This article contains spoilers for The Wheel of Time season 3, episode 8.Mat Cauthon comes terrifyingly close to death inThe Wheel of Timeseason 3’s finale, hanging after he claimed three wishes from a member of the Eelfinn. One ofThe Wheel of Time’s three ta’veren, Mat has paid a heavy price for his unique role in the Pattern. TheOne Powerallows him to remember fragments of his past reincarnations, an experience that threatens to drive him mad.
The Wheel of Timeseason 3’s endingsees Mat stumble through a ter’angreal - one similar in nature to the arches in the White Tower, in that it transports him to another plane of existence. There, Mat encounters a member of another race, the Eelfinn, and the fate of his life appears to take an unexpected direction whenhe wishes for his memories to be erased. Unfortunately, there is a price, and Mat comes close to death when the Eelfinn hangs him.
Mat Being Hanged Was The Price For His Three Wishes
The Eelfinn are a race of beings who possess tremendous power. They live in another dimension, one that Mat accessed when he stepped between the redstone doorframe; it seemsthey are bound to grant three wishes to anyone who makes their way through that doorway, rather like a genie. There is a catch, though; the Eelfinn are dangerous creatures, and the wishes they grant will always come with a price. The Eelfinn grants Mat his first wish when it tells him what it is, aware this wastes a wish; it then removes his memories, but scrambles his mind.
Mat rightly realizes that the redstone doorframe is a trap when he recognizes the smell of death. The Eelfinn grant three wishes, and then prey upon the ones whose deepest desires have been fulfilled, feasting on them. Mat’s third wish is to leave, to escape, but he unwisely fails to specify the terms of the deal. The Eelfinn transports Mat back through the redstone doorframe, but leaves him hanging, choking to death.
How The Wheel Of Time Changed Mat’s Hanging Scene
Something like this happens in Robert Jordan’s books, specifically inShadow Rising.There, Mat bargains for slightly different things: to have the holes in his memory filled, to be free from the One Power and the Aes Sedai, and to return to thecity of Rhuideanif the Eelfinn did not answer his questions. He failed to set a price, just as inThe Wheel of Time, but was actually hanged from Avendesora, the Tree of Life, in the Aiel city.
In the books,Mat was discovered by Rand al’Thor rather than by Min, and it is implied he’d hung there for rather longer; Rand saves his life by using the One Power to make Mat’s heart beat again.The Wheel of Timehas switched things up quite considerably here, keeping the ta’veren apart for a little longer. To be fair, it’s probably better for the Pattern; one ta’veren alone is a force of nature, and three together cause chaos.
Why Mat’s Big Season 3 Moment Is So Important To His Wheel Of Time Future
Mat Cauthon’sWheel of Timehas been switched up significantly, meaning it’s difficult to say exactly where things are headed. That said, in the books, this is one of the defining moments of Mat’s life; among other things, he is left with a permanent scar that testifies to his bargain with the Eelfinn. He tends to hide this scar with a kerchief, and soon after adopts a hat that completes his trademark look. We’re basically on the route to the classic Mat Cauthon of the books.
The Wheel of Time’s version of Mat has had his memories erased rather than clarified, and this is accomplished by the foxhead medallion he now wears. In the books,Mat’s encounters with the Eelfinn transform him into a peerless tactician because he is able to remember strategies from his past lives; it’s all playing out in a rather more complicated manner in the show, and Mat appears to have more holes in his memories than before. It’s even possible he has been set upon a path that will see him head back to the Eelfinn.
The Wheel of Timehas made many changes to the books. In this case, the changes are quite dramatic, and they appear to set Mat on a very different path. It will be fascinating to see how events play out.
