Having wrapped up the story of The Great Hunt at the end of The Wheel of Time season 2, the show was seemingly in position to move on to the third book in Robert Jordan’s fantasy saga, The Dragon Reborn. Instead, the series will pivot to the fourth novel, The Shadow Rising. The decision to jump forward from book 2 to book 4 creates a handful of problems for the story, but most of these can be remedied, with a time skip arguably being the best and perhaps the simplest solution.

Based on The Wheel of Time season 3 trailer and other marketing, the show will cover several key storylines from The Shadow Rising, including Rand’s journey to the Aiel Waste, Elayne and Nynaeve’s time in Tanchico, and Perrin’s return to the Two Rivers. Adapting some of the key moments tied to those stories could prove challenging, however, considering that the show hasn’t allotted any time to the events of The Dragon Reborn. For that reason, a time skip could help the show navigate through those challenges while also ensuring that The Wheel of Time season 3 is an accurate adaptation of The Shadow Rising.

3Egwene & Elayne’s Accepted Test Would Have Already Happened

Egwene, Elayne, & Nynaeve May Spend Time In The White Tower Between Seasons

In The Dragon Reborn, Elayne, Egwene, and Nynaeve return to the White Tower following their departure from Falme. The time they spend there is important because it gives both Elayne and Egwene time to further their Aes Sedai training and complete their Accepted tests. Nynaeve doesn’t need this opportunity since her test was covered adequately in season 2, but Elayne and Egwene still need to reach that point – sooner rather than later. Of course, it could send them back to the White Tower right away, but that could complicate any plan to get Egwene to the Aiel Waste, which is where she goes in The Shadow Rising.

Theoretically, the series could save their Accepted tests for later in the series, but this too would be a problem since that could result in Elayne and Egwene going long periods without any advancement in their paths to become Aes Sedai, as it’s not clear when they’ll have another chance to resume their training at the White Tower. But if the show employs a time skip, the series could easily circumvent this issue; both could be Accepted before season 3 begins.

2Rand & Egwene’s Romance Needs To Finally End

It Could Be Revealed That Rand & Egwene Have Begun To Drift Apart When Season 3 Begins

A time skip would also accelerate the timeline of Rand and Egwene’s doomed romance in The Wheel of Time. Two seasons in, romantic love continues to define their relationship in the series, as evidenced by the risks Rand took to save her in The Wheel of Time season 2’s ending. Were The Dragon Reborn to serve as season 3’s story, the show would still have plenty of time to step on the brakes and explore their feelings for each other slowly cooling off. Since that’s not a case, a time jump could be used to fill the same purpose.

With these romantic subplots evidently on the horizon, it’s for the best that The Wheel of Time find a way to quickly wrap up this loose end with Rand and Egwene.

To head in this direction does seem necessary, based on the circumstances. Rand has three major love interests in Min, Aviendha, and Elayne that he’s yet to become entangled with, and the main object of Egwene’s affection in the books – Gawyn Trakand – is to set join The Wheel of Time’s cast in season 3. With these romantic subplots evidently on the horizon, it’s for the best that The Wheel of Time find a way to quickly wrap up this loose end with Rand and Egwene.

1A Time Skip Would Make Sense Of Rand Going To The Aiel Waste

After everything that happened in The Dragon Reborn, Rand’s quest to claim the title of Car’a’carn felt like a natural next step for the character. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the TV version of Rand. Though season 2’s Rand did want to learn how to control the One Power, he wasn’t at a point where he was comfortable with being the Dragon Reborn, nor was he ready to lead a crusade against the Shadow. Understandably, it’ll take time for Rand’s top priority to shift from simple survival to something greater.

For the book to stay true to The Shadow Rising and its depiction of Rand, his motivations should be in step in with the book character. The series will find it easier to pull that off if Rand has some time offscreen to process recent developments before immediately declaring his intentions to enter the Aiel Waste and earn the support of the Aiel tribes as the Car’a’carn. As things stand in The Wheel of Time, it’s hard to imagine that Rand seen in the season 2 finale genuinely wanting to raise an army to battle the Dark One and the 13 Forsaken.