Charles Edwards as Celebrimbor juxtaposed with a burning Eregion in The Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power season 2 The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 finale director Charlotte Brändström and cinematographer Alex Disenhof explain the new Elven lands featured in the episode. Continuing its story of Sauron’s (Charlie Vickers) rise during the Second Age of Middle-eath, Prime Video’s Lord of the Rings series – created by Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne – just concluded its sophomore outing. The finale of Rings of Power season 2 featured a number of big developments, concluding in a new Elven location as Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), Elrond (Robert Aramayo), and Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker) unite to plan their next moves.

In a recent interview with Screen Rant, Brändström and Disenhof delve into this new Elven forest location featured in The Rings of Power‘s season 2 finale. After the brutal and bloody fall of Eregion, the two creatives explain that it was important for the season to conclude in a location that was more beautiful and that exuded more hope for the future. Check out their comments below about the reason behind the location and how it was shot:

Charlotte Brändström: As you said, it was about hope, they wanted to keep the hope. They were on their way towards a better world. They’ve found this sort of safe haven that we’ll know more about in season 3. Even her costume we changed, we made sure she was dressed in white, we wanted her to look totally different. And then, we wanted to hope for a better future for the Elves, so it was much softer lighting after all the crazy battles.

Alex Disenhof: Yeah, it was important to establish a real visual departure from what we had just seen. So, we overexposed, we did a little bit of filtration, actually, which we don’t normally do on the show, so the highlights glow just a little bit. We wanted to feel like a reawakening a little bit, and I’m actually really happy with the way it ends, I think we did what we set out to do.

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Elrond, Arondir, Gil-galad lifting his sword, and Galadriel standing above Rivendell in The Rings of Power season 2 (2024)

Thus far, The Rings of Power has included a number of key locations from the world of Middle-earth, and season 2 actually features a franchise first with its portrayal of the desert location of Rhûn. With Brändström’s latest comment, it’s clear that the show’s take on Middle-earth will continue to expand in The Rings of Power season 3 and beyond. It’s not clear exactly where the show concludes, but the stunning waterfalls, natural beauty, and general landscape certainly suggest that they are in the valley of Rivendell.

As far as what role this location could play in season 3 and beyond, the events of The Lord of the Rings already reveal that Rivendell eventually becomes Elrond’s home. In season 3, however, this location could serve as a home for the displaced Elves who survived the Battle of Eregion. After such a significant defeat, this forest could also serve as a place where wounds begin to heal and battle plans are drawn. The Rings of Power, after all, is seemingly building up the Last Alliance of Elves of Men, which concludes the Second Age.

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Frodo (Elijah Wood) looks out over Rivendell in The Lord of the Rings The Fellowship of the Ring

If the location is indeed Rivendell, The Rings of Power will have yet another connection to more established elements of The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien lore. Season 2 also confirms that the Stranger (Daniel Weyman) is Gandalf, it sets up Sauron’s forging of the One Ring, and it introduces Narsil, the sword that Isildur eventually uses to cut off Sauron’s fingers.

While it’s always exciting to see new locations, it could also be nice for season 3 to bring back a particularly memorable location audiences are already familiar with. The show has proven with Khazad-dûm, for example, that it can be interesting to see these familiar locations explored in new ways through the eyes of new characters. It remains to be seen whether this valley in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power‘s season 2 finale is Rivendell, but it was certainly a hopeful place to end the new season after so much darkness.