Who are the Entwives in The Rings of Power? Explaining their tragic Lord of the Rings history

The Rings of Power season 2 has introduced a new type of being that we haven't yet seen in the show: the Entwives.

Now, devoted readers of J.R.R. Tolkien may be familiar with these particular creatures already, but if you're not, we've got all you need to know about the Entwives right here – including the details on their surprisingly tragic history in Tolkien's writings.

So, for the lowdown on the Entwives and their Lord of the Rings history, head to the below. But, there are mild spoilers for the new episode, so only proceed if you're up to date.

Who are the Entwives in The Rings of Power?

In The Two Towers, we're introduced to Ents – sentient, tree-looking beings who guard the forest. They're particularly close to Elves, who taught them how to speak.

In The Rings of Power season 2, episode 4, we meet a new type of Ent – the Entwives. Essentially, these are female Ents. Just like their male counterparts, the Entwives are guardians of the trees. The one Arondir meets in episode 4 is particularly upset that the Elf has raised an axe to wood before – of course, this wasn't actually Arondir's choice, since he was being held captive at the time. They're also holding Theo hostage, believing him to be a supporter of Adar . Once that situation is cleared up with Arondir pledging to protect them, Theo is freed.

In Tolkien's works, Entwives disappear after the end of the Second Age (see our Lord of the Rings timeline if you're confused) after heading to the Brown Lands, which is an area destroyed by Sauron in the Second Age. Their disappearance is unexplained, and, in one of his letters, Tolkien indicated he wanted that to be the case, though he said he thought they were all destroyed themselves by Sauron during the War of the Last Alliance (a 12 year war against Sauron that culminates in Isildur cutting the One Ring from the Dark Lord's finger). Survivors could've retreated to the east or met other, sinister fates, according to the letter.

Of course, that's still a long way away in The Rings of Power, but it's a tragic ending ahead for these majestic creatures.

The Rings of Power season 2 is releasing weekly on Prime Video now, and you can check out our Rings of Power season 2 release schedule to keep up to date, or see our Rings of Power season 2 review for our spoiler-free verdict on all eight episodes.