Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Poweris telling a tale laid out by J.R.R. Tolkien in hisThe Lord of the Ringsbook, butthe show’s eponymous character may not be who I thought. I’m well-versed in Tolkien lore, as a lifelong fan, so I don’t doubt my understanding of the book, but I am now wondering if the show follows a slightly different logic. Whether it does or not,The Rings of Powerseason 2has made an intriguing reference to its titular Lord, providing a satisfying callback to Tolkien’s work. The show is full of Tolkien references and Easter eggs, many of which reference this central issue.
The Rings of Powerseason 1 endingexplained that the show’s original character, Halbrand, was Sauron. Now we can observe Sauron in all his evil glory as he takes over the forging of more rings with Celebrimbor. Sauron and Celebrimbor’s forging of more Rings of Power in season 2 will help the show succeed as a prequel series toThe Lord of the Rings.This story of Sauron’s rise must inevitably show us the ringsand their masters, setting up the story of how Frodo found himself atop Mount Doom, trying to destroy the One Ring. However, in telling this story, the series also looks set to challenge our notions of who the “Lord” actually is.
The Rings of Power’s Unseen Realm Explained
The Unseen realm and the powers drawn from it will play a huge part in Rings of Power Season 2 since the Stranger and Ringwraiths are tied to it.
The Rings Of Power Suggests Celebrimbor Is The True “Lord Of The Rings”
Sauron Implies Celebrimbor Could Be “The Lord Of The Rings”
Sauron revealed his identityto Celebrimbor inThe Rings of Powerseason 2 in a shock move that told me why his Annatar form was so similar to his Halbrand form. Sauron wasn’t trying to deceive Celebrimbor, he was trying to impress him with his shapeshifting abilities. This was part of Sauron’s pitch to Celebrimbor to get him forging more rings, which Sauron topped off by promising Celebrimbor that he would become “The Lord of the Rings.” This line suggests thatperhaps Celebrimbor will be “The Lord of the Rings"in the show, and we’ll get to witness his journey.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 1 can be streamed on Amazon Prime.
Who “The Lord Of The Rings” Actually Refers To
“The Lord Of The Rings” Is Sauron In The Book
While this Celebrimbor tease is intriguing, we know that in Tolkien’sThe Lord of the Ringsbook,“The Lord of the Rings” was Sauron. When Frodo was recovering from his injury in Rivendell, Gandalf explained the Ringwraiths to him - “the Black Riders are the Ringwraiths, the Nine Servants of the Lord of the Rings.” As the creator of the One Ring, Sauron was the lord of all the other Rings of Power, having imbued all rings with an innate allegiance to his One Ring and to him. Even in another’s possession, the One Ring was in Sauron’s service, always trying to get back to him and corrupting bearers to Sauron’s will.
…I believe that the show is really using Sauron’s words to make his evil and manipulation clear.
As such, Celebrimbor is not and never will be a Lord of the Rings of Power, even if he has a huge hand in making them. The show may be positioning Celebrimbor as itsSecond Age Lord of the Rings, suggesting that Sauron is the Third Age Lord of the Rings, wreaking worse havoc in a later era. But I believe that the show is really using Sauron’s words to make his evil and manipulation clear.We are party to the ironic secret of the trueLord of the Rings, but Celebrimbor is falling for Sauron’s pitch hook, line, and sinker inThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 2 is now streaming on Amazon Prime, with the next episode due on Thursday, August 08, 2025.
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.
