- For the reincarnated soul by the same name, see Dragon Reborn. For the chapter in The Great Hunt by the same name, see The Dragon Reborn. For other uses of the word "dragon," see Dragon.
The Dragon Reborn (abbreviated as tDR) is the third book of the The Wheel of Time series. It was published by Tor Books and released on September 15, 1991. It is 699 pages long.
Plot Summary
The Dragon Reborn consists of a prologue and fifty-six chapters.
From the Mountains of Mist to Tear
Rand al'Thor, having declared himself Dragon Reborn after the Battle of Falme in Book Two: The Great Hunt, secretly leaves the Shienaran camp in the Mountains of Mist to go to Tear to prove himself the Dragon Reborn. Along the way he is hunted by Darkhounds.
Min has left the camp by order of Moiraine to report to the Amyrlin on what has transpired. Moiraine, Lan Mandragoran, Loial, and Perrin Aybara chase after Rand. Along the way, they encounter a Hunter for the Horn, Faile Bashere, battle Darkhounds, and discover that the Forsaken Sammael rules in Illian.
From Tar Valon to Tear
Mat Cauthon is taken to Tar Valon by Verin Mathwin, Nynaeve al'Meara, Egwene al'Vere, Elayne Trakand, and Hurin. Immediately after arrival in Tar Valon Hurin departs to report to King Easar Togita in Shienar as well as his fellow Borderlanders, and the women skirmish with Children of the Light before heading to the White Tower.
The Amyrlin Seat, Siuan Sanche, sets Nynaeve, Egwene to the task of hunting down the Black Ajah. Egwene and Nynaeve tell Elayne of their mission, Elayne agrees to help them track down the Black Ajah. A lead sends the trio traveling to Tear.
In the White Tower, through the use of a sa'angreal by Aes Sedai, Mat is permanently healed of the corruptive influence of the ruby dagger of Shadar Logoth. Once healed, Mat defeats both Galad Damodred and Gawyn Trakand at the same time in a practice sword battle using merely a quarter staff. This improbable victory wins him enough money to gamble with and escape from Tar Valon. Elayne entrusts Mat with a letter to her mother Queen Morgase, explaining that she will be leaving the White Tower for some time. Mat finds Thom Merrilin in an inn. The pair escape Tar Valon together and travel to Andor, where Mat delivers the letter and learns of a plot by Queen Morgase's lover, Lord Gaebril, to murder Elayne, Daughter-Heir of Andor. Seeking to prevent that murder, Mat pursues the women, who are already on their way to Tear.
Climax in the Stone of Tear
In Tear, Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne are unwillingly betrayed by Juilin Sandar, a thief catcher, (who was under the influence of a form of Compulsion from Liandrin) to the Black Ajah and then imprisoned in the Stone of Tear, where they are rescued by Mat and a repentant Juilin. Faile falls into a Black Ajah trap meant for Moiraine, and Perrin risks his life in the World of Dreams to rescue her.
Rand and the Forsaken Be'lal duel in the Stone of Tear. Moiraine interrupts the battle and kills Be'lal with balefire. Ba'alzamon appears, disables Moiraine, and attacks Rand. Rand takes Callandor, proving himself the Dragon Reborn, and, with it, kills Ba'alzamon. Rand thinks he has killed the Dark One, who he believes was Ba'alzamon, but Moiraine tells him that the Dark One is not human, and therefore cannot have been Ba'alzamon, because Ba'alzamon left behind a corpse. Egwene, remembering a parchment of prophecy that Verin Sedai showed her, instead deduces that the corpse is possibly Ishamael, Chief among the Forsaken. The Aiel in Tear take the Stone and reveal themselves as the People of the Dragon.
Plot Developments by Character
- Rand al'Thor draws Callandor, proving himself the Dragon Reborn, and defeats Ba'alzamon a final time.
- Mat Cauthon, finally cured of the illness caused by his association with the ruby-hilted dagger, leaves Tar Valon with Thom Merrilin, journeying to Caemlyn and Tear.
- Perrin Aybara meets and falls in love with Zarine Bashere while following Rand across the continent.
Ebook Format
The Dragon Reborn was re-released again in e-book format on December 1st, 2009. A new cover, by Donato Giancola, depicts Rand al'Thor sitting on the Dragon Banner.
Statistical Analysis
- See also the full statistical analysis for this book.
The Dragon Reborn contains 56 chapters and a prologue, of which:
POV | % | Chapters |
---|---|---|
Egwene al'Vere | 33.16% | Ch10, 11, Ch13 through 18, 92% of Ch21, Ch22, 23, Ch25 through 27, Ch37 through 39, Ch48, 30% of Ch49, 26% of Ch54, and 14% of Ch55 |
Perrin Aybara | 31.40% | Ch1 through 8, 80% of Ch9, Ch33 through 35, 85% of Ch36, Ch41 though 43, 65% of Ch44, Ch50, 53, 6% of Ch54, and 10% of Ch55 |
Matrim Cauthon | 26.38% | Ch19, 20, 24, 28, 30, 31, 90% of Ch32, Ch40, 35% of Ch44, Ch45 through 47, 70% of Ch49, Ch52, 66% of Ch541, 25% of Ch55, and 93% of Ch56 |
Nynaeve al'Meara | 2.83% | Ch29, and 51 |
Rand al'Thor | 2.40% | 20% of Ch9, 10% of Ch32, 15% of Ch36, 2% of Ch54, and 51% of Ch552 |
Pedron Niall | 2.27% | 81% of the Prologue |
Siuan Sanche | 0.86% | Ch12 |
Jaichim Carridin | 0.50% | 18% of the Prologue |
Verin Mathwin | 0.09% | 8% of Ch21 |
Quote | 0.06% | 1% of the Prologue and 3% of Ch56 |
Narrator | 0.05% | 4% of Ch56 |
1 Chapter 54 has five points of view, two of which are from Matrim Cauthon's POV. His first is 52% of the chapter and his second is 14% of the chapter. | ||
2 Chapter 55 has five points of view, two of which are from Rand al'Thor's POV. His first is 30% of the chapter and his second is 21% of the chapter. |
Glossary
- See also the full glossary for this book.
The Glossary is at the end of the book and contains 178 terms.
Books | |
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Main Series |
New Spring · The Eye of the World · The Great Hunt · The Dragon Reborn · The Shadow Rising · The Fires of Heaven · Lord of Chaos · A Crown of Swords · The Path of Daggers · Winter's Heart · Crossroads of Twilight · Knife of Dreams · The Gathering Storm · Towers of Midnight · A Memory of Light |
Other works |
The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time · The Wheel of Time Roleplaying Game · Legends · The Strike at Shayol Ghul · New Spring comic · The Eye of the World comic · River of Souls · The Wheel of Time Companion · A Fire Within the Ways · Origins of the Wheel of Time |
Places | Items | Timeline | Concepts |
Leigh Butler's Re-read of The Dragon Reborn, featured on Tor.com | |
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Re-read listing | Part 1 · Part 2 · Part 3 · Part 4 · Part 5 · Part 6 · Part 7 · Part 8 · Part 9 |