Ashes, nothing but ashes. The season finale for The Rings of Power has arrived and it’s been a bit of a rocky road for Amazon Studios’ expensive Lord of the Rings prequel project. But the fantasy epic found strength and momentum in these remaining episodes leading to this week’s climactic Episode 8. Here’s everything you need to know.
When is The Rings of Power Episode 8 release date?
Episode 8 of The Rings of Power descends on Friday, October 14, 2022.
When is The Rings of Power Episode 8 release time?
Amazon releases new episodes at midnight Eastern time each Friday (or 9 p.m. Pacific)
How many episodes of The Rings of Power Season 1 are left?
Amazon Studios’ debut season of The Rings of Power ran for eight episodes. This is the last episode with none remaining until Season 2 rolls out, likely in 2024.
What is the plot of The Rings of Power Episode 8?
Myriad questions and a horde of secrets are yet to be delivered but the end is nigh in this last installment. With our heroes off on various missions in the aftermath of Mt. Doom’s eruption and mounting evil spreading over the newly christened Mordor, expect the show to finally unveil the identity of the Stranger and Sauron before the final credits roll.
For Sauron, everyone’s bet seems to be on Halbrand, but the showrunners could pull off some unexpected surprises. Elves and dwarves will unite to defend Middle-earth, while profound revelations that have been promised in the season finale trailer make their presence known. Odds are still high that the Stranger is one of the Maiar and actually a young Gandalf!
Who is in the cast of The Rings of Power?
The Rings of Power is packed to the hilt with talent, including Morfydd Clark (Galadriel), Joseph Mawle (Adar), Robert Aramayo (Elrond), Ismael Cruz Córdova (Arondir), Lloyd Owen (Elendil), Maxim Baldry (Isildur), Charlie Vickers (Halbrand), Daniel Weyman (The Stranger), and Cynthia Addai-Robinson (Queen Regent Miriel).
Also starring are Benjamin Walker (High King Gil-galad), Charles Edwards (Celebrimbor), Markella Kavenagh (Nori), Owain Arthur (Prince Durin IV), Nazanin Boniadi (Bronwyn), Ema Horvath (Earien), Tyroe Muhafidin (Theo), and Sophia Nomvete (Princess Disa).
Is there a trailer for The Rings of Power Episode 8?
Yes, while Amazon Studios and Prime Video were not in the habit of dropping episode trailers, they did compose a season finale teaser filled mostly with images and scenes from previous episodes but it instills a rousing attitude, highlights the spectacle, and piques our interest for the big Sauron reveal to close out this first season in a surge of emotion.
Will there be a Rings of Power Season 2?
Yes, this premiere season set the stage for many more prequel adventures in Middle-earth to come. Showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne are playing the long game with perhaps up to four more seasons proposed, and filming moving to the UK from New Zealand for next year.
What happened in The Rings of Power Episode 7?
Volcanic eruptions are notoriously difficult to tidy up, with the Southlands ravaged by pyroclastic clouds and flaming rocks. Galadriel and what’s left of the Númenóreans and Southlanders arose into a nightmarish hellscape choked with floating embers and glowing ash.
Over with the jolly Harfoots, Nori and her clan reach their destination but encounter a smoking boulder ejected from Mt. Doom’s wrath that burned the surrounding land. The Stranger departs to find the “big folk” but not before wielding his powers to resurrect the land to an Eden-like orchard. Those weird white-robed priestesses track the Stranger to the Harfoots’ caravan and promptly incinerate their newly-restored camp, then leave to hunt down the mysterious meteor man. (With Nori and a few other Harfoots setting out to warn him first.)
At Khazad-dûm, Elrond pleaded with Prince Durin and his father (also named Durin) to help save the elven race with a generous supply of Mithril. But dangers lurk in the mines if more is to be extracted from the caverns. After a chunk of Mithril restores a dying Lindon leaf, Prince Durin goes against his father and reopened the mine, leading to the discovery of a rich vein of Mithril. But King Durin catches them, ousts Elrond from Khazad-dûm, and strips his son of his title.
Galadriel and Theo wandered the wastelands looking for the living and reunited with Elendil, Bronwyn, Arondir, a seriously wounded Halbrand, and blind Queen Regent Miriel at a Númenórean encampment. Isildur is still missing but his loyal steed Berek senses he’s still alive.
Miriel and Elendil set sail back to Númenór with their remaining soldiers. Bronwyn, Theo, and Arondir are off to an abandoned Númenórean outpost called Pelargil. Galadriel and Halbrand are bound for Lindon to report to High King Gil-galad and score some potent elvish medicine.
Back in Moria, King Durin tosses a leaf into the Mithril mine before sealing it and we watch it wither and burn when an angry Balrog demon awakens from its subterranean slumber.
Finally, Adar and his orc army regroup as the Southlands are given a more fitting name, Mordor!
