Mat gets a big head in new look at The Wheel of Time season 3 (also, Loial returns!)

The third season of The Wheel of Time is right around the corner, and Prime Video is getting people primed. Just today, it dropped a new video spotlight the character of Mat Cauthon, played by Dónal Finn. Mat spent much of the second season trying to dodge the responsibilities that come with being a ta'veren pattern weaver and the best friend of Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn. But he got a hero moment in the season finale when he blew the Horn of Valere and summoned heroes of old to help fight back the invading Seanchan. That might have been one of my favorite moments of the season!

In the new clip, we see that Mat has let his fame as the blower of the horn go to his head. He's even getting a portrait of himself drawn with him holding the horn! And in a few behind-the-scenes shots, Dónal Finn drips with cheeky arrogance. Finn was actually brought in to play Mat after the actor who played him in season 1, Barney Harris, had to leave the show. But the role clearly fits him like a glove:

There are a few other things to note about this clip, starting with this image of Bain (Maja Simonsen) and Chiad (Ragnheiður Ragnarsdóttir) — two Aiel women we met in season 2 — putting their spears to Mat's throat:

What did Mat do to tick them off? Knowing him, it could be any number of things. Also, note that the gentle giant Loial (Hammed Animashaun) is behind Mat in that image. We haven't seen Loial in either the trailer for season 3 nor any of the official images yet released, so it's great to confirm that he's returning!

I also want to draw attention to a brief shot at around the 0:36 mark of the video, where Mat is fumbling with a rack of swords. There's a scene in the third Wheel of Time book, The Dragon Reborn, where Mat takes on a pair of warders-in-training named Galad and Gawyn — both of whom have been cast for season 3 — in a training yard. Might this be a clip from that scene?

Finally, note the shot at 0:41 where Mat is sitting with a woman wearing the kind of robe donned by novices at the White Tower, the home base for Aes Sedai sorceresses. Novices aren't allowed to leave the White Tower, located in the city of Tar Valon, which suggests that Mat and company might travel back there in season 3.

The Wheel of Time season 3 is based on The Shadow Rising, the fourth book in Robert's Jordan epic fantasy series. At the start of that book, our main characters are gathered at the Stone of Tear, in the city of Tear. But the show hasn't yet introduced Tear, so I wonder if everyone will gather in Tar Valon instead.

It seems like these clips come from early in the new season. Later on, it looks like Mat travels to the city of Tanchico, which is different from what he gets up to in the books. We'll get all the details when The Wheel of Time season 3 premieres on Prime Video on March 13!

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