The Wheel of Time season 3 has cast a major villain who threatens Moiraine and the Aes Sedai, hinting at what to expect from the upcoming episodes. The Wheel of Time season 2 ended by teasing new threats in the forthcoming episodes, including all the Forsaken now being awake, seemingly led by Moghedien (Laia Costa). Darkfriends like Liandrin (Kate Fleetwood) will also remain a threat, especially now that the world knows Rand (Josha Stradowski) is the Dragon Reborn. Season 3 will pull its story from the fourth book, The Shadow Rising, introducing even more new concepts and characters.

Now, Variety has confirmed that Shohreh Aghdashloo has been cast as Elaida do Avriny a’Roihan in The Wheel of Time season 3. This new villain is an Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah, who will be returning to the White Tower after some time away, confronting Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) and Siuan (Sophie Okonedo) over a past the trio share. She’s expected to be a major threat in the upcoming episodes, motivated by her perception of “the greater good,” and actions she deems necessary for her vision of the world. Check out Elaida’s full character description below:

[Elaida is] a ruthlessly powerful Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah, as proficient in politicking as she is in channeling. She has a deep history with Moiraine (Pike) and Siuan (Sophie Okonedo), and scores to settle with both of them when she returns to the White Tower. Elaida is someone who believes in ends over means, and is willing to do anything to achieve what she envisions to be the greater good.

What Elaida do Avriny a’Roihan’s Arrival Means For The Wheel Of Time Season 3

She’ll Pose A Major Threat To The Core Group

Aghdashloo is no stranger to fantasy projects, with some of her more recent roles being the Dragon in Netflix’s Damsel, and briefly as Enforcer Grayson in Arcane. She’s also very talented at bringing villains to life, with her role as Nadia Maroni in The Penguin being one of her most memorable in the last few years. Joining The Wheel of Time season 3, she’ll be able to flex her abilities as an antagonist with Elaida. Her tense history with the White Tower will likely make her another major threat, especially for Moiraine and her allies.

In the books, Elaida’s backstory sees her at odds constantly with a younger Moiraine and Siuan, wanting to be more powerful than them at every turn. When she comes back to the present day, her goal is to overthrow the Amyrlin Seat, hoping to take power for herself. Since she’s an important antagonist in the series and a core threat to the Aes Sedai’s stability, the cast of The Wheel of Time will need to work together if they want to keep her from gaining too much strength and influence over other channelers.

Our Take On Shohreh Aghdashloo’s New Wheel Of Time Role

Her Career Shows How She’ll Make The Perfect Elaida

Given Aghdashloo’s imposing villain roles in projects like Damsel and The Penguin, she’s a strong choice for Elaida that will elevate her character on the small screen. Her casting will add a new dynamic to the antagonists in season 3, promising more threats to Moiraine and the Aes Sedai they’ll have to contend with in their war against the Dark One. It seems The Wheel of Time will have plenty for its cast to contend with this season, as it faces its biggest story yet with new villains at the center.

The Wheel of Time season 3 premieres on March 13, 2025.

Source: Variety