Warning, there are spoilers for season 2 of the Lord of the Rings series: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power recently completed its second season on Amazon Prime Video. In the finale, numerous questions arise for season 3 and probably the most pressing is: Which people will become ringwraiths after Sauron has acquired the nine newly forged human rings and will now distribute them?
Ringwraiths in Season 3: Who are the Nazgûl in The Lord of the Rings?
Of the 20 rings of power, 19 have already been forged in seasons 1 and 2 of the Lord of the Rings series. While the three elven rings in the current season turn out to be bright instruments of power after initial doubts and the seven dwarven rings are already somewhat corrupted, Sauron (Charlie Vickers) mixed it up nine people wrestling his black blood to “enslave and forever bind” their future bearers.
Sauron even tells blacksmith Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) that he has to find the right candidates for the jewelry. Of course, Middle-earth fans have long known that with the new rings he will create his most loyal servants: the Ringwraiths aka Nazgûl.
In JRR Tolkien “the nine” are referred to as Kings of men described as being corrupted by the power of the rings and bound by them to Sauron’s power (and his One Ring). They ultimately lead an existence between worlds, neither fully alive nor fully dead. As black riders, they pursued Frodo in the Shire and later returned on so-called flying beasts. But who were these noble villains before their transformation into shadowy figures?
These are the 9 Nazgûl candidates for Season 3 of The Rings of Power
Only he is mentioned by name in Tolkien’s legendarium Witch-king of Angmar as Nazgûl leader and Khamûl, the Easterling. But even if their exact identities are unknown, at least three ringwraiths, once noble Númenoreans have been. This gives the Lord of the Rings series a lot of scope for the future. However, many fans are convinced that The Rings of Power has long since introduced some of Sauron’s dark followers. So we’ll see which characters have a good chance of becoming a Nazgûl in season 3.
1. Kemen has already submitted his Nazgûl application for season 3
The Númenorean Kemen (Leon Wadham) As Pharazôn’s son, he is of noble blood and takes control of the Middle-earth city of Pelargir in the season finale. After he stabbed Isildur’s old friend Valandil in the back, he became a hate figure in season 2. Greedy for power and a desire for recognition (not least towards his father), Kemen is the ideal candidate to be seduced by the Dark Lord into becoming a Ringwraith.
Even Sauron actor Charlie Vickers thinks Kemen is ideal Nazgûl material in the Moviepilot interview. We also learn in season 2 that his Mother gave him a bad end
prophesied. Do we need any more clues than that?
2. Lord of the Rings villain approaching: Eärien as a female Ringwraith?
Eärien (Ema Horvath) was invented in The Rings of Power as a new character in Tolkien’s canon and, as Isildur’s sister and Elendil’s (noble) daughter, was actually supposed to be one of the “good guys” on Númenor. But even though she helps her father escape in the season 2 finale, she allows herself to be taken in by Pharazôn’s anti-elven propaganda. When she inevitably discovers in Season 3 that her brother Isildur is still alive after all (and her hatred was therefore unfounded), attempts at amends could cause further chaos. And Sauron is particularly good at manipulating doubters.
Eärien could become Sauron’s next victim after the Elvish blacksmith Mirdania if she misguidedly tries to right her wrongs with a ring. CBR even suspects that she could be a female Ringwraith “Witch” behind the Witch King Become by Angmar: Is the Nazgûl, who cannot be beaten “by any man” and is felled by Éowyn in the end, a woman in the end?
3. From the Númenor Throne to the Ringwraith: Is Pharazôn reaching for the next level of power?
Another Númenorean with great Ringwraith potential is Pharazon (Trystan Gravelle)who declared himself the ruler of the island kingdom in season 2 as Miriel’s opponent. So he already has the title of human king.
Tolkien fans know that over the course of Middle-earth history, Pharazôn captures Sauron, but then allows himself to be ensnared by him, which leads to the downfall of Númenor. If he doesn’t lose his life in the prophesied catastrophe (thanks to a powerful ring?), he would actually be the ideal power-hungry Nazgûl candidate, since he was already in season 2
Palantír uses it and looks too deep into the abyss.
4. At least one of the Gaudrim must become the Nazgûl in Season 3 of the Lord of the Rings series
In season 2, the Dark Wizard’s henchmen are: masked Gaudrim introduced. The Istar has apparently placed a terrible curse on them that causes them to hide their (disfigured?) faces. Much more interesting, however, is the telling statement of a mask wearer: “My people were once kings”. We know that the second-ranking Nazgûl Khamul was an Easterling – and the home of the Gaudrim, Rhûn, is in eastern Middle-earth.
Even though the Gaudrim Brânk (Yasen Zates Atour) was killed by his master in the season finale, others like Kilta (Arkie Reece) continue to serve the Dark Wizard. However, their resentment can be felt and so Sauron, to whom Adar’s orcs have already defected, could find his next followers here. In Season 3 of the Lord of the Rings series, some masks will definitely fall.
5. Rings of Power Figure Theo is at a crossroads… to the Ringwraith?
The young southerner Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin) was already badly shaken by The Rings of Power: In Season 1 he already succumbed to temptation of a cursed sword. In Season 2, he lost his mother and then father figures Arondir (who went north to fight) and Isildur (who sails west in the finale).
Season 3 has Theo reach for a human ring offered by Sauron in order to better stand up to colonial master Kemen after Arondir makes him a (pseudo-noble) “Lord of Pelargir” appointed? Although there is a convincing counter-theory that Theo could one day become the Rohan founder, a dark turn of events cannot yet be ruled out. Especially since his father is still unclear, but is still supposed to be important.
6. Númenor upstart Lord Belzagar could win a Nazgûl ring
Lord Belzagar (Will Keen) plays a smaller but not insignificant role in season 2. As a supporter of Pharazôn, he occasionally pulls a few strings in the background on Númenor. It would not be unlikely that season 3 would expand his character further – perhaps even into a ringwraith. In any case, he already has the title of nobility and the desire for advancement.
7. & 8. Estrid and Hagen could rebel against the oppressors via ring
Estrid (Nia Towle) and Hagen (Gabriel Akuwudike) belong to the wild people who joined Mordor after the destruction of the southern lands and swore loyalty to Adar. Only after things crackle between Estrid and Isildur do we find out that she is promised to someone else (Hagen) and has been branded by the orc leader.
After the axe-wielding wildlings get into trouble with the Ents and Kemen demands a lumber toll in the season finale, they could become Leaders of their oppressed people swing up. Especially after Isildur simply left the “lower people” who were forbidden on Númenor behind.
The fact that Estrid wanted to leave her fiancé for Isildur without batting an eyelid can’t be a good omen either. Besides, the vilified man wears it meaningful name by hero Siegfried’s Nibelungen opponent Hagen, although Tolkien is known to have used this earlier Ring saga. Coincidence?
9. The Dark Wizard could become the Dark Nazgûl Sorcerer
The Dark Wizards (Ciaran Hinds) remains nameless as an antagonist in season 2. By invalidating the Saruman theory to him, the rings of power series creators have his identity as blue wizard but as good as confirmed. But that doesn’t mean he couldn’t pursue even darker magical paths after his career as an Istar.
That too Witch-king of Angmar was, after all, very skilled in magic and after the disappearance of the two blue wizards we know very little about their fate. Maybe there are Ringwraith reasons for this? (Gamesradar, conversely, believes that the character is actually a human magician and is only pretending to be an Istar – which also recommends him as Nazgûl.)
At the moment, all Ringgeist speculations about Season 3 are of course just guesses. But it would be very surprising if The Rings of Power didn’t offer at least one of these characters a ring in the future.
Lord of the Rings series podcast: Rings of Power finale and what awaits us in season 3
After 8 episodes, the second season of Amazon’s big fantasy series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has come to an end. Middle-earth fans Esther from Moviepilot and Sebastian from Filmstarts draw conclusions after the grand finale and discuss highlights and missteps of the return.
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Did the wizard reveal succeed? Does the great battle deliver what it promised? And what do Sauron, Galadriel and Co. plan to do next as we look at Season 3 theories?