The one fantasy show to rule them all is back for a second season.
Following a two-year break, Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is returning for its second season beginning with a three-episode premiere on Thursday, Aug. 29. Befitting the sprawling source material, The Rings of Power features a large ensemble cast, with even more characters joining the show in its second season.
Of course, a big part of the plot of the first season was discovering who many of these characters were. That means that this list of the main characters is itself a SPOILER for the eight-episode first season. But if you’re caught up, here’s a quick refresher as you meet the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, plus a look at the new characters joining for season 2.
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All descriptions courtesy of Amazon. Watch the Season 1 recap video below.
Galadriel (Morfydd Clark)
Guilt-stricken at having unwittingly empowered the Dark Lord Sauron, in Season 2 the legendary elven commander Galadriel is desperate to earn back the trust of her fellow elves, and prove that the Three Rings she helped create have the power to save her people, and defeat Sauron once and for all.
Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova)
In the wake of two devastating losses – the elf-soldier Arondir begins Season 2 at a crossroads, caught between two worlds, trying to decide where he truly belongs: in the ancient Númenórean colony of Pelargir, with the mortal Southlanders, including the orphaned Theo – or elsewhere, with his own kind, the elves.
Durin IV (Owain Arthur)
Estranged from his father and stripped of his inheritance, the former Prince Durin begins Season 2 at a low – but when an environmental cataclysm threatens to plunge all of Khazad-dûm into darkness, Durin will be forced to dig himself out of the hole he finds himself in – both literally, and figuratively.
Elrond (Robert Aramayo)
The elven politician Elrond begins Season 2 determined to uncover the secrets he believes his friend Galadriel has kept from him and his fellow elves. But when he finds himself an outsider in his own kingdom, Elrond will have to face the reality that in this new age of Middle-earth, the distinction between good and evil is sometimes not as clear as he once believed…
Adar (Sam Hazeldine)
Having secured a home in Mordor for the orcs, in Season 2, Adar faces an unexpected threat when he learns that Sauron, the former master he betrayed and murdered, is alive and well – and scheming to take back everything Adar has taken from him.
Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle)
With his supporters growing in number, and increasingly pressuring him to advance his own claim to the throne, at the start of Season 2 Chancellor Pharazôn faces a choice: refuse the call, and stay true to his politically-besieged cousin Míriel… or seize the moment, and make his move at last.
The Stranger (Daniel Weyman)
In search of his origins and purpose, in Season 2 the mysterious, magic-wielding Stranger seeks the constellation that has haunted him since his arrival to in Middle-earth – and the wizard’s staff he hopes to find under it.
Lord Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards)
After achieving the creative success of an immortal lifetime in forging the Three Elven Rings, Season 2 begins with the visionary craftsman Celebrimbor sidelined, his ambitions put on hold as he anxiously awaits news of the Rings’ fate – making him dangerously vulnerable to Sauron’s lies.
Sauron (Charlie Vickers)
Rejected and cast out by Galadriel, the Dark Lord Sauron begins Season 2 more determined than ever to complete his plan to use Rings of Power to claim Lordship over all Middle-earth.
Meet the Cast of ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ – New Characters in Season 2
Dark Wizard (Ciarán Hinds)
A dark and powerful wizard, whose origins and intentions are shrouded in secrecy, and who has a legion of magic-wielding acolytes who obey his every command — among them the three travelers who sought out the Stranger at the end of Season 1… on the Dark Wizard’s orders.
Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear)
A timeless, mysterious, and jovial figure prone to cryptic expressions in singsong verse, Tom Bombadil plays a key role in many of the most important moments in the history of Middle-earth.
Who is The Stranger in The Rings of Power?
Although his identity has yet to be officially confirmed, The Stranger’s line about “When in doubt… always follow your nose” is a direct callback to a line Gandalf says to Merry in The Fellowship of the Ring. We fully expect season 2 to confirm this theory at some point.
What Does the Ring of Power Say in its Inscription?
Written in Elvish, the inscription reads “Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.” Translated to English, it’s one of the more memorable lines from the original trilogy: “One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.”
When Are New Episodes of The Rings of Power Released?
Following the three-episode premiere, new episodes of season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be released weekly on Thursdays. The full schedule is below: