Egwene al'Vere

:This article is about the character. For the track, see Egwene al'Vere (theme).
Egwene al'Vere is one of the main characters in The Wheel of Time, portrayed by Madeleine Madden.
Egwene helps run the Winespring Inn in Emond's Field. She is a new member of the Women's Circle, and is considering apprenticing as a Wisdom.
== History ==
=== Early life ===
Egwene was born and raised in Emond's Field in the Two Rivers. Her parents, Bran and Marin al'Vere, are the owners of the Winespring Inn. Her family's business led them to have a higher income than most in the Two Rivers, which allowed them to afford more comfort and privilege than many of her friends, meaning she grew up in relative luxury.Official X-Ray for Prime Video: The Wheel of Time, under the "Characters" section (login required), section labeled "Egwene al'Vere". Retrieved November 19, 2021. As she grew older, she helped her parents run the inn, and began to wait on customers and serve food and drink to them.
Around the age of ten, Egwene contracted breakbone fever. Her parents brought her to Doral Barran, the Wisdom of the Two Rivers, but she did not know what to do, and made a tea to Egwene's passing. However, the apprentice Wisdom, Nynaeve al'Meara, could not let it happen, and took Egwene's hands and held her tight, listening to her pleas to stay alive. Egwene refused Doral's tea and by the morning, her fever had broken.
She and Rand al'Thor have been infatuated with one another since childhood, and Rand used to pick berries to take to her when he was a boy. Once, they ran away together when Marin upset Egwene, and camped in the Waterwood for the night before returning to Emond's Field. She has also had a sisterly relationship with Nynaeve for a very long time, and has also known Perrin Aybara and Mat Cauthon all her life.
Shortly before she was due to have her hair braided and join the Women's Circle, Nynaeve approached Egwene and asked her to consider apprenticing as a Wisdom, believing Egwene could listen to the wind.
===Season 1===
Egwene is welcomed into the Women's Circle by Nynaeve. After her hair is braided, she is pushed into the rapids, and struggles for a time before washing up on the riverbank. She returns to the Winespring Inn where her father hugs her, and she spends Winternight celebrating with the Women's Circle. She is intrigued when newcomers arrive at the inn: the Aes Sedai Moiraine Damodred, and her Warder, Lan Mandragoran. After her mother takes them to their rooms, she and Rand are left to do the washing up. Egwene wants to talk to Rand honestly, but he wishes to connect with her, and they kiss, returning to her room to be intimate. However, afterwards, Egwene tells Rand about her offer to become Nynaeve's apprentice. Rand is hurt to learn she would choose a life of no marriage over him, and leaves her room.
On Bel Tine the following morning, Egwene serves breakfast to Tam, and is told to find Rand overlooking the village. There, she painfully tells him she has chosen to be Nynaeve's apprentice, but Rand responds that he already knows, and both are heartbroken. Egwene joins Nynaeve in listening to the wind by a bridge, discerning that something feels wrong. When she lights lanterns, she meets Moiraine's gaze, and once more seems intrigued by the woman. She starts dancing with Tom Thane outside the inn when the merriment begins, but sees him impaled by a weapon as Trollocs begin to attack. Egwene, Marin, and Nynaeve look for cover, and try to heal the wounded, though many are already dead. The young women are saved by Moiraine's channeling, but Nynaeve is dragged away by the Trollocs, and Egwene believes that she has been killed. The following morning, she informs her friends of Nynaeve's death outside the Winespring Inn. However, Moiraine urges them to leave at once, telling them that either Egwene, Rand, Perrin, or Mat is the Dragon Reborn, and that an even greater horde of Trollocs will destroy the village if they do not come with her. The youths agree to leave, and Egwene mounts Bela before riding on. The party makes it to Taren Ferry and is able to make it across before the Shadowspawn can catch up, though the ferryman drowns, fearing for the life of his son in town.
While on the road to Whitebridge, Moiraine approaches Egwene as they camp. She assures Egwene that she could not have killed the ferryman due to the Three Oaths, and tells her that she is a channeler and could become an Aes Sedai. Moiraine demonstrates channeling to Egwene, and she is able to consciously channel a weave for the first time. She tries to get close to Rand again, though he pulls away from her. When Rand begins to bicker with Moiraine, Egwene jumps to defend her, and Rand begins to suspect that she wants the glory of being the Dragon, and is the only one of the youths who could truly have a place at the White Tower. As they ride on, the group encounters Eamon Valda, a Questioner of the Children of the Light, though manage to avoid suspicion for the time being. The group is later informed of the history of Manetheren by Moiraine when they begin to sing an old song. Before they make camp, Egwene begins to mend things with Rand, telling him everything has changed now. In the night, Shadowspawn begin to approach, but Moiraine does not wake. The group is forced into Shadar Logoth by Lan, and is instructed not to touch or eat anything from the city. Rand and Egwene overlook the abandoned city, and appear to have reconciled. However, the group is separated when Mashadar encroaches on the city; Perrin and Egwene are separated from the others and are forced to jump into the moat from the city walls when they are surrounded by shadows.
Egwene and Perrin cannot find the others, and head northeast past the borders of Andor until they reach the Caralain Grass, with packs of wolves chasing them and changing their course. They make camp under what little shelter they can find, and Egwene tries to practice her channeling. The pair begin to find wagon tracks, and follow them cautiously until they encounter a group of Tuatha'an, who offer them shelter. Egwene becomes friends with Aram, and learns of the peaceful Way of the Leaf from Ila and Raen. She dances with Aram on the road, and learns of the Tuatha'an story of the Song that will restore the world, and believes that the world is peaceful enough with the Tuatha'an, though Aram appears skeptical of their legends.
As they approach Tar Valon, the group is halted by a group of Children of the Light, led by Valda. He recognizes Perrin and Egwene, and orders them brought to him. The Tinkers resist, and Aram leads the pair away from the wagons, but they are surrounded by Whitecloaks and captured. Egwene is stripped and changed into a white shift, and accused of being an Aes Sedai and Perrin of being her Warder. She denies this outright, but Valda insists that she is still a channeler, and threatens to kill her, though Egwene remains determined and steadfast after her initial attempts to plea with him fall flat, telling him that she will haunt him in her next life. However, Valda begins to cut Perrin's back with his blade, and gives the pair the ultimatum of Egwene channeling, and thus he will kill her, or not channeling, meaning Perrin will die instead. Perrin asks to die, expressing his guilt when he reveals he accidentally killed Laila, but Egwene reassures him that it was a horrible accident. When Valda returns, Egwene is beginning to reach the calm required for channeling, and strikes out at him with a small spark. However, she also channels to break Perrin's bonds free when Valda cannot see, and stabs a shocked Valda in the clavicle. She and Perrin escape the tent to find the other Whitecloaks mauled by a pack of wolves who let the pair go free. Egwene takes a collection of deceased Aes Sedai's rings from the tent before escaping.
The pair make it to Tar Valon after all their other friends and allies have arrived, and are taken to a space where Perrin can be Healed by Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah. Moiraine finds them, and she expresses concern about Perrin's golden eyes, which shocks Moiraine, though she does not confirm if it means that Perrin is the Dragon. She tells Perrin to rest for the time being. Egwene is brought to the Hall of the Tower, where she is shocked and surprised to reunite with Nynaeve, who is alive and well after killing the Trolloc who dragged her off. The young women are led to the Amyrlin Seat's chambers, and Egwene is courteous and respectful before Siuan Sanche. Egwene is pleased when Siuan praises her for returning the Great Serpent rings home, though appears a little disappointed to learn that Nynaeve is more powerful than her. Nynaeve's abrasiveness leads to them receiving a brief lecture from Siuan. Later, Perrin and Egwene are brought to the Waygate outside the city, where Egwene embraces Rand, reunites with Mat for the first time, and properly meets Loial.
After Moiraine explains they must enter the Ways to reach the Eye of the World as soon as possible to prevent the Dark One's victory, Egwene and the others follow, though Mat is left behind when the Waygate closes. Nynaeve is determined to open the Waygate to go back for him, but Egwene points out that they can barely channel, and Loial explains the danger of Machin Shin and its attraction to channeling along the Ways. The party continues and camps by a Guiding Stone, which is mysteriously defaced. Egwene is startled by movement as she rests, and channels out of shock (along with Rand, which she is unaware of) when she sees a Trolloc in the Ways. Realizing that Shadowspawn have begun to navigate the Ways, the group hurries to the Fal Dara Waygate as soon as possible. The entity attacks them all, and calls Egwene an imposter and fraud, but Nynaeve holds it off with channeling so that Moiraine can open the Waygate, arriving outside the Shienaran fortress-city.
The group makes it to the city's keep, where they are welcomed by Lord Agelmar and Lady Amalisa Jagad. Moiraine soon takes them to a bar in the city, and the group observes her talking to the barkeep, Min, for an unusually long amount of time. Back at the keep, Moiraine admits that Min has the ability to see glimpses of the Pattern, but that she still does not know who the Dragon is, telling them all that she has no choice but to take them all to the Eye of the World knowing three of them will die. Once she leaves, Egwene defends Moiraine to Nynaeve, telling her that she wants to go to the Eye because she believes it is the right thing to do, claiming that Nynaeve would agree if not for her distrust of Moiraine. The group becomes tense when Egwene expresses doubt about Mat being the Dragon, with Rand being offended of her opinion of their friend. When Rand talks about Egwene leaving him, Perrin comes to her defense, and Rand bitterly suggests that Perrin has truly loved Egwene, which the latter refuses. After the confrontation, Egwene finds Rand in the training yard, asking him to apologize. He begins to say sorry for Perrin, but Egwene is more hurt about him saying she does not care about Mat. Rand tells Egwene he doesn't want to lose her, but Egwene is sure they will all come back. He tells her she should fulfil her ambitions by becoming an Aes Sedai, promising to come with her and be her Warder. The two spend the night together.
The following morning, Egwene picks up on Nynaeve and Lan's romance. However, things take a turn for the worse when Lan reveals that Moiraine has masked their bond, and they deduce that they have gone into the Blight together, as Rand is the Dragon Reborn. Egwene is distraught and almost ventures into the Blight herself, but is stopped by Perrin, who comforts her. The remaining Two Rivers youths and Loial go to Min's bar for answers, but she can say nothing. They are alerted to the city preparing for an imminent attack from Shadowspawn pouring out of Tarwin's Gap, and Egwene and Nynaeve answer Lady Amalisa's call for every female channeler in the city to join in its defense. Outside the city, they link with Amalisa, a Malkieri channeler, and a Shienaran channeler, and launch a great attack against the Trollocs that defeats them, but Amalisa cannot let go of the One Power, and begins to burn up. Anticipating the danger of the situation, Nynaeve shields Egwene from the volatile current, and is grievously wounded, but Egwene manages to Heal her, and the two friends embrace one another.
===Season 2===
Egwene and her friends believe that Rand died at the Eye of the World. She and Nynaeve returned to Tar Valon, and officially enrolled as novices. She performs various chores in the tower, such as cleaning up in Siuan Sanche's quarters after the Amyrlin's departure, collecting Leane Sharif's cup, and cleaning in Alanna Mosvani's quarters, where she is shocked to be exposed to an intimate moment between Alanna, Maksim, and Ihvon. 
She goes back to the kitchens, where a class with Alanna soon begins. The Aes Sedai shows the novices how to filter out dirt from filthy water using weaves of Earth and Water. Egwene does not use her hands like Alanna, and when the Aes Sedai remarks upon this, she says she did not come to the Tower for "easy". Alanna dismisses the novices so that she can try to get both novices to understand their true potential. Later, Egwene visits Alanna in her chambers to discuss perfecting the weave, but is embarassed when Alanna misunderstands her question and thinks she is asking about the experience of having multiple partners. Back in the novice quarters, Egwene and Nynaeve solemnly celebrate Bel Tine together, with Egwene having fashioned a lantern. They mourn Laila and Rand, and hope that they can meet Perrin and Loial again, and even be reunited with Mat.
== Personality ==
Egwene is wise beyond her years. She is determined, steadfast, and driven by logic.Who is the Dragon Reborn? From Prime Video's official page for The Wheel of Time. Egwene's ambition gives her an incredible sense of duty to herself, as well as the world around her. She is often torn between choosing something that would make everyone happy, or serving everyone the best she can. She knows that she is truly destined for great things.IGN with Madeleine Madden, The Wheel of Time: Who Are Moiraine and Rand? - IGN First. October 29, 2021.
== Relationships ==
=== Rand al'Thor ===
Egwene and Rand have had a close relationship since they were young, and are promised to marry one another. However, their relationship becomes tense when Nynaeve approaches Egwene, asking her to be an apprentice Wisdom, meaning that Egwene cannot marry Rand. She chooses to train as a Wisdom over staying with Rand, even though it breaks her heart. Once they leave the Two Rivers, the relationship stays tense, though Egwene expresses that everything has changed with Nynaeve's apparent death, and their leaving the Two Rivers. In Shadar Logoth, they have come to terms with one another, and are at least amiable, but they are separated from one another by Mashadar.
=== Nynaeve al'Meara ===
Egwene and Nynaeve have a very close, almost sisterly relationship. They have been very close ever since they were young, and also develop a relationship as mentor and mentee when Nynaeve begins to believe that Egwene can listen to the wind.
== Physical appearance ==
Egwene is a young woman with medium-dark skin. Her dark hair is worn in a braid after she joins the Women's Circle.
== Abilities ==
Egwene is believed to be one of the strongest channelers of the Age, although Nynaeve and Rand are more powerful than her in the One Power. She is also ta'veren, a focal point for the Wheel of Time.
== Appearances ==
Egwene appears in the following episodes:
== Quotes ==
== Changes from the book series ==
Egwene al'Vere is an adaptation of the from the book series.
* Egwene is not ta'veren in the book series.
== Gallery ==
See Egwene al'Vere/Gallery.
=== Promotional images ===
Egwene Nerdist Nov 9 2021.jpg|Egwene with Tam, Nerdist, November 9, 2021
WOT 101 Promo Nynaeve and Egwen2.JPG|Egwene with Nynaeve, November 10, 2021
WOT 103 Promo Perrin and Egwene.JPG|Egwene and Perrin, November 10, 2021
== Navigation ==
== References ==
Category:Channelers
Category:Damane
Category:Main characters
Category:Novices
Category:Season 1 characters
Category:Season 2 characters
Category:Ta'veren
Category:Two Rivers characters
Category:Women's Circle