Rings of Power: Season 1 Recap – What To Remember (And a Little More)
Way back in 2018 when Prime Video first announced that they would be producing a series based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of The Rings fans were thrilled. Especially when it became clear that it would be visually consistent with Peter Jackson’s films. But when they revealed that it would essentially be a prequel set in the Second Age of Middle-Earth, thousands of years before Frodo’s journey, some folks got a little squirrely.
While there are some characters, like the immortal Elves, who would be familiar, this story was going to have a whole new cast of players to get to know. And though Tolkien was famous for his world-building and backstory (hello Silmarillion), most of this tale was going to be far more “inspired by” than “based on” the great master’s work. And so it was.
With all the complicated names, languages, races, cosmology, characters and storylines even deep Tolkien freaks can get a little fuzzy about the complexities of the Second Age. And more casual fans can feel downright adrift in the Sundering Sea. But don’t despair, we’ve got you. In anticipation of Season 2 of The Lord Of the Rings: The Rings of Power (the longest title on TV) dropping on August 29, we have a little recap/primer to get you up to speed. So get a cup of coffee (or tea… or beer… or a fresh bowl of pipeweed) and let’s dig in!
What’s in an Age?
To understand the setup for Rings of Power, you need to know that the history of Middle Earth is broken up into “ages”. These ages aren’t divided into even blocks of years but are instead separated by significant upheavals or events. For instance, the Third Age ended when Frodo threw The One Ring into the fires of Mount Doom and Sauron was defeated. The Fourth Age began with the elves leaving Middle Earth and the beginning of Aargorn’s reign. But to understand what’s up with the Second Age, in which The Rings of Power takes place, we should do a little table setting. And for that, let’s go to the beginning.
The Second Age
The First Age began with the awakening of the “speaking peoples”, Elves, Dwarves, and Men. The Elves first lived in Valinor aka “The Undying Lands” with the Valar (essentially the Gods and Goddesses of the Tolkien universe) and the Maiar (demi-gods or angelic figures). Eventually, some of the Elves came to Middle Earth, including Galadriel (yeah, she’s THAT old). They lived in Middle Earth for thousands of years and fought battles with Morgoth, an evil and rebellious Valar (think, the Devil) and his favorite servant, a Maira called Sauron.
The Elves defeated Morgoth in a final battle that was so gnarly that it caused the entire Western part of Middle Earth, known as Beleriand, to sink into the sea. The only remaining part of that land is the elf city of Lindon on the western shore, where Gil-Galad rules with Elrond as his herald. At this time The Valar created the star-shaped island of Numenor to reward the men who had helped defeat Morgoth. These people became the “High Men” or Numenoreans. Morgoth was bound in chains and sent into the void. But Sauron remained at large in Middle Earth. And that brings us to the Second Age and the first season The Rings of Power.
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Galadriel, Halbrand and The Numenoreans
When Rings of Power Season 1 begins Galadriel is a military captain. She’s been leading a band of Elves in a search for Sauron, who killed her brother Finrod. She’s armed with his dagger, forged in Valinor, and a single-minded mission to take out Sauron once and for all. But it’s been 79 years since Morgoth was dispatched and the rest of the Elves, including the high king Gil-Galad want her to give up the search. Though they respect her, they want to declare the war with Morgoth ended and send her back to Valinor where she can live in the Undying Lands. But as the ship she’s on approaches Valinor and the clouds literally part, she decides she’s not done with her mission and dives into the Sundering Sea and begins swimming back to Middle Earth.
While at sea she is picked up by the survivors of a shipwreck, one of whom is a man from the South Lands of Middle Earth named Halbrand. After an attack by a sea monster, these two end up alone on a raft, and a connection forms between them.
They are rescued by a Numenorean ship, captained by Elendil, and brought back to Numenor. This is both a blessing and a curse. Isolated as it is, the culture of Numenor retains the grandeur of the original men, with fantastic architecture and an idyllic (almost Greek-seeming) lifestyle. But the Numenoreans no longer love the Elves and look down on the “low men” of Middle Earth who were left behind because they backed Morgoth in the war. So Galadriel and Halbrand aren’t exactly welcome.
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But not everyone feels that way. Elendil (his name literally means “Elf-Friend”) still loves the Elves. And he helps Galadriel discover two things. First, Halbrand is the lost heir to the Kingdom of The Southlands. Second, a new army of orcs is being raised in those lands and has been digging mysterious tunnels as they raid the villages of humans who live there.
Certain this is the work of Sauron, Galadriel tries to convince the Numenoreans to raise an army and sail to Middle Earth to defeat this hoard. Unfortunately, Numenor has no interest in a war. Their king is dying and their acting ruler Queen Regent Miriel has looked into the Palantir (one of the crystal balls from Lord of the Rings) and seen the future where Numenor is destroyed by a giant wave. Thinking Galadriel is a portent of this fate, she puts the elf in jail.
Ultimately Miriel decides to help. And she, Galadriel, Halbrand, Elendil, and a host of Numenorean soldiers head to Middle Earth. Along for the ride is Isildur, Elendil’s son. You might remember that name, because this is the same Isildur who will become the King of Gondor and refuse to destroy The One Ring, thus setting the table for the events of The Lord Of The Rings. Isildur is also the ancestor of Aragorn.
After returning Halbrand to the throne of Southlands and defeating the Orcs and their leader, it looks like Galadriel has achieved her goal. But, nah. Unfortunately, the entire south has been rigged by Sauron like a giant booby trap. And when the trap is sprung a dam breaks and the region is flooded, including the tunnels the orcs had dug.
The water flows through these tunnels into the magma lake inside the volcano known as Orodruin causing a massive eruption blanketing the land in fire and ash. Miriel is blinded, Isildur appears to have been killed, Halbrand is mortally wounded and Galadriel and the Numenorean host barely survive. Miriel sails back to Numenor, vowing to return and take her revenge. Galadriel takes the wounded Halbrand to seek Elven healing in the city of Eregion.
Once Halbrand is back on his feet in the Elven city, Galadriel becomes suspicious of his closeness with the great Elven smith Celebrimbor who is busy attempting to forge an alloy of Mithril to help save the Elves from fading (MORE ON THAT BELOW). After doing some research in the archives she finally understands the truth. The line of the kings of the Southlands was broken, and Halbrand is an imposter. After confronting him with this proof, she discovers his true identity… he’s Sauron! And she has unwittingly helped him create his fortress in the Southlands, which we now recognize has become Mordor.
The Harfoots and The Stranger
Meanwhile, in another part of Middle Earth, we meet the Harfoots. They are one of the ancient breeds of halflings (along with the Soors and Fallohides) who are the ancestors of the Hobbits of The Shire. Like Hobbits, Harfoots are lovers of nature, food, and parties. But they are not cozy farmers. Instead, these proto-Hobbits are migratory travelers who specialize in stealth and camouflage and stay hidden from other races, especially the “The Big Folk”. Their golden rule: nobody goes off trail and nobody walks alone. But young Elanor Brandyfoot (aka Nori) is a little different.
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Nori is bolder than the average Harfoot and, along with her bestie, Poppy often gets into trouble and adventures. During one of these escapades, they discover a strange, naked, bearded man lying in the crater of a crashed meteor. When he awakens the man seems confused and speaks in a language they don’t understand. They very quickly discover that he has magical powers, though he doesn’t seem to understand how those work. Breaking all the rules of Harfoots, they decide to harbor The Stranger, giving him a crude grey blanket to wear as a robe.
With the migration coming up, things are busy around the Harfoot camp. And soon Nori’s father, Largo, is injured, a grave situation in nomadic culture. Those that cannot migrate are “de-caravaned” and spiritually (and literally) left behind. Making things more complicated for Nori, is the discovery of The Stranger by the rest of her clan who don’t love having a human in their midst. Nori convinces her family to take in the Stranger and he helps push the Brandyfoot cart, thus saving Largo from being left behind.
As they travel it becomes clear that The Stranger is looking for a particular constellation of stars that even, Sadoc, the wise leader of the Harfoots, doesn’t recognize. As this Stranger uses his magical powers he sometimes seems benign, as when he saves Nori and Poppy from a pack of wolves. But other times his magic and power hint at something more ominous and terrifying. Is he a friend or foe?
Things turn grim when Harfoots reach their destination to find the trees and lands charred by the recent volcanic eruption. When The Stranger tries to use his magic to heal the damage, he nearly injures a Harfoot child and the clan sends him away. However the next day, the Harfoots discover the grove and land have been healed (again… friend or foe?). This good news doesn’t last long, because soon three mysterious robed women arrive at the Harfoot camp looking for The Stranger. When Nori tries to misdirect them, it is revealed they are witches and they destroy the Harfoot camp with magic.
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It isn’t long before the Witches find The Stranger. But they aren’t looking to harm him. Instead, they reveal to him that they believe he is Sauron and they are there to serve him. But before they can spirit him away, Nori, Poppy, Sadoc, and Nori’s mother Rose show up and attempt to save him.
With Nori’s encouragement, The Stranger uses his magic to defeat The Witches, who now realize their mistake. This Stranger isn’t Sauron, he is an “Istari”, a word The Stranger explains means “wizard”. Sadly, the Harfoot’s leader Sadoc is mortally injured and succumbs to his injuries.
Though The Stranger still doesn’t know his name, we can surmise that this bearded man in a gray robe is likely Gandalf, one of five Istari (including Saruman and Radagast). They are powerful Maiar sent to Middle Earth by The Valar to help defeat Sauron.
What we have been witnessing this season is the origin of Gandalf’s fondness for the sturdy halflings who will, in the future, save the world. The Stranger tells Nori that he must travel east to the land of Rhun. But he won’t be going alone, because Nori, like Bilbo and Frodo thousands of years later, is very much down for an adventure with a wizard.
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The Southlands
In this part of the Second Age, the Southern Kingdom of Gondor (and its northern sister kingdom, Arnor) have not been founded. Instead, the men of the Southlands live in scattered villages with no king. Because their ancestors were aligned with Morgoth in the last war, these humans are occupied by an Elven force who watches them closely. There’s no love lost between the Humans and Elves, which is why both groups give a strong side-eye to the growing romance between human healer and single mother, Bronwyn, and an Elf soldier named Arondir.
It’s been 79 years since Morgoth was sent to the void and Arondir and his elven cohort are about to pack up and go home. Unfortunately, something’s not right in the Southlands. Arondir and Bronwyn discover that a nearby village has been destroyed by Orcs. While Bronwyn’s son, Theo, discovers a broken sword that bears the mark of Sauron and which seems to have power over him.
They also discover that the orcs have been building a network of tunnels beneath the village. Arondier investigates the tunnels and is soon captured, while Bronwyn and Theo return home where they are attacked by an orc. After killing it they use the body to convince their neighbors, including the very sketchy village tavern keeper (and elf hater), Waldreg, that they must all flee the village for the safety of the elven watchtower.
Arondir is forced to work with other elven prisoners to continue to dig tunnels. In doing so he discovers that this hoard of orcs is ruled over by a mysterious leader, Adar. After a failed escape attempt, Arondir is brought before Adar who isn’t an orc, but something else entirely. He sets Arondir free with a message for the men of the South: swear allegiance to Adar or be destroyed.
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Theo returns to his village to bring supplies back to the watchtower and is attacked by orcs who are looking for the broken sword. Luckily, Arondir arrives just in time to save him and they both return to the watchtower. Waldreg soon discovers that Theo is harboring the sword and uses it as an opportunity to reveal that he still harbors his ancestors’ desire to serve Sauron.
As Bronwyn and Arondir prepare the villagers for the coming attack from the orcs, Waldreg convinces half of them to leave with him to join Adar, who he believes is Sauron. A confused Theo shows the broken sword to Arondir, who surmises that it might be a key to enslaving the people of the South. Whatever the case, the Southlanders have lost half their number and Adar and the orcs are coming for them.
When the enemy arrives at the watchtower, they find it abandoned. But it’s a trap! Arondir uses his elven nimbleness to collapse the tower on the army. The villagers escape back to the village for phase two of their plan. That night a group of orcs do come to the village, but the villagers are ready for them and manage to slay them all. But their joy is short-lived when they discover that the “orcs” they just killed are the humans who left with Waldreg and who have been used as cannon fodder. Suddenly the real Orc attack begins.
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But just as things look darkest, Gailadriel and the host of Numenorean soldiers ride in on horseback. In a stunning battle, they kill or capture the remaining orcs. Elendil’s son, Isildur is trapped under collapsing rubble and appears to perish and Bronwyn is gravely injured. In the aftermath, Adar demands they turn over the sword and Theo gives up its location to save his mother. Adar flees but is captured by Galadriel and Halbrand, who reveals a darker, angrier side that alarms her. In the aftermath, Galadriel interrogates Adar and discovers that he is one of the ancient elves who were captured by Morgoth in the very first days of Middle Earth.
The Dark Lord brutally corrupted them, turning them into the earliest form of orcs. He claims to have killed Sauron and that he is now seeking to turn the Southlands into a homeland for all orcs. But with Halbrand returned to the throne of the Southland, it looks like this plan has been foiled. Until it’s discovered the broken sword has been stolen by Waldreg who has returned to the watchtower. As Arondir feared, it is indeed a (literal) key and Waldreg uses it to set off Sauron’s booby trap, releasing the waters of a dam and setting off the volcano that will transform the Southlands into Mordor.
Dwarves, Elves, and The Forging of The Rings of Power
As chaos and darkness rise throughout Middle Earth, the ancient Elven city of Lindon appears to remain a place of peace and beauty. After sending Galadriel off to Valinor, the Elven High King Gil-Galad tells his herald Elrond (yes, THAT Elrond) that he has a mission for him. He wants him to join the legendary Elven smith Celebrimbor in the city of Eregion where he is working on a special project to build a powerful new forge. Once there, Celebrimbor reveals that the project is on an accelerated timeline and that they do not have enough elf-power to complete it. It will be Elrond’s mission to talk with his old friend, the dwarven Prince Durin IV to see if they can make a deal with the dwarves to help them construct the forge.
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Elrond travels to the Dwarven city of Khazad-Dum but finds his old friend in no mood to help. It has been 20 years since Elrond visited and in that time he missed Durin’s wedding to his wife Disa and the birth of their children. After losing a challenge to Durin, it looks like Elrond’s diplomatic mission is going to be a failure. Until Disa appeals to Durin’s heart and convinces him to at least hear Elrond’s proposal.
Robert Aramayo (Elrond), Owain Arthur (Prince Durin IV). CR: Ben Rothstein/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios
The two reconcile and Elrond soon finds out that there’s more going on in the halls of Khazad-Dum than meets the eye. The Dwarves have discovered a spectacular new ore more powerful and precious than gold or silver. Elrond gives it a name we all recognize, Mithril. The problem is that the ore is dangerous to mine and Prince Durin has been forbidden by his father, King Durin III to extract the precious ore. He swears Elrond to secrecy. But just then there is a mine collapse and dwarven miners are killed. The angry King warns his ambitious son to stay in his lane.
Prince Durin visits Lindon for a negotiation with Gil-Galad about the Dwarves assisting Celebrimbor’s and there seems to be promise. But Elrond soon discovers that there’s more to Gil-Galad’s plan than meets the eye. The High King reveals that he suspects that Dwarves have discovered Mithril, which was previously believed to be a myth.
He tells Elrond that Mithril was created when an elf warrior battled a Balrog for a tree that contained the last Simiril, ancient gemstones that contained the last light of the Tree of Valinor. During the battle lightning struck the tree and fused the forces of the two combatants with the Simiril. That energy spread deep in the Earth as veins of Mithril. He then reveals the secret behind Celebrimbor’s project.
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The Elven lands are dying and if they can’t stop it, they will fade or be forced to leave Middle Earth by the following Spring. The light in Mithril can reverse this process, if they can convince the Dwarves to part with it and help them build a forge for Celebrimbor to make a magical item containing the ore. But bound by his oath of secrecy to Durin, Elrond is conflicted.
After coming clean with Durin, Elrond and the Prince return to his Khazad-Dum to ask the King for his permission. But King Durin does not trust the Elves and refuses. Prince Durin tired of being hamstrung by his father and wanting to help Elrond decides to mine the ore behind the old man’s back.
After Elrond and Durin discover the mother lode of Mithril, their secret mining operation is uncovered by the King. Elrond is ejected from Khazad-Dum with only a tiny sample of the ore. Prince Durin confronts his father, saying that he should be allowed to chart his own path. But the King is unmoved and breaks with his son. But Prince Durin, supported by his ambitious wife Disa, soon reveals that he has no intentions of staying in his father’s shadow. Like half-sized Macbeths, the ambitious couple say the Mithril belongs to them and they will mine it whether the King likes it or not.
Back in Eregion Celebrimbor attempts to use Elrond’s sample of Mithril to forge a ring that can be used to heal the Elven lands. But Mithril is strong and “refuses” to be alloyed to lesser metals. The situation improves when Galadriel and Halbrand return from the battle in the Southlands.
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Halbrand, who previously showed only common skills as a blacksmith, impresses Celebrimbor with new ideas on how to work with Mithril. He begins to help the great master smith and it looks like they may soon be able to solve the problem. Until that is, a suspicious Galadriel discovers Halbrand is really the Dark Lord Sauron.
After Sauron’s escape, Galadriel realizes the gravity of the situation. He is loose in Middle Earth again and, having created a fortress in Mordor will no doubt rebuild his power with great speed. She returns to Celebrimbor and Elrond and tells them that they must now forge not one, but three rings that will be controlled by the Elves and will keep their lands safe. And to provide enough material to create them, she offers up her dead brother Finrod’s dagger which was forged with the purest gold and silver in Valinor.
And as we watch the Elven smiths crafting the rings and setting gems in them, it becomes clear what we are looking at. These are the first three of nineteen rings that will eventually be forged and given to the kings of Dwarves and Men. The nineteen that will be controlled by the One Ring that Sauron will forge in the fires of Mount Doom.
The table is set. Evil is rising. War drums are thumping. And it’s about to get serious in Middle Earth. For a look at how all of this might play out when season two of The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power drops on August 29, check out the trailer below. And let us know your predictions in the comments!
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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 1 is currently streaming on Prime Video.
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