A new official image of The Rings of Power Season 2 shows off a new, menacing Hill-troll that was inspired by a legendary Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul character.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is about to get much more intimidating, as Season 2 will present a powerful new villain called Damrod the Hill-troll, who you can see in all its huge glory in a new official image of the upcoming Prime Video release.

Revealed by Empire Magazine, Damrod may not be the only troll to have shown up (as Galadriel fought a Snow-troll at the beginning of Season 1), but the fact that he’s getting a name should be proof enough that he’ll be much more important than other mindless, savage members of his kin. Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne, the showrunners behind the Tolkien-inspired series, sound quite proud of this creature who they’re referring to as the “eater of dragon bones”.

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‘[He] was inspired in part by Mike Ehrmantraut in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul,” says McKay, “if you look at the way he moves and his casual sense of strength.” In the very-realistic crime series where he appears, Mike (played by actor Jonathan Banks) is an incredibly intimidating assassin whose mere presence can be terrifying, even when he doesn’t say a single word. As such, it’s no surprise to hear that Damrod (voiced by Benjamin Walker) will be joining Adar, “The Father of Orcs”, at the vanguard of Sauron’s forces in his imminent rise to conquer the lands of Middle-Earth.

When does ‘The Rings of Power’ season 2 premiere?

While Elven warrior Galadriel tackled the Orcs and their menacing accomplices in the first season of the Amazon Prime Video series, the war is about to go further still in season two. Swords are wielded and arrows are drawn, and wizards work their magic in the first teaser trailer for season two, which is set to premiere on 29 August, 2024.

Little has been revealed regarding the plot for the new season, although a number of storylines were left hanging in the balance at the end of the first, such as the Dwarves’ battle against the Balrogs, the death of King Tar-Palantir, Galadriel’s adventures in the Southlands and the ever-impending bleak future of Middle-Earth.

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