The “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’s” first teaser trailer for Amazon reveals new settings, familiar people, and a whole lot of epic – here’s our breakdown of the footage. Late last year, Amazon reached an arrangement with J.R.R. Tolkien’s estate, giving the streaming service the rights to a “Lord of the Rings“ TV series. With Jeff Bezos on the hunt for his own Game of Thrones, a lot of money has gone into The Rings of Power, and while the precise figure hasn’t been revealed, suffice it to say that recreating Middle-earth isn’t cheap.
Details are finally spilling forth like orcs when someone disturbs Balin’s tomb as we approach the September 2, 2022 debut of The Rings of Power. The Rings of Power’s ensemble cast is led by Morfydd Clark’s Galadriel and Robert Aramayo’s Elrond, and is set across Tolkien’s Second Age and is based on stories from the author’s greater works (such as The Silmarillion). As Sauron’s shadow grows greater, the Free Peoples of Middle-earth – Elves, Dwarves, Harfoots, and Men – find themselves once again on the verge of a massive battle between good and evil.
The first video from “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” has been revealed via a 60-second Super Bowl teaser trailer, after a flood of photographs showcasing the main actors. The Rings of Power’s massive scale and astronomically high production values are immediately apparent, but which locales, story hints, and characters are disclosed or teased by Amazon’s opening demonstration?
Lindon Calling? In The Lord Of The Rings’ New Elven Realm?
The teaser video for “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” opens with a sweeping scene of a majestic fortification, with a towering peak in the distance. Because the construction appears to be of Elven hand, this location is most likely Lindon, which has already been verified as the setting for The Rings of Power. Lindon, which was founded by High King Gil-Galad early in the Second Age and located on the Gulf of Lune to the west of the Blue Mountains, explains both the water in the foreground and the rugged peak in the backdrop. The identity of the statue is more difficult to deduce, but given how prominent the Star of Fanor is in The Rings of Power, Fanor himself is a plausible candidate.
18. Who Are The “Winged” Nomad Hunters From The Lord Of The Rings?
One of the most unusual pictures in Amazon’s “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” teaser (and there are a lot) depicts two male figures wandering grassy hills with massive antlers on their backs, almost as if on-set actors were digitally replaced with CGI monsters. These characters are actually nomadic hunters with sharp spears, which they would most likely use to stab their target once the fake wings have drawn them in. The exact nature of the search isn’t revealed, although Tolkien’s early Second Age features a plethora of Morgoth’s messed-up chimera creations. These men could be Lossoth, a wandering people from colder climates (thus the costumes) that dealt with Lindon.
Markella Kavenagh As A Harfoot
Though Hobbits have little say in Second Age affairs, Harfoots – early Hobbits who haven’t yet settled in and around The Shire – appear in “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”. Markella Kavenagh portrays one of these Harfoots, who can be seen here in a makeshift campsite. “There are wonders in this world beyond our roaming,” Kavenagh’s character says, despite the Harfoots’ secrecy and isolation from other species. Sounds like this young lady will defy her people’s laws in order to find a new, better home – possibly The Shire?
Morfydd Clark Galadriel Climbs A Mountain
Morfydd Clark’s Second Age Galadriel has previously been seen in armor in official “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” photographs and the teaser clip continues to redefine her character. Most people are familiar with Galadriel, the lovely, graceful Lady of Lothlórien who wields strong magic and hides a terrifying secret face, but Galadriel in The Rings of Power is a hands-on warrior who uses cold, harsh steel to battle the remnants of Morgoth’s followers. Galadriel will allegedly climb a mountain on her voyage, most likely the Blue Mountains near Lindon, in addition to commanding an army. Several other climbers rush below her, implying that this is an Elven competition, and Galadriel is the victor. The Star of Fanor is represented by the twin stars on her shoulders.
Is Charlie Vickers’ Halbrand from Nmenor?
Charlie Vickers plays Halbrand, a new human figure in J.R.R. Tolkien’s world, in “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”. Official marketing describes Halbrand as “fleeing from his history,” and this watery episode takes place on the Sundering Seas. As a result, we can assume that Halbrand originated from Nmenor, the mortal men’s island between Middle-earth and Valinor. Halbrand was either expelled from his home or fled after committing some heinous crime. His raft will meet Galadriel in The Rings of Power, despite his seeming lack of rudder skills.
Is Arondir the next Legolas in The Lord of the Rings?
In The Lord of the Rings, Legolas earned a reputation for spectacular archery skills, but the Second Age arrives a little too soon for the Fellowship’s golden-haired, Frodo-averse elf. Arondir, a new addition to Tolkien mythology, is introduced in The Rings of Power by Ismael Cruz-Córdova. Arondir, a Silvan elf (or wood-elf, depending on who you ask), definitely knows his way around a bow and arrow, snagging a projectile in mid-flight and firing it back with his own bow. Arondir will be embroiled in a forbidden romance a la Romeo & Juliet with a human woman.
A Sky-Burning Fire Indicates Greater Evil
This fireball rushing across the sky is another odd sight from “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’s” teaser. Magic must be at work in this enigmatic projectile, which is too straight to be a catapult missile yet too low to be a harmless shooting star. It could be a spell from a resurgent Sauron, an attack by Morgoth’s last Balrogs, or the Elves firing against an unseen foe. A guy burns atop a spinning pyre while flames dance unnaturally about him later in the teaser, implying that fire magic is prevalent in The Rings of Power.
Benjamin Walker As High King Gil-Galad?
Of course, Galadriel and Elrond will steal the show, but the most important elf in The Rings of Power is Gil-Galad, High King of the Noldor, whose casting has yet to be confirmed. In Peter Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring flashbacks, Mark Ferguson played Gil-Galad, but that role could now be filled by Benjamin Walker, whose character is shown looking suspiciously regal in golden robes during The Rings of Power teaser. During the Second Age, Gil-Galad ruled over Lindon, hence this watery, gold-leafed pond might be found there.
Galadriel Charges Morgoth’s Armies
Morfydd Clark is shown (briefly) riding her steed into battle, leading her fellow cavalry, taking Galadriel’s character into territory Lord of the Rings fans will be unfamiliar with. Galadriel is most likely undertaking a campaign against any residual supporters of Morgoth who are still alive in the Second Age, spurred by the death of her brothers, who either died during the struggle or were imprisoned and tortured by Sauron, as shown in Amazon’s The Rings of Power teaser trailer.
Kip Chapman Takes on the Trolls of Middle-Earth
This torch-waving cave adventurer is readily confused for Robert Aramayo’s Elrond, but is really performed by Kip Chapman, despite the unusual likeness. It’s difficult to tell whose race this figure belongs to without seeing his ears, but the presence of chainmail and arrows suggests an elf of some sort. Chapman’s character evidently enjoys traveling beyond the Elves’ typical haunts, so concealing his ears may help him avoid unwelcome attention. The monster he’s (wisely) fleeing from is unlike anything seen in previous live-action Lord of the Rings films, although it does have a strong resemblance to Middle-trolls, earth’s with grayish skin, ponderous bulk, and cave habitat all being characteristics of early troll breeds.
An Elven Ceremony Reminds You of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings Films
This brief clip shows an Elven ceremony, albeit the camera is too far away to identify what’s going on or who’s involved (black-haired male, Gil-Galad; the blonde woman next to him, Galadriel?). The main lesson here is how closely The Rings of Power resembles Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films in terms of visual tone, with this scene eerily resembling live-action Rivendell from 2001. The era of The Rings of Power is a little too early for Rivendell, so we’re probably back at Lindon. An enormous bowl, identical in design to Galadriel’s mirror from The Fellowship of the Ring, hangs over the waterfall.
Owain Arthur’s Prince Durin IV – Will Rings Of Power Have Multiple Timelines?
Owain Arthur, who plays Prince Durin IV of Khazad-Dûm, is the first Dwarf to appear in the “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” teaser (a.k.a. the Mines of Moria). Durin IV, while still a prince in The Rings of Power’s timeline, becomes King and battles in the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. As a result, Durin’s timeline is later in the Second Age, closer to Isildur’s reign, which will also be included in The Rings of Power. Is Durin IV’s presence a confirmation of a multi-timeline narrative, given that Galadriel and Elrond’s stories appear to take occurred thousands of years before?
Elrond (Robert Aramayo)
The Rings of Power gives us our first glance at Robert Aramayo as a younger Elrond, the figure played by Hugo Weaving in the Peter Jackson trilogy. Elrond is serving under Gil-Galad during this time and is depicted as “politically ambitious” in official marketing. His ultimate goal will be to create Rivendell.
Sophia Nomvete in the role of Disa
Sophia Nomvete, another newbie to Middle-earth, plays Disa, princess of Khazad-Dûm, the first female Dwarf in the live-action Lord of the Rings. Any attempt in The Rings of Power to diversify Middle-earth should be applauded and embraced.
Halberd Checks Galadriel’s Ears
Galadriel and Halberd cross paths amid a horrible storm at sea, as previously stated. In this scene, an unknown hand pulls Galadriel’s hair to check the form of her ears (almost presumably Halberd’s, considering the watery devastation in the backdrop). This invasive event creates an initial mistrust between Galadriel and her new traveling companion, setting the stage for a later reunion.
More Dwarves in The Rings of Power
We witness Durin IV strike a rock, breaking it in half, as Amazon’s The Rings of Power teaser enters that rapid-fire concluding montage of split-second shots that all trailers are contractually required to contain. A group of gray-haired Dwarves watches from behind at this point, verifying the presence of this stout species onstage in The Rings of Power.
A Nmenorean Slave In The Power Rings?
With a long ax in one hand, a character whose face is hidden soars through the air. Though it’s impossible to say what he’s up to, take note of the chain around his ankle. Sauron’s influence in the latter days of Nmenor inspired the islanders to oppress the peoples of Middle-earth who were unlucky enough to reside along the coast, which could explain this all-too-brief shot.
Elves vs. Orcs, just like in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Elves in golden armor struggle with troublesome orcs, all armored in heavy dark iron, in a shot that is purposely comparable to the Battle of Helm’s Deep from The Two Towers. Orcs will be giving the Elves a pain wherever “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” is set, much as they followed Morgoth before serving Sauron.
Who is the owner of this hand?
The prominence of this hand in “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’s” teaser must indicate that whoever it belongs to possesses immense importance. Although the menacing aura of the hand suggests Sauron, the Dark Lord’s “Annatar” form is intended to be fair-looking and free of filth. Given the godlike forest dweller’s connection to nature, Tom Bombadil is a possibility, and the same figure is seen holding an apple in The Rings of Power’s character posters. The hand of Olórin, Gandalf’s first incarnation, is a more exotic alternative. Gandalf wandered unnoticed among the Elves of Valinor before his incarnation as a wizard to learn more about them. It’s possible that the torn clothes and compassionate hands are part of the disguise.
See the teaser trailer below: