The series is set in a sprawling, epic fantasy world where magic exists but only certain women can safely wield it. These women, known as Aes Sedai, are organized in a powerful tower and are dedicated to maintaining balance and peace. Their male counterparts, however, are doomed to go mad if they channel magic due to a taint placed on the male half of the source by a dark entity in ages past.
The story follows a group of young adults from a remote village, including Rand al’Thor, Mat Cauthon, Perrin Aybara, Egwene al’Vere, and Nynaeve al’Meara. Their quiet lives are shattered when a mysterious and powerful Aes Sedai named Moiraine arrives with her warrior guardian, Lan. She believes one of them is the reincarnation of an immensely powerful figure known as the Dragon Reborn, destined to either save the world from the Dark One or break it utterly in a coming battle.
As they are forced to flee their home from monstrous creatures, the group becomes separated and their journeys diverge. Rand grapples with the terrifying possibility that he might be the Dragon Reborn and must learn to control the dangerous power awakening within him. Mat struggles with a dark corruption from a cursed dagger, which alters his personality and threatens his life. Perrin discovers he has a unique connection to wolves, a ability that fills him with both fear and strength.
Meanwhile, Egwene and Nynaeve travel with Moiraine to the White Tower to train as Aes Sedai. There, they face the tower’s harsh hierarchies, political scheming, and rigorous teachings. Nynaeve, already immensely powerful but untrained, challenges the established order. Egwene proves to be a dedicated and fast-learning student, her potential quickly recognized.
The season builds towards a confrontation at the ancient city of Falme. Rand must openly declare himself as the Dragon Reborn to the world, engaging in a duel in the sky with the Dark One’s champion. Parallel battles rage on the ground, where Perrin fights alongside warriors, Mat uses his cunning, and Egwene leads a desperate defense against the Seanchan, a brutal invading empire that enslaves women who can channel. The season concludes with the world now aware the Dragon Reborn has returned, but at a great cost, and the group scattered once more, each facing new and uncertain paths.