With Gawyn’s existence in the world of The Wheel of Time’s show, a key arc being removed from Egwene’s story is looking increasingly likely. One of several characters yet to appear in Prime Video’s adaptation of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time books, Gawyn Trakand is the brother of Elayne and someone who becomes heavily involved in Egwene al’Vere’s life. The two cross paths for the first time in The Great Hunt, the second book in the series.

After The Wheel of Time season 2’s ending, the events of The Great Hunt are now behind it. Of course, that’s not to say that the show doesn’t intend to bring in Gawyn or the other members of Elayne’s entourage from Caemlyn. In fact, Gawyn himself has already been confirmed to be on hand. An actor hasn’t officially been cast in the role yet, but Gawyn was name-dropped in a season 2 episode when a log in the White Tower falsely reported a visit he made to take Elayne back to Caemlyn. So while Wheel of Time may be cutting several of the books’ characters, Gawyn clearly won’t be one of them. That fact is good news for several book stories, but also a possible sign that one of Egwene’s will be cut.

Gawyn’s Role in Egwene’s Story Explained

Gawyn Is Egwene’s Main Love Interest

In the books, Gawyn Trakand is crucial to Egwene’s journey. At the beginning of the Dragon Reborn saga, Egwene and Rand were romantically linked, but as time passed, the two characters drifted apart. Both became attracted to new people, with Gawyn taking Rand’s place in Egwene’s love life. Her interest in Gawyn first manifested when she met him for the first time at the White Tower when he and Galad arrived to see Elayne. Her interactions with Gawyn and growing infatuation with him helped her move on from Rand, who was on a separate adventure from Egwene’s during the second and third books.

Ultimately, Gawyn was Egwene’s primary love interest in The Wheel of Time, given that Rand only occupied this role for a short time in The Wheel of Time’s 14-book run. They didn’t spend a great deal of time together on-page in the books, but maintained a close connection that culminated in the two marrying and Gawyn becoming Egwene’s Warder. That said, they didn’t always see eye-to-eye, especially when it came to Rand. Gawyn carried a deep-seated hatred of Rand that caused some degree of conflict between him and Egwene.

Wheel Of Time May Not Send Egwene To The Aiel Waste (Because Of Gawyn)

IF Egwene Leaves For The Aiel Waste, It Could Be Season 4 Before She Meets Gawyn

Due to Gawyn’s importance in Egwene’s narrative and the timing of it all, there’s a good chance The Wheel of Time won’t provide an accurate adaptation of her arc from The Shadow Rising. Based on confirmed Wheel of Time season 3 locations and other details, it’s apparent that the series is gearing up to give Rand, Perrin, Nynaeve, and Elayne their stories from the book, but there’s been no confirmation if the same will hold true for Egwene. If it goes by the source material, she’ll go with Rand to the Aiel Waste and undergo Wise One training, but if that happens, her romance with Gawyn will likely be put off for another season.

…as a member of the royal family of Andor and someone with no current role in the Dragon Reborn’s destiny, he’d have no motive to go with them, nor would there be any reason for someone like him to be encountered on their adventure.

Considering that it’s reaching a point in the series where Wheel of Time is expected to segue away from Rand and Egwene’s romance, it makes sense for her to receive a new love interest in the very near future. But, as a member of the royal family of Andor and someone with no current role in the Dragon Reborn’s destiny, he’d have no motive to go with them, nor would there be any reason for someone like him to be encountered on their adventure. Given how far-removed they’ll be from civilization, most of the characters this arc will introduce will be associated with the Aiel, thus complicating any potential plans to incorporate Gawyn.

Not taking her to the Aiel Waste, of course, would risk even more changes to Egwene’s role in the overarching story. In the Aiel Waste, she learns to Dream, an extremely rare Talent that she happens to possess and one that helps her stand out from other members of The Wheel of Time’s cast. Since this is a lost Talent that she can’t learn from the Aes Sedai, it becomes necessary for Egwene to spend time with the Wise Ones in the Aiel Waste. This also enabled Egwene to take part in other key events from The Shadow Rising, including Rand’s showdown with Asmodean and conflict with Coualdin.

Theoretically, though, the concept of Dreaming means she could learn to control it by interacting with the Wise Ones remotely, via Tel’aran’rhiod. With that in mind, it’s not exactly imperative that Egwene step foot in the Aiel Waste at all. It’s an important story, but not something the show couldn’t do without.

Keeping Egwene In The White Tower Is The Simplest Way Of Introducing Her Gawyn Romance

The White Tower Is The Best Place For Egwene In Season 3

As for how The Wheel of Time can facilitate Egwene and Galad’s first meeting if not via the Aiel Waste, the White Tower is arguably the cleanest way of making that work. It would admittedly result in a deviation from the books, but also set up a book storyline the show otherwise wouldn’t be able to use. In the books, Egwene, Elayne, and Nynaeve all return to the White Tower after the battle at Falme but before she goes to the Aiel Waste in The Shadow Rising. However, this occurs in The Dragon Reborn, a book The Wheel of Time looks to be skipping.

For that reason, many characters may not get their Dragon Reborn stories in Wheel of Time, but Egwene could be a special case. After all, this turn of events would make it relatively easy for the series to bring her and Gawyn together. Naturally, the circumstances would differ a bit, in light of the fact that Elayne is no longer there. But, she still gives him a reason to show up; Gawyn could either not know of her disappearance from Tar Valon or may be there to investigate her whereabouts. With Egwene being her closest friend there, she’d obviously be one of the first people he’d seek out for answers.

Taking this course could even add new layers to this particular period in their relationship, thus making it more interesting and contentious in the process. That’s because Gawyn and Egwene would likely end up on opposite sides of the coup in the White Tower, even though they weren’t in the books since Egwene wasn’t there when Siuan was deposed. But for the TV version, she could be present when Gawyn kills two Warders to help Elaida, perhaps prompting a massive obstacle for the two to overcome in The Wheel of Time season 3.

Having Egwene in the White Tower would also serve another purpose, which is advancing Egwene through her Aes Sedai training. Like Nynaeve in season 2, Egwene became Accepted in The Dragon Reborn, so if she goes to the Aiel Waste, it’ll be a while before the show offers another opportunity for Egwene to rise up the ranks.