Wheel Of Time’s One Power Explained: Rules, Abilities & Source

Wheel of Time‘s One Power is the franchise’s “magic,” which comes with its own set of rules and terminology. The One Power is essentially the crux of the world that Amazon’s new TV series is about to introduce. Just as it is in the books, it’ll be at the heart of the characters’ problems and their stories.

Thought by some to be Amazon’s answer to HBO’s Game of Thrones, Wheel of Time is set in a massive fantasy world filled with all sorts of unique creatures, characters and concepts. The goals of the show’s main protagonists will hinge on the prophecy of the Dragon Reborn, the reincarnation of a fallen hero who “broke the world” eons ago and is destined to battle the great and powerful Dark One. Discovering the Dragon Reborn’s true identity and figuring out what to do about this character will be integral to the show’s story.

Nearly everything in Wheel of Time – including the Dragon Reborn prophecy – is driven by the One Power. Like the Force in the Star Wars franchise, Wheel of Time‘s One Power is the very core of this fantasy world and is the reason for most of the conflict that takes place in the series. Here’s what Wheel of Time‘s One Power actually is, how it works, and what people can do with it.

Wheel of Time’s One Power Comes From the True Source

Every character who uses the One Power in Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time books draws it from the same place: the True Source. Described in the novels as the “driving force of the universe,” the One Power’s True Source is infinite and can never be depleted. The True Source is divided into two halves: saidar and saidin. Saidar can be accessed only by women, whereas saidar is reserved for male channelers of the One Power. It was established early on that at some point in history, the villain of the Wheel of Time books – the Dark One – touched the True Source and corrupted saidin forever, meaning that only saidar remains pure and untainted.

How Wheel Of Time’s One Power Works For Women

In Wheel of Time, some women are capable of being taught how to tap into saidar and use the One Power. There are others – albeit significantly fewer – that have a natural gift for the One Power. Usually, these women unknowingly begin to use their abilities when they’re close to adulthood. Unless they develop an understanding of the One Power or are taught how to use it properly, they usually get sick and die. That’s why formally trained female channelers known as the Aes Sedai travel the world in search of young girls who have what it takes to touch the True Source. With the One Power, they can sense other women who share their connection. They bring these girls to the White Tower, a place where they’re taught the ways of the Aes Sedai. Depending on the strength of their connection to the True Source, they could go on to become powerful and competent channelers of the One Power.

How Wheel Of Time’s One Power Works For Men

There are much less men that can use the One Power than there are women – and that’s a good thing. Because the male half of the True Source was tainted by the Dark One, men never have good experiences with the One Power in Wheel of Time. All men who possess the One Power are doomed to be a victim of Madness, which is what happened to the original Dragon. What this means is that eventually, use of the One Power will drive a man insane. One reason why this is such a big problem is the fact that men have more potential with the One Power than women. For example, Logain has a higher power level than all of the female channelers in Wheel of Time. The seemingly unavoidable fate of every man with the One Power and their capability for destruction is why the Aes Sedai are devoted to tracking down and eliminating anyone who can draw upon saidin.

Related: Who Wheel Of Time Season 2’s New Secret Characters Could Be

The Five Threads Of Wheel Of Time’s One Power

There are five different elements (or threads) to the One Power that channelers can draw from: Fire, Earth, Air, Water, and Spirit. Wheel of Time characters have certain specialties when it comes to the One Power’s threads. For instance, men are naturally stronger in Fire and Earth than the other three, while women seem to excel in channeling Water and Air. Proficiency with Spirit, on the other hand, is generally equal between genders. Also, most channelers can channel one particular thread better than the other four.

The One Power’s Abilities In Wheel Of Time Explained

Actually putting the threads to use is done through the creation of “weaves”, which look like lines of energy to those who can channel but can’t be seen at all by those who don’t. By Learning how to weave the threads, channelers can unleash a wide range of abilities tied to the One Power in Wheel of Time’s world. The powers they create are determined by the weaves chosen. Obviously, earthquakes are made with Earth weaves, and fire can be summoned with Fire. These are self-explanatory, but most weaves aren’t really that simple. The majority of the abilities associated with the One Power require channelers to weave flows that combine more than one thread. One of the more powerful attacks that an Aes Sedai can use is Balefire, which is made from Air and Fire. Some abilities are a bit more complicated and necessitate the use of three threads, with one example of this being Healing. To heal someone, one must weave flows of Air, Water, and Spirit. As long as the channeler uses the right weaves, they can perform a long list of feats, including teleportation, producing light, calling down lightning, and more.

How The One Power Can Be Removed

Removing a person’s ability to use the One Power is possible, but only by cutting off their link to the True Source. The terms for this process are “gentling” and “stilling” with men and women respectively. If a woman commits a crime or proves herself unworthy of the One Power, the Aes Sedai will still her and send her into exile for the rest of her life. For a channeler, this punishment is among the worst things that can be done to them, as it’s often been described as a fate worse than death, because having access to the True Source and suddenly not having it anymore it tends to cause a person to lose their will to live. The feeling is about the same with men. Since they’re stronger than women in the One Power, it can take a handful of Aes Sedai to gentle them. Gentling male channelers is a standard procedure for Aes Sedai since the Madness makes them so dangerous.

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