Elven Rings Of Power: All You Need To Know About The 3 Rings

This article contains spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 1.The three Elven rings of power have been forged by the end of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 1. A prequel series to The Lord of the Rings, The Rings of Power is building toward the creation of the One Ring. Naturally, that means that first the other rings need to be forged — 19 in all, divided between the different races of Middle-earth. That being the case, it's no surprise the first season ended with the first three rings being forged.

J. R. R. Tolkien's own notes stressed the Elven rings were created because the Elves feared the passage of time. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power revealed the Elves are dying (or, rather, fading), and must either abandon Middle-earth or vanish. The Elven smith Celebrimbor discovered a potential solution lay in mithril, and he was inspired to craft a sample from the Dwarves into a crown. Plans changed, however, in part because of the manipulation of Sauron, who had earned Celebrimbor's confidence under the alias of Halbrand. The story is subtly different from the one told in Tolkien's notes and appendices for The Lord of the Rings, but it's clearly rooted in them nonetheless. Here's everything viewers need to know about the three Elven rings: Vilya, Nenya, and Narya.

How Celebrimbor Made The 3 Elven Rings Of Power

Celebrimbor looking down in The Rings of Power.

Celebrimbor was one of the greatest smiths of all time, but even he found it impossible to forge with mithril. Sauron, however, had apparently been experimenting with this kind of magic for quite some time; he was able to give advice on how to use mithril, suggesting first an alloy and then a gentler means of forging rather than the more forceful approaches Celebrimbor had been attempting. The original idea had been to create a mithril crown, which Celebrimbor presumably intended to be worn by the Elven king Gil-Galad. But there was too little mithril to do this, so instead Celebrimbor opted for rings.

Galadriel was the one who decided that there should be three rings. Having become aware that Halbrand was really Sauron, she realized the Elves had been manipulated. Warned by a vision, she insisted there should not be one ring, for that would create a ruler and a potential tyrant; nor should there be two, because that would sow division. Instead, there should be three, to allow for the potential for balance.

Why The Elven Rings Use Fëanor's Jewels

The three Elven rings incorporate Fëanor's jewels, three gems known as the Silmarils that contain some of the light from the Two Trees of Valinor. They were considered some of the most beautiful objects in Middle-earth, and were coveted by Morgoth, Sauron's predecessor as Dark Lord. These gems are likely the reason the Elven rings can control the flow of time, for they contain the power of the immortal realm Valinor. They effectively restore the Elves' immortality, ensuring they will not continue to fade away. It remains to be seen whether the damage that has already been done can be reversed.

How Each Elven Ring Of Power Is Different

Fëanor's jewels give the Elven rings their names, for they are named after the Elvish for the gem they contain. Narya is red, Nenya is white, and Vilya is blue. It's interesting to note The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has made mithril much more important, though, because the first three rings have all been forged from the same substance; only Nenya had been made of mithril in J. R. R. Tolkien's original lore. This makes events at the Dwarven city of Khazad-dûm vital as the series continues. Presumably the inconsistency — and different appearance — is explained by metals used for alloys.

What The Elven Rings Do In Rings Of Power & LOTR

Forging of the Rings in The Rings of Power

Each of the three Elven rings possesses the power to prevent the continued fading of the Elves, making them essential for sustaining their continued existence on Middle-earth. They have different abilities, however, which make them very powerful tools against Sauron: Narya inspires others to resist tyranny, Nenya conceals beings from the sight of evil, and Vilya is believed to possess the power of healing. No doubt all three Elven rings will be used in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2.

These are only the first rings, of course, and ultimately Sauron himself will forge the One Ring to rule them all. The Rings of Power will be bound to Sauron's will, but fortunately, the Elven bearers of the rings will sense this at the moment he puts the One Ring on his finger, and take them off before they come under his control. But those events are presumably distant ones, many seasons down the road.

Who Wears The 3 Elven Rings Of Power?

According to Tolkien lore, the rings Vilya and Narya will initially be sent to High King Gil-Galad, who will divide them between Elrond and his fellow Elven lord Cirdan. Nenya's fate is a little more mysterious, but in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings movies it was seen worn by Galadriel in the Third Age. It's entirely possible Galadriel will become the last of the Keepers of the Three Rings in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The Elves are at fault for creating Sauron's potential tools, but Galadriel could well use Nenya to hunt him down, as he would be unable to perceive her threat while she wore the ring.

Why Did Sauron Help Celebrimbor Make The 3 Elven Rings?

Charlie Vickers as Halbrand in Rings of Power

The three Elven rings are powerful weapons that can be used against Sauron, which makes it rather surprising he helped forge them in the first place. But it's important to note that dialogue in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power suggests Sauron has been trying to forge these rings for some time, believing he could unlock a power greater than that of the flesh. Celebrimbor has shown Sauron that mithril is the key to doing so, and no doubt The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 will see him pursue it.