Warning: Spoilers for The Wheel of Time season 3, episode 8
Mat Cauthon made three wishes inThe Wheel Of Timeseason 3 finale, laying the groundwork for more stories in the seasons to come. After a whole season of buildup, Prime Video’s adaptation ofRobert Jordan’sWheel of Timebooksfinally explained the significance of the Viewing that Min had when she saw Mat being hung. Though this event did happen to Mat in the source material, various changes to his story called into question exactly how this moment would be facilitated. Now, it’s been confirmed that just as it was in the books, it was all tied to the Eelfinn, a mystical, otherworldly race inThe Wheel of Time’sworld.
Upon meeting a member of the mysterious Eelfinn inThe Wheel of Timeseason 3 finale, Mat was pressed to make three wishes. He resisted at first, but eventually relented and made three requests. The Eelfinn responded to each one with “Done,” indicating that all of them had been granted. As the books make clear, two of the three wishes carry massive implications for the future. Both the events of the novels and the specific wording of the wishes offer insight into how they’ll shape his upcoming arcs.
Mat Now Has Protection From The One Power
Image via Prime Video
The first thing that Mat asked for in his conversation with the Eelfinn was for him to stop getting “bollocked about by every bloody magical force on this bloody planet.” Matt added that he was “sick of this One Power.” After speaking all three wishes and leaving the Eelfinn’s world, an unusual medallion was seen hanging from Mat’s neck. The books reveal that this necklace was the Eelfinn’s answer to this specific request; InThe Shadow Rising,Mat asked to be free of the Aes Sedai and the One Power, and received a silver foxhead medallion in return.
In the books, the place where Mat made the wishes is known as the Chamber of Bonds.
Mat learned thatthe silver foxhead medallion possessed incredible powers. It’s a ter’angreal and arguably one of the most useful of its kind. Its primary function lies in its ability to protect the wearer from the One Power. When Mat wears the medallion, channelers can’t direct any weaves at him, whether it’s to help or to harm him.
Naturally, this will make dealing with Mat a conundrum for enemies that can channel, such asmembers of the Black Ajah. That’s not to say they can’t hurt him with the One Power, as they can still kill him without making him the focus of their weaves. Theoretically, Mat could still die if someone used the One Power to crush him under a large structure. However, the silver foxhead medallion would still present Mat’s opponents with an unexpected obstacle, one that he’s sure to take advantage of when the opportunity arises.
Mat’s Second Wish Was To Have His Memory Problem Fixed
Mat Wanted His Extra Memories Removed
Mat’s second “wish” was more of a suggestion from the Eelfinn that he accepted, rather than something he asked for directly. In the episode, the Eelfinn made note of the fact that Mat has memories in his head that aren’t his, and offered to take them. Mat’s response, “you’re able to fix me?” expressed a receptiveness to the idea, which the Eelfinn immediately seized on. What happened here stands out as a slight change to one of the wishes Mat made inThe Shadow Rising. He asked for the gaps in his memory to be filled. For now, it’s unclear if the differences in the wording will matter, but knowing the Eelfinn, it very well could lead to another change.
In the books, the gaps in Mat’s memory were a side effect of the taint from the ruby-hilted dagger he acquired in Shadar Logoth.
In the book version of the story, at least, the wish resulted in the gaps in Mat’s memory being filled with those of various, long-deceased military leaders from the Age of Legends. Consequently, Mat was able to understand the Old Tongue and comprehend complex war strategies. It’s hard to say ifThe Wheel of Timewill lean in the same direction, considering that blowingthe Horn of Valerealready enabled Mat to speak the Old Tongue and fight like a seasoned warrior, as evidenced by Mat’s duel with Galad and Gawyn in season 3.
However, it’s important to note that prior to meeting the Eelfinn, the memories didn’t belong to those random generals. Instead, they came from his past lives in the Pattern. It’s possible that the Eelfinn has replaced the memories of Mat’s past lives with the experiences of the generals in the Age of Legends. If that’s the case,The Wheel of Timewill have an easy path toward developing Mat into the military asset to the Dragon Reborn he’s fated to become in the show’s future.
Mat’s Third Wish Was To Leave The Eelfinn’s Dimension
Matt Asked To Leave, But Failed To Set Any Specific Conditions
Finally, Mat hastily shouted to Eelfinn that he be taken out of this place. Unlike the last two wishes, this one obviously won’t have long-term ramifications for the story, but does draw from the source material. Upon making his first two wishes, Mat made the same demand, anxious to return to something more familiar. But in both instances, Mat was too quick to ask for his departure, a detail that was aptly noted by the Eelfinn in the episode.
As the fox-like creature explained inThe Wheel of Time, Mat should have done more than just ask to leave; he should have set a price for his wishes. Because he didn’t address terms at all or offer specifics, the Eelfinn set the price himself, hanging Mat from the doorway as soon as he returned him to his own world. This amounted to a serious mistake for Mat, but it has a chance to pay off in the end since he has the foxhead medallion, and judging by the weapon holding the rope in the hanging scene, he may also have gained the Ashenderai, the spear that he was hanged from in the book.
The Wheel of Time
Cast
The Wheel of Time follows Moiraine, a member of the powerful all-female organization Aes Sedai, as she leads a perilous quest with five young individuals. Moiraine suspects one among them could be the prophesized reincarnation of a mighty figure destined to either save or doom humanity.
