Who is Aviendha in The Wheel of Time? Who are the Aiel?

In the latest episode of The Wheel of Time, “Damane,” we meet a character named Aviendha, played by Ayoola Smart. Perrin comes upon her having been trapped in a cage by Whitecloaks. He lets her out and the two of them fight off a horde of Whitecloaks together. Afterwards she travels with him. And also she maybe suggests having sex, although Perrin seemed bemused by that one.

Aviendha will be an important character going forward. So who is she?

Who is Aviendha in The Wheel of Time?

Aviendha is a member of the Aiel people. She left her home in the Three-Fold Land (called the Waste by outsiders) in search of the Car’a’carn, or “chief of chiefs,” a sort of messiah who it’s said will lead the whole of the Aiel.

Aviendha is smart, resourceful, fearless, and obviously a good warrior; we all saw how she mopped the floor with that group of Whitecloaks. Aviendha trained to be that good at fighting her whole life, for she is a member of the Far Dareis Mai.

What is Far Dareis Mai on The Wheel of Time?

Within Aiel society, the Far Dareis Mai are, essentially, really really really good warriors, all of whom are female. “Far Dareis Mai” translates to “Maiden of the Spear.”

Aviendha wanted to become Far Dareis Mai for most of her life, as do many women among the Aiel. To become Far Dareis Mai, a woman must forego marriage and children. If they get pregnant, they are not allowed to wield the spear while they are carrying the child, and after the child is born, they are given up to another Aiel organization who find them an adoptive home.

We actually saw one member of the Far Dareis Mai on The Wheel of Time before: in season 1, there’s a flashback where a pregnant Aiel woman fights soldiers in the snow. This was Rand’s mother Tigraine Mantear, a Maiden of the Spear.

Who are the Aiel in The Wheel of Time?

Now, I know I literally just said that Maidens of the Spear aren’t allowed to fight while pregnant, so how did Rand’s mother manage it? Well, like everything else involving Rand, he and the people he knows are exceptions. Part of the reason Rand is seen as so special by the Aiel is because he was born of a Maiden of the Spear who was still fighting while she was pregnant.

But just who are the Aiel anyway? Well, they have a long history that we’ll no doubt learn more about on the show. For now, we can say that they’re a people who live in the arid Three-Fold Land, which is covered in desert. They are known to be great warriors and many of them have red hair, like Rand.

As of now, Aviendha is the only Aiel we have met, but there are lots more to come. We’ll probably start getting to know the Aiel in earnest in the third season of the show.

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