Race: Primordial Entity
Sex: Male
Faction: Shadow
Overall Rating: 9.4
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Arena Status: Active (S2)
Shai’tan, more commonly known as the Dark One, is the primordial embodiment of evil in the Wheel of Time universe. As the antithesis to the Creator, the Dark One exists outside the Pattern—a construct that governs reality—and represents chaos, destruction, and malevolence.
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| Shai'tan, Father of Lies, Ba'alzamon, Sightblinder, Lord of the Grave, Lord of the Twilight, Shepherd of the Night's Flocks, Heartsbane, Soulsbane, Heartfang, Old Grim, Grassburner, Leafblighter, Father of Storms, Caisen Hob, Lighteater, Soulblinder, Great Lord of the Dark |
His ultimate goal is to break free from his prison, unravel the Wheel of Time, and remake all of existence in his own image of despair and corruption. Throughout the Wheel of Time series, Shai’tan’s influence is felt indirectly through his minions, the Forsaken, and the growing chaos that spreads across the world as the Last Battle approaches. The Dark One’s presence shapes much of the central conflict of the series, making him one of the most pivotal and enigmatic forces in the Wheel of Time.
What Is Shai'tan's True Name?
Shai’tan, pronounced SHAY-ih-TAN, is the true name of the Dark One, but uttering it is believed to bring great misfortune. As a result, most characters in the series refrain from speaking it aloud, using titles such as "the Dark One" or "the Great Lord of the Dark" instead. The fear of invoking his name is so strong that it persists even among his most loyal followers, the Darkfriends. His true name carries an immense weight, symbolizing his cosmic power and influence over the world.
Throughout history and among different cultures in the Wheel of Time, the Dark One has been known by many names. Among the Aiel, he is called "Sightblinder," while the wolves refer to him as "Heartfang." Other notable names include "Ba’alzamon," "Lord of the Grave," and "Father of Lies." In particular, Ba’alzamon is used during the early part of the series, where many mistakenly believe Ishamael, the strongest of the Forsaken, to be the Dark One himself. This deception is only uncovered later in the series.
How Was the Bore Created?
The Dark One’s imprisonment by the Creator at the beginning of time established a delicate balance between Light and Shadow. However, during the Age of Legends, a group of Aes Sedai researchers, including Mierin Eronaile (later known as Lanfear), unknowingly drilled into the Dark One’s prison while searching for a new source of power that could be wielded by both men and women. This act, known as the Bore, partially freed the Dark One, allowing his influence to seep into the world and corrupt it from within.
The drilling of the Bore is a defining moment in the history of the Wheel of Time universe, as it triggers the collapse of the utopian Age of Legends and the start of the War of Power. The Dark One’s touch on the world manifests as the creation of the Shadowspawn, the rise of the Forsaken, and the sowing of chaos that eventually leads to the Breaking of the World. The Forsaken, former Aes Sedai who pledged their souls to the Dark One, became his chief agents in spreading his influence.
What Are Shai'tan's Powers?
Shai’tan’s powers are vast and extend far beyond the comprehension of mortals. As a cosmic force, his power is not confined by physical laws or dimensions, and he is described as being both "infinite" and "empty." One of his key abilities is the warping of reality within the Pattern. This is most evident near Shayol Ghul, the mountain where the Bore was drilled, and where the Dark One’s prison is closest to the physical world. In this location, distances warp, time stretches, and reality itself bends to his will.
However, Shai’tan’s powers are constrained by the Pattern. Despite his immense capabilities, he cannot fully manipulate time or retrieve souls that have been burned out of the Pattern, such as those destroyed by balefire. Balefire is one of the few weapons that can defy the Dark One’s power, as it erases its target’s existence from the Pattern, preventing even the Dark One from resurrecting them.
Nevertheless, the Dark One has shown the ability to transmigrate souls, moving the souls of those who pledge themselves to him into new bodies. This power is primarily used on the Forsaken, who serve as his champions in the world. Shai’tan’s influence also manifests through his control of the True Power, an alternative to the One Power, which can only be wielded with his permission. The True Power, centered around destruction and decay, is highly addictive and dangerous to those who use it, eventually leading to their inevitable destruction unless granted immortality by the Dark One.
Verin Sedai describes Shai’tan as the "embodiment of paradox and chaos," emphasizing his role as the destroyer of logic, balance, and reason. His goal is to unravel the Wheel of Time, bringing an end to the cyclical nature of reality and remaking existence according to his will.
What Is the Dark One's Role in the Last Battle?
[Spoiler Alert]
The Last Battle, or Tarmon Gai’don, is the final confrontation between the forces of the Dark One and the champions of the Light. Throughout the series, Shai’tan’s ultimate goal is revealed to be the destruction of the Wheel of Time itself. To achieve this, he seeks to break the spirit of Rand al’Thor, the Dragon Reborn, and either turn him to the Shadow or kill him.
During the Last Battle, Shai’tan’s influence on the world reaches its peak. His minions, including the Forsaken and vast armies of Shadowspawn, are unleashed to wreak havoc on the world, while bubbles of evil and distortions in reality become more frequent as the Bore weakens further. However, Shai’tan’s true strength lies not in brute force, but in his ability to present Rand with twisted versions of reality, tempting him with the idea of reshaping the world to suit his own vision.
In the climactic moment of the series, Rand al’Thor enters Shayol Ghul to confront Shai’tan directly. During this confrontation, Shai’tan attempts to show Rand multiple versions of reality, each more horrific than the last, in an effort to break his spirit and force him to surrender. However, Rand ultimately rejects Shai’tan’s vision and instead chooses to seal the Dark One back in his prison rather than destroy him, understanding that the existence of evil allows humanity to have free will.
The Cosmological Role of Shai'tan
Shai’tan’s existence is essential to the balance of the universe in The Wheel of Time. As the embodiment of evil and chaos, his influence is necessary for the existence of free will, as the choice between good and evil is what defines the human experience. If Shai’tan were destroyed, humanity would lose the capacity for evil, but they would also lose their ability to make meaningful choices. This realization is what ultimately leads Rand to seal the Dark One back into his prison rather than kill him.
While Shai’tan is a cosmic threat, his inability to understand concepts like compassion, nobility, and love limits his effectiveness. He cannot learn or adapt beyond his evil nature, and this flaw prevents him from truly overcoming the champions of the Light. The Creator’s design ensures that as long as virtuous people continue to fight against him, Shai’tan can never fully win.
Shai’tan’s role as a cosmic force of evil, his manipulation of reality, and his influence on human free will make him one of the most fascinating and complex antagonists in fantasy literature. His presence in the Wheel of Time series is a constant reminder of the delicate balance between good and evil, order and chaos, and the eternal struggle for the fate of the world.
Shai'tan's Raw Power
Shai’tan’s raw power is rooted in his near-limitless magical ability and his control over the True Power and reality itself. Though his physical strength is negligible, his ability to warp time and space, manipulate the souls of his followers, and indirectly shape battles places him among the most powerful characters in fantasy. His rating of 9.5/10 reflects his cosmic nature and the sheer scale of his abilities, although he is limited by his imprisonment and inability to directly act upon the physical world.
Strength
Shai’tan’s physical strength is arguably his weakest attribute. As a cosmic entity imprisoned outside of reality, he does not possess a physical form that can be compared to traditional characters with corporeal bodies. He is not depicted as engaging in physical combat or feats of strength, nor does he have a body capable of directly interacting with the physical realm of the Pattern.
The absence of a tangible body means that Shai’tan’s physical might is relatively low when compared to powerful entities who can physically impose themselves on their environment. Characters with immense strength can perform incredible feats of brute force, while Shai’tan, without a direct connection to the Pattern, does not engage in such activities. However, his power lies elsewhere.
Magical Ability
Shai’tan’s magical ability is where his raw power truly shines. As a cosmic force of evil, Shai’tan’s mastery over magic is almost unparalleled. His power extends far beyond traditional spells or magical incantations—it involves manipulating reality itself. Even from his prison outside the Pattern, Shai’tan is able to warp the fabric of existence, altering time and space within the region around Shayol Ghul. His influence can twist natural laws, creating bubbles of evil that manifest across the world, causing chaotic events such as reality warping, physical distortions, and temporal anomalies.
Shai’tan’s dominion over the True Power, a force even more dangerous and addictive than the One Power, sets him apart from nearly all other magical entities. The True Power can only be wielded with Shai’tan’s permission and allows his followers to bend reality in terrifying ways, making them extremely dangerous. His ability to transmigrate souls, bringing individuals like the Forsaken back to life by placing their souls into new bodies, demonstrates his overwhelming control over life and death. Moreover, his ability to corrupt the minds and souls of individuals highlights his insidious magical influence.
Combat Prowess
While Shai’tan’s raw magical abilities are unmatched, his combat prowess in traditional, direct combat is less well-documented. Shai’tan does not engage in one-on-one combat in the traditional sense. However, he wields immense power indirectly through his servants and his influence over reality itself. His followers, the Forsaken, carry out much of the physical and magical combat in his name, using the One Power and True Power to devastate their enemies. Shai’tan’s strategic use of his servants as his combat forces shows a form of combat prowess that is more aligned with domination than direct engagement.
Furthermore, Shai’tan’s influence can cause widespread environmental manipulation, such as prolonged winters, unnatural heatwaves, and decay, as seen throughout the series. His ability to control the battlefield from afar, warping reality around Shayol Ghul and bending time and space, gives him a form of omnipotent combat capability. Despite not physically fighting himself, his presence is felt in every battle waged by his minions, from the War of Power to the Last Battle, Tarmon Gai’don.
Shai'tan's Tactical Ability
Shai’tan’s 9.5/10 tactical ability rating underscores his exceptional strategic foresight, resourcefulness, and the vast arsenal of allies and tools he commands. His multi-layered plans, designed to destabilize the world and break the Wheel of Time, make him one of the most formidable tacticians in the fantasy genre, rivaling even the most powerful deities and cosmic beings across universes.
Strategic Mind
Shai’tan’s strategic mind is unmatched in the Wheel of Time universe, and his influence stretches far beyond the limitations of physical reality. His plans span centuries, and his manipulation of mortals, particularly the Forsaken, shows his capacity for deep, multi-layered schemes. Even while imprisoned outside of the Pattern, Shai’tan exerts his will across time and space, corrupting entire societies and individuals alike.
Shai’tan's most prominent strategy is his patient and methodical weakening of the Pattern through the Bore. Instead of attempting to break free all at once, he slowly erodes the seals, allowing him to exert greater influence as the Wheel turns. His recruitment and management of the Forsaken, who serve as his generals, is another testament to his tactical genius. Each Forsaken is tasked with a unique role in destabilizing civilization, causing maximum chaos and paving the way for the Dark One’s return. Even the Darkfriends, his more widespread network of followers, are used as pawns to further his agenda at all levels of society.
His strategic mind is also evident in the Last Battle (Tarmon Gai’don), where he seeks to break Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, not by overwhelming force but through psychological warfare. Shai’tan creates alternate realities in an effort to convince Rand to accept his rule, showing an awareness of his opponents' emotional and mental vulnerabilities.
Resourcefulness
Shai’tan’s resourcefulness is evident in how he adapts his strategies to changing circumstances while remaining confined to his prison outside of the Pattern. His ability to influence events from afar, corrupting individuals like the Aes Sedai and the nobility, shows a deep understanding of human weakness. He uses the True Power to manipulate his followers, keeping them loyal through promises of immortality and ultimate power.
Shai’tan is also adept at using whatever tools are at his disposal, whether it be the powerful Forsaken, Shadowspawn armies, or Darkfriends embedded within the world’s political systems. Despite being confined, he is resourceful enough to destabilize entire nations and create ripples of chaos through carefully placed agents. His use of bubbles of evil, which distort reality and cause chaos, further demonstrates his ability to improvise and adapt to different stages of his imprisonment.
While incredibly resourceful, Shai’tan’s reliance on others, particularly the Forsaken, can occasionally limit his direct influence. Some Forsaken have failed him, causing setbacks that slow his plans.
Resource Arsenal
The arsenal at Shai’tan’s disposal is vast, encompassing both physical forces like the Shadowspawn and metaphysical tools such as the True Power. The Shadowspawn, which include Trollocs, Myrddraal, and Draghkar, are monstrous creatures bred for war and terror, serving as the Dark One’s foot soldiers in his bid to destroy humanity. These beings allow him to wage conventional warfare on a massive scale, especially during the Last Battle.
Additionally, Shai’tan commands a powerful group of Forsaken—once among the most powerful and learned Aes Sedai in the Age of Legends. By corrupting them to his side, Shai’tan ensures that he has agents capable of wielding the One Power and True Power to devastating effect. These Forsaken serve as both his tacticians and enforcers, executing his grand strategy across the world.
One of Shai’tan’s greatest weapons is the True Power, a force more dangerous than the One Power that only his most loyal servants can access. The True Power allows Shai’tan’s followers to manipulate reality and time, granting them abilities that far surpass those of ordinary channelers. This metaphysical tool enhances his resource arsenal significantly.
Shai'tan's Influence
Shai’tan’s 10/10 influence rating underscores his ability to manipulate, corrupt, and control vast networks of individuals and societies. His powers of persuasion, the reverence he commands, and his unrelenting will make him one of the most influential beings in any fantasy universe. His reach, both psychological and metaphysical, cements his place as a supreme force of manipulation and control across the multiverse.
Persuasion
Shai’tan’s persuasion is arguably one of his most lethal weapons. He has the ability to lure powerful figures into his service, offering them promises of immortality, power, or vengeance. His words, though rarely spoken directly, are transmitted through his agents—the Forsaken and Darkfriends—who serve as his voice in the world. Throughout the Wheel of Time, we see that even the strongest individuals can be tempted by Shai’tan’s influence, and many are corrupted to the Shadow through promises of their deepest desires being fulfilled.
His ability to manipulate powerful figures like Ishamael (Moridin), Lanfear, and other Forsaken is testament to his persuasive power. These once-loyal Aes Sedai in the Age of Legends became his most trusted generals, illustrating Shai’tan’s ability to twist the minds of the most formidable individuals into serving him. Moreover, he is not only able to persuade individuals but entire institutions, as shown by his corruption of the Black Ajah and Darkfriends, who exist at all levels of society. His persuasive powers extend to all strata of society, corrupting kings, commoners, and even Aes Sedai.
Reverence
Shai’tan is revered, feared, and respected across all of existence, both by those who serve him and those who fight against him. His very name, Shai’tan, is considered so dangerous to utter that it is widely believed that speaking it aloud will bring misfortune or draw his attention. This taboo surrounding his name highlights the reverence and fear he commands in the Wheel of Time universe. Even his most loyal followers, the Forsaken and Darkfriends, avoid invoking his true name, opting instead for titles like the Great Lord of the Dark or Lord of the Grave.
Shai’tan’s reverence is not just based on fear but also on the belief that he is inevitable. As the opposite of the Creator, he represents a cosmic force that is necessary for balance, giving him a reverence that transcends mere individual power or influence. His impact on the world is not localized but global, causing the fabric of reality itself to warp in his presence. The inhabitants of the Wheel of Time universe view him as a near-godly figure whose power and influence can shape the fate of all creation.
Willpower
Shai’tan’s willpower is immense, not only because of his relentless pursuit of freedom but also because of his capacity to endure confinement while exerting influence. Although imprisoned outside of the Pattern, Shai’tan continuously seeks to widen the Bore in his prison and corrupts the world despite his containment. His ability to corrupt the minds and souls of others while bound in a prison that prevents him from directly interacting with the Pattern highlights his incredible willpower.
Furthermore, Shai’tan is unyielding in his efforts to break the Wheel of Time. He does not merely attempt to destroy his enemies but aims to destroy the very fabric of existence. His endless pursuit to unmake the Wheel and create a reality where he reigns supreme showcases an unwavering commitment to his ultimate goal. Unlike other entities in fantasy who may lose focus or be swayed by external factors, Shai’tan’s singular goal never wavers. However, the fact that he relies heavily on his agents to enact his will, rather than directly engaging himself, slightly limits his willpower’s expression.
Shai'tan's Resilience
Shai’tan’s 9.5/10 resilience rating reflects his near-invulnerability to conventional and magical attacks, as well as his unparalleled ability to persist across time and continue influencing events. While he is constrained by his imprisonment, his durability, magical resistance, and cosmic longevity make him one of the most resilient beings in the multiverse of fantasy characters. His inability to be physically destroyed, combined with his capacity to affect the world from within his prison, makes him a supreme example of a force that endures against all odds.
Physical Resistance
Although Shai’tan does not have a physical form that exists within the Pattern, his resilience in terms of physical resistance is nonetheless impressive. Being a cosmic entity existing outside the laws of reality, Shai’tan cannot be harmed or destroyed in any conventional sense. Even direct confrontations with powerful beings like Rand al’Thor in the Last Battle do not physically damage him. His immaterial nature renders him invulnerable to physical attacks, and even the most potent forms of destruction within the world (such as balefire) cannot reach him in his prison.
However, his physical resistance is not without its limits. The very fact that he remains imprisoned by the Creator, unable to break free except through gradual erosion of the Bore, demonstrates that Shai’tan has vulnerabilities. He can be contained, if not harmed, which prevents him from achieving a perfect score in this category. For his relative invulnerability to all known physical forces, but his inability to escape his prison, Shai’tan’s physical resistance is rated nearly perfect.
Magical Resistance
Shai’tan’s magical resistance is one of his most potent attributes. Despite the seals placed on his prison, his power continuously leaks into the world, warping reality and influencing events. He is capable of manipulating time, space, and the minds of mortals from within his prison, despite the barriers placed around him. As the source of the True Power, Shai’tan’s magic is so pervasive that even the One Power cannot fully counter it. His influence over the Bubbles of Evil, which twist reality, demonstrates his ability to affect the world despite limitations.
Moreover, Shai’tan's resistance to direct magical attacks is evident through his immunity to some of the most devastating forms of magic in the Wheel of Time universe. Not even balefire, a spell capable of erasing a being’s existence from the Pattern, can affect him. His resilience to the most potent magical forces, combined with his ability to manipulate magic itself (as seen with his creation of the Forsaken and granting them access to the True Power), earns him a perfect rating in magical resistance.
Longevity
Shai’tan’s longevity is beyond comparison. As a primordial force that has existed since the dawn of time, he represents the eternal opposition to the Creator. His essence is fundamental to the balance of good and evil in the Wheel of Time universe, and his existence predates the Wheel itself. Despite numerous attempts to seal him away—first by the Creator and then by Lews Therin Telamon during the Age of Legends—Shai’tan continues to endure.
His ability to persist across countless ages, without showing signs of weakening, is a testament to his unmatched longevity. He is a force that cannot be truly vanquished, only temporarily contained. Even when Rand al’Thor seals him once again in the Last Battle, it is clear that Shai’tan’s existence remains necessary for the balance of the universe. His role as the eternal adversary is tied directly to the concept of free will, meaning that as long as the Wheel of Time exists, so too will Shai’tan.
Shai'tan's Versatility
Shai’tan’s 8.5/10 rating for versatility reflects his ability to adapt and manipulate situations within his sphere of influence, but also recognizes the limitations imposed by his specific role as the Dark One. His adaptability, combined with his mastery of the True Power, makes him a formidable force in his universe, but his reliance on manipulation and indirect control prevents him from reaching the same level of flexibility as other omnipotent or highly versatile entities across fantasy.
Adaptability
Shai’tan’s adaptability is one of his key strengths. Although imprisoned outside of the Pattern, he continues to exert influence over the world of The Wheel of Time. Through his manipulation of reality near Shayol Ghul, he is able to warp time, space, and perception, creating unique obstacles for those who oppose him. He also adapts his strategies to manipulate different individuals and groups across different eras of history. For example, he recruits powerful and intelligent followers like the Forsaken, each of whom serves a specific role in his broader plan to destabilize and destroy the Wheel of Time.
Shai’tan also adapts his methods depending on the context, whether it is through the slow corruption of institutions like the White Tower or the more direct use of Shadowspawn armies during the Last Battle. His ability to adjust his plans over the course of millennia demonstrates an impressive adaptability in terms of how he engages with and manipulates the forces of good. Shai’tan is also highly adaptable in his approach to sowing chaos—sometimes employing subtle psychological warfare, while at other times unleashing devastating magical forces.
Luck
In terms of luck, Shai’tan’s existence as a cosmic entity bound by the Wheel of Time means that fortune does not necessarily favor him. His power is immense, but he is consistently thwarted by heroes of the Light, particularly Rand al’Thor. Despite his careful planning and immense influence, Shai’tan often finds himself limited by the cyclical nature of the Wheel, which works against his efforts to break free from his prison.
Additionally, while Shai’tan has succeeded in corrupting powerful figures and bending events to his will, the forces of the Light continually counter his plans. His attempts to completely undo the Wheel and remake reality often fail due to the intervention of ta’veren, like Rand. Though Shai’tan exhibits some degree of fortune in the way he manages to accumulate power and influence over long stretches of time, his ultimate goals are frequently thwarted.
Shaved Knuckle in the Hole
Shai’tan’s ultimate “shaved knuckle in the hole” is his mastery of the True Power, an immensely destructive and reality-warping force that only his most loyal followers can wield. Unlike the One Power, the True Power allows Shai’tan’s followers to manipulate reality in ways that transcend normal magical limits. The True Power is a hidden trump card that Shai’tan wields carefully, granting access only to those who have proven their unwavering loyalty.
This unique advantage allows him to alter the course of battles, corrupt minds, and subvert reality in ways that even his enemies do not fully understand. Additionally, his ability to transmigrate souls—placing the Forsaken in new bodies after death—adds another layer of secret advantage, as his champions can continue serving him even after their physical forms are destroyed.
Shai'tan's Alignment
The Dark One is a cosmic embodiment of chaos, destruction, and malevolence. His alignment, Chaotic Evil, is derived from his desire to unmake reality and impose his own vision of eternal darkness. As the ultimate force of evil in the Wheel of Time universe, Shai’tan seeks to dismantle the cyclical nature of the Wheel of Time and break free from his prison outside the Pattern. His alignment can be further analyzed through the lens of his race (primordial entity) and faction (Shadow).
Shai’tan represents the very definition of chaos. His ultimate goal is to unravel the Pattern itself, which would destroy the fabric of reality. While Shai’tan is capable of planning and long-term strategies, his end goal remains the same: the total dissolution of order and the creation of a world ruled by pure chaos. His influence spreads discord wherever it touches, warping the minds of mortals and encouraging them to commit acts of betrayal, cruelty, and selfishness. His control over the True Power and his ability to manipulate reality at Shayol Ghul further illustrate his chaotic nature, as he distorts time and space to his will.
As the embodiment of evil, Shai’tan’s malevolence knows no bounds. His desire is not merely to conquer but to corrupt and destroy, seeking to extinguish all that is good in the world. His evil is both metaphysical and practical, as he twists human and societal structures to serve his purposes. His loyal followers, the Forsaken, serve as examples of the depths of his evil influence, as they are corrupted by promises of power and immortality in exchange for their loyalty. Shai’tan’s malevolence goes beyond simple ambition; it is rooted in a fundamental desire to break and torment others, making him the ultimate representation of evil in the Wheel of Time universe.
As a primordial cosmic entity, Shai’tan exists outside the normal bounds of mortal races. He is not bound by human morality or structure but rather embodies an existential force of chaos and destruction. His race, as an ancient force of evil, aligns perfectly with his chaotic evil nature.
Shai’tan’s faction is the Shadow, an alliance of dark forces, including the Forsaken, Shadowspawn, and Darkfriends. The faction serves his ultimate goal of breaking the Wheel of Time. The Shadow operates through treachery, fear, and the breakdown of social order, further emphasizing Shai’tan’s chaotic evil alignment. Pride and Prophecy keeps an updated character alignment matrix across all planes of existence.
Shai'tan's Trophy Case
PPET Rankings
| Season | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2 (2024-2025) | TBD (of 204) |
Overall Conclusion on Shai'tan and Position Across Planes of Existence
Shai’tan is currently the most powerful character ranked, receiving a formidable score of 9.4/10. This rating places him in the upper echelons of characters across all fantasy universes, and he is a strong contender for being the most powerful entity in any known fictional world. Shai’tan’s immense power stems from his unique nature as the embodiment of chaos and destruction, his reality-warping abilities, and his nearly limitless influence over both the physical and metaphysical realms. Unlike most fantasy characters, Shai’tan operates on a cosmic scale, with the capability to fundamentally alter the fabric of existence itself.
Shai’tan’s position as the ultimate antagonist in The Wheel of Time series places him in a rare category of near-omnipotent beings. His raw power is unparalleled, allowing him to manipulate time, space, and reality itself. Even while imprisoned outside the Pattern, Shai’tan can influence the world through the Bore, causing widespread corruption, summoning bubbles of evil, and bending the wills of powerful individuals. This indirect influence over reality, coupled with his ability to wield the True Power, sets him apart from other cosmic entities in fantasy.
His magical abilities transcend the limits of most known magic systems. The True Power, a destructive force that only he can grant, allows his followers to perform feats that defy the natural laws of the Wheel of Time universe. Unlike other magical forces, the True Power’s capacity to alter reality is unmatched, and it is inherently linked to Shai’tan’s essence. His capability to manipulate souls, transmigrate the dead, and corrupt entire civilizations emphasizes his position as a character whose power extends beyond traditional magic users or physical combatants.
Tactical Ability further strengthens his position. Shai’tan is not a being driven by brute strength alone; his plans span millennia, and his ability to manipulate individuals and institutions on a large scale is what makes him so dangerous. His ability to corrupt the minds of figures such as the Forsaken, and his recruitment of the Darkfriends and Shadowspawn armies, highlight his long-term planning and strategic brilliance. His goal of unmaking the Wheel of Time, rather than simply conquering the world, showcases a scope of ambition rarely seen in other villains across fantasy universes.
Shai’tan’s resilience is perhaps his most defining attribute. He cannot be destroyed in a conventional sense, and even when sealed away, he persists, slowly influencing the world over time. His sheer longevity, existing since the dawn of time and continuing to endure despite numerous attempts to seal him away, places him among the most enduring forces in any fantasy universe.
Shai’tan stands as a near-omnipotent force, surpassing other dark entities in terms of scope and influence. His ability to fundamentally alter reality and persist across countless ages makes him a unique character with power that few can rival. While characters like the Creator or other multiversal entities may challenge him, Shai’tan’s clear-cut goal of unraveling reality, combined with his immense influence, places him in direct contention for the title of most powerful character across fantasy universes. Pride and Prophecy keeps an updated power ranking across all planes of existence. This will only be sortable on desktop viewing. The below table shows a summary within the same plane of existence of this article.
