Padan Fain said that Rand, Mat, Perrin, Egwene, and Nynaeve are all ta'veren. But what does that really mean in The Wheel of Time's world?

Padan Fain (Johann Meyers) said that the five Two Rivers villagers are all ta’veren, which is a term that comes with a lot of meaning in The Wheel of Time’s world. In the books, it was established early on that the three boys were ta’veren. The show, on the other hand, has expanded that to include Nynaeve al’Meara (Zoë Robins) and Egwene al’Vere (Madeleine Madden) as well.

Ta’veren is one of many complex terms that Amazon’s Wheel of Time series has introduced viewers to during season 1. Across an eight-episode story, the show has delved deep into a number of important concepts, including the One Power, the Pattern, the Dragon, the Aes Sedai, and more. Another has been used to label all five of Moiraine’s original Dragon Reborn candidates. Fain confirmed in the season 1 finale that Rand (Josha Stradowski), Mat (Barney Harris), Perrin (Marcus Rutherford), Nynaeve, and Egwene are ta’veren. According to him, no more than one is usually born in a generation, which is why it’s so shocking that five grew up together in the same village.

What Wheel of Time has said so far about ta’veren makes it clear that this word carries a tremendous amount of significance in the fantasy world created by Robert Jordan. As stated by Padan Fain, ta’veren are “focal points for the Wheel”. What that actually means can be clarified by the source material. In the glossaries of the books, it’s said that the Wheel weaves life-threads around ta’veren. In other words, these unique people ultimately have the power to influence the future. Loial explained in The Eye of the World that the Wheel chooses certain people to be ta’veren and then uses them to create changes in the Pattern. They stop being ta’veren only when the Wheel is done using them.

Similar to how Loki defined Nexus Beings in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ta’veren have a tremendous amount of control over what happens in the future. Exactly how they’re able to influence the life-threads around them varies and depends largely on the person. Mat, for example, was extremely lucky. His extraordinary luck saved his life numerous times and helped him succeed as a gambler. Though the reason for this wasn’t always known, it was eventually discovered that Mat’s luck was a result of his ta’veren status. Unbeknownst to him, Mat was warping reality in his favor.

The importance of these characters to the Pattern is reflected by some of the ta’veren that have existed in history. Referenced in a season 1 episode, a ta-veren named Artur Hawkwing was made into a legend by his heroic deeds thousands of years ago. The Dragon himself, Lews Therin Telamon, who caused the Breaking of the World and sealed away the Dark One, was also a ta’veren. Like the two of them, the five ta’veren in Amazon’s The Wheel of Time show have the potential to write the future – for better or worse.

More: Wheel of Time Season 2: What Happens Next For Every Main Character?