Wheel of Time's Rosamund Pike warns of danger for key character in season 3
"It's very interesting to have a hero who will, by necessity, go mad when he uses the full potential of his power."
As The Wheel of Time season 3 inches closer, Rosamund Pike has warned of the ever-increasing danger that comes with the power possessed by Rand Al'Thor (Josha Stradowski).
The actress, who plays Moiraine Damodred and serves as an executive producer on the show, has said that madness feels closer than ever for Rand in season 3.
"We've really started to really explore the danger of the Dragon Reborn," she exclusively told RadioTimes.com.
"Because it's very interesting to have a hero who will, by necessity, go mad when he uses the full potential of his power.
"There's always this thing in fantasy where the hero could go to the dark side, and maybe you don't really ever believe that.
"But in this case – I've been talking with Josha a lot about this – he really could, because the very power that he uses to express the magnitude of his power is tainted, so it will pull him towards the dark. That's why you've got this ambivalence.
"Will he make or break the world? We have to continue that story and tell it."
With it being suggested that Rand's madness feels "close this season", Pike agreed: "It does. It does feel close."
The next instalment, which has been described by showrunner Rafe Judkins as the closest book adaptation so far, will see Rand and Moiraine head to the Aiel Waste as she does everything in her power to protect him.
Fans of Robert Jordan's books will notice that the Aiel Waste is coming a little early in the chronology, with Pike previously explaining that change.
"We haven't neglected the Stone of Tear, we've just rearranged the order," she told RadioTimes.com.
"There'll be debate about it, but instead of Rand, as you would expect, his next point on his journey would be to go and get Callandor from the Stone of Tear, we are going into the Aiel Waste first, because he needs to discover who he is.
"Obviously in the novels, there's loads of opportunity for the internal battles of Rand, coming to terms with being the Dragon Reborn – but we need to make that active.
"We can't do subjective thinking on film. So we need him to go and discover who he is by going to the land of where he comes from. So we're going to the Aiel Waste first and I hope you'll understand and appreciate why."
The Wheel of Time season 3 will begin on 13th March on Prime Video.
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Authors
Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.
