With season two of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power about to hit the small screen, here’s all you need to know about the epic story so far

Warning: This article contains spoilers for season one of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

Set thousands of years before JRR Tolkien’s classics The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the first season of The Rings of Power breathed new life into a mythic universe. Combining the intricate sprawl of episodic storytelling with rich cinematic visuals, the series followed heroes and villains from the Second Age – a period of Middle-earth history never previously seen on screen.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power opened in a time of relative peace for the world of elves, dwarves, men and harfoots. Centuries after a ruinous battle with the Dark Lord Morgoth and his legions, evil seemed to have been vanquished for good.

But not all souls could rest easy. The elf Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) embarked on a quest across icy tundras and unexplored lands, continuing her slain brother Finrod’s hunt for Morgoth’s most powerful servant, Sauron. Her friend Elrond (Robert Aramayo) was sent by the High King to engage in diplomatic manoeuvring with the dwarves to combat the elves’ fading power.

▲
In the Second Age, Galadriel is an elven warrior hunting dark forces.

Meanwhile, tensions between elves and men ran high in the Southlands, where the elf soldier Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova) struggled with his forbidden love for a human woman and an encroaching threat from a gathering orc army.

All the while, mysterious magic brewed. A broken sword, activated by blood, was found by a young boy. In the lush forests of the Wilderlands, a stranger fell from the sky, and was discovered by a plucky band of harfoots – the nomadic ancestors of the hobbits. His appearance set in motion a clockwork plot that drove the story towards the creation of the legendary 19 rings of power.

This sprawling but interconnected ensemble of characters, separated by the vast geography of Middle-earth, was drawn closer together by looming darkness, culminating in a devastating volcanic eruption that creates the land of Mordor and sets the stage for season two.

A mythic world of unprecedented scale

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power understands the scale of Tolkien’s worldbuilding. The imaginative craftsmanship of the production is evident in the mixture of special effects and the natural beauty of its shooting locations. The epic and the humble exist in balance: from the sweep of familiar green hills and gilded castles to the intricate beading on the costumes that reflect the characters’ cultures.

The series takes place in an era in which kingdoms were at their peak. Although, dread was seeping in at the margins. Whether it’s the golden drift of autumn leaves in the elven capital of Lindon, or the great ships of the island city of Númenor, every locale offers a glimpse of life in fabled lands. In previous adaptations of Tolkien’s works, the dwarven city of Khazad-dûm lies in ruins. Here we see its full glory, the dizzying, high-altitude tiers bustling with activity. There’s also a keen awareness of the whimsical warmth of the franchise, with Bear McCreary’s nostalgic score keeping the clashes and politicking down to (Middle-) earth.

Epic tests of strength and character

Robert Aramayo asElrond

Maxim Baldry asIsildur

Morfydd Clark asGaladriel

One of the joys of this series is the character development of the main protagonists, they are untested. Even legendary characters within the Lord of the Rings universe such as Galadriel, Elrond and Isildur are shown at younger, scrappier stages of their lives when the threat of danger and personal loss is high. The protagonists are connected by their struggle against customs and divisions, and forced to draw upon their wit and courage.

In season one, for example, harfoot girl Nori (Markella Kavenagh) defied the timidity of her vulnerable community to seek adventure, while Númenóreans Isildur (Maxim Baldry) and Queen Regent Míriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) juggled the titanic expectations of their parents and lineage.

Galadriel sacrificed her place in the undying realms of Valinor, diving into monster-infested seas in her determined quest for lasting peace. Morfydd Clarke’s fierce yet wounded performance as Galadriel was a highlight.

The show’s most charming and heartfelt relationship, that between the crafty Elrond and the dwarf prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur), shows how brotherhood can be tested by duty. Alternating between prickliness and years-long devotion, the loving friends were forced to manage the political games of their distrustful rulers, as a mysterious ore was mined from the depths of the Misty Mountains.

▲
The Southlander Halbrand played by Charlie Vickers.

An ancient evil awakens

The end of season one saw the unmasking of secret identities and the return of the dark sorcerer, Sauron. After Galadriel rejected his offer to rule by his side, he is well and truly at large, and the new season promises plenty of twists and turns thanks to the master deceiver.

Having successfully manipulated the famed elven-smith Celebrimbor into forging three rings of power, the slippery Dark Lord must now oversee further creation from the shadows. Though he’s left with no armies or allies, Sauron is famously a master of disguise, and will rely on his sinister trickery to consolidate his power and bind the disparate kingdoms to his will.

▲
Season two opens with three rings of power already forged.

In the season two trailer, slithering tree roots, dark magic and the ashy ruins of the Southlands show that evil is cementing its hold in Middle-earth. The pressure is about to ramp up on Galadriel, Elrond, and the now-blinded Míriel and their allies, while Nori will embark on a bold adventure with her wizardly friend who can make dying orchards spring into full bloom.

Season two promises the return of iconic and fantastical creatures: shrouded figures in the mist, the immense race of Great Eagles, a tentacled monster in the subterranean beds of the sea, and the Balrog that lies hidden in the dwarven mines.

Joining the cast, acclaimed actors Ciarán Hinds, Rory Kinnear and Tanya Moodie will help flesh out a dynamic array of characters who don’t yet know what part they will play in an epic era. Bonds will be challenged and forged in the face of life-threatening and balletic action sequences, part of a web of genuine connection that makes The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power such a visceral watch.