The Rings of Power series 8 and The Lord of the Rings novels will be released with full spoilers.
The season 1 finale of The Rings of Power has slowed on Prime Video, and, unsurprisingly, it''s packed with staggering and disturbing entertainment.
The high-fantass Prime Video series has answered some of its biggest questions, including the forging of the titular rings, and key Middle-earth lore (as well as some significant modifications to its history and timeline). In reality, the whole episode 8 titled Alloyed may be in a spin over everything you''ve just learned.
Below, we''ll take a look at the main scenes and secrets from The Rings of Power''s eighth episode. We''ll explain who Sauron and The Stranger are, which rings have been created, and more about the episode''s most important talking points.
Season 1 spoilers as well as updates in The Lord of the Rings notes, will continue. Turn back when it comes to episode 8.
Season 1 of The Rings of Power has ended: who is Sauron?
Halbrand''s answer is yes.
Initially, we assumed he was the queen of the Southlands, but it was all a lie. He is actually the Dark Lord himself, aka Sauron, Morgoth''s apprentice, and the principal antagonist of Lord of the Rings.
Fans have long speculated that Sauron was performing as Halbrand since we met him in the two-episode premiere of the show, although the cast already knew Charlie Vickers, who plays Halbrand, was really doing this. Despite some tight writing and multiple misdirects on the writer''s room''s part, Halbrand had dropped down our list of candidates for who would end up being Sauron.
Many of us have an egg on our faces ourselves included before Alloyed''s release. We suggested that Halbrand would not be Sauron, given the fact that he was nowhere near The Mystics, the mysterious trio who has spent the past three episodes searching for Sauron. It''s a clever hook and switch on J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay''s (and their fellow writers'') part.
So, how did we know that Halbrand is Sauron? This particular fire was added more fuel when, following his arrival at Eregion and recovering a bit too quickly from his wounds, Halbrand meets Celebrimbor and begins to perform his magic.
The elven smith is encouraged to make an item from Elrond''s piece of mithril of unimaginable power. However, Halbrand suggests making two rings instead of the titular Rings of Power in J.R. Tolkien''s source material, with one of Sauron''s aliases Annatar counseling the elves on the rings'' forging.
Later, when Galadriel requests and receives a text about the Southlands'' royal lineage, Halbrand''s name isn''t there. In fact, there''s been no Southlands monarch for 1,000 years. After confronting Halbrand, he discovers that he''s actually Sauron in disguise. Following an increasingly frenetic verbal back and forth, Sauron attempts to drown Galadriel as he approaches him in the restructuring of the Middle-evil. He also receives his escape.
Halbrand/Sauron gets some of his first shots in season 1, revealing that he''ll turn them into his base of operations.
Why is The Stranger also called Istari in season 1 of The Rings of Power?
Because that''s the collection of powerful beings that he''s belongs to.
Despite Sauron''s revelation, The Stranger''s identity was the most interesting question fans had during The Rings of Power''s first season. Unfortunately, we don''t know what his name is, especially because he does not have one yet or is unable to remember the one he was given.
However, what we do know is something fans had long speculated on since the first trailer for The Stranger was cancelled in February. And yes, it''s true: The Stranger is a one of the Istari''s five powers sent by the Valar to assist Middle-earth''s races in the fight against Sauron.
While The Stranger is fighting The Mystics midway through episode 8, the trio, who are on the verge of being destroyed by The Stranger, state that he is an Istari. Later, Asked by Nori what Istari means, The Stranger assures her that it is "wise one. In your tongue, wizard."
The Istari will be put on Middle-earth until the Third Age, according to the source material. Given that The Rings of Power is set in the Second Age, some Tolkienites will be furious with the series'' adaptation of this particular piece of Lord of the Rings lore. More casual viewers, however, are unlikely to be confused about this historical tweak.
So, the next major question is: which wizard will The Stranger be? Gandalf is the obvious choice. "When in doubt, always follow your nose," says Gandalf. It seems like it''s nailed on this fact that This Stranger is also known as the Stranger.
This might be another piece of deception on the showrunners'' part. Who''s to say Gandalf doesn''t get rid of that quote from another magician?
So, then, we can''t rule out Saruman. After all, he started out as a force for good until his power desire corrupts his mind and he turns evil, and Gandalf always seeks his council in situations of need. Maybe Saruman is the one who gives Gandalf that somewhat foolish quote, who then makes it his own?
One of Peter Jackson''s Hobbit movies has three other contenders, and he does not play a major role in The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings novels. However, Radagast enjoys traveling by animals and concocting healing potions, making It unlikely to be him.
While Gandalf is looking like the most obvious choice, we even believe The Stranger is one of the other wizards, who have hidden treasures in Tolkien''s source material. To learn more, we must first raise another crucial question.
Why are The Stranger and Nori going to Rhun in the rings of Power season 1?
Answer: To ask yourself about the past and its true identity in The Stranger.
When The Mystics discover The Stranger is Sauron, we learn that one of them The Nomad has a shield with a constellation engraving. That''s the same set of stars on The Stranger''s torn piece of paper, which Nori stole from Sadoc''s Harfoot history to help with episode 3.
The Mystics come from the land of Rhun, a large area located in Middle-earth''s far east, but it''s not a stretch to say that The Stranger will discover that constellation and answers about his identity there. However, it''s not clear if they''ll actually learn more about The Stranger when they arrive.
We believe The Stranger will discover who he is in Rhun. Non only that, but we believe he''ll learn from him that he is one of the Blue Wizards.
In the ancient Lord of the Rings'' history, Tolkien''s outrageous notes on the Blue Wizards provide some clues to why the two are likely to have non-elvish names. In the dialect of the Valinor, they''re known as Alatar and Pallando, among Middle-earth''s races. Morinehtar and Romestamo are also known.
The Blue Wizards, Unlike Gandalf, Saurman, and Radagast, aren''t given common names. This gives The Rings of Power''s writers the choice to create names for the pair if they appear in the show.
Although information on the Blue Wizards is scarce in Tolkien''s works, we also know that they traveled far into Middle-earth''s eastern regions exactly where The Stranger and Nori are scheduled to go in season 2. Who''s to say that the duo will not join forces with them, and serve the Valar by stopping the Easterlings from forming a group of men loyal to Sauron?
The only other information we have is that they appeared as missionaries or adversaries to enemies in this area. These writers have the capability to fill an enormous hole in Middle-earth''s history and explain the role the Blue Wizards play in Rhun and beyond.
Season 1 of The Rings of Power has been concluded: which rings were used?
Nenya, Narya, and Vilya are three elvens.
After Halbrand/Sauron''s death, Galadriel mysteriously disappears, leaving Galadriel and Elrond to dissuade Celebrimbor from pushing ahead with his suggestion to make two rings.
Galadriel proposes that three items be faked. "One will be corrupt and two will divide," she says before Celebrimbor hits the mark. "But three will balance."
Three Rings of Power are created, and they just happen to be the three pieces of jewelry that a powerful elven trio wear for the rest of their time in Middle-earth. Not only that, but their forging is aided by Finrod''s dagger, which includes Valinor gold and steel to help with the crafting process. A reluctant Galadriel is heistant to take part with her brother''s weapon but, to preserve the enemies from destruction, she refuses to donate it.
The first ring is called Nenya, the Ring of Adamant, and the Ring of Water. This band is made of mithril evident and comes equipped with a stone of adamant. It''s the ring that Galadriel has acquired through the Second and Third Ages.
Narya, the red Ring or Ring of Fire, is set with a ruby. Tolkien''s source material doesn''t state that Narya contains mithril, but it must do, based on what happens in the season 1 finale. Narya ends up being worn by Cirdan the Shipwright, one of the oldest elves to live, and a character who''ll debut in season 2. Cirdan passes Narya onto Gandalf sometime later.
Vilya, also known as the Ring of Air and the Ring of Sapphire, is the mightiest of the three elven rings. It''s a bracelet made of gold with a sapphire set in it, which is gifted to Gil-galad after its creation. Elrond receives the ring after Gil-galad.
In the fight against Sauron, what makes the elven rings so important? The Dark Lord had no role in their crafting, thus these rings are unsullied by Sauron, allowing him to no longer influence them as he does with the nine kings of men. However, as a result of their efforts, Sauron realizes when he has developed his ring with the aim of enslaving Middle-earth, which puts The War of the Elves and Sauron in motion.
It''s unclear if we''ll see the other 17 rings the One Ring, the nine for men, and the seven for dwarf lords created in Season 2. With Sauron now planning to occupy Mordor, you can bet it won''t be long before we do it.
Season 1 of The Rings of Power is now available on Prime Video to stream in full.