I firmly believe not all Darkfriends in The Wheel of Time are evil, and this Season 3 finale moment proves it

There are several heroes in The Wheel of Time, but there is one scene in Season 3's final episode that completely changes our perception of so-called villains. The episode, named "He Who Comes With the Dawn," reveals a dramatic sacrifice by one of the Darkfriends. That sacrifice leaves us understanding that not all Darkfriends in The Wheel of Time are bad.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's personal views based on The Wheel of Time series.

Darkfriends are people who pledge their loyalty to the Dark One and serve his cause. They mostly fight against the forces of Light and assist the Forsaken. From the onset of the series, Darkfriends have been illustrated as dangerous and manipulative.

However, Melindhra's story in Season 3 paints a different picture. She prefers to defy the Dark One despite losing everything. This moment indicates that there are some Darkfriends who have been coerced into being such. They could have pain, loss, or manipulation in their histories.

Melindhra's actions indicate that some of them are more than enemies. They are individuals who made decisions when they were put under pressure. Her ultimate decision indicates that a Darkfriend could do the right thing as well. This indicates that good and evil are not always defined sharply in The Wheel of Time.

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Melindhra was a lost child in The Wheel of Time

Melindhra is presented in The Wheel of Time Season 3 as having a connection to Lan. She was born in Malkier, a kingdom that has since perished. After its destruction, she was raised by the Aiel. However, her past tells us more than that. Melindhra informs Lan that she is a Darkfriend because she wants to restore Malkier.

This indicates she took the vows not from hatred, however, but desperation. The episode creates a picture of her taking the vows before the Aiel captured her, indicating that she was recruited as a child. Liandrin also joined the Shadow at a young age, having been recruited during her childhood.

The Dark One and the Forsaken manipulate emotional weakness. For Melindhra, it was her sorrow for Malkier. When she took her oaths as a child, she did not perhaps realize what she was doing. Her choice was probably made out of fear, loss, and deceitful promises. Her character defies the notion that Darkfriends are always evil. Occasionally, they become victims of manipulation.

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Dark One's vows are instruments of manipulation

Melindhra does not become loyal to the Dark One through belief, but by the promise of regaining something lost. When Lanfear commands her to kill Lan, Melindhra realizes the dilemma. If she does as she is told, she destroys the last chance for Malkier's return. This causes her to make a decision.

The vows Melindhra took were to grant her something—her home. But in reality, they granted her nothing. When Lanfear calls in her debt, the price is revealed. The Dark One does not pay what is owed. Rather, these vows are used to ensnare and manipulate.

Liandrin's tale testifies to the fact. She became a member of the Dark to rescue her son. Yet in Season 2, she is killed by Lanfear, demonstrating just how easily Darkfriends are exploited. The Forsaken exploit loyalty through fear and sorrow. Next, they utilize that loyalty as leverage to claim betrayal.

In Melindhra's instance, not obeying the order means she must abandon her oaths. The outcome is death and the forfeiture of her position within the cycle of rebirth for the wheel. This demonstrates the power and harm these oaths have. These are not equal relationships—they are traps.

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Melindhra dies a hero, not a villain

Despite her past, Melindhra refuses to kill Lan. She knows the price of breaking her oaths—she will not be reborn. Rebirth is important in The Wheel of Time, and gives people hope for a better future. Melindhra gives up the hope of doing the right thing.

Her death is not for nothing. By defying Lanfear's command, she warns Lan. He and Moiraine make preparations for the impending battle with Lanfear. Without this warning, the battle might have gone very differently. Melindhra's actions alter the outcome.

This makes her stand out from the other Darkfriends. She does not gain anything by betraying the Dark. She loses everything. But she chooses the Light. Her sacrifice saves others' lives. Despite being in only a few episodes, Melindhra's tale is one of the saddest. She was a war child. She was promised something that was impossible. But ultimately, she did what was right, not what was easiest.

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The Wheel of Time Season 3 is available to watch on Prime Video.