Full spoilers follow for season 1 of The Rings of Power. Potential season 2 spoilers are also discussed.
A new trailer for The Rings of Power season 2 has been forged in the fires of Mount Doom – and, after its worldwide debut at San Diego Comic-Con, it's now available to watch online.
Ahead of the show's second season debuting in late August, the *ahem* powers that be at Prime Video has seen fit to drum up further excitement for The Rings of Power's return with a near-four-minute long teaser that's as action-packed as it is filled with surprises. Believe us, you'll want to watch it immediately – and you can do just that below.
Looks really good, doesn't it? After the somewhat mixed reception for the Amazon TV show's first chapter, it seems season 2 will forge closer ties to what J.R.R. Tolkien wrote about Middle-earth's Second Age than its predecessor. Of course, the odd creative liberty has been taken but, by and large, it looks like some of the biggest moments in The Lord of the Rings' mythology are being brought to life as authentically as possible.
Sure, we'll have to wait for season 2's arrival to see if that's the case, but what does its latest trailer actually tease? Below, I've picked out 14 things you might have missed and/or need explained, and theorized what they could mean for one of the best Prime Video shows' next installment.
1. Sauron returns to Númenor?
The very first shot of season 2's new trailer is immediately curious. On the surface, it doesn't appear to be anything of significance – indeed, it simply shows Sauron riding into an undisclosed location while a voiceover from Galadriel plays.
Reading more into it, though, I believe this scene takes place when Sauron voluntarily surrenders to the island of Númenor. His dirty face and somewhat bedraggled clothing suggest he's been in some form of skirmish, while the architecture of the arch he proceeds through is adorned with the Númenórean royal sigil. Indeed, it's identical to the crown worn by Aragorn late in The Return of the King's live-action movie. Oh, and the Númenórean armor, worn by a guard on his left side, is also a dead giveaway.
If I'm correct, I think this scene happens in the season 2 finale, following Sauron's defeat in the War of the Elves and Sauron that, thanks to The Rings of Power season 2's first trailer, we know will be part of this season's plot. So, we might see Sauron – who already visited Númenor in season 1 while masquerading as Halbrand – allow Ar-Phazarôn (more on him later) to take him hostage, thereby enabling Sauron to slowly worm his way into Númenórean high society and set the island nation's downfall in motion. All of that is likely to happen in The Rings of Power's expected third season, but the foundations could certainly be laid in season 2's eighth and final episode – and as part of this particular scene.
2. A helmet-like crown fit for a menacing villain
The Rings of Power's showrunners have already teased that season 2 will be "all about the villains", so it stands to reason that they feature prominently throughout its latest teaser. That includes clearer looks at secondary foes including fallen elf/orc army commander Adar, as well as the aforementioned Sauron.
We seem to get a glimpse at a prototype of Sauron's iconic armor's headpiece at the 0:10 mark. An orc is carrying what appears to be a crown, but it's shaped similarly to the multi-pronged headgear he wears in the Second Age's final battle – The Last Alliance of Elves and Men, as seen in the prelude to The Fellowship of the Ring film. Is this crown a progenitor, no doubt made by orc smiths, to said helmet? It certainly seems that way to me.
3. Attack of the Barrow-wights
We were given the briefest glimpse of these spooky creatures in season 2's first trailer, but this new reel gives us an even better look at the Barrow-wights who Galadriel, Elrond, and their elven scouting party will duel with at some point.
Judging by their horrifying ghostly demeanor, I definitely wouldn't want to encounter one of these forest-dwelling terrors on a night-time walk. Let's hope these Eriador-based spirits of darkness don't pose too much of a threat to our heroes.
4. Rings, rings, and more rings
Considering Amazon's Lord of the Rings TV show is called The Rings of Power, you would expect the titular, magic-infused jewelry to show up more often as the series progresses. Thankfully, that'll be the case. Speaking exclusively to TechRadar in October 2022, some of the series' cast teased the creation of the One Ring and its siblings in its sophomore outing.
Based on what we see and hear about them in season 2's official trailer, that's nailed on to happen. We get closer looks at the newly designed elven rings – Narya, Nenya, and Vilya – as well as another good view of King Durin III's blue-gemmed ring. There's also a glimpse of a new Ring of Power that Celebrimbor holds up towards the trailer's end. It seems he's in an underground area, too, which suggests he might be offering it to one of Durin III's fellow dwarf lords.
As for who'll make them, Eregion's elven smiths are seen preparing to craft the rings under the guidance of Annatar, aka Sauron's elven alias. Later, the show's primary villain tells Celebrimbor to "give me the nine", suggesting that the nine Rings of Power he'll eventually 'gift' to the Kings of Men are also going to be created. Evidently, the rings will be just as central to season 2's plot as Sauron is.
5. The Easterlings arrive...
Fans were left disappointed when they learned that the Easterlings, a race of men who hail from the Kingdom of Rhûn, were absent from the Siege of Gondor in the live-action film adaptation of The Return of the King. Indeed, the group was cut from the movie late into its post-production phase in a bid to shave down its theatrical runtime.
Pleasingly, it seems a similar fate won't befall them in The Rings of Power season 2. Between the 1:30 and 1:36 marks, we see a bunch of proto-Easterlings – maybe even each clan's Lord? – featured. One is seen riding their steed amid a sunset backdrop, another is seen spying on Nori and The Stranger (who have traveled to Rhûn to learn more about the latter's past) through a telescope, and the final shot shows five individuals watching someone off-camera.
It's unclear how big of a role they'll play in season 2. But, if this is a tribe (or tribes) of Easterlings, their appearance could be very significant – especially as one of their leaders, Khamul, is one of the nine Kings of Men who receives a ring from Sauron in the source material.
6. ...and the Mystics return
Remember when we thought the Mystics all perished in their showdown with The Stranger in The Rings of Power season 1 finale? Yeah, it turns out we were wrong. At the 1:42 mark, we see a group of five new Mystics casting a moth-based spell for reasons unknown. No matter what they're up to, it can't be good news.
7. The Stranger speaks!
It seemed inevitable that The Stranger, who's confirmed as a member of the Istari, aka one of the five wizards sent to help Middle-earth's races defeat Sauron, would continue to be largely mute in season 2. That's based on the footage we'd seen prior to the latest teaser's release.
As it happens, though, we'll finally hear him speak in the show's sophomore season. Indeed, he does as much at the 1:45 mark. The Stranger – who I expect to be revealed as Gandalf at some point – asks Tom Bombadil (more on him in a moment): "Is it my task to stop the fire? Is it my task to face Sauron!?"
8. Welcome to The Rings of Power, 'Old Tom' Bombadil
A surprise that could've been held back until season 2's release, the revelation that Tom Bombadil – a fan-favorite Lord of the Rings character who'll turn up in a live-action project for the very first time – will appear in The Rings of Power was well received in late May. Well, unless you're a diehard fan who questioned what he's doing in Rhûn; a location he doesn't visit in Tolkien's literature.
But I digress. We get a first look at 'Old Tom' in action in this trailer when the enigmatic, jovial, magical individual turns to face The Stranger after the latter asks those aforementioned questions in point seven. He's spotted later in the trailer, too, asking his new friend if he'll abandon Middle-earth's races "to their doom". Expect him to mentor The Stranger throughout this season.
9. Peering into the palantír
Ar-Pharazôn's rise up the Númenórean ranks looks like it'll continue apace in season 2, judging by the foreboding shot we see of him interacting with one of Middle-earth's eight Palantíri – indestructible seeing stones that allow for wide-ranging communication across Middle-earth. How and why he's using it – I suspect it's to further his cause to usurp the Númenórean throne – will become clearer when the show returns.
10. Durin's Bane makes its presence felt
Ever since The Rings of Power season 1 episode 7 aired, we've known that the Balrog known as Durin's Bane would eventually rouse from its slumber to wage war on the dwarven kingdom of Khazad-dûm. Thanks to co-showrunner Patrick McKay, we've also known that Durin's Bane would next appear in season 2 – McKay telling TechRadar: "Season 2, sir, stay tuned" when asked about when it'll reappear after the show's seventh episode.
Well, McKay wasn't leading me on. Not only did I predict Durin's Bane was responsible for destroying one of the subterranean kingdom's bridges in season 2's first trailer, but it's also set to play a prominent role in the series' next chapter. That's based on the snippets of footage in season 2's newest teaser, which show it escaping its tomb and making a beeline for Khazad-dûm.
11. Water way to go, Miriel
Remember that unidentified woman we saw in a body of water, which housed a similarly unknown aquatic beast, in season 2's first trailer? It turns out it was Míriel, Númenor's Queen Regent. Confirmation of that comes at the 2:15 mark, with the blind monarch entering said lake/sea for reasons I'm not sure of. Oh, and the creature she encounters in both trailers is a Sea Worm. So there, both identity mysteries from the first teaser solved.
12. Enter the Ents
Arguably the trailer's biggest surprise is saved until the 2:40 mark. A voiceover from someone saying "forgiveness takes an age" begins playing a few seconds earlier, only for the teaser to reveal what appears to be a female Ent – you know, those ancient, slow-moving, sentient tree-like beings – speaking.
We haven't seen an Ent in a live-action Lord of the Rings project since The Return of the King's extended cut, so I couldn't help but smile upon this shock reveal. We get another glimpse at the Ent at the 2:53 mark, which seems to take a swing at a character who could be either Arondir or Isildur. It's hard to make out which individual it is but, given this duo will spend much of season 2 traversing Middle-earth together, it stands to reason that they'll both encounter it.
13. I spy Shelob
Speaking of Isildur, we don't get many glimpses at the Númenórean warrior in season 2's latest trailer. But, when we do get a good look at him towards its climax, we see him fighting a spiderling in a dark cave.
Now, you might be thinking this is just an ordinary arachnid, but I can reveal the eight-legged freak we see is actually Shelob. That's right, the giant spider that Frodo and Sam encounter on their long trek Mordor in The Return of the King will appear in The Rings of Power season 2 – an Amazon press blast accompanying its newest trailer confirming the monstrous creepy-crawly's cameo.
14. They have a Hill-troll
There's one final monstrous reveal before the trailer ends, too. At the 3:14 mark, we catch a fleeting glimpse of a new troll, which as part of Sauron and Adar's massive orc army will play a huge role in the Siege of Eregion – likely to be season 2's tentpole battle.
For those who missed it at the time: this creature was first revealed by Empire magazine on July 1, with the entertainment publication confirming it'll be named Damrod. Oh, and it'll be a Hill-troll that's referred to as the "eater of dragon bones". A colossal being not to be trifled with, then!
For more Prime Video-based coverage, read our guides on the best Prime Video movies and all of the new Prime Video movies you can stream in July. Alternatively, read up on everything we know about The Boys season 5 and Fallout season 2.
