Why Barthanes is one of The Wheel of Time’s most interesting changes from the books

The Wheel of Time season 2 is at an end, but we’re still picking through all our favorite moments. Prime Video’s fantasy epic is based on the beloved book series by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson; there are 15 books in all, which means the show is making some very interesting choices about how to adapt the story.

One of those very interesting choices is how the show depicted Barthanes Damodred, the nephew of Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) and heir apparent to House Damodred. Barthanes appears in the second Wheel of Time novel, The Great Hunt, but he has a very different role in the show.

If you want to know more about Barthanes, you’re in the right place. Beware SPOILERS for The Great Hunt and The Wheel of Time season 2 ahead.

Who plays Barthanes in The Wheel of Time?

Barthanes Damodred is played by Will Tudor in The Wheel of Time season 2. You might recognize him from Game of Thrones; Tudor played the prostitute Olyvar starting in the third season. He was the one who ultimately outed Loras Tyrell (Finn Jones) to the High Sparrow’s inquisition during the season 5 episode “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken.”

Barthanes Wheel of Time explained

In Episode 207, “Daes Dae’mar,” it is revealed that Moiraine’s nephew Barthanes is a Darkfriend. This came as a huge twist, as Barthanes had been built up as a kind, compassionate character. It turns out that kindness was hiding an ugly secret.

Barthanes’ true allegiance is revealed when Liandrin Guirale (Kate Fleetwood) comes into the Damodred household and demands that Barthanes kill his aunt Moiraine. However, his mother Anvaere (Lindsay Duncan) overhears. She sets a trap for Barthanes; one of her household guards lures him to a room where he thinks Moiraine is drugged and vulnerable.

Instead, Anvare locks Barthanes up. He reveals that the reason House Damodred’s fortunes have risen so much in recent years is because of his secret alliance with the Shadow. Despite begging her to see his point of view and not reveal his betrayal to anyone, Anvaere tells him that she’s already spilled his secret. When last we see Barthanes, he’s banging on the door of his cell while Cairhienen guards come to detain him.

How The Wheel of Time improved Barthanes’ Darkfriend reveal from the books

Barthanes Damodred is also a Darkfriend in the books. However, the reveal is much less dramatic; in fact, we hardly get any connection between him and Moiraine whatsoever.

In the books, Barthanes is a Cairhienen noble who Rand al’Thor encounters that very clearly has some ulterior motives. He eventually delivers a letter to Rand from Padan Fain, which is how readers find out that he is a Darkfriend. Barthanes is later found dead in his rooms; the cause of death is unclear, though there’s reason to think that another agent of the Shadow called a gholam killed him.

Anvaere Damodred doesn’t appear in The Wheel of Time novels, and Barthanes is actually related to Moiraine through a different family member. While Rand encounters Barthanes, Moiraine is far away from Cairhien. As such, the novels really underplay their relation.

There are lots of clues Barthanes is a Darkfriend in The Wheel of Time season 2

The Wheel of Time TV show did a fantastic job hinting at Barthanes’ allegiance to the Dark. There are lots of clues that he has a secret agenda, such as how he asks Moiraine questions about Rand. He also comes into her room to comfort her while she’s writing letters in Episode 206, but if you watch closely you can catch him surreptitiously stealing glances at what she’s writing. You may even be able to pick him out at the Darkfriend Social during the season’s cold open by his particular taste in cufflinks.

By choosing to focus on Barthanes, The Wheel of Time gives Moiraine’s family more depth, and gets a lot of mileage out of a very minor reveal from the novels. Given how many hard choices the show is making about how to fit 15 books into eight seasons of television, we’re expecting more changes like this one in its future.

The Wheel of Time season 2 is streaming now on Prime Video. Season 3 is currently filming, and is expected to premiere sometime in 2025.

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