Middle-earth is no longer a peaceful land for Elves in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2. On the verge of having to leave Lindon due to the death of their tree of life, though even with the construction of the three Elven Rings of Power preserving it, Elves found themselves in a state of turmoil, as Galadriel revealed that Halbrand was actually Sauron. Furthermore, the city of Eregion, home to ring forger Celebrimbor, becomes the target for Adar and the Uruk, all while Celebrimbor inadvertently welcomes Sauron in when he presents himself as Annatar, an Elven god of gifts, and creating more of the titular rings.

The latter half of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 saw Elrond strive to enlist the Dwarves to aid in the battle against the Uruk at Eregion, with episode 7 even seeing both Gil-galad and Elrond joining in on the fight, only for Durin IV to not show up as he gets wrapped up with his father going mad from the Dwarven rings’ influence and killing many of his men. The season 2 finale finds Eregion in the final throes of its downfall after being overwhelmed by the Uruk, with Arondir wounded by Adar and captured alongside Gil-galad and a despondent Elrond.

Robert Aramayo and Benjamin Walker return to the ensemble Rings of Power season 2 cast as Elrond and Gil-galad alongside Charlie Vickers’ Sauron/Annatar/Halbrand, Galadriel’s Morfydd Clark, Durin IV’s Owain Arthur, Isildur’s Maxim Baldry, Celebrimbor’s Charles Edwards, Arondir’s Ismael Cruz Córdova, Disa’s Sophia Nomvete, Nori’s Markella Kavenagh and The Stranger’s Daniel Weyman, among many others. Even as the emotional stakes become devastating, the prequel show to J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novel is gradually building toward the world fans know.

Ahead of the finale, Screen Rant interviewed Benjamin Walker and Robert Aramayo to discuss The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 finale, the former having to bite his tongue and not fan out getting to suit up in Gil-galad’s battle armor, the latter’s transformation into a warrior in the final few episodes, and Elrond’s emotional state following both the death of Celebrimbor and the downfall of Eregion.

Walker Had To Remind Himself “To Not Giggle” Suiting Up For Battle

“It was humbling, exciting, but also just a lot of fun.“

Screen Rant: I love that for you both, in episodes 7 and 8, we finally get to see Elrond and Gil-galad in action. Benjamin, I’d like to start with you, and then Robert. Ben, you’ve talked about the passion you have for Tolkien coming from your brother. I’d love to hear from you both what it’s like finally getting to suit up in that armor and take part in these big battle sequences.

Benjamin Walker: There were a couple moments where I had to remind myself to not giggle. [Chuckles] Being like, “Hehehehehe, I can’t believe I’m getting to do this.” Like, “No, I’m the king.” It was profoundly fun, and also moving to see how much went into creating it, from the guys that control the atmosphere to the stunt guys that have been getting into orc costumes since four in the morning. It was humbling, exciting, but also just a lot of fun. Robert was a lot muddier than I was, so you may not have thought it was as much fun. Also, I was on a horse for most of it. [Laughs]

Robert Aramayo: [Laughs] It was, it was, yeah. I’d echo what Ben says. It’s a huge challenge to make, but there’s those moments where you go, “Wow, this is awesome.”

Celebrimbor’s Death & Eregion’s Fall Will Be Vital To Elrond’s Future

Aramayo Also Believes Elrond’s Battle Plan Could’ve Worked (On 1 Condition)

Now it’s also been quite the emotional season for Elrond, and as he’s had to grapple with his feelings for Galadriel, but also her being drawn to the ring, and then losing Celebrimbor, as we see in the final episodes. What is his mentality coming out of the finale? Because for so many people, there is still trying to hold on to a sense of hope.

Robert Aramayo: Yeah, it’s complicated, isn’t it? He’s failed, and he thinks he’s failed Celebrimbor, and Middle-earth by extension. But I think if you know the lore, maybe that failure stays with him and motivates him to, potentially, pay homage to Celebrimbor and what is lost. It’s been a really complicated season for him, in terms of trying to kindle his own thoughts on what’s going on. He has just this feeling in the pit of his stomach that something is not right with these rings, something is not right with the way that she’s looking at them.

But what I like so much is to think about — talking about the battle — if his plan would have come off, if Durin would have showed up, he would have won. I think he would have won, not just because of the dwarves, but if Durin was there, I would have won. When you read in the lore about Húrin, I think, killing 70 orcs, just as the last man before Morgoth drags him off to the thing, Tolkien’s characters in those emotional moments are capable of incredible things. I think if I had Durin next to me, as I was expecting, we would have won.

Benjamin Walker: And that was something that was unique to you, that you brought to the table. You were the only person that could bring Durin and his people. It would have been, not only a win for Middle-earth, but a win for you, and your confidence in your standing within the Elven kingdom, yeah, yeah. It’s that much more poignant.

Robert Aramayo: Yeah, my uniqueness, so the fact that that fails, it’s just devastating.

About The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2

In Season Two of The Rings of Power, Sauron has returned. Cast out by Galadriel, without army or ally, the rising Dark Lord must now rely on his own cunning to rebuild his strength and oversee the creation of the Rings of Power, which will allow him to bind all the peoples of Middle-earth to his sinister will. Building on Season One’s epic scope and ambition, the new season plunges even its most beloved and vulnerable characters into a rising tide of darkness, challenging each to find their place in a world that is increasingly on the brink of calamity. Elves and dwarves, orcs and men, wizards and Harfoots… as friendships are strained and kingdoms begin to fracture, the forces of good will struggle ever more valiantly to hold on to what matters to them most of all… each other.

Check out our previous and upcoming Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 interviews with:

Morfydd Clark & Sam Hazeldine
Daniel Weyman, Markella Kavenagh & Megan Richards
Charlie Vickers & Charles Edwards
Benjamin Walker & Ismael Cruz Córdova
Co-Showrunner Patrick McKay & Executive Producer Lindsey Weber
Ema Horvath
Trystan Gravelle
Vic Armstrong
Barrie Gower
Markella Kavenagh & Megan Richards (post-episode 7)
Markella Kavenagh & Cynthia Addai-Robinson (post-finale)
Charlie Vickers (post-finale)
Charlotte Brändström & Alex Disenhof (post-finale)