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Hair holds memories—we know this to be true. But in The Wheel of Time, it’s more than just sentimentality. For Egwene al’Vere, it’s a symbol of transformation, identity, and the journey to becoming who she’s meant to be.
When we first meet her in season one, Egwene is getting her hair braided in a village ceremony. But in season two, she isn’t treated with such grace.
At the hands of her captor, her long locks are dramatically chopped, symbolising the violation and cruelty she experienced last season.
“We’ve all had traumatic hair cuts in our past,” Madeleine Madden, who stars as Egwene in the series, tells ELLE Australia. “This one was particularly spicy.”
But Egwene’s transformation isn’t just physical. Season three follows her attempt to heal from the intense trauma she endured in season two after being enslaved and tortured by the Seanchan army.
“There was so much trauma inflicted on her around her neck and feeling like a collared animal,” Madeleine explains.
“I really leaned into what it would be like to be an animal in a cage that would chew its own leg off to get out of its shackles. That is the mindset I was putting myself in, and how do I then carry myself in this big open world where anything could be a threat to me?”
It was something the 28-year-old actress worked through alongside the show’s movement coach, Scarlet McKim—a process that carries through in key scenes with her co-star Josha Stradowski, who plays Egwene’s love interest, Rand.
“There’s a beautiful scene with Josha and I where we’re trying to connect with each other, but things have changed and there are parts on our body that we’re not willing to give to another person yet,” she says.
What Happened Between Rand And Egwene?
There’s plenty to unpack when it comes to Egwene and Rand’s relationship in season three. Suffice it to say, things were far from perfect in season two.
While their love carried them through season one, cracks began to form when Rand struck up a romance with Lanfear (Natasha O’Keeffe).
“So much time has passed and they’ve experienced such vastly different things,” Madeleine says. “It’s really endearing to see them so naturally want to find safety and security and familiarity in each other.
“That is something that they know, and they know that love will always be there, but there’s still so much unfinished business and so many unresolved conversations.”
Eventually, they’ll have to face the fire, Madeleine points out. The question is how long they can put it off or how long they can hide from each other—and from what they’ve really been through.
What Happens To Egwene In Season 3?
Not only does Egwene need to deal with the changes in her relationship with Rand, but she also has to face the harsh reality that he’s no longer the boy she grew up with.
“After what she experiences in the arches, that memory of what she saw is her biggest fear coming to life—and she can already see the changes in Rand.”
For the young channeler, it’s now about throwing herself into her training and honing her skills so she can be powerful enough to stand by his side in the last battle.
And to Madeleine, Egwene is fully aware of what’s at stake. “For her it’s like, ‘I’m either going to help you save the world, or I’m going to have to take you out. It’s one or the other’.”
“She’s grappling with that fear of hers and certainly the fractures in their relationship. I think she realises, ‘oh no, he’s not the boy that I once knew. He’s leaning into his destiny whether I like it or not’.”
Who Is In The Cast Of ‘The Wheel Of Time’
Starring alongside Madeleine Madden as Egwene al’Vere in The Wheel of Time is a talented ensemble, led by Rosamund Pike as Moiraine Sedai and Josha Stradowski as Rand al’Thor.
Marcus Rutherford stars as Perrin Aybara, Zoë Robins as Nynaeve al’Meara, Barney Harris as Mat Cauthon and Daniel Henney as Lan Mandragoran.
Where To Watch ‘The Wheel Of Time’ In Australia
All episodes of the first two seasons of The Wheel of Time are available to stream now on Prime Video.
Season three debuts on March 13 with new episodes dropping weekly, so make sure you’re signed up here to watch it.
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