This article contains spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episode 3.Evidence is building that the mysterious Halbrand could be destined to become the Witch-king of Angmar in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Set during the Second Age of Middle-earth, Amazon's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power reveals the history of J.R.R. Tolkien's fictional world. "Tolkien talked about not creating Middle-earth but excavating it. We felt like we were discovering things that were already there,” co-creator J.D. Payne explained in an interview with Vulture. “People have heard about it in montages and flashes, but these are massive untold stories." It's this element of mystery that makes characters like Halbrand – and the possibilities they entail – so interesting.
These "untold stories" have given the writers room to create entirely new characters. Halbrand is a perfect example, an apparently original character whose own backstory is gradually being revealed. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power revealed he is in fact the rightful king of the Southlands, whose ancestors swore a blood oath to Morgoth. Orcs are rising up once again in the Southlands, conquering it in the name of Morgoth's successor, and Halbrand was forced to flee for his life with some of his people. He has found his way to Númenor, but no doubt Galadriel will persuade him to return to Middle-earth.
Halbrand is clearly a riff on Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings, but there's already abundant evidence he lacks Aragorn's good character. In The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episode 2, he demonstrated he was willing to allow someone else to die for him; in episode 3, he demonstrated a fearsome and murderous temper. The musical score for "Halbrand" has strains reminiscent of Shelob's attack on Frodo in The Return of the King, likely a deliberate homage given the thought that's gone into The Rings of Power's beautiful soundtrack. All this strongly suggests he'll ultimately turn into a villain. The exciting question, though, is whether he's an entirely new antagonist, or whether he will become an established Lord of the Rings villain. If he does indeed turn out to be a familiar character, there's strong evidence to suggest that he could be the notorious Witch-king of Angmar.
Sauron Isn't The Only Villain To Outlast Middle-Earth's Second Age
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power serves as the origin story of those titular rings, explaining how Sauron had them forged. But it's important to remember he is destined not only to forge the Rings, but also to use them to bind other to his will. "Nine he gave to Mortal Men, proud and great, and so ensnared them," Gandalf explained to Frodo. "Long ago they fell under the dominion of the One, and they became Ringwraiths, shadows under his great Shadow, his most terrible servants." These Ringwraiths, named Nazgûl in the Black Speech, became bound to Sauron's will until the day the One Ring was finally destroyed in the Third Age.
Tolkien never revealed the history of the Nazgûl. Three are known to have been so-called "Black Númenoreans," people of Númenor who worshiped Sauron. One was called Khamûl the Easterling, presumably signifying he came from the Eastlands that Tolkien showed little interest in exploring in his notes. But the most prominent of the Nazgûl is the Witch-king of Angmar, who became leader of the Ringwraiths and foremost of Sauron's servants. Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings presented all nine Ringwraiths as kings who had been given rings, and had so been enslaved to Sauron's will.
Halbrand Could Become The Witch-King Of Angmar
Viewers had initially speculated Halbrand could actually be Sauron, but that already seems unlikely; the flaws in Halbrand's character seem too evident, when Sauron would surely attempt to portray himself as pure and benevolent to earn the trust of his enemies. But, although he may not be Sauron, Halbrand is clearly touched by the darkness. This probably flows from his ancestor's blood oath, for oaths have tremendous magical power in Tolkien lore. Indeed, it is likely a so-called "blood oath" to Morgoth bound Halbrand's entire line to the service of Morgoth and his successor. With Morgoth's successor ascendant, the darkness of the blood oath will be resurfacing again, explaining the barely-contained anger and rage that is bubbling up inside him. Halbrand is perfectly positioned to become one of the Nazgûl.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power strikes a difficult balance, focusing on Tolkien's own work while subtly acknowledging Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings. Given this tricky balance, it is interesting to note Halbrand's story positions him as an ideal candidate to become one of the Ringwraiths even according to the lore of the films, for he has now been established as part of a royal bloodline. A potential Nazgûl is emerging, right at the point in the timeline where viewers would expect one to be found.
But if Halbrand is indeed a Nazgûl, it's reasonable to assume he is not simply one of the Nine. He's been set up as a character of significant importance, meaning he is probably one of the two Ringwraiths named in Tolkien lore. He can't be Khamûl the Easterling, so he is most likely destined to become the Witch-king of Angmar, who stalked the Hobbits in The Fellowship of the Ring and was finally killed by Éowyn in The Return of the King. It seems The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power may have already introduced one of the greatest villains of Tolkien's lore.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power releases new episodes at 9 PM Pacific Time on Thursdays and at 12 AM Eastern Time on Fridays on Prime Video.
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