Amazon’s Rings of Power series is an adaptation of some of the extended stories by J. R. R. Tolkien. Like The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, this show is also set in the fantasy realm of Middle Earth. Some familiar faces, such as Elrond and Galadriel, make an appearance. However, Rings of Power is set in the second age of Middle Earth, which is a much earlier time period in Middle Earth’s history.
As a result, much of the inspiration for this series comes from Tolkien’s book The Silmarillion, which discusses the history of Middle Earth. While there is a lot that the series takes from the books, there are some big changes to Middle Earth lore that eagle-eyed fans of the books will definitely notice.
7 Celeborn & Galadriel
Their Marriage Should Already Be Established
Celeborn is left as a bit of a mystery by the end of the first season of Rings of Power. Fans of the movies and books will know that this powerful elf is the husband of Galadriel, and resides with her in Lothlorien. He is even depicted leaving Middle Earth alongside her at the end of the third age. However, not only is Celeborn missing from Rings of Power, Galadriel has also mentioned that her love has already died in the past.
Galadriel is one of the main protagonists in this show, so it is understandable why the writers want to focus on her story as an individual. However, that does not explain why they could not have introduced Celeborn at a later date. The books mention that the pair marry soon after the fall of Morgoth at the end of the first age. This means that the pair may have already been wed by the time fans meet Galadriel in Rings of Power, and the character has, in fact, been killed off. Therefore, he cannot reside with his wife in Lothlorien during the quest of the ringbearer, as he does in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
6 Origin Of Mithril
This Metal Does Not Come From The Silmarils
The precious metal Mithril is another element that fans of Tolkien will recognize in Rings of Power. Gimli mentions it as the source of wealth in Moria. Bilbo gets a shirt made out of it in The Hobbit, and Frodo wears this same shirt on his quest in Lord of the Rings. It makes sense why the writers would drop it in as an element during Rings of Power.
However, the show deviates a lot from the canonical origin of Mithril. Instead of this metal being found naturally in the earth, Elrond is sent on a quest to procure this material as it is the last remaining remnants of the ancient gems from the first age, The Silmarils. While this new origin does provide a reason to merge the storie of the elves and dwarves in the show, it is not written in the books.
5 Adar
The Main Villain Of Season One Is A New Addition
One of the central plot points during the first season of Rings of Power is the mystery behind the disappearance of Sauron. With this villain’s identity kept secret, the show needed to provide viewers with another antagonist to drive the show. After all, the orcs of Middle Earth are not known to act on their own. They are far too cowardly.
As a result, a new character named Adar is introduced to serve as the leader of these new orcs, and as the main villain in the show. Adar is depicted as a fallen Elf, a concept that is touched on in the books; however, no major character in the books is of this race. In fact, Adar is a completely new character added to the lore of Middle Earth in Rings of Power.
4 Harfoots
These Original Hobbits Are Not Seen In The Second Age
The hobbits are the race in Middle Earth that the author J.R.R Tolkien seemed to have the most fondness for. These reclusive, simple creatures are the central characters in the narrative of both The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. It is not in their nature to be part of the big battles in Middle Earth, or go on great adventures with the big folk. As such, there are no major hobbits mentioned in The Silmarillion’s main narrative or any other works taking place in the second age of Middle Earth.
Tolkien did write about the origin of Hobbits, and spoke of them as a nomadic people called Harfoots that eventually settled in The Shire. A large portion of the screen time in Rings of Power is dedicated to a group of Harfoots and the dangers they face. Plus, it seems that their adventures are going to get themselves involved in the main plot of Rings of Power. However, this is not in the nature of these creatures at all according to the original source material.
3 No Birth Of Mordor
Frodo’s Destination Does Not Have A Chaotic Origin
There are many plots taking place during the first season of Rings of Power. One of these concerns the mystery of why the orcs are digging tunnels underneath the peaceful land known as The Southlands. Anyone familiar with Tolkien’s work would have watched this show and assumed that the name of this region only refers to a small, generic part of Middle Earth that is of little consequence. However, it is later revealed that the orc’s plan all along was to take over The Southlands by erupting a volcano and blocking out the sun with ash clouds. As a result, the land of Mordor is born.
In the books, the origins of Mordor before Sauron arrived in that part of Middle Earth is left unmentioned. But regardless, it certainly was not a land created in the second age.
2 No Halbrand
Sauron Lived As Many People In The Second Age, But Halbrand Isn’t Mentioned
Any fan of The Lord of the Rings movies will remember the main villain, Sauron, as a tall man in armor or a giant flaming eye. The servant of Morgoth even briefly appears in the same form in the prologue of Rings of Power. However, this version of Sauron quickly disappears, and viewers are left with the question of who Sauron could possibly be. Many people thought it could be the stranger, who spends most of his time with the Harfoots as an old man. However, the final episode revealed that Sauron had been in disguise the whole time as Halbrand, the lost king of The Southlands, and Galdriels’ main confidant.
While Sauron does take on many forms in the books during the second age, this new form is entirely constructed for the show. Tolkien mentions that Sauron tricked the Numenorians by disguising himself as a fair elf, named Annatar, and he even spent some time as a werewolf. However, Sauron never lived in Middle Earth as a man named Halbrand according to the books.
1 The Istari Arrive Early
Wizards Arrive In Middle Earth At The End Of The Second Age
The wizards of Middle Earth are known as the Istari. These powerful creatures are sent to Middle Earth at the end of the second age to help the free people in their fight against Sauron, according to the books. The most recognizable of these wizards is Gandalf, as he has a big part to play in both The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. As expected, a new show set in Middle Earth would struggle not to include such an iconic character from the franchise, especially since Gandalf is ageless.
Much of the early marketing for Rings of Power, and the inciting incident in the show, depicts a stranger crawling out a meteor. Many theorized that this character could be Gandalf, but the lore from Tolkien’s writing would suggest this is impossible. However, the stranger is later hinted to be Gandalf in a new form. It looks like one of the most famous faces in Middle Earth is going to play his part a bit earlier than readers may have realized.
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