In a new trailer for the upcoming TV epic, set thousands of years before the original series, a young Galadriel senses evil encroaching on Middle-earth. Elvish ruler Elrond, who also appeared in the original trilogy, tells the warrior elf to “climb [her] sword”, but she knows that the enemy of all living things in Middle-earth must be defeated.
His name is unverified in the new trailer, but we know the source of this evil – Sauron, the dark lord who crafts the all-powerful One Ring that defines the plots of ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘Lord of the Rings”. series in motion. (Series showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay confirmed earlier this year that “The Rings of Power” will focus on the rise of Sauron in addition to the forging of the rings and other familiar tales of Tolkien.)
The trailer also gives a look at several other well-known inhabitants of Middle-earth: Dwarfs, Humans, and Harfoots, a race of Hobbits (easy to spot thanks to their overgrown bare feet), as well as places like the Elven city of Rivendell, but their peace will not last.
“Darkness will walk over the face of the earth,” one character says ominously. “It will be the end not only of our people, but of all peoples.”
In one scene from the trailer, Galadriel, covered in ash, gazes at countless bodies suspended in mid-air above a fiery landscape. Middle-earth didn’t even look so terrifying when Frodo and Sam were nearly swallowed up by lava on Mount Doom.
And while familiar characters like Galadriel and Elrond return, their original cast members don’t. Those roles, created by Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving respectively, are now performed by Morfydd Clark and Robert Aramayo. The cast also includes Benjamin Walker, Nazanin Boniadi and several lesser-known actors.
“The Rings of Power” will be released on September 2, shortly after another prequel to a beloved book series and its television adaptation – “The House of the Dragon”, a “Game of Thrones” series that focuses on the story of the ride of dragons. The Targaryen Family premieres August 22 on HBO. The end of summer is sure to be hectic for fantasy buffs and confusing for casual fans who struggle to keep character names straight.
