Full spoilers for the Wheel of Time, the show up to season 1 and all books.

Hello, everyone. You stumbled upon one of my wordy texts, thoughts I put down instead of letting them run around endlessly in my head. This time, I'm looking into how Alanna is portrayed in the Wheel of Time show, to see if she is being foreshadowed to be a villain. It's one point in a list of "crazy theories" but this particular one seemed to warrant a full post rather than a quick thought. I try to keep this kind of disclaimer short to avoid boring you, in this instance it's probably important to clarify that this is all subjective, interpretation and often lengthy discussion beyond the explicit scope of whatever fiction I am exploring. Enjoy reading and please share your thoughts afterward. Cheers.

Introduction

In what we got from the show so far, I have found Alanna to be a compelling character. Knowing she is quite present in the books, somewhat important yet also not major and not heavily used, and also recognizing how important Aes Sedai should be, I have to wonder where they will go with her. I wanted the title to be "Is Alanna foreshadowed to be a villain?" but that borders on spoiler territory so I went for a more mundane title. Also, while that's actually the main point I focus on, and regardless of the answer, I think we have to delve into her character to get a glimpse of what is going on with Aes Sedai, and to preview what is to come.

Being a long-time reader, I enjoyed the show so far and am partial to this type of adaptation, inspired rather than overly faithful. One common complaint about the books is how non-influential a lot of Aes Sedai and the Forsaken end up as, despite being set up to be the most powerful and cunning people there is. A noticeable change that took place in the narration for season 1 is how Aes Sedai are more in the foreground, and I have expectations for the show to try to better present and highlight the side of Aes Sedai, darkfriends and antagonists. Liandrin is the obvious example. However, Alanna gets as much presence and may be set up to be a careful villain hidden behind Liandrin herself, or some kind of antagonist, or plainly an important character with things hidden about them.

In this post, I will go over a few peculiar items about how Alanna is depicted in the Wheel of Time show and comment on if she is being subtly set up to be a villain, or some kind of antagonist to Moiraine. I will investigate and speculate, about Alanna being more than what she appears as. If anything, we are dealing with foreshadowing, so it's difficult to differentiate simple actions, words and body language that plainly match the events, from meaning intentionally hiding in the details. I know a lot of this is shaky at best, so don't take it too seriously, and indulge me, for foreshadowing and unreliable narration are core to the Wheel of Time. Most of the stuff here is small things that irked me for whatever reason and which made me look for more, wondering about secrets to unearth.

Book Alanna

A quick detour to mention the original Alanna. In the books, Alanna is a recurring yet minor Aes Sedai, just another one in the hundreds we encounter. However, minor might be underselling her, because while she is not used extensively, she is a long-running character, from the Great Hunt to a Memory of Light, who interacts more than once with the main characters. We remember her mostly for bonding Rand against his will. Beyond that, she is around in the White Tower, then in the Two Rivers, then around Rand. She does not take major importance, serving merely as one particular Aes Sedai, later as a way to find Rand and communicate the depth of his inner pain, and finally as a tool against Rand in the Last Battle.

For myself, I remembered expecting Alanna to fill a major role in the later books due to her bond with Rand, but she stayed in the background. With her early appearance in the show and the potential around her character and her actions, she may well get a more prominent place.

The villain eating trope

This first hint is in the meta category, which probably makes it pretty flimsy but it's the thing that felt fishy and started me thinking about all this. I'm talking about the "Villain is eating an apple" trope, or whatever similar name it goes by. Weirdly, there is no exactly matching entry on TV tropes, beyond maybe (warning tv tropes!) "The Snack Is More Interesting", yet I've always felt it was a very common trope.

The trope is to have a villain, or more generally an asshole character, eats something, often a fruit, as a particularly mundane action during a stressful or horrible situation. This is used as a signal, a cliché really, that you are looking at that type of character and should immediately hate them.

In the show, Alanna is shown twice to be eating a snack while in a serious situation: first when she is talking with Moiraine about having enemies in the tower, and then after exiting the Hall of the Tower, where they were being reprimanded by the Amyrlin Seat (actually, the second time she just takes the fruit, she does not eat it). It first seems to be a funny quirk of Alanna, that she likes her snacks and even that her warders have snacks at the ready for her. In each instance, the action is nonchalant, irrelevant to the scene and somewhat out-of-place. In Moiraine's room, Alanna has a big plate for a single fruit and just eats a little of it, but the scene makes a point of making it visible. In the corridor after the audience with Siuan, her warders are suddenly there and hand her a fruit, for no reason whatsoever except being funny, Alanna is barely even relevant to the exchange between Moiraine and Liandrin.

There is another, way more obvious, instance of this trope in the show: Valda. He is eating while killing the yellow Aes Sedai, then again while torturing Egwene and Perrin. While this serves as establishing Valda himself as the extreme character we know him to be, it also echoes the similar scenes with Alanna, drawing a connection.

Note that eating is one of those mundane life details that seldom appear in media, except to set up some scenery or to represent some meaning. Such occurrences should make you question, even though there may well be no hidden secret. There are few other instances in the show of people eating, and they describe a particular atmosphere: everyone eating and drinking in peaceful times at the Two Rivers, and much later Nynaeve eating on her own when joining the Aes Sedai group.

Just like the next pieces of evidence, this one got a "that's funny" from me. At first, literally. But then more in the suspicious way: something is weird there.

Conversing with Moiraine

There are several exchanges between Alanna and Moiraine. They have their purpose, but if there's foreshadowing to find, we have to go over the words again.

When they are guarding Logain, Alanna recalls about a pet Moiraine had. It may reference the bond she imposes on Rand, a forced bond just like between marath'damane and damane, a relation in which the damane is treated as a pet. Moiraine asks if Kerene told Alanna to spy on her. What's interesting is that Moiraine compliments Alanna on her subtlety and says she could have been Blue Ajah. In other words, she could be an actual spy. Alanna jokes about Kerene and laughs at the idea.

Next, Alanna implies the Last Battle is near. While it may just be a feeling, it's weird she is the one starting to talk about that and the Dragon Reborn, to Moiraine of all people. Most people, including Aes Sedai, hope the Last Battle is very far away, and deny that the Dark One is stirring, when they don't simply call them myths. Moiraine and Siuan are the only ones who know about the Gitara foretelling, about the Dragon already being reborn. Beyond them, there are a few that suspect things or have their own plans, like Elaida and Verin, but overall the Aes Sedai are depicted as simply unaware and unprepared. Furthermore, Moiraine and Siuan are very intent on keeping their search of the Dragon Reborn secret, and fear they risk getting stilled for their actions. And then randomly, Alanna approaches Moiraine about that? Why is she interested in that, why does she whisper about it with Moiraine, how would she have gained knowledge about the end of the Age or about the Dragon Reborn?

When they discuss in Moiraine's room in the White Tower, Alanna first puts her at ease regarding her possible death and her bond with Lan. Then she starts probing about Moiraine's whereabouts, and gets rebuffed. She warns her about Siuan and Liandrin, saying Moiraine should challenge her. Finally, she says Moiraine has two very powerful enemies her. And we know Siuan is not her enemy. Could the meaning behind two enemies be different than who Alanna is talking about?

Again, not much concrete evidence, as all of it can get explained as Alanna being Moiraine's friend, being Green Ajah so interested in the Last Battle, and simply playing the typical role of a nosy Aes Sedai.

Stepin's funeral

When I first saw Stepin's funeral, I noticed Alanna appeared emotionless, maybe even bored. Considering the event, and how emotional Moiraine and Nynaeve get, Alanna being right there like this felt wrong. I first thought the actress was performing badly or that she displayed the usual Aes Sedai calm. Yet, the actress is very good the rest of the time, and Alanna has a bit of a temper, and why is she even there if she didn't want to be? So maybe Alanna is actually bored in this scene, uncaring of tragedy near her.

Connection with Liandrin

Alanna appears with Liandrin, Kerene and several other Aes Sedai. Liandrin and Kerene, as well as Stepin, take most of the spotlight, but Alanna is frequently present, in the foreground or in the background. She also somewhat parallels many small events with Liandrin: how both of them act affectionate toward Moiraine, Alanna being her friend and then close on her bed, Liandrin being weirdly flattering then touchy like a lover; how both of them pry and give warnings to Moiraine, Alanna about Liandrin and Siuan, and Liandrin about Siuan and Nynaeve; how Liandrin talks about fruits to Nynaeve ("persimmons are in season") while Alanna is shown eating fruits (persimmons?).

While they are interrogated by the Amyrlin Seat, Alanna defends Liandrin, which visibly surprises many: Moiraine and Maigan (the Blue Ajah sitter) are shocked. What reason has she to do that, especially since she painted her as an enemy to Moiraine earlier? Furthermore, Liandrin, and possibly Alanna, put Moiraine in an awkward situation where she defends Liandrin, and also where she gets pressured to reveal her secrets. Are they perhaps pushing Moiraine to betray herself or simply to create conflict within the Tower?

Alanna and Liandrin act in a similar way toward Moiraine, messing with her and trying to glean information. Alanna is being subtle while Liandrin is being overt. It's also strange how Liandrin appears to be in a strong position yet does not display particular competence: she is arrogant and forceful, lacking in finesse and intelligence. Moiraine disdains her several times, and quickly finds a way to pressure her when she becomes really annoying.

So why is Liandrin the visible leader? Perhaps simply she is powerful and other defer to her, as per convention. She might also be a figurehead or a puppet for someone else. And I mean, she is, because Black Ajah, but there is room for Alanna to fit in all this. Liandrin is both set up in front and belittled, she takes command against Logain but also almost loses control over the One Power. Later she gets reprimanded by the Amyrlin Seat like she is still a novice. Liandrin also focuses on raw strength when mentioning Nynaeve, rather than skill or control. Liandrin is a typical Aes Sedai: taking advantage of the power that was given to her and playing a game, for her own ambition, unaware of what is happening in the background. I won't deny Liandrin is successful in what she does, she is smart enough. But her scenes feels like watching an angry kid start trouble for others. In the end, Liandrin feels like a red herring of a major enemy, while Alanna could fit as the stereotypical hidden villain: friendly and honorable at first, but with a weird feel and interests, until she later reveals herself.

As for rebuffing this one, Aes Sedai are Aes Sedai. They're often like this, exaggerating their own importance and playing spies, as Liandrin puts it.

The other stuff

A few quick bits which don't fit in other sections or that I can't quite figure out.

Something that feels both like my imagination and an actual thing you would do: the recap for episode 6. Moiraine says "Do not underestimate the women in this tower.". Obviously, it shows Liandrin, but then it's not Liandrin speaking, it's Alanna, and she speaks for several seconds over the image of Liandrin before being visible herself. So yeah, call me crazy, because if I see hints in episode recap, I have to be insane.

While Siuan is making her show of strength toward Moiraine, we get a glimpse of Alanna with a lot of expression in her face: she averts her eyes and gulps. Why focus on her instead of Moiraine? I don't know if there is hidden signification here, beyond Alanna feeling the pressure of the Amyrlin Seat, but for good or for bad, there is stuff going on in Alanna's head.

Black Ajah

Could Alanna be Black Ajah? Maybe, probably not. This would actually not have much impact on her known path from the books. Many Black Ajah sisters don't act overtly against the Tower or evil in general. Alanna staying around, bonding Rand against his will, then being used against him in the Last Battle, would not change depending on her allegiance.

I think she would not be Black Ajah in any case, more of a powerful Aes Sedai with her own designs, just like in the books. Having clever and driven Aes Sedai, whose goals and means do not align with everyone, notably with Moiraine, while at the same time trying to do what is needed and fighting the Dark One, that's very much what you would expect. Alanna is depicted as cunning and powerful, but also friendly and caring. Her actual allegiance and agenda may remain hidden, regardless of her alignment.

I went over Alanna's words again, and while she does not have that many lines and sometimes say things that could be interpreted as such, there were no clear lies. However she does acknowledge Moiraine as her friend, so if she is not Black Ajah and has to tell no word that isn't true, it would have to be the truth.

It would be bad to suspect everyone to be a darkfriend, but you kind of have to.

Just another Aes Sedai

As for what we know she is supposed to be: Alanna does not bond Rand because she is evil and wants control, she does it because she believes it has to be done, that Rand left unchecked is too dangerous. Many Aes Sedai share this opinion, but Alanna has the personality and the opportunity to act on it. Alanna is an Aes Sedai, and acts like it's expected of the role for the most part.

I don't think Alanna has motive to betray Moiraine, or Siuan, or the Tower. She seems genuine in talking about the Last Battle and her joining the Green Ajah. So in the end, she will likely go down her expected path, and the show is setting her up as a particular Aes Sedai character. The biggest argument against Alanna being any kind of opponent is the last look we get at her, where she is visibly distraught when Moiraine is exiled.

Conclusion

Here, a little food for thought if you were looking for foreshadowing in the show's first season. I actually really don't buy it myself, Alanna being any kind of antagonist. I see Alanna, both in the books and in the show, as a good-natured person, and removed from the very seriousness associated with Aes Sedai. But if it does happen, I will be able to yell "I knew it!", for how little it matters.

Considering how Aes Sedai and Forsaken are likely to get merged and changed a lot to fit the show format, it's not crazy to think Alanna could turn out to be an important character in the future. And she could be a simply friend, a typical Aes Sedai, or a deceitful darkfriend. Beyond raising suspicion, Alanna's character is a very good point in the show, and I hope they use her better than the average Aes Sedai tends to be in the books.

Thanks for reading. Cheers.