Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Season 2 of The Wheel of Time.
The Wheel of Time has no shortage of villains. With the lead characters spread out across the world, they encounter different enemies, all dangerous in their own right. While the series has focused heavily on Ishamael (Fares Fares) and the Forsaken as the ultimate antagonists, the less notorious villains are just as threatening. Certainly, their considerable power, indiscriminate killing, and large sphere of influence make the Forsaken formidable foes, yet the heroes are all too aware of them. While their back is turned, their other enemies are allowed to flourish. From the Black Ajah to the building threat of the Whitecloaks, Rand (Josha Stradowski), Moiraine (Rosamund Pike), and anyone willing to help them cannot catch a break — but unbeknownst to those two, a new enemy is gaining power.
A people known as the Seanchan, ignored by the Aes Sedai and encouraged by Ishamael, overtake a small fishing village, capturing Perrin (Marcus Rutherford) and Loial (Hammed Animashaun). The Seanchan are a culture from across the sea who have their own way of doing things, but their army doesn’t hesitate in enforcing their customs on the defeated village on the threat of death. As the Seanchan continue their conquest unchecked, their goals are not immediately clear, yet their cooperation with Ishamael is. Their willingness to work for the Forsaken (even if some are unaware) is only made worse by their horrifying practice of controlling girls who can channel. These foreigners make other enemies seem tame with their brutality and enslavement of women who can channel, proving themselves to be the most terrifying villains in the series.
What Makes the Seanchan So Terrifying in ‘The Wheel of Time’?
This mysterious culture is best known for enslaving girls who can channel the One Power. Viewing the One Power as a dangerous abomination, the Seanchan control channelers with a collar which they call an a’dam. By capturing and collaring those who can channel, the Seanchan force them to become slaves, referred to as damane. They must wear the a’dam, which they cannot remove themselves. The a’dam is a device that connects two individuals, the damane and the sul’dam. While, for the damane, it’s a collar that represents enslavement, the sul’dam’s part of the a’dam is a sign of status. They command the leash with a bracelet, suffering no ill effects themselves. The a’dam compels damane to use their powers at the command of the sul’dam. With the a’dam, damane are denied free will and basic human rights.
This horrifying practice dehumanizes the damane, forcing them to obey the sul’dam’s every order unquestioningly. Treated like pets and not well-loved ones, the damane are conditioned to believe they deserve such treatment. The damane are usually girls born with a connection to the One Power so strong that they will inevitably channel and are leashed at the first sign of it, meaning that most were enslaved young. The Seanchan practice enslavement often, but the damane are in the worst situation, rarely let out of sight of their sul’dam and wearing the a’dam, which causes them to become sick at the slightest hint of defiance. The a’dam also allows the sul’dam to cause pain at will. With no chance of escape, the damane must subject themselves to their fate for the duration of their lives despite the fact that they cannot help who they are.
How Are the Seanchan More Dangerous than ‘The Wheel of Time’s Other Villains?
The Seanchan may be a powerful empire from across the sea, but they don’t seem any stronger than the other threats facing the heroes in The Wheel of Time, at least not initially. The Black Ajah and the Forsaken don’t have the numbers of the Seanchan, though they share a somewhat uneasy alliance with Lady Suroth (Karima McAdams). Perhaps worse is that no one is taking action against the Seanchan. The White Tower ignored the invasion, allowing the threat to mount quickly. Currently, only Nynaeve (Zoë Robins) and Elayne (Ceara Coveney) are investigating their presence. While many in the show have the One Power, the Aes Sedai swear oaths that keep it in check, including a promise not to use it as a weapon except against the Dark One or his allies. But the damane are often used in battle, making the Seanchan difficult to fight.
The Forsaken and the Black Ajah may be evil, but the Seanchan’s widespread brutality is closest to the Whitecloaks, who hate the One Power almost as much as the Seanchan. Those the Seanchan would leash, the Whitecloaks kill, for the same reason. Yet the Seanchan managed to be worse. While the Whitecloaks murder channelers, the sul’dam drag out the torment indefinitely, forcing the damane to live tortured lives. This brutality against people who cannot help what they are makes them worse than other villains in the series.
What Are the Seanchan Doing in ‘The Wheel of Time’?
The Seanchan first came into play, attacking the village where Perrin stayed, taking him, Loial, and the Shienarans captive, and demanding oaths of fealty. When Uno (Guy Roberts) refused, impaled his head on a spike in brutal fashion. They also separated several girls from their families, assumedly to be trained as damane. Though Perrin escaped, the threat didn’t stop there. In Season 2, Episode 5, “Damane,” they have overrun the city of Fulme, and Lady Suroth got her hands on Egwene (Madeleine Madden), collaring her and making her a damane. Elayne and Nynaeve were nearly captured but narrowly escaped, yet Egwene will be forced to learn how terribly the damane have it.
Of course, there are Seanchan besides the sul’dam and their unfortunate damane. The others haven’t appeared nearly as much, but it’s clear that Lord Turak (Daniel Francis) has his own plans. Not under the direct influence of Ishamael, Turak plans to conquer the west and now is in possession of the Horn of Valere, which will give them an advantage. Though Turak’s goals are not entirely clear, he and the Seanchan people are no less threatening. With their casual brutality, large army, and eagerness to conquer, the Seanchan invasions will not be put down easily.
The Big Picture
- The Seanchan, a powerful empire from across the sea, are the most terrifying villains in The Wheel of Time due to their practice of enslaving girls who can channel.
- The Seanchan use a device called the a’dam to control and dehumanize the damane, forcing them to obey the sul’dam’s every order unquestioningly.
- Unlike other villains in the series, the Seanchan’s widespread brutality and enslavement of channelers make them even more dangerous than the Black Ajah and the Forsaken.
New episodes of The Wheel of Time Season 2 premiere Fridays on Prime Video.
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