It was one of those evenings where I was just randomly scrolling through the site I download movies from, hoping to finally find a movie that soothes my boredom. Then I stumbled upon "Wheel of Time" not for the first time, but the title always sounded too epic, like it needed undivided attention plus the fact that it's a series, I'd long hesitated watching it. But that evening, I decided to check it out and wow, I’m so glad I did.

So far, we’ve got two seasons (with season 3 presently being uploaded at a pace slower than my patience) and let me just say, this show is not for the impatient. Be warned, lmao.

It’s got that slow-burn intensity that pays off if you’re paying attention. It’s based on a whole series of novels by Robert Jordan (which I shamefully haven’t read, I'm not much of a book person). If you've been looking for epic fantasy since the time of Merlin, THIS IS IT. It’s giving magic, it’s giving destiny, prophecy, betrayal and oh, time. Time in its raw, terrifying, beautifully confusing form.

THE PLOT

So basically, the story is about Moiraine (played by the beautifully regal Rosamund Pike, I'm obsessed with that woman), a member of the powerful all-female organization called the Aes Sedai.

She’s on a journey to find the Dragon Reborn, someone who will either save the world or break it completely (I mean, no pressure). She ends up in this small village called Two Rivers and believes one of five young people there is the reincarnation of this world-breaking savior.

Now imagine being told you're either going to destroy the world or save it... and no one knows which yet. Yeah, no thanks.

The story progresses through this vast, magical world filled with creatures like Trollocs (horrible nightmare fuel, honestly), Darkfriends (people who swore an oath of service to the darklord), and so many more that I still struggle to pronounce the names of some of the creatures. Everyone's got an agenda, and you can't really trust ANYBODY except maybe... Lan. Moiraine’s Warder. That man is loyal, deadly, and fine. Yes, I said it, fineeee!

MY OPINION

First of all, This show is chef's kiss on cinematography. The landscapes, the costumes, the fight scenes? The magic and spells? Just wow. There were scenes where I literally watched over and over again, like the scene where Nynaeve unleashed her powers to save Lan. Literal goosebumps.

Rosamund Pike as Moiraine is the perfect casting. She's got that calm, unshakable presence but you know there's a storm underneath. And don’t even get me started on Nynaeve and Egwene, two powerful female characters that made me scream at my screen more times than I care to admit. Whew!

Now, is "Wheel of Time" perfect? no no nope! Some parts dragged, in fact, most of my friends could not watch past episode 2. Some scenes were absolutely confusing, like when Nynaeve unleashed her powers and all of a sudden, she's this powerless woman again, and don't even get me started on the last scene of season two. The whole theatrics was captivating, don't et me wrong, but common, the way the dragon reborn defeated the antagonist was too easy, and how powerless Nynaeve was? It irritated me to a great deal. Also, some characters made me want to throw my phone (Mat, I’m looking at you).

However, the beauty of the show is in how it deals with time, power, and prophecy. Everything feels circular, like no decision is without weight, like the past, present, and future are always touching. I think that’s what drew me in the most.

And listen, I love a good chosen-one trope, especially when it’s messy. Nobody knows who the Dragon Reborn is at first and when it’s finally revealed, it’s not with a drumroll but with a quiet, "oh sht*" moment. I did not see it coming! When it comes to mystery and subtlety, I give that to the show because, even if it involves throwing the watchers into complete confusion, they hide their secrets well.

Wheel of Time talks about time and it's memory, it’s consequence, it’s legacy. The way the story jumps between past lives and present moments, how everything feels destined yet changeable... it’s heavy.

Final Thoughts & Rating

If you like your fantasy with a side of emotional mess, political drama, and breathtaking visuals, in short, if you enjoyed Merlin, then you should enjoy this one as well.

I’ll give it a 8.5/10. Would’ve been a 9 if they gave us more Lan and less Mat tantrums. Well, I'm waiting for them to finish uploading S3 so I can get to the bottom of the story.

All images are from IMdb