Wheel of Time Arc Reading Guide (WoTARG!)

Alright, so if you're like me you've read Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series many times over. It's insanely long (book 13 just came out), has waaay too many plotlines (6 major, 20 minor, and hundreds of sub-plots), and there are just 'some' sections you would rather skim over at times.

Well, I have a solution! During my last re-read, I broke down each book into 50,000 word segments, focusing only on 1 or 2 character/plotlines at a time. WoT made simple, as it were.

And this guide not only makes the reread a completely different experience, but it also functions as a timeline. Very handy for a quick reference.

Lastly, if the powers that be ever decided to put this massive story on screen as a long-form television fantasy drama series (the only possible way to make it work), each segment would be one episode, with a beginning, middle, and end. Total of four seasons, composed of about 4 books each. Much faster than Legend of the Seeker went. Anyway, here's the guide:

Episode(season/book/#) Title chapters
Lead- Plot
co-star- subplot(s)

s1b01e1 Emond's Field Prologue, ch01-ch09
Rand- intro, trollocs, history lesson

s1b01e2 Baerlon Ravens, ch10-17
Rand- on the run, Min, Nynaeve catches up, dreams, escape at gate
Egwene- becoming aes sedai

s1b01e3 Shadar Logoth ch18-20, 24, 26, 31-32
Rand- dagger, river, Whitebridge, Four Kings, exploding wall

s1b01e4 Wolfbrother ch21-23, 25, 27-30, 37-38
Perrin, Egwene- Elyas, Tinkers, Aram, Whitecloaks, captured
Nynaeve- tracking Rand, rescue Perrin

s1b01e5 Camelyn ch33-36, 39-41
Rand- Darkfriends, Loial, Logain, royal family, reunion

s1b01e6 The Eye of the World ch42-53
Rand- Ways, Fal Dara, Fain, Blight, Forsaken
Lan- Nynaeve, Malkier

s1b02e1 Fal Dara Prologue - ch06
Rand, Moiraine- Amyrlin arrives, horn stolen
Jaichim Carridin- Whitecloak plots

s1b02e2 The Great Hunt ch07-11, 13-17
Rand, Perrin- Quest, goodbyes, hunting, portal stones, Selene
Bayle Domon- flight from Illian

s1b02e3 Flight from the White Tower ch12, 18, 22-24, 29, 38-40
Egwene, Nynaeve- joining Aes Sedai, testing, ways, damane
Moirane; Bayle Domon- research; Seanchan

s1b02e4 Cairhien ch19-21, 25-28, 30-34
Rand, Perrin, Thom- got horn, get to safety, Illuminators, reunion, party
Padan Fain- Gives horn to Seanchan

s1b02e5 Falme ch35-37, 41-50
Rand- Stedding, realities, strategy, Mat blows horn, fight in sky
Egwene, Nynave, Min, Bayle- free Egwene, escape

s1b03e1 The Dragon Reborn Prologue - ch09
Perrin, Rand- Rand leaves, chaos wake
Nial, Carridin- Whitecloak fallout

s1b03e2 The Black Ajah ch10-23
Egwene, Siuan, Verin- consequences, healing, test
Mat- awakening, Lanfear

s1b03e3 The First Ship ch24-32, 37-39
Egwene, Nynaeve- dreaming, off to Tear, Aiel, captured
Mat- escape Tar Valon, Thom, gray men

s1b03e4 Illian ch33-36, 40-47
Perrin- Remen, Faile, frees Gaul, forsaken in Illian
Mat- Fireworks, letter, rescue mission

s1b03e5 Tear ch48-56
Mat, Nynaeve- captured, storming the Stone of Tear
Perrin, Rand- Faile trapped; Callandor and Belal

s1b04e1 Playing With Fire ch02-08
Perrin, Mat, Rand- Lord Dragon, bubbles of evil, Berelain, researching, romance
Elayne, Egwene- questioning Black Ajah

s1b04e2 Into the Doorway ch01, 09-15
Mat, Rand, Egwene- Lanfear, Trollocs, dead girl, dreamwalkers, news from home, Ogiers Oath, 3 questions
Min; whitecloaks; Seanchan- Elmindreda; Taren Ferry; The Return

s1b04e3 The Shadow Rising ch16-20, 27, 47
Perrin, Elayne, Thom- goodbyes to Lan and Moiraine, Sea Folk ship, attacked in the Ways
Min, Siuan- Breaking of the White Tower

s1b04e4 Rhuidean ch21-26
Rand, Mat- 3 wishes, history of the Aiel
Moirane, Egwene- manipulations; wise ones

s1b04e5 Homecoming ch28-35
Perrin- family dead, trollocs, whitecloaks
Egwene, Rand- Car'a'carn, dream meetings

s1b04e6 Revelations in Tanchico ch38-39, 46, 51-52, 54-55
Egeanin, Elayne, Nynaeve- a'dam, Seeker, new friendships, Compulsion, storming the palace
Jaichim, Liandrin- sieze Panarch's Palace, Black Ajah

s1b04e7 Goldeneyes ch40-45, 53, 56
Perrin- general, defending Emond's Field
Aram- Tinker's sword

s1b04e8 A Breaking in the Three-fold Land ch36-37, 48-50, 57-58
Rand- Imre Stand --> Cold Rocks Hold --> Alcair Dal; vs. Asmodean
Mat- The Hat, battle leader


s2b05e1 The First Sparks Fall Prologue, ch02-07
Rand, Egwene- Rhuidean, darkhounds, leaving
Elaida, Fain, Rahvin- Fain in the Tower, Forsaken meeting

s2b05e2 A Small Room in Sienda ch08-10, 13-18
Nynaeve, Elayne, Egwene- Forkroot, Sienda, dreamworld, circus
Liandrin- Mogedien

s2b05e3 Sallie Daera ch01, 11-12, 20-22, 26-28
Min, Bryne, Siuan- Persuit, Lugard, Nine Horse Hitch, Salidar
Rand, Mat- Jangai Pass

s2b05e4 The Far Snows ch23-25, 29-35
Rand- Shaido's trail, Avienda in Seanchan
Egwene- dreamwalker training

s2b05e5 Band of the Red Hand ch19, 41-46
Mat, Rand- The Second Battle of Cairhien
Morgase, Padan Fain- Escaping Rahvin, dagger in tower

s2b05e6 Encounters in Samara ch37-40, 47-49
Elayne, Nynave- Birgitte, Uno, Prophet, Galad, riot, boat

s2b05e7 The Fires of Heaven ch50-56
Rand, Mat, Egwene Lanfear vs Moirane, Caemlyn raid
Nynaeve, Elayne- Salidar, Mogedien captured, used

s2b06e1 The First Message Prologue, ch07-08
Elayne, Nynaeve- stilled allies, embassy, new weaves, dream lessons
Faile; Gawyn; Morgase; Forsaken- Two Rivers; Younglings; Amadicia; Shayol Ghul, Tel’aran’rhiod

s2b06e2 Lord of Chaos ch01-04, 06, 10-11, 16
Rand, Verin- Taim, seal, farm, Two Rivers girls, bonded
Sammael, Graendal, Semirhage- politics, truce w/Sammael

s2b06e3 Fire and Spirit ch05, 12-15, 29-30
Elayne, Nynaeve- bubble of evil, stilling study, restoration
Mat- dead tinkers

s2b06e4 An Embassy ch17-21, 23-28
Egwene, Rand- school, Ogier, waygates, embassy, Gawyn, Sea Folk

s2b06e5 Journey to Salidar ch22, 32-40, 44
Egwene- summoned, toh, journey, raised, consequences
Mat- Olver, Salidar

s2b06e6 The Crown of Roses ch09, 31, 41-43, 45-46, 49
Rand, Perrin- Min, Perrin, Loial, confrontation, fled
Morgase- Whitecloaks, plots

s2b06e7 Dumai's Wells ch47-48, 50-55, Epilogue
Perrin- Faile vs. Berelain, hunting Rand, gathering army
Rand- captured, boxed, breakout, AS bow

s2b07e1 The Butcher's Yard Prologue, ch01-06
Sevanna, Perrin- aftermath, return to Cairhien, worried for Faile
Elaida- reports, Black Tower, Fortelling

s2b07e2 The Figurehead ch08-12, 25-26
Egwene, Moghedien- Moggy' escapes, Lan sent to Nynaeve
Morgase- renounciation

s2b07e3 Swovan Night ch07, 13-19, 21
Avienda, Elayne, Mat- sea folk, sharing info; racing, ring, Bors, Tylin, Birgitte
Rand- expecting Elayne in Camelyn

s2b07e4 Promises to Keep ch22-24, 28-31, 37-39
Mat- apology, used, finding, golam, deal, Olver, Seanchan
Elayne, Nynaeve- apology, Kin, leading, Lan, golam, leaving

s2b07e5 A Crown of Swords ch20, 27, 33-36, 40-41
Rand, Min- Cadsuane, w/Min, seclusion, Sea Folk, rebels, fog, cut, bed, Illian
Sevanna- dispersal of the Shaido

s2b08e1 Unweaving Prologue, Ch01-06
Elayne, Avienda- Travel, conflicts, farm, bowl, seanchan, nuke
Ethenielle; Verin- Borderlanders; mind alteration

s2b08e2 The Path of Daggers ch12-14, 22-24, 27
Rand- versus Seanchan, Calandor, Casdsuane
Grendael; Cadsuane- New Alliances

s2b08e3 An Unwelcome Return ch15-20, 25-26, 28
Egwene; Seaine- camp, war declared, prep for siege, new Accepted; hunting Black Ajah
Elayne- murders, Camelyn

s2b08e4 Beginnings ch07-11, 29-31
Perrin, Faile- banner, Morgase joins, queen swears, Prophet, gai'shain
Rand- renegade ashaman


s3 (The World of Rober Jordan's) The Wheel of Time
Loial- the story thus far....
notes- before the breaking

s3b09e1 Winter's Heart Prologue, Ch01-06
Perrin, Faile- captured, robes, Aiel, Prophet
Siane; Elayne; Toveine; Rand- BA hunters; first sisters; Black Tower factions; false trails

s3b09e2 The Streets of Caemlyn ch07-12, 26-27
Elayne- damane, Black Ajah, assassin, dreamwalk, bonding, windfinders, Borderlanders

s3b09e3 Daughter of the Nine Moons ch14-21, 28-31
Mat- Looking for Inn, Golam, Tuon, escape plans
Tuon, Bethamin, Egeanin- Veiled; Seeker; escape

s3b09e4 With the Choedan Kal ch13, 22-25, 32-35
Rand, Cadsuane- Far Madding, trap, prison, negotiation, cleansing

s3b10e1 Time to Be Gone Prologue, ch01-04
Mat, Furyk- circus leaving, courting Tuon
Rodel; Valda; Gabrelle; Yukiri; Gawyn; Davram; Sumitsu Domani; whitecloaks; white tower mysteries; assasination attempts

s3b10e2 A Cluster of Rosebuds ch10-15, 28-29
Elayne- recruiting, bath, sea folk leaving, young lord and ladies, spies
Mat- Egeanin attacked

s3b10e3 Crossroads of Twilight ch06-09, 23-27
Perrin- chasing shaido, darkhounds, Aiel in Malden, So Harbor, ax in tree
Rand, Cadsuane- Resting, Loial, Logain, treaty w/Seanchan

s3b10e4 The Subject of Negotiations ch16-22, 30, Epilogue
Egwene- negotiations, cuendilar, investigations, black tower, dreams, captured

s3b11e1 Embers Falling on Dry Grass Prologue, Ch01-03
all White Tower- hunting BA; forkroot and novice; dissent; egwene's commands;
Galad; Rodel; Suroth; Galina- kills Valda; uprising; meets Perrin

s3b11e2 A Hell in Maderin ch06-11
Mat- Tuon, Zebra, Dead walking, the letter, gambling, attacked in street

s3b11e3 Siege ch13-20
Elayne, Arymilla- siege of camelyn, new forces, wet, avienda leaves, borderlanders
Rand, Loial, Nynaeve- marriage, 100K trollocs, Lan's long ride

s3b11e4 Knife of Dreams ch21-25
Romanda, Egwene, Tarna- bonding ashaman; seeds of dissent
Rand, Harine; Mat- Illian, logain vs windfinders; kissing Tuon, found by Band

s3b11e5 In Malden ch04-05, 12, 26, 28-30
Faile, Perrin, Galina- Seanchan alliance, escape plans, weak tea, betrayal & rescue
Tuon- Band of the Red Hand

s3b11e6 Prince of the Ravens ch27, 31-37, Epilogue
Mat, Tuon, Suroth, Furyk- seanchan after Tuon, marriage, battles;
Rand; Elayne, Birgitte- captured by BA, rescue, besiegers captured, becomes queen

s3b12e1 The Gathering Storm Prologue, ch01-06, 09
Rand, Avienda, Cadsuane- hard lessons
Egwene, Perrin- tactics in the tower; leaving Malden

s3b12e2 The Plan for Arad Doman ch07, 10-11, 14-15, 17, 21-23, 26
Rand, Avienda, Cadsuane- preparations, Semirage freed, true source, wise one
Perrin, Faile- remembering Brotherless

s3b12e3 Unexpected Encounters ch08, 12-13, 16, 18-19, 24-25
Siuan, Egwene- embracing pain, Egwene vs. Elaida
Gawyn; Tuon- desertion of Younglings; consolidation of power

s3b12e4 Night in Hinderstap ch20, 27-29, 31-33
Mat- zombie attacks
Nynaeve, Rand- trail to Grendeal

s3b12e5 The Tower Shakes ch30, 34-36, 38-41
Egwene, Gawyn, Siuan- Verin's legacy, raid by the seanchan
Mat, Tuon- help from Verin; meeting with Rand, raid launched

s3b12e6 Dragonmount ch37, 42-50, Epilogue
Rand, Min, Nynaeve- balefire, Tam, revalations
Egwene- aftermath, raised


s4NSe1 It Begins ch01-11
Moiraine- Fortelling, Elaida, searching, pranks, testing
Lan- Aiel war ends

s4NSe2 New Spring ch12-26, Epilogue
Moiraine, Siuan- Ajahs, flight, Cadsuane, warder
Lan- Kandor, pond, first love, Bukama, warder


Towers of Midnight and A Memory of Lighty to follow, about 7 arcs/episodes each, for a grand total of about 84 or so, depending on if more prequals are written.

And we're done! I plan on using this guide myself for my next read through. Also quite handy for determining what happened where. Feel free to steal and modify for your own use!


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