Throughout The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2, fans are witnessing some key changes to the J. R. R. Tolkien books. They’ve seen alterations made to Galadriel’s marriage, as well as Elrond’s servitude at Lindon. Apart from established characters, new figures are roped in as well to create fresh pockets of continuity.

When it comes to Isildur, Rings of Power Season 2 is mixing both. It has tossed a new character into his personal orbit, while tweaking his past before he’d go on to become King of Arnor and Gondor. But as the prequel continues, he’s going to be facing extra drama. It arrives due to a problem his descendant Aragorn would later have: a love triangle. At the moment, Isildur is in a somber mood.

Rings of Power Season 2 Makes Isildur’s Crush a Sympathetic Character

Isildur Believes Estrid Is a Victim of Adar’s War

Isildur is in Pelargir after the Númenor army got devastated fighting Adar’s forces in Rings of Power Season 1. He is crushing on Estrid, a young woman he met after fighting off the Wild Men (Adar’s human cultists). Little did he know, she had the mark of Adar on her neck and burned her skin to try to cover it up. While Isildur is blinded by emotions, his Elven colleague, Arondir, is not. He’s a man of logic and who has great detective skills.

When Arondir exposes Estrid, Isildur is heartbroken. However, Estrid admits that she only took the mark to protect herself. If not, she would have died as the Wild Men would have seen her as a traitor. More specifically, she would have been assaulted or killed — or at least, that’s the story she’s selling. Isildur wants to believe it, but Arondir won’t buy it. The Elf shackles her and makes it clear they’ll use her as a scout to track the Wild Men they think have taken the Bronwyn’s son, Theo.

Isildur is torn, as he doesn’t want to see her in chains. If she’s a victim, she should be liberated. But part of him doesn’t like her deceit. If she was telling the truth, she wouldn’t have needed deception in the first place. She could have had honest, open communication and garnered sympathy. As they trek on, Isildur shows compassion, amid quite a few wistful, endearing glances.

Rings of Power Season 2 Proves Estrid Can Be a Hero

Estrid Helps Out Arondir and Isildur

Fans have seen some amazing Rings of Powers’ creatures over the course of the series. This mini-fellowship experiences another one in a brawl in the forest. Arondir doesn’t want to free Estrid, but she still tries to help when a mud worm almost kills the Elf and Isildur. Thankfully, Arondir cuts its heart out and sends this “nameless thing” fleeing. He recognizes she has a selfless edge to her, and that she may be telling the truth.

Isildur frees her at night, but she pulls a sword on him after making it seem like she wants a kiss. She knows Pelargir will cast her out for having the mark, so she wants to run away. Isildur is adamant he won’t let that happen and turns it into a romantic moment by the way he stares at her. However, they get sidetracked when the Ents arrive. Thankfully, they broker a deal and get Theo back from these sentient trees, who are his true captors.

At this juncture, it’s clear Isildur will do anything to protect Estrid. She sees and feels this affection, which suggests her kidnapping by Adar’s legion along with a fiancée may well have been a lie. She also may have taken the mark to become a loner people wouldn’t mess with. This gives Isildur hope, as he adores her ferocity. This is what he sought in Númenor. She’s the perfect woman, and she isn’t afraid of a fight. It nods to why he wanted to leave home, explore and meet new people. He had no idea someone would set his heart afire after a war. Isildur is enamored and inspired to say the least.

Rings of Power Season 2 Gives Isildur a Romantic Problem

Isildur Is Heartbroken Over Seeing Estrid’s Beloved Hagen

In the Lord of the Rings movies, Aragorn had his own love triangle. Eowyn loved him, but his heart belonged to Arwen (Elrond’s daughter). At times, however, it felt like Aragorn’s kindness towards Eowyn could have evolved into something more, especially when he thought Arwen would go to Valinor and not marry him. Elrond forbade it, as she’d lose her immortality if she married a human with some Elven blood. Nonetheless, Aragorn chose and wed Arwen.

The same drama unfolds in a subverted manner with Isildur. Aragorn’s ancestor is stunned when the Ents release Hagen: the man that Estrid said she was betrothed to. Hagen is grateful to see her, as they both thought the other had died. Even Arondir is perturbed, as he thought she was developing feelings for Isildur. It’s a bit awkward. Viewers can see Isildur’s disbelief as he walks off. It sets up a romantic problem.

Once they all get back to Pelargir, Isildur will be torn. Defending Estrid will mean he’d have to defend Hagen as well. They’ll need to sort this out because no one knows Hagen’s character and if he also faked being a Wild Man. It creates a lot of unpredictability at Pelargir. Fans of the Tolkien novels think Estrid is the wife that wasn’t mentioned much in Isildur’s story — one that would extend the bloodline down to Aragorn. These theorists will be all in to see how the love triangle is resolved.

Ultimately, loyalists of the show are locked in because the Rings of Power series isn’t shy with love triangles. Galadriel, Sauron and Elrond gave that energy off in Season 1. That one has simmered and cooled somewhat. This Isildur triangle, however, is just beginning. For him, the embers and fire are burning red-hot. Estrid looks like she wants to reciprocate. But a lot will come down to what Hagen is about. He’s a new character and a mysterious wildcard, which sets up an enticing rivalry as it defines how Aragorn’s dynasty was shaped.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power streams Thursdays on Prime Video.