At least, that’s the vibe we’re getting after speaking with the stars of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 — premiering Thursday, Aug. 29 on Prime Video — on the red carpet for Entertainment Weekly’s annual San Diego Comic-Con bash.
New episodes pick up after the events of the Season 1 finale, which saw Galadriel team with Celebrimbor to forge three Rings of Power for the elves after discovering that the Dark Lord Sauron had infiltrated Eregion. According to Benjamin Walker, who plays the High King Gil-Galad, those rings will be the topic of debate as the elves attempt to figure out what to do with such powerful jewelry.
“The idea is that we basically discovered nuclear technology, and we [must] ask ourselves, ‘Are we going to use it for good or are we going to blow up the planet?’” Walker shared to TVLine.
(Note: In Tolkien lore, the Rings of Power gifted throughout Middle-earth included three for the elves, seven for the dwarves and nine for the mortal men “doomed to die.” In secret, however, Sauron also forged a master ring, aka the One Ring to Rule Them All, which he intended to use to control the others.)
As the situation for the elves deteriorates, we may see the High King switch out his billowy robes for some heavy-duty armor. “If you know the books, he’s a peacetime consigliere until he’s not,” Walker added. “When peace breaks down, you’re going to have to go out there and kick some butt.”
Meanwhile, Sophia Nomvete, who portrays Princess Disa, noted that all is not well for Khazad-dûm because of the seven rings that were crafted for the dwarves. A recent trailer alluded to this with King Durin III in possession of one of those precious rings.
“It is The Rings of Power , and now the rings have been forged,” Nomvete teased. “They’re causing mayhem. They appear to be the solution to the problem, but they’re causing more problems than they are solutions. So, it’s us just trying to navigate hope versus what is the cost? What is the cause and effect of these special rings?”
The elves and the dwarves aren’t the only beings facing peril. The humans of Númenor have their own issues to address after what went down in the Season 1 finale.
As you recall, Queen Regent Míriel (who was blinded by debris) arrived home after the Battle of the Southlands — which culminated in the creation of Mordor — to find that the king has died. Míriel is supposed to inherit her father’s throne, but as portrayer Cynthia Addai-Robinson told TVLine, “That doesn’t quite go as planned.”
Trystan Gravelle, who plays the Númenórean politician Pharazôn, alluded to a potential civil war over the line of succession. With one faction rooted in progressive ideology, and the other “very antiquated” and borderline religious, “it’s going to come to a head” because of the power vacuum in the wake of the king’s death.
“We’re going to see which one reigns supreme over the island,” Gravelle added.
What do you hope they explore in Rings of Power Season 2?
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