Lord of the Rings: What Will Rings of Power Season 3 Be About?

As a devoted fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth for over three decades now, I must say that the anticipation for Season 3 of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” is overwhelming. The richly woven tapestry of the Second Age, brought to life by Prime Video, has captivated me like no other adaptation has before.

In the realm of fandom, I’ve found myself right smack in the middle of a unique situation – much like the first season, the second installment of “The Rings of Power” sparked a mix of bewilderment among casual viewers and debates among die-hard Tolkien enthusiasts over its faithfulness to the original lore. Yet, amidst these discussions, Amazon Studios has announced that we’re in for a third season, with a firm commitment to a five-season run. This captivating prequel series takes us on an extraordinary journey through Middle-earth’s Second Age, a historical epoch that unfolds before the tales of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings.

As a die-hard Tolkien fan, I must admit that while I’m thrilled about Amazon’s take on Middle-earth, it’s important to remember that the scope of their storytelling is limited. You see, Tolkien wrote extensively about the history of Middle-earth in his other works, but Amazon only holds rights to ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings’. This means that the show can only delve into characters and events from the Second Age as they are referenced within ‘The Lord of the Rings’.

Sauron’s Orc Army

In Season 2, the storyline of Adar, the dark elf who ruled as “Father-lord” over the Orcs in Mordor, came to an end. Previously portrayed by Joseph Mawle, Adar was taken over by Sam Hazeldine for this season. Throughout the series, Adar commanded the Orc armies in their fierce assault on Eregion. He thought he was shielding his people from Sauron’s domination, but it seems now that he unwittingly served Sauron’s purposes instead. In the finale of Season 2, Adar met his demise, and Sauron appears poised to assert control over the Orc armies moving forward.

As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I can’t help but anticipate the impending power grab by Sauran, as chaos seems to be unfolding. It’s only logical that he would seize control of the Orcs and rally them for war. With Mordor, his rightful domain, already prepared by Adar and the Orcs, it won’t be long before we see him returning there.

Lothlórien

With the acquisition of her ring, Nenya, we can anticipate Galadriel embarking on a journey to master it. This journey will likely lead her back to her forest city, Lothlórien. Here, we expect to witness her employing the newfound magical abilities that come with Nenya to further enchant and prosper the city. In “The Fellowship of the Ring,” Lothlórien was depicted as an Elven settlement, shielded by magic, where Galadriel crossed paths with Frodo and his comrades. This prequel promises to reveal a previous state of the settlement, prior to Galadriel’s use of Nenya to augment its beauty.

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s works, Galadriel decided against using her ring during the Second Age due to concerns it might attract Sauron’s focus. Instead, she conserved and secretly utilized the ring in the Third Age to nurture, conceal, and elevate Lothlórien. Given the numerous alterations this series has introduced thus far, it seems plausible that we may witness Galadriel wielding Nenya in Season 3, which could be a fitting opening event. Moreover, introducing the elf Arondir in Season 3 might make sense since he pledged to safeguard the Ents’ forest.

Fall of Númenor

Among all the interwoven stories in “The Rings of Power”, none seems as detached from the main events as the political power struggles on the island nation of Númenor. Yet, it could prove to be worthwhile if Season 3 portrays the “Drowning of Númenor”. It’s a bit early in terms of timeline for this catastrophe, but given the speed at which this series progresses, it’s hard to predict the future. Regardless, dark times are looming over this mighty kingdom.

As a devoted fan, I’m eagerly anticipating the impending doom of Númenor, the stage seems perfectly set now that Isildur and Elendil have departed the island, and Ar-Pharazôn has ascended to the throne. His actions have already shown signs of corruption, as he’s been consulting the Palantir. Sauron, whom we saw the Númenóreans capturing in Season 1, might not even need to return to the island physically. Instead, he could use the Palantir to communicate with the king, manipulating him towards a dangerous pursuit of power and eternal life.

In simpler terms, this action by Sauron ultimately leads to the destruction of Númenor. Instead of confronting them head-on, Sauron manipulates Númenor into offending the divine beings. Consequently, these deities decide to submerge the island completely. It’s intriguing to contemplate how the TV show will portray such a significant event, and whether or not the gods will be shown or hinted at.

Gandalf and the Halflings

Moving on, it’s evident what Gandalf, Nori Harfoot, and Poppy Proudfellow will do next. They have united with a sizable group of Halflings, known as “Stoors,” who are in search of a new residence. It appears that one of them has had a vision of The Shire. Their journey ahead involves locating this haven, and Gandalf is expected to encounter another skirmish with the mysterious “Dark Wizard.” With much speculation surrounding the wizard’s identity, the revelation could be an exciting twist in Season 3.

Corruption of Men and Creation of Ringwraiths

In Season 2, seven magical rings were formed for the dwarves and nine for men. The tragic consequences of using one such ring were already demonstrated with Durin III, the dwarf king. As the season concludes, Sauron manages to claim all nine of the rings made for men. It’s anticipated that in Season 3, Sauron will bestow these rings upon his selected leaders, causing them to turn evil and embark on their transformation into the Ringwraiths, also known as the Nazgûl.

It’s intriguing to anticipate more details about these nine characters since we don’t know much about them yet. We do know that three rings are destined for powerful men from Númenor, while the remaining six will belong to kings in various regions of Middle-earth. One of these nine will transform into the Witch-king of Angmar, and all nine will ultimately fall under Sauron’s control through his ring’s power.

Forging of The One Ring

As a passionate filmgoer, I’m eagerly anticipating Season 3, where we might witness a significant metamorphosis in Sauron’s character. Thus far, he’s been portrayed as an ordinary human, but beneath this facade lies the cunning, manipulative shape-shifter known as the Dark Lord. Once he forges his final ring and gains control over its power, his ability to transform will be severely restricted.

At last, the One Ring will grant Sauron the menacing, armored figure we’ve witnessed in films and other portrayals. With this artifact, he will dominate the nine men who wear his rings initially, and then try to ensnare the seven dwarf ring-bearers as well. However, the three elves will intuitively detect Sauron’s deceit and swiftly remove their rings before hiding them safely until the conflict concludes.

War

In essence, it appears that most of Season 3 will likely focus on the ongoing conflict between Sauron’s forces and the rest of Middle-earth. With Sauron commanding hordes of Orcs, Trolls, and other malevolent beings, along with some human factions, his primary adversaries are the elves, remnants of Númenor, and other humans. The dwarves, while resistant to Sauron’s influence, remain uncertain about joining the fight against him.

Epic battles are a huge key to Tolkien adaptations, and they will be especially important for a show that is praised so highly for its visual effects. Seeing how these mythical events come to life will keep this series interesting for seasoned readers and newcomers alike. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 1 and 2 are streaming now on Prime Video. Season 3 is in pre-production, but there’s no word on a possible release date yet.

2024-12-25 22:10