Rings of Power’s biggest ending and season 2 questions, answered

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Energy wrapped up its first season with seismic shifts and room for growth. The billion-dollar present, which has already been greenlit for 5 seasons, discovered room for explosive moments and almost-shocking revelations, and even a reworked map of Center-earth. Nevertheless it was nonetheless table-setting — the Lord of the Rings we all know continues to be far down the timeline.

With the primary season finale launched to the world, listed here are the main questions on what precisely occurs subsequent in season 2 and past. And due to The Rings of Energy author Gennifer Hutchison, we already know just a little about the place Sauron, Galadriel, and the Stranger are headed.

Is the Stranger really Gandalf?

For the reason that Stranger (Daniel Weyman) confirmed up his id has been a thriller, spurred on by the forged and crew of Rings of Energy making reference to him as a “acquainted” character to followers.

After eight episodes the reply appears to be… possibly. Although the finale offers some compelling proof: The White Robes determine he’s not Sauron, and as a substitute name him “Istar,” which Tolkien followers will acknowledge as a singular type of Istari, the elven phrase for the wizards of Center-earth. He turns them into swarms of moths — a transfer definitely related to the Gandalf of the Peter Jackson motion pictures. He picks up a workers to do that magic (or no matter we’re calling it), which appears to evoke a sure sort of grey and later white wizard. And now that he can communicate in full sentences he’s definitely sounding extra like Gandalf, even cribbing from plenty of stuff Gandalf stated within the Jackson motion pictures.

The place are the Stranger and Nori headed?

Photograph: Ben Rothstein/Prime Video

After confronting the White Robes, with the Stranger deciding that he’s completely not Sauron, he decides it’s time to go east to Rhûn to find extra about himself. Nori, ever wanting to get off the harfoot path, decides to go along with him whereas Poppy stays behind.

In Rhûn they’ll be capable of see the constellation the Stranger has been chasing all season, which is named “The Hermit’s Hat,” and hopefully get the solutions the Stranger’s been looking for all season about his id, powers, and what he ought to really do on this world.

What occurs in Númenor now that the king is useless?

With out entering into spoilers about what occurs to the Númenóreans canonically, suffice it to say the island nation is in a difficult place. Queen Míriel and Elendil have returned house to enlist the nation in a combat towards the orcs residing within the newly created Mordor (not that anybody can name it that), to seek out that the king has died. Pharazôn is constant to rally the residents on a extra conservative way forward for Númenor and concern of outsiders/elves.

What’s going to Eärien do with the palantir?

Earlier than Númenor’s king dies, he lets Eärien into the key passage with the palantír. Whereas we don’t see what occurs after — whether or not she makes it to the room or touches the crystal ball — however contemplating what Míriel has seen with the palantír, it looks as if no matter occurs to Eärien in that room may have penalties for Númenor. And once we spoke to Rings of Energy author Gennifer Hutchison, she agreed utterly.

Whereas Eärien’s father, Elendil, is aligned with these trustworthy to the elves, Hutchison stated by way of Zoom, she’s the member of the household who represents the extra isolationist Númenórean standpoint. “She’s been left behind,” stated Hutchison, “and introducing her into that very intimate house with the king allowed for us to trace at how there may be some battle, which we’ve been constructing a lot in Númenor — and to make it extra intimate, with characters which can be straight a part of the story.”

Is Isildur useless?

Photograph: Prime Video

Hear: No. He very a lot exhibits up later within the canon in a giant manner. However for now, nobody within the present is aware of that aside from his horse. Godspeed, horse!

What does Galadriel do with the information that Halbrand is Sauron?

Halbrand acquired his remaining little bit of manipulation within the eighth episode of The Rings of Energy as he satisfied Celebrimbor to make some rings (possibly even of energy), and it was proper about this time that Galadriel lastly realized what many have theorized and identified for weeks: Halbrand is Sauron.

Although she rejects him and his provide of energy, Galadriel doesn’t disclose to anybody what she is aware of, primarily following the steerage laid out by the Finrod in her imaginative and prescient (slash the Finrod that Sauron put in her imaginative and prescient) to do nothing to cease Sauron’s plan. So with Halbrand/Sauron’s ring plan shifting ahead (with the essential — possibly? — addition of a 3rd ring) and Galadriel trying like a goober at having palled round along with her sworn enemy for all this time, it’s not an excellent look. Although it definitely units up some stress for season 2, particularly since…

What does Elrond do now that he is aware of Sauron is Halbrand?

Photograph: Ben Rothstein/Prime Video

Although Galadriel doesn’t share her information, Elrond is suspicious and wanders out to seek out the family tree scroll that leads him to determine that Halbrand is Sauron. Sadly, he finds this information too late, arriving again on the workshop simply because the elven rings (the rings of energy) are being accomplished.

Elrond has spent a lot of this season working round making an attempt to extra straight assist Celebrimbor and Gil-galad determine methods to save the elves, harness the facility of mithril, and customarily do good on the earth. The query that is still is: Will Elrond maintain his promise to belief Galadriel and never reveal what he is aware of?

Hutchison stated that the problem of Galadriel and Elrond’s friendship was framing a powerful connection, even when the characters shared so little display screen time.

“Once they come again collectively [in this episode] it’s such a such a giant second for them —he despatched her away, and now she’s again. He’s between his guilt, ‘I ought to have trusted you,’ and he’s additionally simply so comfortable to see her. It’s been a tough time, now your buddy’s again. We tried to essentially make investments that in that scene with the 2 of them, speaking collectively about what’s occurred. Fortunately, these actors are so fantastic and unbelievable that I really feel like they will actually play these subtleties.”

That dilemma was among the many necessary pillars of the episode. “I believe it’s fairly clear on the finish that there’s a little bit of battle in that second,” Hutchison stated. “She’s made a giant ask of him. We actually did need to have that. ‘That is the true take a look at; you stated you’ll belief me.’ We actually wished to guarantee that got here by way of.”

What occurs to Durin IV and his dwarven succession?

One thing everyone knows is that dwarves rule and there must be extra of them on the earth. Durin’s plot to (possibly) overthrow his dad, King Durin III, so he may maintain mining for mithril. Positive, there’s a balrog within the combine there too, however I care extra about watching dwarves rip and customarily convey the occasion.