The Rings of Power has been renewed for a third season, and it promises many changes. The announcement confirms that the story will move forward by several years to the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron, played by Charlie Vickers.
Understanding where this war fits within the timeline of the Second Age of Middle-earth is important. If not carefully placed, it can be confusing, especially for viewers familiar only with Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings films.
Also Read: The Rings of Power Season 3 Will Drastically Change Middle-earth’s History and Set Up an Epic War
This War Is Not the One Shown in The Fellowship of the Ring’s Prologue
The opening scene of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is one of the most memorable moments in the entire trilogy. It tells the story of how Elves and Men fought together against Sauron in a great battle at Mount Doom in Mordor. This battle led to Sauron’s temporary defeat and the loss of the One Ring. Some fans may assume that The Rings of Power Season 3 will focus on this war, but that is not correct.
The battle shown in The Fellowship of the Ring is actually the War of the Last Alliance. It was fought by the Last Alliance of Elves and Men against Sauron at the very end of the Second Age. This war took place between the years 3429 and 3441 of the Second Age and shaped the events of Middle-earth for most of the Third Age.
The War of the Elves and Sauron is a different conflict, though it has some similarities. It happened much earlier, between the years 1693 and 1701 of the Second Age. The war’s first major battle was the Sack of Eregion, which was shown in The Rings of Power Season 2.
However, this battle happened differently in J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings. In the books, Sauron had already left Eregion after deceiving the Elves into believing he was Annatar, an emissary of the Valar. By this point, he and Celebrimbor, played by Charles Edwards, had already created the Nine Rings for Men and the Seven Rings for the Dwarves.
The Elves later made the Three Elven Rings on their own. Meanwhile, Sauron secretly forged the One Ring in Mordor without the Elves knowing. This set the stage for the war.
The War of the Elves and Sauron Leads to Major Changes in Middle-earth
When Sauron put on the One Ring for the first time, he became aware of the Three Elven Rings because of the magical connection between all the Rings of Power.
The Elves, who had been wearing their rings, immediately sensed Sauron’s deception and removed them to avoid falling under his control. This angered Sauron, so he decided to invade Eriador and attack Eregion, believing the Rings of Power were stored there.
During the invasion, Sauron captured Celebrimbor and tortured him for information. Celebrimbor revealed the locations of the Nine and the Seven Rings, but he refused to tell Sauron where the Three Elven Rings were hidden.
He had secretly sent them away to Lindon, where they were kept safe by Gil-galad, played by Benjamin Walker, Círdan, played by Ben Daniels, and Galadriel, played by Morfydd Clark.
The fall of Eregion led to events shown in The Rings of Power Season 2. Elrond, played by Robert Aramayo, failed to protect Eregion from Sauron’s forces. The Elves only survived because the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm came to their aid.
After retreating, Elrond settled in a valley, where he founded the Elven refuge of Rivendell. Meanwhile, Gil-galad remained in Lindon. However, Sauron’s Orcs were still active, destroying Eriador. Both Rivendell and Lindon became isolated, with Sauron’s forces controlling most of the region. The situation only changed when an outside power entered the war.
In the year 1700 of the Second Age, Númenor sent an army to help defeat Sauron. King Tar-Minastir led the Númenóreans into battle, and their powerful forces overwhelmed Sauron’s army. Within a year, Sauron retreated to Mordor. At this time, the Elves and the Númenóreans still had a strong alliance.
However, after years of peace, Númenor grew into the most powerful military force in Middle-earth. Over time, the Númenóreans became arrogant, believing they were strong enough to invade Valinor and challenge the Valar themselves. When they attempted this, their invasion failed.
As punishment, the island of Númenor sank into the sea. Only a small group of Númenóreans survived, and they later founded the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor in Middle-earth.
The Rings of Power’s Version of the War Will Be Different From the Books
The War of the Elves and Sauron happens in the middle of the Second Age in Tolkien’s writings. However, The Rings of Power has already made changes that affect the timeline. In the series, Númenor has already placed its last king, Ar-Pharazôn, played by Trystan Gravelle, on the throne.
The relationship between Númenor and the Elves is also already strained. Ar-Pharazôn has expressed his resentment toward the Elves, believing that the Valar favor them over Men. The show has hinted that Númenor’s invasion of Valinor could happen soon, which makes it unclear how Númenor will still take part in the War of the Elves and Sauron.
Another major change is the timing of the One Ring’s creation. In Tolkien’s books, Sauron forged the One Ring before the Sack of Eregion. However, in the series, the One Ring will likely be created in Season 3.
The Rings of Power may handle these changes by making Sauron’s invasion of Eriador an opportunity for Númenor to display its strength one last time. Ar-Pharazôn may decide that saving the Elves and defeating Sauron will win him more support among his people. This could then lead him to attempt his ill-fated invasion of Valinor.
Another possibility is that Númenor’s intervention will bring them into contact with the Nine Rings for Men. This could lead to an agreement between Ar-Pharazôn and Sauron. Sauron might promise to return to Mordor, while Ar-Pharazôn could prepare for war against the Valar, believing the Rings of Power will give him an advantage.
No matter what happens, The Rings of Power has been filling in narrative gaps that Tolkien left open. The series has made many changes to Tolkien’s original story, making it feel like a different version of Middle-earth.
However, from a storytelling perspective, the show has managed to bring different plotlines together in a way that makes sense. Season 3 will likely be different from the books, but that unpredictability has made the series exciting so far.
Both seasons of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power are available to stream on Prime Video.
Also Read: Showing the Many Names and Identities of the Dark Lord in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
