The Rings of Power explores a much different chapter in Middle-earth's history, fleshing out the Second Age only briefly seen in the Lord of the Rings books and films. As historic moments slowly begin to crescendo in the series, events are beginning to set up the rise of Sauron and his dark army.
Viewers know that, while it appears that the forces of Morgoth and Sauron are defeated, there are still great perils to come in the near future for the main characters of the series. Sauron and his servants will soon be revealed and many characters who seemed friendly at first will reveal that they could never be trusted at all.
Queen Miriel
The Rings of Power is one of the best fantasy series on Amazon Prime, complete with stunning visuals like the sprawling streets of Numenor, which are ruled by the queen regent, Miriel, who is portrayed by Cynthia Addai-Robinson. Miriel hesitantly allies herself with Galadriel to fight the rising evil in Middle-earth, but still does not trust the Elves.
Though Miriel appears to have the best interest of her people at heart, she is nevertheless quite selfish in the way she goes about it, nearly sending Galadriel to a sure death out of fear of what helping her could bring. A character so focused on self-preservation could be easily swayed to the side of evil under the right circumstances.
Adar
Joseph Mawle plays the sinister Adar, the leader of a band of Orcs intent on capturing the Southlands for their master, Sauron. Appearing different from his Orc kindred, Adar more resembles a corrupted Elf, as is the origin of the Orcs themselves in Tolkien canon.
Though Adar is one of the few characters in The Rings of Power that is openly confirmed as a villain, fans should still suspect that there is more to his character than meets the eye. The reverence which the other Orcs hold for him seems to imply his greater purpose among Sauron's forces, which will certainly come to light in future episodes.
Ar-Pharazôn
Ar-Pharazôn is a Numenorian portrayed by Trystan Gravelle. Ar-Pharazôn serves as an advisor to Queen Miriel, publically backing her every decision whilst secretly conniving to get his own way by earning favor with the people as if he belongs to the Game of Thrones universe.
Lord of the Rings fans know that Ar-Pharazôn eventually becomes the last king of Numenor, unwisely ruling his people until the ultimate destruction of the city, just as Queen Miriel has foreseen. Viewers should except to see Pharazôn's treacherous rise in the coming episodes, as well as his inevitable fall as the series progresses into future seasons.
Theo
Theo is a villager in the Southlands and the son of Bronwyn. Portrayed by Tyroe Muhafidin, Theo discovers a mysterious hilt in a local tavern and steals it. This hilt grows into a full sword when in contact with his blood, and is clearly a relic belonging to Sauron.
With a sword as dark and mighty as his, Theo comes all too close to serving Sauron himself. Tasting the power that this weapon provides, it is unlikely that Theo would ever give up such might, but will instead rather use this blade for evil as it slowly begins to corrupt him.
Halbrand
Charlie Vickers portrays the mysterious Halbrand, a shipwrecked individual whom Galadriel meets upon the sea. Galadriel eventually learns of Halbrand's royal lineage, though he has no intention of returning to his homeland. While he may remind some fans of Aragorn, Halbrand does not appear to share the same honor as his Lord of the Rings counterpart.
The mystery surrounding Halbrand's character seems far too sinister to portend anything good. The character's personable and crowd-pleasing nature contrasted with his fierce fighting ability have led many fans to suspect that he could actually be Sauron himself in disguise, awaiting the perfect moment to trick the Elves, Men, and Dwarves into forging the eponymous Rings of Power.
Waldreg
Geoff Morrell portrays Waldreg, the owner of a tavern in a Southlands village who does not take kindly to the Elves in his homeland. There is more to this character than meets the eye, as revealed in the fourth episode of the series when his true past is confirmed.
Waldreg not only reveals to Theo that he was the previous owner of a mysterious sword hilt, but he was also a devoted follower of Sauron himself. Furthermore, he confirms that he indeed believes that Sauron will return and is merely biding his time until such a day. When the time arises for Men to fight against the dark lord once more, fans should expect to see Waldreg on the wrong side of the war.
Celebrimbor
Modern pop culture is filled with fantastical lands like Middle-earth, complete with variations on Tolkien's iconic depiction of Elves. One such Elf that has become remarkably famous in Tolkien canon is Celebrimbor, who is portrayed by Charles Edwards in The Rings of Power. This highly regarded Elf is famous for his forging skills, which eventually leads him to forge the eponymous Rings of Power under Sauron's influence.
Though Tolkien's histories of Middle-Earth make it clear that Celebrimbror was not complicit in helping Sauron's rise, but was rather deceived by the Dark Lord, he nevertheless is responsible for one of the greatest follies in the history of his people. Allowing himself to be fooled by Sauron brings great pain to the future people of Middle-earth, staining his legacy forever.
Durin III
Peter Mullan portrays Durin III in The Rings of Power, a king over the Dwarfen people and the ruler in the Mines of Moria. He and his son, Durin IV, agree to aid Elrond and the Elves in building a mighty forge in Lindor, but do not trust their supposed companions.
Though Durin appears to have no sinister motives, he nevertheless places himself in secret opposition with the Elves and may act rashly if he believes he is being taken advantage of. Additionally, viewers know the dark history of Moria, which may play out during either Durin or his son's reign in the series.
The Stranger
The Stranger, played by Daniel Weyman, is a mysterious man who fell from the sky in the pilot episode of The Rings of Power. Befriending a group of Harfoots, this man from the stars appears to have no memory of his former life, making him a true absurdity among the cautious forebears of the Hobbit race.
Though many theories pose that this mystery man could later be revealed as Gandalf the Grey, sent from the Valar, this notion does not line up with Tolkien canon that depicts Gandalf's arrival at the beginning of the Third Age. The show may elect to change this timeline, it may also be that fans are meant to trust the Stranger until his reveal as a far darker entity, perhaps even Sauron himself.
Isildur
Maxim Baldry portrays a young Isildur in The Rings of Power, a Numenorian and the son of Elendil. Isildur will eventually grow up to be a great king of Gondor after the death of his father and his descendant, Aragorn, will one day return to the throne and establish the Fourth Age of Middle-earth.
Though Isildur will accomplish great things in his life, including the temporary defeat of Sauron at the end of the Second Age, his reputation is nevertheless tarnished by a grave action. After obtaining Sauron's ring, Isildur will refuse to destroy the heirloom, keeping it for himself and thereby dooming Middle-Earth to further torment in generations to come. When The Rings of Power eventually reaches its final episodes, it will be Isildur who is responsible for its bittersweet ending.