There are many original characters in Amazon Prime Video’sThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, but some stand out above the rest. WhenThe Rings of Powerseason 1 finaleouted original character Halbrand as Sauron, showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay upped the stakes.Rings of Poweris adapting material from the Second Age of Middle-earth, as described by legendary British author J.R.R. Tolkien in the appendices to his 1954The Lord of the Ringsnovel. Halbrand being Sauron meant that viewers could expect excellent original characters and any number of classic characters.
It became clear that anyRings of Poweroriginal character could actually be a Tolkien character, as confirmed by the Stranger emerging as Gandalf inThe Rings of Powerseason 2 finale. Season 3 is destined to follow a similar pattern, likely revealing the identity of the mysterious Dark Wizard in its finale or later episodes, with showrunners having stated that he is an Istari. Meanwhile, season 3 will play with the original characters left that may or may not turn out to be more familiar than first thought. Viewers can only hope the best of these will survive the season.
5Arondir, The Silvan Elf
The Elf Protecting Bronwyn’s Legacy
Ismael Cruz Córdova plays Arondir to perfection, caught between intense emotion and a distant emotionlessness remote from human comprehension. Recalling Lee Pace’s icy Thranduil ofThe Hobbit, or Hugo Weaving’s Elrond,this Elf captured the grandeur of a forgotten time. One ofRings of Power’soldest charactersbut nowhere near one ofLotR’s, Arondir was young enough to fall in love and old enough to resist it every step of the way.
After Celebrimbor, The Rings Of Power Must Do 1 Thing Different With Sauron’s Next Victim
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power should take care not to repeat some of the mistakes it made with Sauron and Celebrimbor’s arc.
Arondir’s role got slightly confused inRings of Powerseason 2, and he appeared adrift without a certain purpose. However,he has been one of the show’s best creationsto date. It remains to be seen ifRings of Powercan find the right place for Córdova’s astutely characterized warrior in season 3, given his romance with Bronwyn was cut tragically short when Nazanin Boniadi left the show, forcing it to kill off her character.
4Bronwyn Of The Southlands
Gone But Not Forgotten In Rings Of Power
Nazanin Boniadi’s Bronwyn sadly died from her injuries after the Battle of Tirharad, but she remains a standout part of the show.Boniadi leavingRings of Powermeant that her death, as presented in season 2, felt quite sudden, and the audience never got a chance to say goodbye to her properly. However,Boniadi’s chemistry with Tyroe Muhafidin, who plays Theo, her son, left her legacy burninginto season 2.
Nazanin Boniadi (Bronwyn) leftRings of Powerafter season 1 to pursue other projects.
The family bond between the two was destroyed, leaving Theo to fend for himself and possibly on a dark path. Bronwyn’s role in the show created such a strong leadership presence that her absence is felt as strongly as her role had been.She was delightfully flawed, like Éowyn, theLotRhuman heroine before her, and provides a strong blueprint should the show bring new heroes into the mix.
3Princess Disa
An Original Dwarf With Character In Spades
Disa is an unlikely near-best in terms ofRings of Power’soriginal characters - as the invented wife of a Tolkien character, she could’ve been disastrous. Instead, she is irresistible as the outspoken better half of Owain Arthur’s Durin IV.Sophia Nomvete plays the ferocious Dwarf, who appears to embody just as many heroic characteristics as her husband, without the childishness.
Durin IV can be read about in Appendix A toThe Lord of the Rings, where he is implied as a character in “Durin’s Folk.”
Disa plays a key role inDurin’s friendship with Elrond inRings of Power, willing the two to make up after spending centuries apart. She is uplifting and brings humor and light to a dark show, which is important in Elrond’s darkening story. The fact of apparently all Dwarves being Scottish was a shock at first, butNomvete’s accent sealed the deal, bringing passion and warmth to a difficult role.
2Nori Brandyfoot
A Heartwarming Harfoot With Potential
Nori Brandyfoot was one of the main leaders ofRings of Powerseason 1 for good reason. Markella Kavenagh’s rebellious young Harfoot brought the joy of Hobbits to the small screen.Hobbits represented the everyman to J.R.R. Tolkien, even more than the race of Men. Humans inLord of the Rings’world of Middle-earthwere knights or maidens in remote and distant medieval tales, perpetuating grand stories.
Already having united Harfoots and Stoors, Nori may help form the Hobbit species ofLotRfame.
Hobbits were relatable family folk with everyday jobs, living for pubs, weekends, good food, and pipeweed.Nori was perfectin this role. She slipped, ever so slightly, into the background of season 2, as Sauron soared into focus in Eregion. Going into season 3, she may be even less relevant, but there is good reason to believe thatNori may have deeper importance inRings of Powerthan it appears. Already having united Harfoots and Stoors, Nori may help form the Hobbit species ofLotRfame.
1Adar, The Moriondor
Rings of Power’s Tragic Uruk
Originally played by Joseph Mawle, who left the show, Adar was masterfully overtaken by Sam Hazeldine in season 2.Adar was exemplaryas an original character in aLord of the Ringsadaptation. He explored the creation of Orcs, untrodden ground that dived intoSilmarillionterritory. This opening up of lore from the ’70s was no less than historical and enchanting. Sketching detail into this lore embellished canon creatively without dislodging the story Tolkien had already told.
In the legendarium lore andRings of Poweras well, the Moriondor were the Elves that Morgoth captured in the First Age and twisted into the first Orcs.
Sauron gave Adar wine on a dark peak, where he had been held, starving, and it turned him from Elf to Orc. Strange, original, and yet totally fitting,Adar had been taken in by Sauron’s beauty just as Galadriel wasin season 1. But more extraordinary was this soft-spoken and conflicted villainy, in turn problematic and affectionate. Teetering on the brink of highly principled behavior, Adar’s final redemption was the most surprising and devastating part ofThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 2.
