The fourth episode of The Wheel of Time season 2 hit viewers with a huge twist, revealing that Rand al’Thor’s (Josha Stradowski) new girlfriend Selene (Natasha O’Keeffe) has a dark secret. Despite convincing Rand that she’s a simple innkeeper, Selene is actually Lanfear, one of the elite cadre of ancient magic users sworn to the Dark One. They are known as the Forsaken.
Who is Lanfear, and what does this big reveal mean for Rand and the rest of our heroes? We’re here to talk all about Lanfear, one of the most fascinating characters in The Wheel of Time saga.
Who are Lanfear and the Forsaken?
In order to understand who Lanfear is, it’s important to have a good grasp on the Forsaken. In The Wheel of Time books by Robert Jordan, the Forsaken are a group of 13 magic users who swore themselves to the Dark One in the previous age when he clashed with Lews Therin Telamon, the Dragon who preceded Rand. They are the Dark One’s foremost lieutenants, and were responsible for many of the greatest atrocities committed in his name.
Lanfear, whose original name was Mierin Eronaile, was arguably the most powerful Forsaken aside from Ishamael. Before she swore herself to the Dark One, she had a relationship with Lews Therin. However, he broke it off, which led to Lanfear developing an obsession with recapturing his attention and swaying him to the dark.
There are many notable things about Lanfear. She was one of the original researchers who discovered the Dark One’s subterranean prison, which led to the great conflict that ended her age, known as the Age of Legends. She also holds great power over Tel’aran’rhiod, the World of Dreams, which is a major part of The Wheel of Time novels that will hopefully be explored in the TV show. Expect to learn a lot more about Lanfear as the show goes on.
Her name, Lanfear, translates in the Old Tongue to “Daughter of the Night,” which is also the title of the second season’s fourth episode where her identity is revealed.
How is Lanfear’s identity revealed in the books?
When Lews Therin sealed the Bore which opened the Dark One’s prison, Lanfear and the other Forsaken were trapped in a sort of stasis alongside their master. This is why they haven’t aged and are able to re-emerge in the TV show with their powers still intact.
Lanfear’s obsession with Lews Therin remains in the Third Age. After awakening, she takes on the alias “Selene” and sets out to find the Dragon Reborn, since he’s a reincarnation of her previous lover. This leads to her crossing paths with Rand. In the TV show, they become romantically involved until Moiraine arrives to reveal the truth about “Selene,” slitting the Forsaken’s throat and leading Rand away. In the novels, Lanfear secretly reveals her identity to Min around the end of the second novel, The Great Hunt. Rand doesn’t find out who Selene really is until much later, when she comes to him at the Stone of Tear during the beginning of the fourth novel, The Shadow Rising.
How did Lanfear survive Moiraine’s attack?
One other interesting thing to note about Lanfear is that Moiraine seemingly killed her in the TV show. But Moiraine says she can’t actually kill Lanfear, and we see the proof of that when Lanfear’s eyes snap back open a moment later.
In the novels, slitting a Forsaken’s throat would absolutely kill most of them. However, The Wheel of Time is a story that deals with reincarnation, and the decision to make Lanfear harder to kill might be a reflection of that. In the novels, the Dark One resurrects several Forsaken in new bodies. It’s possible the show could change that idea and just make the Forsaken harder to kill, at least by mundane means. Hopefully that’s something that’s explained as the series goes on.
Presumably we’ll find out more about Lanfear and her nefarious goals when The Wheel of Time season 2 premieres its fifth episode next week.
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