Small Details You Missed In The Rings Of Power Season 2 Trailer
Season 1 of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" wrapped up way back in October 2022. Before that season had even ended, Season 2 hit a major milestone by kicking off production. It narrowly missed the writer's strike that followed (it had to complete filming without the showrunners on set) and yet, despite avoiding a serious setback, it wasn't until May 14, 2024 that we finally got a taste of what the next installment of JD Payne and Patrick McKay's Middle-earth tale will look like.
Amazon has released a nearly two-minute teaser trailer that offers an action-packed glimpse into the new season. There are some pretty obvious themes and elements to the teaser: For instance, evil is everywhere. Season 1 ended with the reveal of Sauron (Charlie Vickers), so building up his threat level is a natural move for the upcoming season, which is the second part of a five-season story arc.
Upon closer investigation, there are also quite a few little details and Easter eggs tucked away in the footage for those with eyes to see them. Here are a few small details you may have missed while watching the trailer, along with some thoughts on how each revelation could connect to the source material and what it could mean for Season 2.
Revealing warrior Elrond
One of the biggest casting challenges for "The Rings of Power" was replacing the well-known face of Hugo Weaving, who played the immortal Elrond in both of Peter Jackson's two trilogies. The show struck gold with Robert Aramayo, whose turn as the younger Elrond has been well received by fans. However, while Aramayo's performance in Season 1 is engrossing, it's relatively restrained, as Elrond functions as a diplomat and is still finding his way in the world.
In the new footage, we get a peek at a fresh, more confident version of the character who will eventually found Rivendell and become known across Middle-earth for his unparalleled wisdom. Part of that character evolution involves fighting, especially in the part of the story that "The Rings of Power" is about to reach. In the aftermath of forging the Rings of Power (something that the show is in the middle of doing as Season 2 starts), Elrond will play a critical role as a military leader.
In the book "Unfinished Tales," it's explained that Sauron attacks the Elves to claim the Rings of Power by force. It states: "When news of this reached Gil-galad he sent out a force under Elrond Half-elven; but Elrond had far to go, and Sauron turned north and made at once for Eregion." Elrond goes on to fight Sauron in Eregion, something that is hinted at in the teaser, as we see multiple shots of the elf drawing his sword and leading charges in full armor.
Is that sorcery in the East we spy?
The Harfoot storyline in Season 1 ended with Nori (Markella Kavenagh) and the Stranger (Daniel Weyman) following their noses off into the Eastern regions of Middle-earth, toward the Mannish Kingdom of Rhûn. This sets up a unique part of the Season 2 story if only because Tolkien gives us very little knowledge about this part of the world (if you want to know more, check out Xoop's explainer on the kingdoms of Rhûn, Khand, and Harad). One rumor added fuel to the fire by suggesting that the pair of travelers may even meet another "Wizard" who could help them fight Sauron in the East.
The new teaser shows several snapshots of scenes that could easily take place in the mysterious Eastern region. When Rhûn comes up in Tolkien's writings, it is often in connection with hostile tribes and nations under the thumb (or at least the influence) of Sauron. They are connected to cultish activity, sorcery, and other magic-related elements. The teaser shows multiple mystic moments, including a close-up of someone with bloody palms and a sandy temple with some swirling magical flakes or fragments. Is this our first glimpse into the secretive world of Tolkien's East? If what we've seen is any indication, Nori and the Istari Stranger are in for some unexpected adventures.
Eregion on fire
Eregion is a thriving kingdom of Elves that exclusively exists during the Second Age of Middle-earth history. It is led by the skilled artisan Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) and is unique for its close connection with the nearby Dwarves of Khazad-dûm. Eregion is where the Rings of Power are forged, too. Yet, when the Fellowship of the Ring passes through the region many years later, there are nearly no signs of the immortal folk that once dwelt and prospered there. What happened to them? We're about to find out in Season 2 of "The Rings of Power," and the teaser trailer gives us a few hints about this impending doom.
One scene halfway through the teaser is particularly important, as it appears to show a brief shot of Eregion with a hail of fiery siege engine missiles hurtling toward its walls, towers, and buildings. In another scene, we see a concerned Celebrimbor staring at a conflagration with what almost looks like a humanoid figure inside its flames. This may be a further scene showing Eregion's destruction. Then again, it could also be the dramatic entrance of the angelic Lord of Gifts — which leads us to our next Easter egg.
Sauron as Annatar
A solid portion of "The Rings of Power" Season 1 was spent chasing a Sauron mystery box. The season finale finally revealed his identity, confirming that the mortal Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) was Sauron all along in a kind-of-obvious twist. This was an invention for the show — Sauron never masquerades as a human, let alone one named Halbrand, in the books. The writers also opted to change the Tolkien timeline by having the Dark Lord help make the Elven Rings of Power (something that should have happened later and for which Sauron is supposed to be absent).
In the books, Sauron helps the Elves forge the other Rings of Power by appearing as an ethereal being named Annatar, Lord of Gifts. He seduces Celebrimbor with his knowledge before secretly making the One Ring to rule them all. In the new teaser, we get a rebranded version of Vickers as a long-haired, almost Elvish-looking individual. While nothing is officially confirmed, it appears that we may be getting a soft-reboot of the Sauron mystery box concept by reintroducing the character as the aforementioned Annatar. This reinforces a rumor from back in June of 2023 about "The Rings of Power" Season 2 featuring an angelic version of Sauron.
A gathering along the seaside cliffs
At one point in the teaser trailer, we're shown a seaside cliff with lofty mountains in the distance. One of these rises above all others to a distinct peak, likely indicating that we're looking at the island nation of Númenor (which has a single central mountain, called the Meneltarma, at its center). If you look between the letters G and U in the word August, you'll notice a group of unnamed people gather for a meeting on a shelf of the cliff. If this really is Númenor, it's important to remember context.
"The Rings of Power" Season 1 ended with the death of King Tar-Palantir. This is a moment in the books that opens up the door for civil strife among the Númenóreans. The conflict is primarily between one faction called the Faithful (those who are still friends of the Elves) and one called the King's Men (a brash group that wants to launch conquests on the mainland of Middle-earth). The King's Men are the more vocal and aggressive majority, forcing the Faithful to withdraw into their own enclaves.
This gathering on the seashore could be a meeting of the Faithful as they seek to stay unified in the face of growing opposition from the King's Men. It might even be the scene where their leader, Amandil, the father of Elendil (Lloyd Owen), sets sail for the Blessed Realm to seek aid for his people. Whatever the case, trouble is clearly brewing on Númenor.
Is that another sea creature?
One of the wildest moments in the teaser trailer is an underwater shot of an unidentified female facing a gigantic sea monster. The leviathan is surprising if only because Tolkien doesn't really mention sea creatures in his books much. Technically, there are a couple of references. For instance, in "The Fellowship of the Ring," Gandalf says that the One Ring shouldn't be thrown into the sea because it isn't safe. He cryptically says, "There are many things in the deep waters." The classic Middle-earth map also shows drawings of sea monsters, including one with tentacles, and the line "There are many monsters in the sea" comes up in "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil," a book of 16 poems penned by Tolkien.
While there is no direct integration of a sea monster into Tolkien's stories, the hints are there that they do exist in Middle-earth, and the teaser trailer for "The Rings of Power" Season 2 seems to indicate that, like in Season 1, we're going to see more monstrous trouble from the deep. The follow-up question is, who is that floating woman alongside the monster in the teaser? Could this be the sea-spirit Uinen, who already appeared as an Easter egg in "The Rings of Power" Season 1? Also known as The Lady of the Sea, Uinen was third greatest of all the Maiar, the primordial spirits that aided the Valar in shaping the world.
Darkness will bind them
As the teaser trailer moves into its final moments, the words "Darkness will bind them" flash across the screen. In the context of showcasing so many orcs, monsters, and Sauron himself, the line is fitting, but it also has a deeper meaning as a reworked version of a line in Tolkien's classic Ring Verse.
The Ring Verse is the poem at the beginning of "The Lord of the Rings" that talks about the twenty most powerful Rings of Power. As a quick refresher for those who don't have it memorized, it starts with the Rings given to Elves, Men and Dwarves: "Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky. Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone. Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die." Then it shifts to Sauron's Ring: "One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne. In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them. One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them. In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie."
When the teaser for "The Rings of Power" Season 2 tells us that "darkness will bind them," it is reworking the famous line "and in the darkness bind them." This is more than a mere reference to gathering evil — it's the only indirect mention of the One Ring in the entire teaser, a ring that will surely appear in the show before too long.
Who is Arondir protecting?
Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova) is a fun non-canon addition to "The Rings of Power," which takes place during Tolkien's Second Age, an era where named characters are scarce in the source material. Arondir is a rare on-screen depiction of a non-royal Elven character, as Córdova himself has noted. He is loyal, smart, and fun to watch in battle — in the teaser, we see him flash some of that military prowess in a short scene where he does a crazy flip from an edifice and lands, bow drawn, ready to fire. The shot is quick, and with Arondir's acrobatics in the foreground, it's easy to miss the fact that he's standing in front of someone. The blurry figure in the background isn't clear, but they look an awful lot like Isildur.
Played by Maxim Baldry, Isildur went MIA in Season 1 after Mount Doom erupted. We saw that he survived, but we didn't see how he got out of the pyroclastic carnage. There's no doubt that Isildur will reappear at some point. Anyone who has watched the opening scene of Peter Jackson's "The Fellowship of the Ring" knows he eventually has to cut the Ring from Sauron's hand and all that jazz. We know he'll be back (there is even a close-up shot of his face later in the trailer) and it looks like Arondir is going to play a role in his rescue.
Is Pharazôn riding an eagle?
In one splashy scene, the teaser shows Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle) arrive at the Númenórean court, apparently via Eagle. Incorporating the Eagles into the Númenor storyline is a deep cut, as Tolkien specifically notes the presence of these mighty birds on that blessed island. While describing Númenor's geography in "Unfinished Tales," Tolkien says three Eagles live at the summit of the holy mountain of Meneltarma. He also says the huge birds live in other areas of the island, and that for thousands of years, before the time of "The Rings of Power," the Eagles even had an eyrie right in the king's palace.
The biggest oddity here is that Pharazôn seems to be the one riding the Eagle. These impressive birds are generally connected to the wind and sky guardian Manwë, who is not popular with the King's Men, Pharazôn's group. "The Silmarillion" adds that, later on in the story, when Pharazôn and company have caused a lot of trouble, Manwë sends storm clouds shaped like Eagles as a warning. Suffice it to say, the fact that Pharazôn, of all people, may arrive on one of the winged creatures feels out of place.
The new Adar is revealed
One of the most interesting character additions to "The Rings of Power" Season 1 was the Orc leader Adar. Portrayed by Joseph Mawle, Adar was the primary antagonist of the first season as he and his minions wormed their way into the Southlands, unlocked Mount Doom, and turned the surrounding region into a wasteland. Adar isn't in the books, but Mawle made the warped and twisted elf both a convincing and a compelling character. Sadly, he won't be back in Season 2.
Mawle quit the show between seasons, leaving the showrunners searching for a replacement. In December 2022, news broke that "The Rings of Power" had recast the orc leader for Season 2, bringing "Peaky Blinders" actor Sam Hazeldine in to fill Mawle's sizeable shoes. The teaser gives us our first glimpse of what Hazeldine will look like in the role: We get a quick but clear close-up of Adar's gnarled face, and (at least in this fleeting context) the resemblance to Mawle's version of the character is striking. It remains to be seen whether Hazeldine's acting will line up as well, but the early visuals are encouraging.
A shot of the Stranger in Rhún?
Toward the end of the teaser trailer, we get another blink-and-you'll-miss-it shot of the Stranger in what is presumably the desert landscape of the East. He's holding a staff and even plants it on the ground, creating a burst of outward flowing energy. Shortly after, there is another scene that seems to depict a sandstorm. Whether the two events are connected is unclear. One thing that is clear, though, is that this is another moment that is heavily reminiscent of Gandalf in "The Lord of the Rings."
In what is arguably the most famous scene from Peter Jackson's first trilogy, Gandalf slams his staff down when destroying the bridge of Khazad-dûm, preventing the Balrog from passing and giving pursuit. The staff moment in the Season 2 teaser trailer is clearly a subtle nod to this beloved scene, further teasing a connection between the Stranger and Gandalf. Are the creators of "The Rings of Power" deliberately mimicking Gandalf as a general way to make the Stranger feel "Wizardy," or are they hinting that he is, indeed, a young Gandalf?
Destroying Rings of Power?
At one point in the teaser trailer, we see Celebrimbor leaning over his forge fire, dumping a handful of ornate rings into the flames. His hands look beaten up, and the scene indicates that he is trying to destroy the pieces of jewelry. At first glance, this feels counterintuitive to a show that still needs to, you know, create the Rings of Power that the One Ring will eventually control. But there are possible explanations for this act.
One is that Celebrimbor could be destroying other magical rings. In "The Fellowship of the Ring," Gandalf tells Frodo that during the Second Age, the Elves of Eregion made many rings, saying, "they were, of course, of various kinds: some more potent and some less." This indicates that there are other magical rings besides the main ones we know about. Perhaps this moment from the teaser depicts Celebrimbor disposing of the lesser rings before Sauron can get them.
What's interesting is that, in "Unfinished Tales," Tolkien states that when the Elves discovered Sauron had betrayed them, they opted to hide their rings as opposed to getting rid of them for good. "They should have destroyed all the Rings of Power at this time," the author wrote, "but they failed to find the strength." With that in mind, maybe we're witnessing a brief glimpse of Celebrimbor destroying the lesser rings before he fails to find the strength to melt down the Great Elven ones.