Rings of Energy’s greatest ending and season 2 questions, answered

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Energy wrapped up its first season with seismic shifts and room for growth. The billion-dollar present, which has already been greenlit for 5 seasons, discovered room for explosive moments and almost-shocking revelations, and even a reworked map of Center-earth. But it surely was nonetheless table-setting — the Lord of the Rings we all know continues to be far down the timeline.

With the primary season finale launched to the world, listed here are the main questions on what precisely occurs subsequent in season 2 and past. And due to The Rings of Energy author Gennifer Hutchison, we already know a bit about the place Sauron, Galadriel, and the Stranger are headed.

Is the Stranger really Gandalf?

Since the Stranger (Daniel Weyman) confirmed up his id has been a thriller, spurred on by the solid and crew of Rings of Energy making reference to him as a “acquainted” character to followers.

After eight episodes the reply appears to be… possibly. Although the finale provides some compelling proof: The White Robes resolve he’s not Sauron, and as a substitute name him “Istar,” which Tolkien followers will acknowledge as a singular type of Istari, the elven phrase for the wizards of Center-earth. He turns them into swarms of moths — a transfer definitely related to the Gandalf of the Peter Jackson films. He picks up a employees to do that magic (or no matter we’re calling it), which appears to evoke a sure kind of grey and later white wizard. And now that he can communicate in full sentences he’s definitely sounding extra like Gandalf, even cribbing from quite a lot of stuff Gandalf mentioned within the Jackson films.

The place are the Stranger and Nori headed?

Picture: Ben Rothstein/Prime Video

After confronting the White Robes, with the Stranger deciding that he’s completely not Sauron, he decides it’s time to go east to Rhûn to find extra about himself. Nori, ever wanting to get off the harfoot path, decides to go together with him whereas Poppy stays behind.

In Rhûn they’ll have the ability to see the constellation the Stranger has been chasing all season, which known as “The Hermit’s Hat,” and hopefully get the solutions the Stranger’s been searching for all season about his id, powers, and what he ought to really do on this world.

What occurs in Númenor now that the king is lifeless?

With out moving into spoilers about what occurs to the Númenóreans canonically, suffice it to say the island nation is in a difficult place. Queen Míriel and Elendil have returned residence to enlist the nation in a battle towards the orcs residing within the newly created Mordor (not that anybody can name it that), to seek out that the king has died. Pharazôn is continuous to rally the residents on a extra conservative way forward for Númenor and concern of outsiders/elves.

What’s going to Eärien do with the palantir?

Earlier than Númenor’s king dies, he lets Eärien into the key passage with the palantír. Whereas we don’t see what occurs after — whether or not she makes it to the room or touches the crystal ball — however contemplating what Míriel has seen with the palantír, it looks like no matter occurs to Eärien in that room may have penalties for Númenor. And after we spoke to Rings of Energy author Gennifer Hutchison, she agreed utterly.

Whereas Eärien’s father, Elendil, is aligned with these trustworthy to the elves, Hutchison mentioned by way of Zoom, she’s the member of the household who represents the extra isolationist Númenórean perspective. “She’s been left behind,” mentioned Hutchison, “and introducing her into that very intimate house with the king allowed for us to trace at how there is likely to be some battle, which we’ve been constructing a lot in Númenor — and to make it extra intimate, with characters which can be immediately a part of the story.”

Is Isildur lifeless?

Picture: Prime Video

Pay attention: No. He very a lot exhibits up later within the canon in an enormous manner. However for now, nobody within the present is aware of that apart from his horse. Godspeed, horse!

What does Galadriel do with the data that Halbrand is Sauron?

Halbrand obtained his last little bit of manipulation within the eighth episode of The Rings of Energy as he satisfied Celebrimbor to make some rings (possibly even of energy), and it was proper about this time that Galadriel lastly realized what many have theorized and recognized for weeks: Halbrand is Sauron.

Although she rejects him and his provide of energy, Galadriel doesn’t disclose to anybody what she is aware of, primarily following the steering laid out by the Finrod in her imaginative and prescient (slash the Finrod that Sauron put in her imaginative and prescient) to do nothing to cease Sauron’s plan. So with Halbrand/Sauron’s ring plan shifting ahead (with the essential — possibly? — addition of a 3rd ring) and Galadriel trying like a goober at having palled round together with her sworn enemy for all this time, it’s not a fantastic look. Although it definitely units up some rigidity for season 2, particularly since…

What does Elrond do now that he is aware of Sauron is Halbrand?

Picture: Ben Rothstein/Prime Video

Although Galadriel doesn’t share her information, Elrond is suspicious and wanders out to seek out the family tree scroll that leads him to determine that Halbrand is Sauron. Sadly, he finds this information too late, arriving again on the workshop simply because the elven rings (the rings of energy) are being accomplished.

Elrond has spent a lot of this season operating round making an attempt to extra immediately assist Celebrimbor and Gil-galad determine find out how to save the elves, harness the facility of mithril, and customarily do good on the earth. The query that continues to be is: Will Elrond hold his promise to belief Galadriel and never reveal what he is aware of?

Hutchison mentioned that the problem of Galadriel and Elrond’s friendship was framing a powerful connection, even when the characters shared so little display screen time.

“Once they come again collectively [in this episode] it’s such a such an enormous second for them —he despatched her away, and now she’s again. He’s between his guilt, ‘I ought to have trusted you,’ and he’s additionally simply so completely happy to see her. It’s been a tough time, now your good friend’s again. We tried to essentially make investments that in that scene with the 2 of them, speaking collectively about what’s occurred. Fortunately, these actors are so great and unimaginable that I really feel like they will actually play these subtleties.”

That dilemma was among the many essential pillars of the episode. “I believe it’s fairly clear on the finish that there’s a little bit of battle in that second,” Hutchison mentioned. “She’s made an enormous ask of him. We actually did need to have that. ‘That is the true take a look at; you mentioned you’ll belief me.’ We actually wished to be sure that got here by means of.”

What occurs to Durin IV and his dwarven succession?

One thing everyone knows is that dwarves rule and there must be extra of them on the earth. Durin’s plot to (possibly) overthrow his dad, King Durin III, so he may hold mining for mithril. Certain, there’s a balrog within the combine there too, however I care extra about watching dwarves rip and customarily carry the social gathering.