The Wheel of Time Season Finale Rafe Judkins Instagram AMA

Showrunner just did an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Instagram Stories. Here are the Q&As:

 

Question: Why the hat though
Rafe Judkins: First question was from @priyankabose. Which begs a second question – what time is it even in India, Pri???

 

Question: Did you guys have a time limit for each episode…couldn’t they be longer than 75?
Rafe Judkins: We have a time limit sadly so we push it to the absolute limit usually. I wanna make use of every second we’ve got.

 

Question: Who is your dream cast for Grendal?
Rafe Judkins: @lizzobeeating (Lizzo)

 

Question: Is Nynaeve’s block gone?!
Rafe Judkins: Sure looked like it.

 

Question: What is your excuse my guy for killing Siuan and not giving her the story she deserves?
Rafe Judkins: Sophie and I discussed it a lot and felt this was the best time for the character to leave us. We have plans for who will take on her other main story as the books move forward. But also… it’s not the last time we will see Siuan if the show continues 😇

 

Question: Can an Ogier be a Hero of the Horn?
Rafe Judkins: 🤞

 

Question: What was your favorite moment from Shohreh/Elaida this season?
Rafe Judkins: Honestly it’s her little growl when Tsutama refuses the necklace in 303.

 

Question: How many seasons do you want to make (obviously 14 might be a bit much)?
Rafe Judkins: I’ve always wanted to do eight seasons, 10 episodes each. But sometimes we don’t get what we want ha.

 

Question: Will the Band of the Red Hand make it on the show?
Rafe Judkins: We got plans 🎲

 

Question: So… will Mat get his Ashandarei from the Aelfinn..? 👀👀
Rafe Judkins: @andyescrase made sure the ashandarei is in 308. Watch again 👀

 

Question: Is Alviarin going to have a larger role in the future? I was so afraid the show would end up cutting her
Rafe Judkins: You can tell by our hiring of @clare_ash that we have big plans for Alviarin.

 

Question: Why the lack of Moghedien/Laia BTS? You were right to say she would be 🔥 this season
Rafe Judkins: @laiacosta_ the people are demanding a Moghy interview!

 

Question: Will there still be a Nynaeve v. Moghedien Royal Rumble?
Rafe Judkins: Did you not see the way Moghy looked at her in 306 when she fought her compulsion weaves?? Something BIG is brewing between these two methinks…

 

Question: Have you gotten to take a nap yet?
Rafe Judkins: I literally did today. It was glorious.

 

Question: If you were in the show as an actor, which character would you want to play?
Rafe Judkins: STEVE

 

Question: Were there plans to introduce Semirhage or Graendal this season at all?
Rafe Judkins: No. We can’t give too much too fast. Each Forsaken is delicious and we’ve barely gotten enough of Moghy, Sammael, and Rahvin.

 

Question: Thank you sooo much for the Finns!!! Where did they get those glam platform heels?
Rafe Judkins: @sharon_gilham_costume_design of course. Where all things beautiful come from.

 

Question: How does the VFX team come up with the different weaves/channeling?
Rafe Judkins: @andyescrase does such a great job of communicating with our actors, our directors, our writers, our movement coach Scarlett Mackmin, and most importantly with the books to bring the weaves to life.

 

Question: Big changes from the books in ep8. Are we going to see Salidar? (Providing renewal news!)
Rafe Judkins: We have a lot planned for Salidar. There’s a cut scene we will hopefully get to show someday of Ryma, Verin and Leane leaving the White Tower with a group of Aes Sedai to “gather on the shores of the river where Siuan was born”.

 

Question: Weren’t you concerned with killing one half of the main lesbian couple, given queer rep history?
Rafe Judkins: We knew going in we’d have to do that, so we could either not make them lesbians or see one or both of them die. I think seeing their love was the right choice.

 

Question: The Tower calls you for your crimes, where is Leane and her face card!? Is she dead 😩
Rafe Judkins: @jcheongarcia — You really think we could keep this bitch down??

 

Question: Did Moiraine and Siuan have a warder-type bond as shown with the bond being severed?
Rafe Judkins: That was the connection they shared over the oath rod in Season 1 Episode 6. A fantasy metaphor for feeling the death of your soulmate.

 

Question: The Keeper in the flashbacks? Was that Lelaine? And if so, any chance we’ll see her again at all?
Rafe Judkins: That was @rebeccaroot1969 and we certainly hope we get to see her again!!

 

Question: This season we had less music from Lorne Balfe this have a reason?
Rafe Judkins: All our music is from @lornebalfe! And we love him for every second of it. So many incredible new themes this season and exploration and old ones. Plus the amazing tavern songs!!

 

Question: Can you describe the next season in three words?
Rafe Judkins: I hope so.

 

Question: What happened to Samael  is he dead?
Rafe Judkins: Um. Yes.

 

Question: I really don’t think Liandrin WANTS to kill Ny… or is that just in my head 🤔
Rafe Judkins: It’s hard to tell with Lili sometimes. She has certainly had chances…

 

Question: Where can one get such a hat?
Rafe Judkins: Well @majasimonsen one need only ask @sharon_gilham_costume_design.

 

Question: Aelfinn next? 🐍😁
Rafe Judkins: You only know how great this question is if you know that it was @strange.robert who asked it 🐍🦊

 

Question: Thom’s hat is giving RJ / Mat hat vibes. Intentional? (We Stan the hats)
Rafe Judkins: 🤨

 

Question: WHAT ABOUT THE FOLK WHO ADORE THE HAT, HUH?! WHAT ABOUT US?!
Rafe Judkins: My assumption is everyone adores the hat.

 

Question: Elaidah’s jewellery kept getting gaudier and I LOVED that 😭 especially the Amyrlin look.
Rafe Judkins: We talked a lot about how Elaida likes to present herself and how important she thinks that is to being a good leader. @sharon_gilham_costume_design and @davinalamontmakeupdesigner killed it with that

 

Question: Did Moiraine clock the gateway Lanfear created or was she too distracted? Is fast travel coming?
Rafe Judkins: Our girl Moiraine rarely misses a trick.

 

Question: Pushing your ep times you got almost a 9th ep worth of extra content. How helpful was that?
Rafe Judkins: Don’t tell everyone my secret! Wish I could squeeze one more out tho.

 

Question: I don’t have a question. I just wanted to say this season is incredible! Kudos!
Rafe Judkins: Thanks @bscott!! We love you too! Come live in Barcelona already kthnx.

 

Question: Are we ever gonna be able to see the magnificent Sophie Okonedo again?
Rafe Judkins: Hopefully. You can probably already tell from how we set it up, but we’ve got plans for the Moiraine/Siuan endgame that I’d love to put on screen as it’s something we can only do in The Wheel of Time.

 

Question: Is there a favourite ancestor you wrote from episode 4?
Rafe Judkins: I honestly got really attached to them all but there’s something about Charn… it’s more in that nose and the just completely open and innocent smile Josha gave him. But Charn.

 

Question: Did Dónal adlib “Let’s go Tanchico!”?
Rafe Judkins: Of course he did. That’s why we love @donal.finn.

 

Question: What was the thinking behind having Elayne be the first one to use balefire?
Rafe Judkins: She’s not! Watch carefully.

 

Question: How many more arrows will Alanna get shot with? (Also congrats on a fantastic season)
Rafe Judkins: It depends on if @priyankabose20 lets me stay in her beach house.

 

Question: Where do you think the Tanchico group are heading??
Rafe Judkins: Hopefully to the recording studio to lay down their first EP
@cearacoveney @donal.finn @alexandrewillaumeofficial @kaealexanderthegreat (Nynaeve doesn’t sing)

 

Question: And what’s your favorite Kate/Liandrin moment?
Rafe Judkins: Kate is extraordinary in every scene she’s in. Hers are sometimes the hardest to edit because she gives so many variations that all feel so different and simultaneously so true to the character. But the way she gives that final speech about being exactly what she’s always wanted to be.

 

Question: On a scale of 1 to 10… how close are we to Season 4? ❤️ How can we help???
Rafe Judkins: And for the 700,000 of you who asked this question. Only @jeffbezos @amazonmgmstudios can answer this. Ask them 🙂

 

This concludes the AMA.