The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power saw an Elf character meet his end, but a wild twist could see him make a return one day. While Elves are immortal, their bodies can still be killed like that of mortal Men and Dwarves. The primary difference between mortals and immortals in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings is the fate of the soul following death. In the case of Elves, their souls are typically given a chance to return to a new body if they earned it. In the case of this Rings of Power Elf, however, it’s difficult to tell whether this is an option that would be offered to him.

By the events of The Lord of the Rings, Elves weren’t taking part in battles and, therefore, weren’t dying as often. However, Rings of Power explores a point in Middle-earth’s history in which Elves and Men fought side by side against the Dark Lord Sauron. Rings of Power season 2 has already dived into this, with the Battle of Eregion claiming the lives of countless Elves. As immortal beings, the souls of these Elves were sent to the Halls of Mandos in Valinor, where they would either stay or be placed in a new body. This means some of these characters could return to Rings of Power.

Elf Immortality Means Adar Could Be Reincarnated In Rings Of Power

Death Isn’t The End For Elves

Among those who died in the Siege of Eregion and its aftermath is Adar, the “father” of the Orcs. Though technically an Uruk himself, Adar was unique among his children in that he was born an Elf. He would have been among the very first to live in Middle-earth, but he was captured and corrupted by the Dark Lord Morgoth to the point he became something new entirely. Rings of Power came up with the term “Moriondor” to describe the type of being Adar was. However, the events of the season 2 finale proved that this character was still an Elf to his core.

Since Adar has an Elf’s soul, he should technically be sent to the Halls of Mandos in Valinor with his kin. So, it’s within the realm of possibility that he would be reincarnated into a new body and either live out the Ages in Valinor or be sent back to Middle-earth. Adar is an original character to Rings of Power, not an invention of Tolkien. Therefore, he is something of a wild card in which Prime Video can do anything they want. If the writers want to bring Adar back, they could—the big question here would revolve around whether this villain actually deserves an Elvish reincarnation.

Adar’s Soul Would Be Difficult For The Valar To Judge

Does Adar Still Count As An Elf?

Not every Elf is reincarnated in Tolkien canon. Many spend the Ages resting in the Halls of Mandos or else wandering through them in misery. The Elves must pass the Valar’s judgment to be placed in a new body. Individuals like Glorfindel, Luthien, and Finrod had done such great and selfless deeds during their time that they were granted reincarnation by the Valar (and, by extension, the god Eru Ilúvatar) and were permitted to either return to Middle-earth or live in comfort in Valinor with their loved ones. If Adar’s soul were sent to the Halls of Mandos, he would be a tougher case to judge.

Based on Adar’s account of what happened to him before there was even a sun in the sky, he went willingly with Morgoth because he was promised children. This would indicate that Adar does not deserve reincarnation since he, on some level, chose his fate. Still, the Elf had no idea the terrible evil he would be poisoned by. In a way, Adar was a victim. He did horrible things in Rings of Power and was responsible for the deaths at Eregion. However, in the end, placing Nenya on his finger temporarily purged him of darkness, and he returned the Ring of Power to Galadriel.

The fact that Adar’s final act in Middle-earth was to give Galadriel back the weapon that would be so important in the fight against Sauron could qualify him for a second chance in the eyes of the Valar.

The fact that Adar’s final act in Middle-earth was to give Galadriel back the weapon that would be so important in the fight against Sauron could qualify him for a second chance in the eyes of the Valar. What’s more, the things he did in Rings of Power were done out of love for the “children” Morgoth had given him. So, it’s certainly possible that the Elf Nenya revealed in the season 2 finale will again appear in future episodes.

The Return Of Adar Would Be A Wild Twist (That Might Go Too Far)

Adar’s Story Might Be Better Off Left Where It Is

While Rings of Power could justify bringing Adar back, that doesn’t necessarily mean it should go through with it. The most notable case in which a Lord of the Rings character made a triumphant return from the dead was Gandalf in Two Towers, and placing Adar in a similar situation might be a little much. Gandalf was a primordial being destined to save Middle-earth—Adar being placed on the same tier might cheapen the concept of death in Middle-earth.

Galadriel said that her husband Celeborn was killed in the First Age. Rings of Power may plan to bring him back to Middle-earth as another reincarnated Elf (though this never happened in Tolkien canon since Celeborn never died).

Instead, if Rings of Powe r is going to reference an Elf’s ability to be reincarnated, it might be better to do so with a canon character that Tolkien himself already brought back to life. Galadriel’s entire arch revolves around her grief for her brother Finrod, who, in canon, has been living happily in Valinor since he was reincarnated by the Valar. Additionally, fans have been eager to see Glorfindel, who also died in the First Age but was sent back to Middle-earth in a new body. These might be more impactful and less bizarre options for Rings of Power to focus on going forward.