wheel of Time books

As for what happens at the Eye of the World, ask your book-reading friends. That could include Stradowski, by the way, because he’s devouring these things. “Just started Book 12. I do really enjoy reading them.”

"I can see how tough it is to make a show like The Wheel of Time. I mean, if you read the books, you’re aware of how rich the world is. In the whole series, there are like 2,800 characters. You can’t fit them all into the show, and I think that’s the most difficult thing to do, when you have to leave out bits and pieces because you only have eight episodes in one season. So that’s, I think, the toughest thing.But I’m in a very fun place, because I do get the scripts and I’m reading the books as well, so it’s very exciting to see the changes they’re making. They add more backstories to the characters. There’s more of an inner life, and I really love those kinds of choices that they have made."

Breaking down the changes from the books to the show is one of the enjoyable things about watching the series. We can’t wait to see how the climax changes…

What happens in The Wheel of Time season 2?

The Wheel of Time has definitely found an audience, and Amazon doesn’t intend to let them wait very long for more. The studio is already at work on season 2, which will adapt the second book in the series, The Great Hunt.

“I can’t say too much of course, but I’m very excited for people to see that because more layers are being added to the story — not only to Rand’s arc, but also the others,” Stradowski said of the upcoming episodes. “And the world does become more complex, and the stakes become even bigger.”

But that’s a while off. For now, the season 1 finale of The Wheel of Time, “The Eye of the World,” airs this Friday on Amazon Prime Video.

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