Thanks to its multi-season format and prequel setting, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has the chance to bring some characters to life that previous adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkein’s work couldn’t. That possibility has been one of the most appealing aspects of The Rings of Power ever since its Second Age setting was confirmed.
While Amazon has teased many of the show’s central characters, fans have still found ways to speculate about which obscure Tolkien figures may appear. Now, in anticipation of the show’s September premiere, the writers behind The Rings of Power have revealed an exciting tidbit about the show’s second season.
A Welcome Addition — During a recent interview with TIME, The Rings of Power co-showrunner J.D. Payne announced that the Amazon show’s second season will introduce one of the wisest and most beloved Elves that Tolkien created.
“We don’t want to give too much away, but one character we’re excited for folks to meet in Season 2 is Círdan the Shipwright,” said Payne. “In the time of our story, he’s the oldest of all known elves in Middle-earth—in fact he lived so long, he had a beard.”
Payne didn’t reveal who will be playing Círdan in The Rings of Power, but that doesn’t make the confirmation of his role any less exciting. Círdan’s involvement in The Rings of Power Season 2 may also confirm one long-held fan theory about the upcoming prequel series.
Introducing Círdan — Círdan the Shipwright is best known for being the master of the Grey Havens, the port city where travelers to Valinor depart from. In Peter Jackson’s trilogy, he’s seen very, very briefly fulfilling that duty. However, Círdan also plays a fundamental role during the Second Age of Middle-earth, the period that The Rings of Power is set to explore.
When the Second Age begins, Círdan is already the oldest of the Elves in Middle-earth, and his wisdom makes him a formidable force. Like Galadriel, Círdan tries to talk his fellow Elves out of forging the Rings of Power with Sauron, who comes to them masquerading as Annatar, the Lord of Gifts. Unfortunately, both Círdan and Galadriel are ignored by Celebrimbor and his Elven collaborators.
But when Celebrimbor chooses to hide the three Rings of Power that he forged in secret, he decides to send one of them to Círdan. Later, near the end of the Second Age, Círdan participates in the War of the Last Alliance. He fights on the battlefield alongside Gil-galad and, after Sauron’s physical form is destroyed, he and Elrond are the two Elves who try to convince Isildur to destroy the One Ring.
In other words, Círdan’s presence during the Second Age only becomes important when the Rings of Power begin to be forged. The fact that he’s going to make his debut in The Rings of Power Season 2 therefore suggests that the Amazon series won’t depict the forging of the Rings until its second season.
The Inverse Analysis — Lord of the Rings fans have long suspected The Rings of Power may not introduce Sauron until the end of its first season, or even the beginning of its second. If that theory proves correct, then it seems safe to assume that the series also won’t tell the story of how the Rings of Power were forged until its second season.
Círdan’s presence in Season 2 suggests he’ll have a notable role in that season’s story. While the Elven leader maintains an interesting relationship with the Númenóreans, his most important decisions are all connected to the forging of the Rings.
It seems safe to assume that Círdan’s debut in The Rings of Power will happen around the same time that Celebrimbor is being tricked by Sauron. Even if that doesn’t end up being the case, Tolkien fans can still rejoice in the fact that The Rings of Power will finally bring Círdan the Shipwright to life.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premieres Friday, September 2 on Prime Video.
