Many new mysterious people have been revealed in The Rings of Power, all of which are vital to the movie’s overarching storyline. The newest fantasy series from Amazon may have been influenced by J.R.R. Tolkien’s appendix & notes, but it doesn’t make the plot any less surprising. “Tolkien often referred to his work on Middle-earth as excavation rather than creation. As co-creator J.D. Payne stated in an interview, “We felt as if we were uncovering things that were already” (via Vulture). People may have caught glimpses or heard snippets, but many stories are too big to fit into montages or soundbites.” Certain on-screen figures epitomize this sense of intrigue through their portrayal.
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Galadriel’s depiction inside The Rings of Power has surprised many by showing her as a fierce fighter who has dedicated her life to a fight versus Sauron and therefore has no idea what she would become if she ever gives up. Meanwhile, reports of an Orc revolt in the Southlands—land destined into becoming Mordor, Sauron’s lava-covered wasteland—have received widespread attention. With the destruction of Numenor as well as the end of a “Second Age” of Middle-earth being openly discussed, it is evident that the events of this age have been hurried up.
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Season one of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power focuses increasingly on a group of mysterious characters. Most indications are that they are completely original creations, however, some may eventually become canonical Tolkien mythological characters. One of them might even be Sauron himself, trying to elude those who would hunt him. This is all we know about four mysteries in this sequel to The Lord of the Rings.
The Mysterious
The Strangers is the name given to the first mysterious figure in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, though fans have taken to calling him “Meteor Man.” One possible clue that the Stranger is a member of the Maiar, the strong magicians sent by the deity Valar to aid the humans of Middle-earth in their fight against the dark, would be that he landed on Middle-earth at the time the road divided to convey a troop of elves to Valinor. Perhaps the Stranger is the best-known of all the Maiar, the Gandalf to The Rings of Power’s Frodo Baggins. Tolkien’s notebooks suggest undiscovered accounts of earlier events involving Gandalf, despite the common belief that he will not appear on Middle-earth till the Third Age.
There’s no doubt that the Stranger will play a major role in Middle-earth after reading The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, but it’s not yet apparent whether he’ll be viewed as a hero or a villain. Galadriel claimed that the appearance of the darkest wizardry would cause the flames around the impact site to go out, and this is exactly what happened when he arrived, therefore there have been multiple sequences that hint at his power being black in nature. Nori was nearly eaten by the Stranger’s extraordinary mending spell in the most latest episode of The Rings of Power. Despite his seeming might, you shouldn’t count on him as a reliable ally because he can’t seem to keep himself under control.
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It would seem that Adar, a fallen Elf, is the primary antagonist of the first season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Since “Adar” is indeed an Elvish term that likely means “father,” this name may be an aliases or maybe a title suggesting that he is responsible for creating the Orcs that worship him. Adar is the unambiguous opponent, and he seems to be the genuine heir of Morgoth, rather than Sauron, the old evil. In truth, Adar’s anger at being mistaken for Sauron was depicted in episode 5 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. It’s plausible that Adar and Sauron are competitors, and that Adar’s inevitable downfall will pave the way for Sauron’s eventual ascension to power.
Halbrand
Unexpectedly saving Galadriel, Halbrand is the legitimate monarch of the Blasted lands who ran away from the Orcs. Despite having to resort to some fairly extreme measures in order to stay alive, he has chosen to return to Middle-earth with Galadriel and help fight the Orcs in an effort to win freedom for his people. Sadly, Halbrand’s story is destined for a very sad turn, despite providing a crucial human viewpoint on the rising conflict wreaking havoc in Middle-earth. If Halbrand is ever able to reclaim his kingdom, it will be destroyed when the Southlands become Mordor. Given that Peter Allen’s The Lord of the Rings films implied that the nine humans imprisoned to Sauron’s power were all kings, some have even speculated that he may end up has become one of Sauron’s Ringwraiths. Assuming the rumors are true, Halbrand becomes one of the most menacing villains in Tolkien’s Book Lord of the Rings by becoming the Witch-king of Angmar.
The Inhabitant
Episode 5 of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power features the Dweller, the mysterious figure. The Dweller, appearing ominous as ever, surveys the impact site in which the Stranger crashed into Middle-earth. His darkened complexion suggests he may have been corrupted by dark magic, further suggesting that he is the leader of a party on the hunt for the Strangers. There has been much speculation that the Dweller is actually Sauron himself at long last, but the score doesn’t support this. Instead, it’s more likely that the Dweller and the other White Cloaks are merely agents of Sauron, who has always favored operating through envoys. If the White Cloaks are Sauron’s agents, they will play an important role in The Lord of the Rings: Its Rings of Strength by compelling the Stranger to face his own identity crisis. However, as there are no comparable jobs in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings canon, it is highly doubtful that they will persist until the Second Age.