The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is telling a tale laid out by J.R.R. Tolkien in his The Lord of the Rings book, but the show’s eponymous character may not be who I thought. I’m well-versed in Tolkien lore, as a lifelong fan, so I don’t doubt my understanding of the book, but I am now wondering if the show follows a slightly different logic. Whether it does or not, The Rings of Power season 2 has made an intriguing reference to its titular Lord, providing a satisfying callback to Tolkien’s work. The show is full of Tolkien references and Easter eggs, many of which reference this central issue.

The Rings of Power season 1 ending explained that the show’s original character, Halbrand, was Sauron. Now we can observe Sauron in all his evil glory as he takes over the forging of more rings with Celebrimbor. Sauron and Celebrimbor’s forging of more Rings of Power in season 2 will help the show succeed as a prequel series to The Lord of the Rings. This story of Sauron’s rise must inevitably show us the rings and their masters, setting up the story of how Frodo found himself atop Mount Doom, trying to destroy the One Ring. However, in telling this story, the series also looks set to challenge our notions of who the “Lord” actually is.

The Rings Of Power Suggests Celebrimbor Is The True “Lord Of The Rings”

Sauron Implies Celebrimbor Could Be “The Lord Of The Rings”

Sauron revealed his identity to Celebrimbor in The Rings of Power season 2 in a shock move that told me why his Annatar form was so similar to his Halbrand form. Sauron wasn’t trying to deceive Celebrimbor, he was trying to impress him with his shapeshifting abilities. This was part of Sauron’s pitch to Celebrimbor to get him forging more rings, which Sauron topped off by promising Celebrimbor that he would become “The Lord of the Rings.” This line suggests that p erhaps Celebrimbor will be “The Lord of the Rings” in the show, and we’ll get to witness his journey.

Who “The Lord Of The Rings” Actually Refers To

“The Lord Of The Rings” Is Sauron In The Book

While this Celebrimbor tease is intriguing, we know that in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings book, “The Lord of the Rings” was Sauron. When Frodo was recovering from his injury in Rivendell, Gandalf explained the Ringwraiths to him – “the Black Riders are the Ringwraiths, the Nine Servants of the Lord of the Rings.” As the creator of the One Ring, Sauron was the lord of all the other Rings of Power, having imbued all rings with an innate allegiance to his One Ring and to him. Even in another’s possession, the One Ring was in Sauron’s service, always trying to get back to him and corrupting bearers to Sauron’s will.

…I believe that the show is really using Sauron’s words to make his evil and manipulation clear.

As such, Celebrimbor is not and never will be a Lord of the Rings of Power, even if he has a huge hand in making them. The show may be positioning Celebrimbor as its Second Age Lord of the Rings, suggesting that Sauron is the Third Age Lord of the Rings, wreaking worse havoc in a later era. But I believe that the show is really using Sauron’s words to make his evil and manipulation clear. We are party to the ironic secret of the true Lord of the Rings, but Celebrimbor is falling for Sauron’s pitch hook, line, and sinker in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.