Warning: Spoilers for The Wheel of Time season 3, episode 7
The fate of Loial may arguably be the most impactful change Prime Video’sThe Wheel of Timehas made to the source material. Since the start of the series, the show has made innumerable changes toRobert Jordan’sWheel of Timebooks, with a large portion of them just being to the sequence of events and the inclusion of specific characters in certain storylines. Many only have short-term effects on the story, whereas others - likeAviendha and Elayne’s romanceand the omission of five Forsaken - will reverberate across several seasons, and Loial’s death is sure to be one of them.
After an ominous farewell scene with Perrin Aybara, Loial - accompanied by Bain and Chiad - headed off to close the Waygate, hoping to stop the Trollocs' reinforcements from crossing over to join the Battle of Emond’s Field. Loial entered the Waygate and seemingly gave his life to ensure its destruction and help pave for Perrin’s victory. Given his role in the battle inThe Shadow Rising, Loial’s desire to close the Waygate likely comes as no surprise to readers of the book, but what became of the character does stand out as a significant departure from the source material, and may be the show’s most substantial change to the story yet.
Loial’s Death In The Wheel Of Time Season 3 Changes The Shadow Rising’s Ending
Loial And Gaul Closed The Waygate Without Serious Consequences In The Book
Loial heading off to close the Waygate draws inspiration from the events ofThe Shadow Rising, but the execution - and the fallout - differs considerably from what Robert Jordan originally conceived. In the show, Loial went into the Waygate to close it himself, with Bain and Chiad standing guard as the Trollocs attacked. From the looks of things, Loial fell to his death while destroying the Waygate from inside the Ways. In the aftermath of the battle, Loial’s death was mourned by Perrin, Bain, and Chiad prior to Perrin’s decision to surrender to the Whitecloaks.
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Similar to the TV character, Loial’s book counterpart endeavored to close the Waygate. He received assistance fromGaul, an Aiel warrior who traveled with Perrin. Neither Bain nor Chiad were on hand, as they stayed within the village. Loial and Gaul shut down the Waygate together, but exactly what transpired when this happened is left up to the reader’s imagination, as their mission played out off-page. All that’s known about it is that Gaul was severely wounded in their efforts, forcing Loial to carry him back to safety.
Though Gaul was a major ally to Perrin inThe Shadow Rising, it appears he’s been removed from the narrative of the TV. Or, his introduction has been significantly delayed.
Perrin’s group suffered losses during the Battle of Emond’s Field, includingone of Alanna’s two Warders. That said, the consequences were much less personal and heartfelt for Perrin in the book version, as he didn’t have to grieve the death of an ally as close to him as Loial. Rather, Loial was able to rejoin the group and continue his role as a trusted member of Perrin’s inner circle.
Loial Is Probably Not Coming Back From That Fall
Image via Prime Video
Typically, the lack of a body in a supposed death scene provides at the very least, a glimmer of hope for their return. But in Loial’s case, it’s difficult to be optimistic. He fell from an extreme height, and with there being no reason for there to be anyone else there with him in the Ways, it’s highly unlikely anyone saved him. Not only that, butLoial getting lost in the Ways doesn’t connect at all with the books, so there’s no obvious storyline the show could be setting up here when it comes to a potential return for the character.
Adding to the unlikelihood of Loial’s survival is the fact that the series already pretended to kill him off once.
Adding to the unlikelihood of Loial’s survival is the fact that the series already pretended to kill him off once.The Wheel of Timeseason 1’s endingfeatured a scene where it looked as if Loial had been killed by Padan Fain, but this was swiftly debunked, withthe explanation for its Loial fakeoutbeing that the series was trying to “emotionally prepare” viewers for huge character deaths that aren’t accurate to the books. In hindsight, it’s possible thatThe Wheel of Timewas actually getting viewers used to the idea of Loial himself dying later on in the series, rather than major characters in general.
How Loial’s Death Will Affect Future Seasons
Loial Is A Supporting Character In Several Books
Like most members ofThe Wheel of Timecast, Loial isn’t in every installment in the series, so his death in season 3 wouldn’t fundamentally alter any potential book adaptation. For instance, Loial isn’t in the next book afterThe Shadow Rising,The Fires of Heaven, so if it’s the basis of the next season, Loial’s absence won’t have a profound impact. And with Perrin’s capture at the hands of the Whitecloaks seemingly setting up an adaptation ofTowers of Midnight, that story may not change much either, given Loial’s reduced role in the book.
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Conversely, there are quite a few books that lean heavily on Loial as an ally to the protagonist.Most are Perrin-centric storylines; Loial journeys alongside Perrin throughoutLord of ChaosandA Crown of Swords, and participates in Rand’s arc inCrossroads of Twilight. His interactions with key characters like Faile, Perrin, and Rand in these later books have all been taken off the table, not to mention the stories he facilities in regards to the other Ogiers inThe Wheel of Time’sworld, who wind up becoming key allies in the fight against the Dark One.
With Loial dead, it’s worth wondering ifThe Wheel of Timehas pushed the Ogiers aside. So far, he’s the only member of their species to appear on-screen, but in the books, he helps bring other Ogiers into play, making them one of the several factions that join Rand’s side ahead of the Last Battle. But now, there’s a good chance Loial was the first and last Ogier to appear inThe Wheel of Time’sTV adaptation.
The Wheel of Time
Cast
The Wheel of Time follows Moiraine, a member of the powerful all-female organization Aes Sedai, as she leads a perilous quest with five young individuals. Moiraine suspects one among them could be the prophesized reincarnation of a mighty figure destined to either save or doom humanity.
