After months of waiting and over a century of passionate fans, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has arrived. The expansive and immersive first two episodes will be familiar to those who discovered The Lord of the Rings through the beloved Peter Jackson films, or to people who first fell in love with Middle-earth in the pages of Tolkien’s iconic books. The intricate production design and beautiful world building make it a truly immersive experience, but it’s also one filled with many, many characters to follow as you journey through Middle Earth. So we’re here to break down all the major players, some of whom you’ll know and some of whom you won’t. Every major player in the Premier episodes of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Galadriel – Morfydd Clark
A brave elven warrior with a thirst for revenge burning in her heart, Galadriel is a strong fighter and determined leader. Although he longs for peace, he is driven by a greater purpose, one that goes back to a terrible loss. Her impressive fighting skills make her a force to be feared, but it’s her confidence and self-belief that make her a true force to be reckoned with. These first two episodes reveal a new side to the enigmatic characters fans first met in Fellowship of the Ring. These are the years and the struggle that shaped who she would become.
Finrod – Will Fletcher
With The Rings of Power set in Tolkien’s Second Age, fans have long wondered if we would see anything before that time. And in the first two episodes we did. The prime minister introduces the First Age and Finrod, one of Galadriel’s brothers. It is clear that the pair have been deeply connected since childhood, but tragically we see Finrod killed in battle by the Orcs. It is this brutal death that sets Galadriel on her mission to destroy Sauron. It’s a vital extension of Galadriel’s family story, and the loss that ultimately drove her to turn against her own people.
Sadoc Burrows – Sir Lenny Henry
The Harfoots have long been part of the Tolkien canon, appearing in both the prologue and appendix to The Lord of the Rings, but we’ve never seen them brought to life on screen. Sadoc Burrows is an elder of the Harfoot community who we are introduced to in the first two episodes. He seems to be able to read prophecies and leads the Harfoots on their migration. Although he appears discreet, it is clear that the safety of his community comes first.
Nori Brandyfoot – Markella Kavenaugh
Another new character created for The Rings of Power is a young Harfoot, Nori Brandyfoot. Her curious nature can cause trouble as she dreams of exploring the outside world. Her best friend is Poppy, whom she regularly drags along on her adventures. Nori’s compelling curiosity draws her into the path of the fallen comet and ultimately the Alien. But Harfoot’s innate good-hearted nature means he can’t leave the strange new arrival to fend for himself. It seems likely that their unconventional friendship will play a major role in the show as the series progresses.
Poppy Proudfellow – Megan Richards
Nori’s closest confidant and colleague, Poppy is a sweet and cold soul who is happy to live within the safety of the Harfoot community. She is generous and brave, though often reluctant to break the rules with Nori. It will be interesting to see where her story goes now that she has crossed paths with the Stranger. While Poppy is another out-of-canon addition, she feels very much in the tradition of the classic Hobbits as we know them. The big question is will she venture out with Nori and the Stranger or will she stay close to the Harfoots as they migrate?
Largo Brandyfoot – Dylan Smith
Nori’s father is a sweet and kind man who encourages his daughter’s unusual curiosity. After his accident, it is unclear whether he will be able to join the Harfoots on their migration, but it seems highly unlikely that his brave daughter and beloved community will leave him behind.
Marigold Brandyfoot – Sara Zwangobani
From what we see of Marigold it’s clear that she has a close relationship with Nori, though she’d probably prefer that young Harfoot wasn’t so desperate to leave her home. It is through Marigold that we learn that the community is united and travels together to stay safe. They don’t venture out, they don’t look for more, and that’s how they survive.
High King Gil-Galad – Ben Walker
We don’t learn much about High King Gil-Galad in these episodes, but it’s clear that he considers the dark days of war to be over and will do anything to keep it that way. Although his role in the books implies that it will change sooner rather than later, for now he wants to stop Galadriel from telling people that Sauron lives and send her to Valinor for safekeeping.
Elrond – Robert Aramayo
A major returning character is Elrond, who in the show is a close confidant of Galadriel. Although he looks much more buff than when we saw him in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, he is still well over 1000 years old during the events of The Rings of Power. Living peacefully alongside High King Gal-Galad, Elrond does not believe Galadriel’s warnings that Sauron still lives. In fact, he encourages her to go to the immortal lands of Valinor. Elrond calls Prince Durin IV a close friend… though that’s something his fellow Dwarf might not agree with. And as said in these episodes, he’s connected to Celebrimbor, which means we’ll likely see Elrond play his famous role in forging the Rings of Power.
Prince Durin IV – Owain Arthur
Crown Prince of the Dwarven Kingdom of Khazad’dum, Prince Durin IV is proud of his home’s thriving mines and his wonderful family. He’s less than happy that his old friend Elrond has made an unannounced appearance demanding that it’s time to catch up. But as Tolkien fans will know, these two have a big part to play in the upcoming events of The Rings of Power, so you can expect to see a lot more of them.
Princess Disa – Sofia Nomvete
The first female dwarf we’ve seen in the Lord of the Rings world, Disa is the love of Durin’s life and the mother of his children. She is also the peacemaker between her husband and his absent best man, Elrod. This makes her one of the most pivotal players here, as it is Disa who convinces Durin IV to listen to his friend and plead his case to his father, King Durin III.
King Durin III – Peter Mullen
The father of Durin IV, the current Dwarven King will eventually be the bearer of one of the Rings of Power, but we have yet to see how much he will be involved in forging them. You may also have briefly seen King Durin III in a flashback during Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring.
Arondir – Ismael Cruz Cordova
An elf warrior with a talent for archery, Arondir is a new character for The Rings of Power. Although his role is that of a fighter, it is clear that he is a thoughtful and compassionate person. He shows mercy to those who would hurt him and found an unexpected reason to keep the peace in his circles. While serving in the village of Tirharad, Arondir grows close to a woman known as Bronwyn, in what appears to be a very controversial pairing in the world of Rings of Power. After the Elves declare peace, Arodir is called home, but soon he and Bronwyn discover that someone has been terrorizing and destroying cities, realizing that something is wrong.
Bronwyn – I don’t know Bonadi
Speaking of Bronwyn, she is another non-canonical character that the show introduces. A strong-willed single mother can wield an ax as well as heal a wound. We see her passionate bond with Arondir, as well as her brutal fighting skills. She will do anything to protect her son and kills an Orc in minutes. Her reputation in her community seems to have been tarnished by her friendship with Arondir, but she doesn’t care.
Theo – Tyroe Muhafidin
Another new creation for The Rings of Power is Theo, Bronwyn’s son. While we don’t know much about him, we did see him discover a multi-faceted sword that seems to be associated with Sauron. And unfortunately for Theo it seems he has now woken up from his blood. So this can’t mean anything good. After an Orc came to retrieve the weapon, Theo was saved by Bronwyn and now the pair are headed for safety and possibly Arondir.
Celebrimbor – Charles Edwards
One of the bigger canon characters introduced in the premiere episodes was Celebrimbor. In Tolkien’s lore, the famous elven craftsman plays an important role in the forging of the Rings of Power. We meet him here as an ally of Elrond and part of the plan that will set in motion the creation of the rings. How much of his journey we will see is a big question. It is particularly interesting as he was one of the few people in his homeland of Eregion who saw through Sauron’s trick when he posed as Annatar or the Lord of Gifts. We could definitely see the conflict come into play in later episodes this season, as the trailer possibly teased the arrival of Sauron / Annatar.
The Stranger – Daniel Weyman
One of the most interesting additions to Rings of Power is the mysterious figure of Wayman. Falling from the sky at the end of episode 1, the Alien emerges from a meteorite. His connection with Nori will likely be the key to his journey, but the biggest question is how will it play into the show? He clearly has a connection with nature and can control it with his emotions, and he also seeks out a specific constellation. So could Sauron be reborn? One of the famous Lord of the Rings wizards like Gandalf? (Although normally they wouldn’t have appeared yet). We’ll have to wait and see exactly how The Stranger fits into the larger landscape of Rings of Power.
Halbrand – Charlie Vickers
A new friend for old Galadriel, Halbrand is not from the Tolkien canon and is…
