Rings Of Power Season Finale Trailer teases answers to two of the show’s most pressing questions. The majority of the shots in the teaser, which was shown at NY Comic Con on October 7, are taken from the first seven episodes of the Prime Video series. However, there are also brief glimpses of fresh material that give hope that we’ll finally get answers to the most pressing issues raised by Amazon’s Lord of the Rings.
What exactly are the answers we are looking for in episode 8 of The Rings of Power? The first covers the forging of the Rings of Power. It’s interesting that there hasn’t been any mention of the rings’ forging thus far given the fact that one of the show’s four main narratives will center on the creation of these rings and the One Ring.
The second is perhaps more significant: Who exactly is Sauron? The cast of The Rings of Power is already aware of who will be playing the Dark Lord. But since the very first trailer dropped eight months ago, we just really don’t know which individual is posing as Sauron, and throughout the past seven weeks, people have been speculating on who Sauron truly is.
Rings Of Power Season Finale Trailer Breakdown
It appears we’ll finally have an answer to both questions focusing on this finale trailer. The Rings of Power’s final trailer, however, leaves me with the uneasy sensation that it is all simply one giant trick. This is likely due to certain apparently creative footage-editing techniques that were used.
The last seconds of the teaser reveals that episode 8 will see the start of the titular rings’ forging. Elven smith Celebrimbor makes the claim that “we are on the verge of creating a new form of power” as clip of molten metal having poured into a circular mold is shown. So it would appear that the season 1 finale could show the creation of the first Ring of Power.
If the very first Ring of Power is created, it must also indicate that Celebrimbor has indeed met a disguised Sauron. In the original text, Sauron visits the elf blacksmiths while posing as someone named Anntar and starts talking to Celebrimbor about creating rings with unimaginable power. This is the reason Celebrimbor eventually forges the Rings of Power and Sauron’s own ring.
Who Is Sauron?
This brings up the second important question, which is: Who is Sauron really? There is a ton of footage about The Stranger mixed among and around clips of The Mystics, the supernatural group that set the Harfoots’ wagon on fire in The Rings of Power episode 7 and has been looking for The Stranger. Just take a look at the scene at 0:12, where Bridie Sisson’s character, the Dweller, exhales fire at an object off-screen, only to have a clip from The Stranger, which is from episode 2, put in immediately after it.
This first suggests that episode 8 will have a conflict between the two involving magic. The likelihood of a confrontation between The Stranger and The Dweller is underlined by later footage in the teaser, which appears to show them fighting while being surrounded by strong winds at the 1:46 mark.
Some of the teaser clips, though, seem to depict The Mystics informing The Stranger that he is indeed Lord Sauron. The Mystics utter the phrase “You will be discovered at last for who you actually are because you are Lord Sauron” in sync at the 0:43 mark. It’s hardly a stretch to assume that The Mystics find The Stranger in the season 1 finale and inform him that he is actually the Middle-worst earth’s enemy given that they have spent the previous three episodes looking for him.
Will The Stranger Be Revealed As Sauron?
Additionally, anytime The Stranger comes in the teaser, there is a lot of discussion about the evil in Middle-earth. The likelihood that The Stranger is Sauron is strengthened by Galadriel’s remark that “Evil doesn’t really sleep; it waits” when The Stranger first appears. Despite what the trailer might lead you to believe, I don’t necessarily buy into the “The Stranger is Sauron” idea.
He is undoubtedly a dangerous person. The Harfoots have been the main victims of his carelessness, yet The Stranger seems like a decent person. In my opinion, he is someone who would stand up to the forces of evil and use his skills to support the many races of Middle-earth in their fight with Sauron.
Additionally, trailers are consistently edited in ways that encourage viewers to add two and two to get five. The clips from The Stranger and The Mystics that are featured in the season 1 finale teaser have probably been put together in a way that leads us to believe that The Stranger is Sauron. That’s what Amazon, the show’s creators, actors, and crew all want: it sparks more discussion online, feeds the fan theories, and keeps us discussing about the show up until episode 8 premieres.
Who Else Can Be Sauron?
Who is Sauron if not The Stranger? We can rule Halbrand out because he rode off to Lindon with Galadriel to receive elvish medicine to treat his wounds. It makes no sense for the Mystics to appear there and suddenly declare that Halbrand is indeed Sauron as they are not in the area of Lindon.
Is Adar Sauron, it is possible. He says as we hear: “I’m not a god, not yet, at least”. During his conversation with Galadriel in episode 6, he says to have killed Sauron, and this is his first attempt to confuse us (and Galadriel). But once more, The Mystics are chasing The Stranger rather than traveling to Mordor. Adar is not likely to be Sauron unless they take an unexpected detour.
The trailer also contains various bait-and-switches. A voiceover from The Mystics is heard saying, “You shall know who you actually are,” as a shot of Theo is seen with the black sword hilt, presumably hinting he is Sauron. However, we can rule that out based on what we know about Theo through the first seven episodes.
The Formation Of The Rings Of Power
How did the rings forge, by the way? Is it possible that this is also a clever use of misdirection? It’s likely that Celebrimbor is merely attempting to convince Gil-galad to give the go-ahead for the creation of the rings in order to spare the elves from destruction. Keep in mind that the elves are in danger. They will lose their immortality without any of the mithril from Khazad-dûm’s mines and perish like every other species in Middle-earth. The elves will require a new method of survival because Elrond is likely to return to Lindon with just a small piece of mithril—the one given to him by Prince Durin. Celembrimbor thought that the rings might be the answer.
But what if the clip showing something being faked is connected to another event? Yes, it looks as though a Ring of Power is being created, and Nenya, one of the rings, is formed of mithril, as we remember from Tolkien’s source material. But there’s always the chance that something new will be made or destroyed. In the teaser, Galadriel can be seen at one point staring wearily at Finrod’s dagger. Is it really far-fetched to think that she will eventually give up her fight with her demons in his memory and choose to let his dagger melt into the earth?
The Rings of Power episode 8 trailer, in my opinion, is filled with info meant to mislead fans, and it seems more and more likely that Sauron is simply a character we haven’t yet seen in the series. The creation of the rings, however, won’t be shown until season 2, despite a hint in the season 1 finale.
Such teasers always act as hype generators, leading viewers to take them too seriously. Hey, it even got me in trouble; just take a look at how much speculation I’ve added to this article. However, I can’t help but think that the show has two significant final gambits in store. This trailer won’t just provide answers you and I are looking for about Sauron’s identity or the origin of the rings.
Rings Of Power Episode 8 Release Time & Where To Watch
Episode 8 of The Rings Of Power will air at 12 am ET on Amazon Prime. And since Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is Amazon Prime exclusive, you can only watch it on Prime. If you’re not an Amazon Prime member, Prime Video tends to cost $8.99 per month. With an Amazon Prime membership, which is available for $14.99 a month or $139 annually, Prime Video is free. Students can also sign up for Amazon Prime Student, which is half as much as the standard subscription and includes Amazon Prime Video, for $7.49 per month or $69 annually.
To watch The Rings of Power online, if you haven’t already, sign up for a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime Video! The Prime Video app is available on the majority of smart TVs, game consoles, Apple TV, Fire TV devices, iOS, Android, and more, so you can watch The Rings of Power on just about any platform.
Also Read: Aegon’s Conquest Explained: The New Game Of Thrones Spinoff
