Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Rings of Power season 2, episodes 1-6.
The Rings of Powerseason 2 is approaching its final episodes, andI’m expecting several characters to die before this outing is through.The Rings of Power’s cast of charactersis made up of familiar faces fromJ.R.R. Tolkien’s lore, as well as a number of players original to the Amazon series. With several of them absent during Middle-earth’s Third Age, it’s inevitable theLord of the Ringsshow will feature major deathsover its planned five-season run.
WithThe Rings of Powerseason 2’s endingcovering the Siege of Eregion, some of those are likely to happen within the next couple of episodes. Based on Tolkien’s writings — and everything the Amazon series has been setting up — there are certain characters whose downfalls seem more probable than others.Figures like Galadriel and Elrond must survive theLord of the Ringsseries, but several Tolkien’s characters won’t make it to the Third Age. And the ones original to Amazon’s show could perish whenever the writers choose.
8Celebrimbor
Played By Charles Edwards
Celebrimbor plays an important roleinThe Rings of Power’s first two seasons, as he’s the Elven smith responsible for crafting the Rings of Power. He is also the leader of Eregion, which makes him a prime candidate to die inThe Rings of Powerseason 2’s finale.Tolkien’s writings state that Celebrimbor perishes after being captured by Sauron, something that occurs during the Siege of Eregion. It’s unclear if the Amazon show will adapt this precisely or not, but I think it might kill him during the battle to ramp up the drama.
Once Celebrimbor creates the Rings of Power for Men, Sauron will no longer have any use for him — and that doesn’t bode well for his future in the show.
Once Celebrimbor creates the Rings of Power for Men, Sauron will no longer have any use for him — and that doesn’t bode well for his future in the show. Additionally, thetrailers forThe Rings of Powerseason 2show Celebrimbor’s devastation upon learning how he’s been manipulated. AfterThe Rings of Powerseason 2, episode 6, he’s also blissfully unaware of the battle unraveling around him. I can’t help but think these are signs of his death in the next couple of episodes.Sadly, that means we’ll need to bid farewell to Charles Edwards, whose performance has been great.
7Mirdania
Played By Amelia Kentworthy
Mirdania is a characteroriginal toThe Rings of Power,though she’s based on Tolkien’s lore. As one of Celebrimbor’s assistants in Eregion,it seems plausible that she’ll die when the Elvish stronghold falls. After all, the characters residing there are unprepared for Adar’s forces, which leaves them at a major disadvantage. Of course, Mirdania’s concerns about Celebrimbor’s behavior could also get her killed. If she gets too suspicious of Annatar, he might just end her himself. Such a twist would certainly drive home how ruthless Sauron really is.
Alternatively,Sauron’s interest in Mirdania could be the thing that saves her life— though it’s difficult to say where her storyline would go from there. I supposeThe Rings of Powercould use her to show how Galadriel would have fared had she accepted Sauron’s offer at theend ofThe Rings of Powerseason 1. Her time with theLord of the Ringsvillain would be destined to end in tragedy though, so Mirdania might be better off perishing at the end of season 2.
6Adar
Played By Sam Hazeldine
Adar is one ofThe Rings of Power’smost intriguing villains, but I can’t see him making it past the halfway point of the series. In fact,I could easily imagine his death happening at the end ofThe Rings of Powerseason 2. The show has already laid the groundwork for this, as Galadriel notes that Sauron is hoping Adar will attack Eregion. This is because he needs an army, and he likely intends to take Adar’s. We know the Orcs will come to follow Sauron eventually, and the fall of Eregion is a prime opportunity to make it happen.
Adar could perish during the looming conflict, leaving the Orcs without anyone to follow. His death would make sense narratively as well, asThe Rings of Power’s focus on Sauron should be greater as the series continues. This means making him the central villain over the show’s minor antagonists. And with season 2 introducing a dark wizard in the east, I have to wonder how long the Amazon show can balance all these threats.
5Arondir
Played By Ismael Cruz Cordova
Arondir hasn’t done much inThe Rings of Powerseason 2, and his character arc currently feels like it’s reached a dead end. The Elf played a prominent role in the fight for the Southlands in season 1, and his romance with Bronywn was promising. However, Bronwyn’s season 2 death leaves him with little to do besides killing Orcs. Andthe preview forThe Rings of Powerseason 2, episode 7 makes it look like he’ll aid Eregion when Adar’s army invades.
I Can’t Tell If The Rings Of Power Wants Me To Hate Orcs Or Feel Sorry For Them
The Rings of Power season 2 takes an unclear stance on Orcs, flip-flopping between sympathizing with them and portraying them as irredeemable.
I’d love it if this led to a more interesting storyline for Ismael Cruz Cordova’s character, as he has a lot of potential. However, his involvement in the coming conflict could see him meeting an early end. Given how aimless his storyline has felt this season, it wouldn’t be a total surprise if the writers went this route. Additionally, his death could push Theo further towards his destiny, which is looking more and more like it willinvolve him becoming a Nazgûl.
4Durin III
Played By Peter Mullan
King Durin III is more volatile after receiving a Ring of Power, and he could meet a tragic end before season 2 is finished. The show’s Khazad-dûmstoryline is getting darker during the second outing, andits sense of foreboding could very well be building to Durin III’s demise. Durin III is becoming greedy and ignoring the warnings of his son, and this could directly contribute to his death during the last two episodes of season 2.
Sauron’s Balrog teasemeans he could use the creature against the Dwarves, andKing Durin III might be on the receiving end of the monster’s wrath. Even if he isn’t directly attacked by the Balrog, Durin III could find himself betrayed by his own people. Although his son is reluctant to remove him from the throne, the other Dwarves may not have such reservations. However Durin III goes, it’s likely to happen sooner rather than later, if only to push Durin IV’s story forward.
3Narvi
Played By Kevin Eldon
Another prominent Dwarf who might die duringThe Rings of Powerseason 2 is Narvi, even though he was just introduced. Narvi’s primary accomplishment in Tolkien’s lore is the creation of the Doors of Durin, and we see the creation of these during the second outing. It’s unclear what else the Amazon series will do with Narvi, but I can see him being written off during the last two episodes. He may be among the characters to aid Eregion, and he could perish attempting to help the Elves.
Killing Narvi would be a great way to raise the stakes of the Khazad-dûm storyline — especially if Durin III learns of his death and chooses to plow ahead with his mining project anyway.
Alternatively,Narvi could die from digging too deeply in Khazad-dûm’s mines. Durin IV warns the Dwarf to disobey his father, but Narvi refuses to listen to the prince and his wife. If he continues digging, he could learn firsthand that their fears are warranted. Killing Narvi would be a great way to raise the stakes of the Khazad-dûm storyline — especially if Durin III learns of his death and chooses to plow ahead with his mining project anyway. I’m not sure Narvi’s death would be powerful with the little characterization he’s had thus far, but it could drive the story forward.
2Poppy
Played By Megan Richards
The Stranger is having worrisome dreams about the Harfoots inThe Rings of Powerseason 2, andI fear that Poppy could be in danger in the last two episodes. The Stranger tells Tom Bombadil that both Nori and Poppy will be dead if he doesn’t return to them. There’s no telling if this premonition is correct, but Tom certainly is confident in the accuracy of such visions. Of course, it’s probably too soon to kill Nori off inThe Rings of Power.Poppy, on the other hand, could be killed to push Nori’s narrative forward.
I hope the series doesn’t go this route, as the dynamic between the two Harfoots is one of its best. And if Poppy’s arc trulymirrors Samwise Gamgee’s, she’ll follow Nori until the very end. But with the Harfoots and Stoors pushing back againstRhûn’s dark wizard, I get the feeling someone will be killed. Perhaps the villain will go after the Stoors, butthe Stranger’s dreams make me think Poppy’s life could also be on the line.
1Gundabel
Played By Tanya Moodie
With Rhûn’s dark wizard threatening the Stoors,I have to assume Gundabel could become a casualty ofThe Rings of Powerseason 2’s final episodes. Tanya Moodie’s character is the leader of her people, and she seems willing to defy the wizard and his cult to protect the Harfoots. As the person in charge of the Stoors, she may be the one to deliver that message as well — which could see her becoming a tragic example of what happens to the wizard’s enemies.
The Rings of Powerseason 2, episode 6 sets the stage for Gundabel’s death, too, with her telling Nori she’ll be buried next to her husband one day. This scene makes me think that she could join him much sooner than anticipated. Gundabel’s attachment to her home makes it less likely she’ll leave it, even though the Harfoots and Stoors seem destined to found the Shire. I’m thinkingThe Rings of Powerseason 2 will leave Gundabel in Rhûn, marking a tragic end to her story.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Cast
Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the epic events leading up to the stories in J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novels. The series chronicles the creation of legendary characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the fate of Middle-earth.
