This Forsaken Better Make the Cut in Wheel of Time...

It’ll be a huge missed opportunity if Rahvin isn’t one of the Forsaken in The Wheel of Time’s show. Prime Video’s adaptation of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time books has already confirmed the existence of the Forsaken (and formally introduced three of them), but there’s no expectation for all 13 members of the group to make the move from the page to the small screen. All signs point to a handful not appearing in the series, but exactly who has been removed from the story is open to speculation.

So far, the series has revealed the identities of five of its Forsaken. In addition to Ishamael, Lanfear, and Moghedien, The Wheel of Time has confirmed that both Sammael and Graendal are on hand. There’s a lot to look forward to when it comes to these great book villains in The Wheel of Time season 3, but while they’ll get chances to have their stories told, not every Forsaken will get the same treatment. Admittedly, some of the ones I expect to get cut from the show are inconsequential anyway, but Rahvin is one Forsaken that should absolutely appear (but is far from a lock for the show).

Why Rahvin May Not Appear In The Wheel Of Time’s Show

Wheel Of Time Isn’t Using All Of The Forsaken

Though there are 13 Forsaken in The Wheel of Time’s books, it looks like only eight will be in the show. The Forsaken seals in The Wheel of Time season 2 finale and the eight statues in season 1 are indicative of that. Three have appeared already, two more have been name-dropped, and one more is all but confirmed for the series (one of the Forsaken statues can be identified as Asmodean). That leaves the identities of only two as mysteries in the series, yet there are technically seven different options for who they could be.

If their importance to the story is any indication, three of the characters from the books can be eliminated from contention. Aginor and Balthamel died very quickly, plus the show has already passed the point where they show up, which was the showdown at the Eye of the World in the season 1 finale. Be’lal is another character the show could easily write out of the narrative, as he too dies rather abruptly.

The remaining five Forsaken, on the other hand, all have important arcs in the story, thus making each of them worth consideration for a live-action role. But assuming that Asmodean is indeed in the show and only two spots are open, three of those five deserving villains will have to be written out of the show. From the looks of things, The Wheel of Time will be picking two from this pool of four characters and cutting the other half: Rahvin, Demandred, Mesaana, and Semirhage. With all four bringing something to the table, it’s hard to say which ones will make the cut.

On top of the fact that Rahvin has three other characters rivaling him for a place in The Wheel of Time’s world, there’s the matter of when his story ends. Unlike Aginor, Balthamel, and Be’lal, Rahvin is around long enough to be counted as a major villain, but doesn’t live beyond the fifth book, The Fires of Heaven. He dies after Rand destroys him with Balefire, the strongest One Power wave. Not being in the last nine books could work against Rahvin when the show works out which of the four characters should be included.

Why I Hope Rahvin Isn’t Cut From The Wheel Of Time’s Show

Rahvin Deserves A Role in The Show

For me, Rahvin is without question one of the most memorable villains in the entire Dragon Reborn saga. The Fires of Heaven depicts him as a terrifying, morally reprehensible character and someone who perfectly represents the worst parts of the Forsaken. The show has used Ishamael and Lanfear to show that they’re layered villains with complex, human motives for their actions, but with Rahvin, the series will have an opportunity to play with a “pure evil” character, which is something I’d love to see from the series.

More specifically, Rahvin has a great story that the show would be remiss to exclude. With Rahvin, Jordan made the most of the Forsaken’s expertise at deception through his disguise as “Lord Gaebril.” In the books, Rahvin masquerades as a nobleman and manipulates Queen Morgase into becoming his lover so that he can engineer her assassination and take over the Lion Throne. His conspiracy against the royal family, and all that came from it, are key book events that shouldn’t be overlooked.

And without Rahvin, we wouldn’t get to see an accurate adaptation of The Fires of Heaven’s ending. Rahvin’s tremendous strength in the One Power makes him come across as one of the most fearsome characters in the series, and that’s proven to be the case when he single-handedly kills Aviendha, Mat, and Asmodean. This makes for one of The Wheel of Time’s most shocking moments, and it’s made even better by what happens next, which is Rand undoing it by Balefiring Rahvin in an epic finish.

Wheel Of Time’s Plan For Rahvin Should Become Clear In Season 3

Rahvin May Be Replaced By Another Forsaken

The unveiling of the Forsaken has been sort of a slow burn in the series, but I think it won’t take long for us to get an answer on whether Rahvin is in the show. The events of The Fires of Heaven may be another book away from where the story is expected to be in season 3, but with Queen Morgase reportedly joining The Wheel of Time and season 2’s setup for Elayne’s family, it’s apparent that Caemlyn is one of the next locations to be featured in the series. When that happens, Rahvin’s status (if he exists) should be confirmed one way or another.

When Caemlyn is introduced, Rahvin should be among the characters tied to Queen Morgase’s social circle, if not Lord Gaebril himself. In the books, Rahvin’s plan to kill Queen Morgase was teased in The Dragon Reborn, but the plotline wasn’t resolved until The Fires of Heaven. So while Rahvin may not be the main villain of The Wheel of Time season 3, there’s a good chance his presence in Morgase’s life will be made known or strongly hinted at when her character is introduced. But if Sammael or Demandred shows up there instead, it may be fair to say that Rahvin, sadly, has been replaced.