Why does Alanna have two Warders in The Wheel of Time? Explained

An adaptation of Robert Jordan’s fantasy novels, Prime Video's The Wheel of Time Season 1 introduced us to Alanna Mosvani, played by Priyanka Bose. Jordan's readers were introduced to Alanna in the second book of the series, The Great Hunt. However, the live-action Prime Video fantasy series surprised everyone, including fans, by introducing her right from the beginning.

Introduced along with Alanna are her two warders, Ihvon and Maksim. In this fictional universe, a warder is a warrior who is magically linked to an Aes Sedai through the One Power, or the power source for magic. This bond is so strong that the warder and the Aes Sedai can feel the physical effects of the other's emotions.

A warder is meant to serve as the Aes Sedai's confidant, bodyguard, and friend. A different group of Aes Sedai are the Ajahs, who have their subgroups named after colors — namely, Red, Gray, Blue, Green, Brown, Yellow, and White. The Wheel of Time's Alanna is one of the Green Ajahs, who can magically bond with multiple warders and, most of the time, these bonds are romantic in nature.

This is why it makes sense that Alana has had two warders/lovers in The Wheel of Time until the Season 3 premiere, where Ihvon dies in the opening battle scene.

The Wheel of Time's Alanna, Ihvon, and Maksim are a throuple

The Wheel of Time is a refreshing change in the fantasy genre. Unlike other fantasy stories, the universe created by Robert Jordan is more s*x positive. The novel series, which dates back to the 1990s, is set in a world that encourages s*x positivity and where polyamorous throuples are commonplace.

While the books hint at Alana's romantic relationship with her two warders, the Prime Video series confirms it. Showrunner Rafe Judkins, before the release of the second season, participated in the 2022 JordanCon, which celebrates The Wheel of Time books and the author who wrote them. In that virtual panel, Judkins teased how the then-upcoming second season would handle the throuple:

"You see a lot more, actually, in season 2 of one of those relationships: the Alanna, Maksim, and Ihvon relationship. We get to delve into more of that and understand a little bit more how those three parts fit together. And how there’s not just one relationship happening there. There’s three relationships."

Other than the polyamorous relationship, Rafe Judkins also teased that the show would explicitly confirm the LGBTQAI+ relationships that were just hinted at in the books. He said:

“I mean, we predominantly in the show have been trying to take things that were suggested or hinted at being LGBTQIA+ relationships in the books and sort of expanding on them, bringing those out, letting us know more about those characters and their feelings for each other,” he said. “Or taking things that we don’t know what the relationship is between those two people and giving them something.”

What is the Prime Video fantasy about?

This Prime Video series brings the world of Robert Jordan’s fantasy to life from the pages of his books. The show follows Moiraine, played by actress Rosamund Pike, and her journey to find a prophesized figure who may either destroy or herald a golden age. The synopsis of the series reads:

"The Wheel of Time is one of the most popular and enduring fantasy series of all time, with more than 90 million books sold. Set in a sprawling, epic world where magic exists and only certain women are allowed to access it, the story follows Moiraine (Rosamund Pike), a member of the incredibly powerful all-female organization called the Aes Sedai, as she arrives in the small town of Two Rivers. There, she embarks on a dangerous, world-spanning journey with five young men and women, one of whom is prophesied to be the Dragon Reborn, who will either save or destroy humanity."

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The first two seasons and the ongoing third season of The Wheel of Time are available to stream on Prime Video.

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