Owyn Merrilin

**Owyn Merrilin** was a male channeler who was the nephew of Thom Merrilin.

## History

### Pre-series

According to Owyn's uncle, Thom, he spent half his life getting into trouble, and the other half getting out of it. Owyn realized that he could channel the One Power, but kept it a secret from his family, even though he knew that the Dark One had corrupted *saidin*, lying to Thom about his situation.

He began to "go sour," and started to snap at family and friends, and jumped at shadows. Animals started to grow wary of Owyn. Nobody knew what was happening to Owyn, until he channeled by moving a rock without his hands.

When Thom was away, Owyn was found by the Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah, and was immediately gentled. Owyn fell into a state of severe depression after being cut off from the One Power. Weeks after he was gentled, he committed suicide by slitting his own throat with a steak knife at dinner, as if it was nothing at all.

### Season 1

On the Grinwell farm, Thom relates the story of his nephew, Owyn, to Rand al'Thor, after he sees Mat Cauthon expressing the same symptoms of erratic behavior that he saw with Owyn. He comes to the conclusion that Mat must be a male channeler who is beginning to go mad, like Owyn.

## Appearances

Owyn is mentioned in the following episodes:

## Quotes

> **Thom**I knew another lad the same way. Owyn, my nephew. Boy spent half his life getting into trouble, the other half getting out of it, and a good part of mine helping him at both. Then, one day, he went sour. Snapping at family and friends. Jumping at shadows. Animals had their hair up whenever he passed. Nobody could figure out what happened until he threw a rock without using his hands. Mat's got all the signs, lad.**Rand**Mat would tell me. He's not an idiot.**Thom**Neither was Owyn. I'm a gleeman. Don't you think I've told him the stories since he was a little boy? How at the end of the last Age, the Dark One corrupted the One Power... so men couldn't use it without going mad? And still he lied to me.**Rand**What happened to him?**Thom**The Aes Sedai found him while I was away. The Reds. They gentled him. Cut him off from the One Power forever.**Rand**He got to keep his life, at least.**Thom**Men, women both, once they've tasted the Power, if they're cut off from it, it's no life anymore. They just... slip away. A few weeks after those women left, Owyn was sitting at the dinner table. He yawned. And then he picked up a steak knife... and slit his own throat, like it was nothing at all.— 1.04 *The Dragon Reborn*, scene 18

## Trivia

* It is suggested that Owyn being gentled was done illegally. Aes Sedai are supposed to take men to the White Tower to be gentled, but it's mentioned in the same episode that the Red Ajah have been illegally gentling men where they find them across the countryside.

## Changes from the book series

Owyn Merrilin is an adaptation of the character of the same name  (*book spoilers!*) from the book series. In the books, it's clarified that Owyn is the son of Thom's brother.

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## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 *The Wheel of Time*, season 1 episode 4: *The Dragon Reborn*.