The Rings of Power season 2 sees the aftermath of Halbrand being revealed as the great evil of Sauron. And the teaser trailer that we got on May 14th has us hyped for what’s to come. Because Sauron has a new wig and is done hiding in the shadows. The grand battle is being staged and great communities will be lost, minds will be broken, and one ring will bind them in the darkness.
1. The mysterious wraiths Galadriel and Elrond encounter.
For anyone who devoured the movies, these ghostly figures that Galadriel and Elrond are preparing to battle remind us of the wraiths, twisted souls destroyed by a power given to them by Sauron. And this scene shows a shift in Middle Earth as the darkness starts to infect everything.
2. The butterflies, roots, and all.
Talking about infecting, Sauron is a master of manipulation and but also playing the long game with unexpected elements to destroy his enemy. Those ominous golden butterflies, the cut hands, and the rolling mass of roots, they’re part of that infection that seeks to destroy everything from the inside out.
3. Sauron is haunting Celebrimbor every chance he gets.
Celebrimbor is a huge part of what Sauron is planning. And he’s not going to let go of this brilliant elf just because Galadriel knows he’s the darkness. He’s got more tricks up his sleeves that they can ever dream of. So he’ll come to Celebrimbor in his dreams, during his waking hours, and even if he has to creep along after him in the form of roots.
4. Sauron’s new hair.
Charlie Vickers blonde hair is….not a look. It looks cheap, bought from Party City, and it’s not giving Legolas. It made him unrecognizable to the point where we had to go back and look at season 1 photos of Halbrand/Sauron because we don’t know this evil. But if he was trying to slip through the cracks and fool other elves, he did a great job.
5. The Stranger in a wasteland with Nori.
The Stranger aka The Wise One is off in a desert kind of wasteland in The Rings of Power season 2 teaser trailer. And it’s kind of surprising because this show/world has been renowned for lush settings. But Middle Earth is varied and it’s nice to see scenes like this where this Istar is not idly sitting by. Also, that was totally Nori holding on as his powers stir up a dust storm.
6. Underwater monster and his sacrifice.
Right off the bat, this underwater monster has people thinking about the Watcher in the Water from The Fellowship of the Ring. It’s the tentacles of it all. Plus, it wasn’t by the mines forever. But my biggest question is why the sacrifice? That woman is being weighed down and is it the same person who cut their hands as the butterflies swirl around them?
7. The Dwarf Lords downfalls…
One of the saddest bits of The Rings of Power is the loss of communities. We’ve been shown that the Dwarf Lords ruled beautiful, rich, and complex kingdoms with families, traditions, and communities that will be wiped out by the rings. And this snippet teases the damage and cruelty that will befall them as Sauron gets ready to plunge everything into darkness.
8. Time for more eagles <3
We know that Pharazôn is probably about to cause a lot of trouble in Númenor. No one has an entrance like this on an eagle unless they were up to something messy. But we kind of don’t care right now because eagle. The Great Eagles have always been part of the conversation when it comes to The Lord of the Rings, partially because people thought that they should’ve transported Frodo to destroy the ring. But their history is vast and here’s hoping season 2 explores how they’re tied to Númenor.
9. Sauron coming for Celebrimbor in the present.
While watching the trailer, we thought that the blonde version of Sauron was something contained to the past. It’s not. That’s Celebrimbor, hurt and being guarded by other elves. And we’re wondering if this comes right after Celebrimbor throws a bunch of rings into the fire, either to keep them from Sauron or to help his plans along.
10. The stronghold in Mordor.
Barad-dûr, Sauron’s central strong hold in Mordor, is an iconic visual for anyone who has watched The Lord of the Rings. And after the way that the season 1 finale transformed the Southlands, it’s kind of terrifying to think of how Sauron rooted himself in a place that once was green and bountiful.
Watch the teaser trailer below:
The Rings of Power season 2 premieres August 29, 2024 on Prime Video.
