‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ Trailer: 8 Things You Might Have Missed

The new Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power opens with could be called the “money shot” for Tolkien geeks. Galadriel, in voice over, tells us “there was a time when the world was so young, there had not yet been a sunrise, but even then, there was light.” We see a lone elf climb a summit from which you can see a spectacular city and two glowing trees.

So what’s the big deal? They’re just trees right?

The Two Trees of Valinor, Telperion and Laurelin are sacred to the world and mythology of Tolkien. They provided light, silver and gold, to the lands of Valinor, aka the Undying Lands, where the Valor, the angelic beings who created the world, lived. This is kind of Tolkien’s version of Eden, where everything is new and perfect and beautiful until evil destroys it and casts the survivors out into a perilous world. The last leaf and flower of each tree was put into the sky to create the sun and the moon.

Now the Two Trees are also notable for giving their light to the Silmarils. These were three gems with incandescent light which would go on to spark civil wars between the elves for their power. (It’s whole complicated thing. You can read The Silmarillion to learn more about it.)

Basically, the Two Trees of Valinor are incredibly important to the world of Tolkien and to see them in their full glory is a dream of every Tolkien fan.

Hey, remember in The Fellowship of the Ring, Gimli (Jonathan Rhys-Davies) is all, “Let’s go through the Mines of Moria because we’ll feast and drink and have fun?” and then it’s a scary tomb full of orcs, a balrog, and a cave troll? The reason Gimli though this death march into an abyss would be great is because once upon a time, the Mines of Moria were great. And since Amazon’s Lord of the Rings show is a prequel set thousands of years before The Lord of the Rings trilogy, we finally get to see the splendor of Khazad-dûm.

The new trailer gives us just a tease of how different this place was before the cave troll in this shot, where Elrond is lead down into the mines. You can not only see houses lit up, but a robust agricultural system. There’s a lush waterfall and tiered gardens full of greenery, with nary a cave troll in sight.

One seemingly innocuous moment that made my heart drop was when Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur) shows off a mysterious jewel (or gem or rock) and says, “This could be the beginning of a new era.”

Now, Amazon has already revealed that the reason Elrond goes to Khazad-dûm to treat with the dwarves is because Celebrimbor has asked him to do so. Celebrimbor will go on to forge the three elven rings of power. So it doesn’t take a leap of logic to suggest that this rock Durin is holding will be gifted to the elves so they can make the titular “Rings of Power.”

But I feel like there is some even scarier foreshadowing here. That’s because we’re told by Gandalf (Ian McKellan) in the original Lord of the Rings books and movies that the reason Moria fell is because the dwarves got too greedy. They dug too deep, too aggressively, and ran into literal balrogs. So my feeling is, when I see Durin holding a precious stone, dreaming of a new era, that we’re seeing the start of that greed.

Or maybe he’s just talking about a new era of dwarves and elves getting along. I haven’t seen the show yet. I really can’t say.

In The Second Age of Middle-earth, most people thought they had finally vanquished evil by defeating Morgoth and his chief lieutenant Sauron. Galadriel, however, is unconvinced. And with good reason. You know, because that Sauron guy totally comes back.

The new Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power trailer gives us a taste of Galadriel’s concern. She seems to be the lone voice of reason. So much so, we have her arguing with Elrond over this.

What I really love about this exchange is threefold. First, it positions the young Galadriel as a Cassandra figure. She’s trying to tell everyone they’re doomed, but no one is listening to her. This sort of explains the sadder, wiser leader she matures into in the Third Age, aka The Lord of the Rings trilogy time.

Second, there’s a fire in how the younger versions of Elrond and Galadriel talk that has cooled by the time we encounter them in the trilogy. I rather enjoy seeing the two banter! The younger elves should have a little more passion, just as their older versions have obviously developed a deeper bond thanks to what they went through in the Second Age.

Third, the look on Galadriel’s face when she emphatically tells Elrond for a second time, “You have not seen what I have seen,” is extremely relatable as a woman who has tried to talk sense to a dude who just won’t listen.

It’s already been revealed that part of the plot of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will focus on a mysterious stranger (Daniel Weyman) who falls to Middle-earth via meteorite. While it’s unclear who he is, this shot of the meteorite cooling down looks suspiciously like the Eye of Sauron. So does that mean he’s Sauron?

A thing to keep in mind is Sauron is able to return in the Second Age and trick everyone because he re-emerged as the handsome Annatar, aka the “Lord of Gifts.” He buddied up with Celebrimbor and taught the elves how to forge the rings. At least that’s what we’ve pieced together from the Appendices.

I’m not sure if the Stranger will emerge as Annatar or if that’s a wholly different character. But one thing is for sure: the showrunners want us to think this man could be Sauron.

Speaking of attractive and mysterious men who buddy up with elves…

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power trailer finally lets us see a little more of Charlie Vicker’s new character Halbrand. We know from past reporting that Halbrand is a man on the run from his past who winds up shipwrecked on a stormy sea with none other than Galadriel. What’s his deal? What’s he running from? Could he be Sauron?

One thing I know is he is giving me big Aragon vibes, which, as a woman who has had formative crushes on Lord of the Rings characters, I appreciate. Not saying Halbrand is the new Aragon, but he’s certainly got the potential. (And the potential to be Sauron because, you know, he’s attractive.)

One fascinating theme that keeps getting hammered in this teaser is the weight of the past and the promise of the future. Galadriel is convinced that the evil of the past is not dead. Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova) opines that “the past is with us all.” Then we hear Elendil (Lloyd Owen) say, “The past is dead. We either move forward or we die with it.”

So what is it? Does the past stick with these characters or is it something to be overcome?

This is an existential question, but also fascinating considering that this is the story of how one age — the Second Age — fell, and gave rise to the crisis that would determine the Third Age.

I don’t know. I just think it’s neat. Especially since our elf heroes seem concerned about how the past will affect the present and Elendil has a major role to play in the future of Middle-earth.

Did you see hobbits in the new Lord of the Rings teaser? Think again!

Hobbits didn’t yet exist in the Second Age. Instead the show will follow a group of their ancestors known as harfoots.

Unlike hobbits, who treasure their domestic life in the Shire, harfoots are wanderers. The trailer tells us that while the elves protect the forests, the dwarves the mines, and men their crops, harfoots protect each other.

However there seems to be another profound difference between hobbits and harfoots: their feet!

The end of the new trailer shows us their dark, almost fuzzy, large feet stomping across a hill. Hobbits also have large, hairy feet, yes, but theirs are slightly more human in appearance. These look more like a woodland creature, like the hair of a deer. Maybe a key part in the evolution from harfoot to hobbit was that when they stopped wandering, their feet became more “human”?

Either way, it’s a cool little detail and a reminder that these are not hobbits.

(People are totally going to call the harfoots hobbits.)