Wheel of Time: How Egwene Can Lie (Even Though Aes Sedai Can't)
It's been established that Aes Sedai can't lie, but Egwene did just that in Wheel of Time episode 5. Here's why she can break the rules.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Wheel of Time season 1, episode 5.
Although Amazon’s Wheel of Time show has established that Aes Sedai are incapable of telling lies, Egwene al’Vere (Madeline Madden) was able to do just that when confronted by the Children of the Light. During a heated exchange with Eamon Valda (Abdul Salis), Egwene was questioned about her ability to channel. Even though she’s certainly figured out at this point that she can access the True Source, she insisted to Valda that she couldn’t. This marks her out as an anomaly and begs the question of how Egwene can lie.
Egwene lying about being a channeler went against what Valda knew about the Aes Sedai. As the Questioner pointed out in Wheel of Time episode 5, Aes Sedai can deceive others by twisting or avoiding the truth, but can’t openly lie. This can be attributed to the Three Oaths, which were previously outlined by Moiraine (Rosamund Pike). The first of these oaths forbids them from speaking a word that isn’t true. In Wheel of Time’s world, this is so much more than just a rule. The swearing of the Three Oaths is a ceremony that binds them with the One Power. The One Power prevents them from breaking their oaths.
The fact that Egwene isn’t a real Aes Sedai explains why she could lie so easily to Valda in Wheel of Time episode 5. Egwene having the ability to channel doesn’t mean she has to follow the Aes Sedai’s rules – yet. Since she hasn’t taken the Three Oaths, lying is still on the table for her in Wheel of Time. Egwene won’t have to swear off lying or using the One Power as a weapon until she goes through the official Aes Sedai ceremony at the White Tower. For now, both Egwene and Nynaeve (Zoë Robins) aren’t held back by the same restrictions that Moiraine, Alanna Mosvani (Priyanka Bose), and the others are forced to abide by. This clearly explains how Egwene can lie.
Normally, a real Aes Sedai in her situation would have had no choice but to expose her secret or try to fool the Whitecloak Questioner. Because of the ways that the Three Oaths limit the Aes Sedai, deception is a common tactic employed by them in Robert Jordan's books. One instance of it in the show occurred in Wheel of Time episode 2 when Moiraine told Valda that she had a “sister” in Whitebridge, but carefully hid the fact that she was going to visit the Aes Sedai. This didn't count as a lie since "sister" is the term that the Aes Sedai use to describe each other. Aes Sedai choosing to operate in this way is one reason why so many non-channelers don’t find them trustworthy, regardless of the Three Oaths.
Egwene could find herself going down a similar path if and when she swears the Three Oaths in the Wheel of Time show. Learning that she can channel has been a huge development for Egwene, but it won’t compare to the game-changing impact that becoming an Aes Sedai will have on her life. The rules it will impose on her, all the political intrigue that comes with being in the White Tower, and the responsibilities she’ll have could fundamentally change her character.
The Wheel of Time releases new episodes Fridays on Amazon Prime.