“One Ring to rule them all” became a tagline that swept the globe thanks to the success of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy — but now, it might be difficult to remember that adapting J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved fantasy novel series once seemed like an impossible task. The Lord of the Rings is a dense work of fiction, and Tolkien poured an extensive amount of detail into the world-building that made Middle-earth so compelling. However, Jackson and his crew treated the material with the respect that it demanded. They created one of the greatest film trilogies of all-time. Two decades later, there’s never been anything quite like it.
Although Jackson set a precedent that is hard to live up to, Amazon Studios has staked its future in Middle-earth. The upcoming series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power takes place thousands of years before both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The show tells the story of Sauron’s rise to power during the Second Age of Middle-earth, and the creation of the rings themselves. Although this is a fictional history that is hinted at in the iconic opening sequence of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the series will explore the alliance between Elves, men, and Dwarves that was able to bring the Dark Lord down in the first place.
Sauron’s history within Middle-earth can be traced back to the ancient source of evil within Tolkien’s universe. Sauron was among the chief lieutenants of Morgoth, a god-like being who rebelled against the Valar of Arda (the world in which “Middle Earth” lies). Like his master, Sauron attempts to create “order” within the chaos of existence. Sauron wants to tempt the different species of Middle Earth with a power that will end up corrupting them. Disguised as a “Lord of Gifts” (referred to as the “Annatar”), Sauron convinces the Elven smiths of Eregion to forge the Rings of Power. These rings grant their bearers extraordinary powers. However, they are all cast under the influence of the One Ring.
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The formation of the rings, their dispersion, and the war to destroy the One Ring are the central storyline in The Rings of Power. Although The Lord of the Rings trilogy hints at the fates of the different ring-bearers, Tolkien’s larger chronology gives a more detailed description of what happened. 19 rings are forged and given to the different leaders of Middle-earth. The Elven rulers are given three rings, the Dwarf-lords are given seven, and the kings of men are given nine.
The three rings given to the “Elven lords under the sky” are referred to as Nenya (The Ring of Water), Vilya (the Ring of Sapphire, or Ring of Air), and Narya (the Ring of Fire). As we see in The Fellowship of the Ring, Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) wears Nenya. Although she knows the pressure that a ring-bearer must face, Galadriel refuses to take the One Ring when Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) offers it to her. She knows that she cannot resist its temptations. The Rings of Power may show how Galadriel came to accept this power; Morfydd Clark will play a younger version of the character in the series. Galadriel swears to set the ring aside during the War of the Last Alliance so that she will not fall under Sauron’s control.
Vilya is originally given to Gil-galad, the High King of the Elves and of the Elf kingdom of Lindo. Gil-lad lived for thousands of years and earned the reputation of being the “greatest of the Elven rulers.” Following Gil-galad’s passing, Vilya is given to Elrond (Hugo Weaving), who will be played by Robert Aramayo in The Rings of Power. We don’t see Elrond wielding the ring very much in The Lord of the Rings; he’s seen the corrupting influence that the rings have. Not much is known of the fate of Narya. It was originally given to the Elf Círdan the Shipwright (who founded the Gray Havens), and at one point, it fell into the possession of Gandalf the Gray (Sir Ian McKellen).
Seven rings are given to the “Dwarf-lords in their half of stone.” Although most of these lords are unidentified, one of the initial ring-bearers is Durin III, who takes possession of the Ring of Thrór. Durin III passes the ring down to his descendants, and it eventually makes its way to Thráin II, the father of Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) in The Hobbit. Thorin does not take possession of his father’s ring. The Dwarves don’t protect their rings quite as well as the Elves. Four rings are destroyed by dragons, and the other three are reclaimed by Sauron during the Third Age.
The “mortal men doomed to die” are the most susceptible to the rings’ corruption. Following Prince Isildur’s refusal to destroy the One Ring, the human kings are cursed to become Sauron’s servants. The nine men who initially bore the rings become the fearsome Nazgul (or “Ring-Wraiths”) in The Lord of the Rings. Among them is Sauron’s second-in-command, the Witch-king of Angmar. The leader of the Nazgul is slayed by Eowyn (Mirrando Otto) during the Battle of Gondor in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
One of the reasons that Tolkien’s stories have resonated with readers and audiences for so long is the moral lessons they provide. Tolkien was shaped by his experiences fighting in World War II. He saw what mankind was capable of when they turned to their darkest impulses. The corrupting influence of powerful weapons is a recurring theme within his work. It takes true bravery to resist these impulses.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premieres with its first two episodes September 2 on Prime Video.
