Several clues sprinkled throughout The Wheel of Time season 1 foreshadowed the reveal that Rand al’Thor is the Dragon Reborn.

[{"selector":"#anim-070cd376-0a60-4c94-9d1a-0e880a5c0b43 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-07973cdf-ef76-4d10-b203-1ac1b6552565","keyframes":[{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":0},{"transform":"scale(1.5)","offset":0.33},{"transform":"scale(0.95)","offset":0.66},{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

[{"selector":"#anim-3bb266e0-1645-43c4-b1a1-e944b89a515b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-2.9731457597839395%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4ac15b4e-e5e6-4654-ad17-f048c7b680b1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-805b37d2-99d7-4653-b26b-4b47d8401c19","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] In both Robert Jordan’s books and Amazon’s small-screen adaptation, Rand eventually stood revealed as the prophesied reincarnation of Lews Therin “Kinslayer” Telamon.

[{"selector":"#anim-b19d8063-f854-4988-a836-eed922810fc4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-30.94758052955195%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-65f5a6f7-e712-4484-a3ed-d1e679e72220","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d6f6d345-5d25-4538-8725-93da398b3235","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -531.67109%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] While the show made the mystery last until the season’s penultimate episode, the big twist didn’t come without a proper setup.

For those with any familiarity with the books, the identity of the Dragon Reborn wasn’t much of a secret.

[{"selector":"#anim-5ca028a6-b4e1-4662-9dd5-bc381aaa18b8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-3.356777470723806%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-50a6df81-cb90-48b6-94bc-9249a8416ad0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2c1bc254-f03e-43db-93c0-f098a674608a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(116.24204%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

However, The Wheel of Time made enough changes to the source material to plant some seeds of doubt while simultaneously tricking viewers who weren’t fans of Jordan’s novels.

[{"selector":"#anim-383c1228-1cc4-40f7-bc01-602949ea5a1f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-10.569853089004294%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-09931f87-9854-4c1a-b2b9-4e439a3940a0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.82278%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1ad1a542-32b7-49fd-8dc0-719eb19d7c69","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-97d07f1a-8dfd-4a7a-9ab7-18fbfd5c2cba","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

In the series premiere, Wheel of Time expanded the list of candidates from three to five with a major alternation to the Dragon Reborn prophecy.

[{"selector":"#anim-62110811-01dd-480e-a75d-00cd4be02820 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3b8619df-1a38-47f3-80f7-fe8666216386","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e3e23329-1f1e-47ba-bef5-b4e6ceff39ba","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

It was explained early on that the Dragon Reborn could be female, thus making it theoretically possible for Nynaeve or Egwene to be the one Moiraine was looking for.

[{"selector":"#anim-9a8abaf1-6f44-489d-be1e-a49c65a0f390 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(22.038511390064222%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2c585d67-1248-452c-892e-1300da6715fe","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.87342%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4bfd155d-eaa3-4557-aa5a-ee4143e8da46","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a84557c0-63de-4923-b25c-741a080cd6b4","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-07130b0a-e67d-4dd6-bb59-9aee8dfbd85d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(12.901911323616435%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9779acbb-58fb-4634-b5a4-4175686eb1c1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f0cd07e0-705d-4e39-9b91-ba1aa6a2c896","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Nynaeve was an early suspect because of her shocking capabilities with the One Power, and Mat’s odd behavior was a major misdirect.