Nia Towle as Estrid looking surprised and Isildur looking worried in The Rings of Power season 2

By introducing a brand-new character, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 tells an Isildur story that J. R. R. Tolkien pretty much ignored in his books. Based on Tolkien’s history of Middle-earth, as it reads in the Lord of the Rings‘ appendices, The Rings of Power season 2’s story depicts major events surrounding the creation of the titular rings during the Second Age. Set thousands of years before the Lord of the Rings movies, Prime Video’s series centers on Rings of Power‘s ensemble cast of characters, including the Dark Lord Sauron (Charlie Vickers).

While Sauron gains power and schemes to forge the rings — including his all-powerful One Ring — The Rings of Power also navigates surrounding events, like the fall of the island kingdom of Númenor and the last alliance between Elves and Men. The show picks up where The Rings of Power season 1’s ending left off, with Halbrand revealing himself to be Sauron to Galadriel (Morfydd Clark). The series also spotlights Isildur (Maxim Baldry), who becomes the warrior and king responsible for cutting the One Ring from Sauron’s hand. However, there’s more to Isildur’s story than Tolkien described.

 

The Ring Of Power Sets Up Isildur’s Wife For Season 2 (After Tolkien Barely Mentioned Her)

The Lord Of The Rings Show Introduces Estrid In Season 2

Isildur and Estrid in Rings of Power season 2

In The Rings of Power season 2’s earliest episodes, viewers are introduced to the mysterious Estrid (Nia Towle), a human character living in the Southlands when Mount Doom erupts and turns the area into what Lord of the Rings fans know as Mordor. After being taken captive by Adar (Joseph Mawle), Estrid is saved by Sauron, who’s posing as Halbrand. When Sauron convinces Adar to release the Southlanders from captivity, Estrid flees into the woods to find her kin, which is when she crosses paths with Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova) and Isildur, with whom she seemingly has a connection.

After they swap trauma stories by firelight, Isildur and Estrid are seemingly positioned to fall in love.

Estrid, who was coerced into pledging herself to Mordor, hides Adar’s brand. Later, she burns the mark away using a blade. Even so, Arondir is skeptical of Estrid, which is a sentiment Isildur doesn’t seem to share by the end of episode 3. After they swap trauma stories by firelight, Isildur and Estrid are seemingly positioned to fall in love. While Tolkien mentions Isildur’s four children by name — Elendur, Aratan, Ciryon, and Valandil — Isildur’s wife goes unnamed in Tolkien’s writing. That said, Estrid could be Isildur’s unnamed wife in The Rings of Power season 2.

The Rings Of Power Continues A Positive Trend For Female Characters In Middle-earth

Characters Like Galadriel & Gaia Wise Take On Éowyn’s Mantle

Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) riding her horse in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 1

Regardless of whether Estrid is a chance for The Lord of the Rings franchise to redeem Isildur’s unnamed wife, the mysterious-yet-capable character continues a great trend for the empowered women of Middle-earth. While Tolkien’s novels, and the film adaptations, boast women characters like the always-incredible Éowyn (Miranda Otto), newer installments in the LOTR franchise are definitely bringing about some much-needed gender balance. While reception to the show’s Galadriel has been understandably mixed, The War of the Rohirrim‘s Gaia and The Rings of Power‘s Estrid, are welcome additions to the Lord of the Rings canon.

New episodes of The Rings of Power season 2 premiere on Thursdays on Amazon Prime Video through October 3, 2024.