All of the Rings of Power in Lord of the Rings explained
Aug. 29, 2024From Nenya to the Dwarven rings
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Warning: This article contains spoilers forThe Rings of Power season 2.
The Rings of Power season 2 is coming to an end very soon, and the Rings of Power have never been as relevant. The whole season so far has seenAnnatar, AKA the fair form of Sauron, influencing Celebrimbor to make more rings. He made the rings for the Dwarves, and now his focus has shifted to the rings for men.
In the latest episode, the great Elven smith manages to complete the rings, usingMithrilto forge them, but he’s determined not to let them fall into Sauron’s hands. But, if you know your J.R.R. Tolkien, you’ll know this may be a fool’s errand…
Below, we get into the details of all the Rings of Power in the world of Tolkien that you need to know about, as well as how they’ve been used in the Prime Video adaptation so far. As the series progresses, we’ll be keeping this page updated too as the hierarchy of power shifts in Middle-earth – and more rings are forged.
All of the Rings of Power explained
The first rings forged by Celebrimbor were The Three, made for the Elves. We saw these forged at the end of season 1, and as season 2 begins, we finally see them in action. At the beginning of the second season, Elrond tries to destroy them, fearing their power, but is ultimately unable to as he puts his trust in the wrong person:Círdan. At the end of episode 1, the rings are given to Círdan, Galadriel, and Gil-Galad.
The Dwarven Rings of Power have played a huge part in season 2, as they’ve been negatively influencing King Durin III. Drawn in by their power, he’s started using them to direct Khazad-dûm’s mining operations, and based onthe season 2 finale trailer, this will spell doom for the Dwarves.
In Tolkien canon, seven rings were forged for the Dwarves during the Second Age. Their individual names were not known, but they were given to the leaders of each family: Durin’s Folk, Firebeards, Broadbeams, Ironfists, Stiffbeards, Blacklocks, and Stonefoots.
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In The Rings of Power season 2 episode 7, we finally see all of the rings for men forged. Crafted by Celebrimbor, under the heavy eye of Sauron, he manages to finish them as the Siege of Eregion takes place around him. However, the Sauron hasn’t got them yet as the Elven smith gives them to Galadriel to hide.
In Tolkien’s works, the rings gave the men the ability to increase their lifespans and see worlds beyond those that mortal men can see. However,a terrible fate befell those who wore them.
Finally, Sauron forged one ring to control all of the other Rings of Power, made in the fires ofMount Doom. This is, of course, the basis of the main Lord of the Rings trilogy and Peter Jackson’s film trilogy. We’d imagine the story of The Rings of Power will eventually lead us to this.
For more, check out our guide to thebest shows on Amazon Prime Video, as well as ourThe Rings of Power season 2 reviewand ourThe Rings of Power season 2 release schedule.
I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I’ve also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.
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