Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Season 2 of The Wheel of Time.
The Big Picture
- Tel’aran’rhiod, the World of Dreams, has been formally introduced in Season 2 of The Wheel of Time, expanding the show’s universe.
- Characters can enter Tel’aran’rhiod through dreams or by using special ter’angreal objects, but entering can be dangerous and fleeting.
- Tel’aran’rhiod mirrors the real world but can be shaped by the dreamer’s thoughts, and time moves differently within it. It can also be deadly if one forgets it’s just a dream.
Tel’aran’rhiod, also known as the Unseen World or the World of Dreams, has formally been introduced as of the fifth episode of The Wheel of Time Season 2. There is still much to discover about the world, but it is getting bigger. Tel’aran’rhiod has been present since the start of the show, with show-only watchers not having an introduction to it until now. The World of Dreams is exactly what it sounds like, a world in which the characters can go when they fall asleep. Tel’aran’rhiod may sound like a run-of-the-mill dream world, but Robert Jordan made sure that it has cool metaphysics to dig into.
How Does Someone Enter Tel’aran’rhiod in ‘The Wheel of Time’?
There are many ways to enter the World of Dreams. We see that at least four of the main five characters are targeted in their dreams by Ishamael (Fares Fares) in Season 1. The whole group is tormented by different visions of bats in Episode 2, Perrin (Marcus Rutherford) has a dream about Laila’s death (Helena Westerman), and Rand (Josha Stradowski) has a dream involving his friends later. Similar to how Rand was targeted by Lanfear (Natasha O’Keeffe), they were being preyed on by the Forsaken. While these are of course special circumstances, most people find their way into Tel’aran’rhiod by accident. These people do not stay very long, only glimpsing it for a few seconds.
Dreamwalkers, on the other hand, are people who can intentionally enter the dream world of their own will. While we haven’t seen any of our protagonists do this yet of their own power, there is one character whose power exists largely in the World of Dreams: Lanfear. Early on in Season 2, we can infer that she’s the one messing with Rand’s head via his dreams, eventually pushing him to accidentally burn down her inn. Lanfear even messes with her fellow Forsaken, Ishamael, in his dreams. Dreamwalking is a trait that almost anyone can possess, not just the people who can already channel. They can even enter other people’s dreams (or be drawn into them), though it is considered dangerous.
Another way to enter Tel’aran’rhiod is by a ter’angreal. Ter’angreal should be familiar to viewers already, as the three silver arches in the White Tower used for Nynaeve’s (Zoë Robins) Accepted test are ter’angreal. As described in Episode 3, ter’angreal were made before the Breaking of the World made by the One Power itself. Some are made to work for Aes Sedai, others are activated by any woman who can channel. These particular ter’angreal are made to be held while sleeping, letting the holder enter the World of Dreams.
Does Tel’aran’rhiod Look Like the Real World in ‘The Wheel of Time’?
The world of Tel’aran’rhiod is a reflection of the real world, but not everything in the real world will be mirrored in Tel’aran’rhiod. The longer something has been around in the real world, the more likely it will have cemented its place into Tel’aran’rhiod. Buildings and natural formations, such as forests and mountains, will have a likely chance of showing up, while a commonplace object like food may only appear briefly before fading.
The World of Dreams can also be shaped by the people within it. The reality of Tel’aran’rhiod is malleable to the dreamer. Thoughts can shape the world, creating things from nothing. However, the bigger the creation, the harder it is to contain, so thoughts also have to be kept in line. In the books, many characters have to focus on maintaining their appearance. This is mostly depicted through articles of clothing flickering and changing on their bodies. Time also moves at an inconsistent rate in Tel’aran’rhiod; hours spent dreaming may be only a few minutes in the real world, or vice versa. When it comes to travel, dreamwalkers can transport themselves in Tel’aran’rhiod to other locations by the mere use of imagination. As shown in the novels, wolfbrothers actually have the most control over their abilities in Tel’aran’rhiod. Tel’aran’rhiod is a sandbox for dreamers, but it is not a completely safe place.
Tel’aran’rhiod Is Just as Dangerous as the Real World in ‘The Wheel of Time’
The World of Dreams may be just a dream realm, but that does not mean it is free of danger. Similar to the silver arches of the White Tower, wounds can carry over to the real world after waking (conversely, you can even heal yourself in Tel’aran’rhiod if you are strong enough to will it to happen). Yes, you can die in the real world if you are killed in Tel’aran’rhiod, and yes, you can be killed by nightmares too. The most dangerous part about Tel’aran’rhiod happens when one forgets that everything is a dream. The moment that it is accepted as reality, your fate is nearly sealed, and you may be lost in the World of Dreams forever. Visiting Tel’aran’rhiod also leaves the person not as well-rested as someone who has simply gone to sleep, something that could cause physical problems if Dreamwalking is used too much.
Officially, the show only introduced Tel’aran’rhiod by name in Season 2, Episode 5, but who better to debut it through than Lanfear and Ishamael? Up until that point, Lanfear has been playing with Rand’s mind, muddling dreams and reality not only for him but for viewers too. Ishamael is seen in the dreams of many, most recently those of Min (Kae Alexander), tempting her into becoming a Darkfriend by the alluring thought of being freed of her powers. In the most recent episode, Lanfear travels with Rand in Tel’aran’rhiod as a reward for his allegiance; Rand chooses to see Egwene (Madeleine Madden), and discovers to his own horror that she has been enslaved by the Seanchan in Falme.
The Wheel of Time is a rich world with many different pieces of lore tied into it. The show, with limited time to tell the story that takes place across 15 novels, will likely not cover every single facet — but it is nice to see Tel’aran’rhiod make its official debut. Book readers will already find the show rich with foreshadowing, and show-only fans will no doubt enjoy the journey that still lies ahead. This is only the beginning of Tel’aran’rhiod.
New episodes of The Wheel of Time premiere Fridays on Prime Video.
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