The Wheel of Time is an inclusive, realistic, and gender-neutral fantasy

The Wheel of Time on Amazon Prime Video breaks free of all the clichés of fantasy and shows a fresh perspective of the world.

Fantasy is one such genre that offers us a chance to escape and create our own world free of the barriers and boundaries of the world we live in. And often we just end up creating the extensions of our own world that are still pretty much filled with our own biases and stereotypes. But The Wheel of Time is a fantasy that has for the first time tried to create a world that is not an extension of our world rather an extension of the world we want to live in. By being so effortlessly inclusive and gender-neutral without losing the essence of fantasy, the show urges you to think if being woke looks like this in fantasy.

This show weaves the wheel of threads of character arcs and narrative so well that by the end of season one you're just left astonished. It's a fantasy that carries realism and philosophy so well in hand that each episode will leave you with something. Even though the show is based on Robert Jordan’s 14 novel series of the same name, this 8-episodic season is built with intricacy by Rafe Lee Judkins. From its stunning costumes to its beautiful locations ranging from lusty greens to flowing rivers to the picturesque mountains, the crafty and beautiful CGI of the show from eliciting that beautiful magical light or Trollocs or that eyeless monster on a horse, makes it feel all too real.

But what remains unique and the most interesting part of the show is Aes Sedai and their bond with her warder. While wizards have enjoyed a heroic place in the fantasy world, witches have always been penalized and burned. But not Aes Sedai which is an elusive community of women who can channel a divine force of power from the universe called One Power. And even when the maximum source of power is only given out to women as men are unable to handle it, it doesn't go on to show men as weak and just evil. But rather the relationship shown between an Aes Sedai and her warder is such a pure relationship between a man and a woman that has ever been shown earlier. And it's the job of an Aes Sedai, Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) to find and train the Dragon reborn, who could be anyone a male or a female, and possess the power to finish the Drak One to save the world for good. For the first time ever, this TV show with its matriarchal mentor shows the power of a woman residing in her brain rather than in her womb.

The pace of the show with its fascinating character arcs that is gender-neutral and its play with silence (dialogues limited to wherever they are needed) adds to the ever-inviting mystery of the show. Apart from the amazing craft of the show, it's the brilliant acting that bounds you to the show. And Amazon Prime Video's information guide definitely helps one understand the show without having read the books. It's like the platform has taken it upon itself to keep on turning the wheel and churn out quality content. This show with all its magic and powers has made me realize that while GoT had brought a change in the TV era for good, WoT could bring in a change in the genre of fantasy altogether. And it's not like you expect anything less badass from Rosamund Pike anyway!

But that’s enough from us, let’s see what the janta is saying about The Wheel of Time!

Have you watched this barrier breaker of a fantasy show currently streaming with all episodes on Amazon Prime Video yet? Do tell us about your thoughts in the comments below!

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