5 best changes The Wheel of Time show has made from the books

Moiraine and Siuan's relationship

Before, we mentioned how Moiraine's relationship with her family got a much larger focus in the show, but that isn't the only interpersonal affair the Aes Sedai has going on. We also spend plenty of time with her and her lover Siuan Sanche, who also happens to be the Amyrlin Seat, the leader of the Aes Sedai. Their long-running love affair has been kept secret from the rest of the White Tower.

Siuan and Moiraine did have a canonical romance in Jordan's books; we learn about it in the prequel novel, New Spring. However, it's left somewhat nebulous. We mostly learn about Moiraine and Siuan's time together through the odd bit of coded language and suggestive statements. It's nowhere near the passionate, complex coupling we see in the show.

This resulted in another of the show's best episodes in season 1, "The Flame of Tar Valon," where Siuan banishes Moiraine from the White Tower at Moiraine's own request. By this point in the books, it seems pretty clear that Moiraine and Siuan are no longer together, which becomes cemented a bit more by some other details about Moiraine's love life that we learn much later in the series. But by centering the Siuan-Moiraine relationship, the show is able to give it a lot more weight.

On the whole, I think adding more material for this relationship has been a good choice for the series. It has come with some casualties though; by the end of season 2, Siuan has become a much grayer character after trying to capture Rand and use Moiraine's oath — which she gave to her lover in good faith — to force her to obey her commands. It's heartwrenching stuff, but also fundamentally changes Siuan's character in some huge ways.

So we'll call this one a good change that comes with complications. Which feels just about right for Moiraine and Siuan's complex secret affair.