A broken savior learns to laugh again while a prisoner rebuilds a shattered Tower.
Who drives the story
The Dragon Reborn, prophesied to face the Dark One at the Last Battle. He hardens himself into a weapon, touches the Dark One's own power, and nearly destroys the world before his father's memory and Lews Therin's final words teach him to live, laugh, and love again.
Leader of the rebel Aes Sedai, captured and held as a novice in the White Tower. She defies Elaida from a prisoner's cell, exposes the Black Ajah, drives off a Seanchan raid, and is raised Amyrlin Seat of a reunified Tower.
A secret member of the Black Ajah who spent years spying on the traitors from within. She poisons herself to exploit a loophole in her oath and dies handing Egwene a journal naming nearly every Black sister.
Rand's lover and one of the few people who can still reach the man inside the Dragon. She is nearly killed by Rand's own forced hands, watches him burn a palace from time, and is the first to hear him laugh again.
Rand's imperious Aes Sedai adviser, banished after the Semirhage attack for failing to secure the Domination Band. She still works behind the scenes, sending Tam al'Thor to his son in Tear.
The usurping Amyrlin whose tyranny fractures the White Tower. She imprisons Egwene, fails to prove her a Darkfriend, and ends the book captured by the Seanchan.
Also in the story
Rand's father, brought to Tear by Nynaeve at Cadsuane's instruction. His meeting nearly gets him killed by his own son, but it cracks the wall around Rand's heart.
The Seanchan Daughter of the Nine Moons who rejects Rand's truce after sensing the dark aura the True Power left on him. She declares herself Empress and readies an attack on the White Tower.
How they are connected
She defies Elaida from a prisoner's cell, exposes the Black Ajah, drives off a Seanchan raid, and is raised Amyrlin Seat of a reunified Tower.
She poisons herself to exploit a loophole in her oath and dies handing Egwene a journal naming nearly every Black sister.
Rand's lover and one of the few people who can still reach the man inside the Dragon.
Cadsuane MelaidhrinRand al'Thor
Rand's imperious Aes Sedai adviser, banished after the Semirhage attack for failing to secure the Domination Band.
Cadsuane MelaidhrinTam al'Thor
She still works behind the scenes, sending Tam al'Thor to his son in Tear.
Rand's father, brought to Tear by Nynaeve at Cadsuane's instruction.
The Seanchan Daughter of the Nine Moons who rejects Rand's truce after sensing the dark aura the True Power left on him.
Go deeper
The cost of hardness · Truth as a weapon · Fracture and repair · Laughter against the Shadow
Themes explainedThe full story act by act, the ending explained and a quick quiz.
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