One of the series' most important female protagonists, Egwene begins as a village girl from Emond's Field who discovers she can channel the One Power and ends as the Amyrlin Seat - effectively the leader of all Aes Sedai. Her rise from novice to the most powerful position in the White Tower is one of the series' central narrative achievements, driven entirely by her intelligence, political acumen, and force of will rather than raw power. Egwene's arc is a sustained study in the nature of authority and legitimacy - how it is earned, how it is maintained, and what it costs. She is also a Dreamer, able to prophesy through her dreams and enter Tel'aran'rhiod, the World of Dreams, with unusual skill.

The Wisdom of Emond's Field - the village healer and advisor - and one of the most powerful channellers in the series. Nynaeve's defining characteristic for most of the series is her block: she can only channel when angry, a limitation that both limits and defines her for many books. When she finally breaks through it she becomes one of the strongest channellers alive. She is fiercely protective of the people she considers her responsibility, particularly the other Emond's Field characters, and her arc involves learning that protection sometimes means letting people face their own dangers. She eventually marries Lan Mandragoran, a match that says something about both of them. Her skill at Healing, the most demanding of the One Power's applications, is unmatched.

The Daughter-Heir of Andor and one of Rand's three loves, Elayne is a powerful channeller and the legitimate heir to the Lion Throne, which she spends several books fighting to claim. She is the most politically sophisticated of the young female protagonists - raised at court, aware of how power works, and capable of playing the game. She also has a talent for making ter'angreal, the magical artefacts of the One Power, which becomes increasingly important as the series approaches the Last Battle. Her arc involves balancing her personal relationships - with Rand, with Aviendha (who becomes her first-sister in Aiel tradition), with Birgitte her Warder - against the demands of securing a throne in a world at war.

A fisherman's daughter from Tear who rose to become Amyrlin Seat - the leader of all Aes Sedai. Siuan is extraordinarily strong in the Power and a formidable political operator. Her twenty-year friendship with Moiraine, forged when they were novices together, is one of the driving forces behind the search for the Dragon Reborn.

An Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah, apparently a mild-mannered scholar of little consequence who keeps appearing at pivotal moments. Patient, observant, and easy to underestimate.

The oldest living Aes Sedai and perhaps the most formidable, Cadsuane spent decades in retirement before emerging to deal with the Dragon Reborn. She is abrasive, manipulative, and possessed of a moral clarity that most Aes Sedai lack - she intends to ensure Rand reaches Tarmon Gai'don able to both win and survive. Her methods of achieving this are not gentle.