The Rings of Power Season 3: An in-depth analysis of the official trailer

The official trailer for The Rings of Power Season 3 has finally arrived, bringing with it a wealth of new footage, revelations, and tantalising clues. The long-awaited third chapter in the series promises to mark a major turning point for the show, unfolding on an epic scale with a darker, more imposing visual identity. Above all, the trailer captures the despair and devastation wrought by Sauron’s dominion during the Dark Years, hinting at a Middle-earth increasingly engulfed by the shadow of the Dark Lord.

In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at the scenes and events presented in the trailer, examining their potential significance through the lens of Tolkien’s writings. By drawing on the Professor’s legendarium, we’ll seek to unravel the clues hidden within these images, explore the possible connections to the literary source material, and trace a potential course for the season ahead.

Sauron’s path to dominion: The Dark Years and the rise of the future Nazgûl

“I see the path to victory so certain. I will take my place as the conqueror…a sorcerer…a king. We have work to do”

The trailer’s opening shots focus on the Dark Lord’s ambitions of conquest, and, more importantly, on how he is actively working to bring them to fruition. We are presented with an increasingly oppressive Mordor, engulfed in flames and shrouded in darkness. Yet perhaps the most striking element is the appearance of those who will one day become known as the Nazgul: the Nazgnagôl, the future Ringwraiths.

Still belonging to the world of the living, these figures are, at this stage, servants of the One Ring’s power rather than the undead spectres they will eventually become. Their formidable presence on the battlefield is conveyed with brutal effectiveness throughout the trailer, particularly in the sequence where an Elf is violently hurled to the ground, followed by a clash of blades that sees Galadriel herself brought down.

From these opening moments, we are thrust headfirst into the ambitions of a being who, as Tolkien makes clear in the Letters, aspired to become a God-King of Middle-earth, rather than “merely” a bringer of order. In this light, the Crown of Morgoth takes on an even more profound — and deeply unsettling — significance. It becomes a powerful visual expression of Sauron’s desire not simply to rule Middle-earth, but to place himself above all others, assuming a position of absolute dominion that borders on the divine.

A Middle-Earth ravaged by war

“Sauron’s Victory is at hand: one ring, to rule…them all”

The following shots offer a rapid-fire, highly evocative montage of the military and political landscape of Middle-earth as the new season begins. As we have already learned, several years have passed since the dramatic siege of Eregion, an event that effectively marked Sauron’s emergence as one of the dominant forces of the Second Age.

In the meantime, the magnificent Rivendell has begun to take shape: Tolkien’s “Last Homely House” west of the Mountains, still a refuge in its formative stages at this point in history, yet already breathtaking in its beauty. Elrond’s concerns echo the words of Marnûkh, who reveals to Galadriel and Arondir Sauron’s intention to forge the One Ring.

The trailer then cuts between several scenes, each almost resembling a distinct point of view on the unfolding crisis. Sauron is shown at work on the forging of the One Ring; Gil-galad gazes mournfully across a battlefield strewn with fallen Elves; and, finally, Gandalf appears alone in a rocky setting, contemplating the fate of the world and the course of action that lies before him. Together, these images paint an eloquent picture of a Middle-earth already ravaged by war, standing on the brink of yet more suffering and despair.

Also particularly significant is the scene in which Disa places a crown on Durin IV’s head. In the previous season Durin III fell at the hands of the Balrog, paving the way for an inevitable succession struggle, given that Durin IV has an older brother who will, naturally, have an interest in claiming the throne. At present, this appears to be the most delicate storyline to address from the perspective of Tolkien’s legendarium, since, in the Professor’s writings, the Dwarves withdraw into their kingdom after the fall of Eregion and remain safe during the Dark Years. Furthermore, Tolkien never discusses any succession disputes, making it particularly important to see how the show’s writers will handle the narrative developments of this storyline.

Dark forces stir in Rhûn as Sauron comes face to face with the Balrog

Kneel to him, Gandalf

The following shots are among those that most strongly evoke Jackson’s film trilogies in terms of sheer scale and epic grandeur. We see the armies of Rhûn gathering and marching to war, accompanied by their mighty mûmakil, and even catch a glimpse of an enormous Troll beating a war drum. Yet what makes this section of the trailer particularly intriguing is Gandalf, who appears set to confront once again the figure believed to be Pallando, one of the Blue Wizards, now corrupted and bent to Sauron’s will.

Tolkien’s writings establish the deep-rooted ties between Sauron and the peoples of the East. During the Second Age, the Dark Lord extended his dominion across these lands, where many Men came to revere him as both king and god. This suggests a system of rule in which political authority, military power and religious devotion were closely intertwined, one that could be described as a form of military theocracy, although Tolkien never explicitly defines it as such. The eastern lands thus became a major source of military strength for Sauron, providing him with vast numbers of followers and warriors.

During the same period, Sauron further consolidated his influence over the East by giving one of the Rings of Power to Khamûl the Easterling. He would eventually become the second most powerful of the Nazgûl, after the Witch-king himself, and would later command the forces of Dol Guldur during the Third Age.

Tolkien consistently wrote that the ‘other two’ wizards travelled eastwards towards Rhûn, although the ultimate outcome of their mission remains uncertain. In his Letters, Tolkien does not rule out the possibility that they were corrupted, and may consequently have established magical and religious cults devoted to Sauron.

Returning to the trailer, we are then presented with a particularly striking scene in which Sauron comes face to face with the Balrog, in what appears to be a visually breathtaking confrontation. According to the information we have gathered over the past few months, the Dark Lord seems intent on seeking an answer from this ancient spirit, one that could help him forge the One Ring. More specifically, the question appears to concern the ability to withstand the infernal heat of the Mountain of Fire.

No encounter between Sauron and the Balrog is ever explicitly recorded in Tolkien’s writings. However, Appendix A of The Lord of the Rings states that Sauron’s return to Middle-earth stirred all the dark creatures of the world. Furthermore, in a draft of The Treason of Isengard, Galadriel openly speculates that the Balrog may have been sent to Khazad-dûm by Sauron himself.

In any case, it will be fascinating to see how the show’s writers choose to develop this encounter, and how the relationship between these two formidable beings might evolve. After all, the Balrog owes no allegiance to Sauron, and any alliance between them would therefore be far from guaranteed.

The succession to the throne of Khazad-dûm and the “curious” bow

How are we supposed to defeat the Dark Lord on our own?

The trailer offers a glimpse into a series of intriguing developments within the Kingdom of Khazad-dûm. Following the events of the previous season’s finale, the throne has been left vacant, as discussed earlier. Yet the element that could inevitably plunge the kingdom into chaos is, of course, Durin IV’s brother, Thrain.

One of the trailer’s shots shows him bowing before Sauron, suggesting that the Dark Lord himself may have supported his rise to the throne. While this remains an interpretation, it is possible that Durin IV might initially be chosen as the rightful heir, only to be stripped of his crown through the machinations of the very figure he had known, until only recently, as Annatar.

Another particularly significant scene features a conversation between Durin IV and Narvi, in which the two appear to be planning a confrontation with Sauron’s forces. I am genuinely curious to see where this storyline will lead, not only in terms of its political ramifications, but also in how it will lay the groundwork for the tragedy that ultimately awaits Khazad-dûm.

Númenor between a civil war and an alliance with the elves

I came to slay a God

Among the trailer’s most intense moments are undoubtedly those set in Númenor, where the political situation appears to be spiralling out of control. In the previous season, the rift between the Faithful and the King’s Men finally came to a head, giving rise to the first riots and clashes in the magnificent city of Armenelos. Pharazôn has now seized sovereignty over the Isle of Gift, but Elendil and his sons, judging by what we see, are certainly not prepared to stand idly by. Several frames offer glimpses of both Isildur and Anárion caught up in tense situations, while their illustrious father appears to be leading an army that will presumably take a stand against the forces of Númenor’s new tyrannical ruler. Another intriguing moment shows what appears to be one of the Faithful attempting to assassinate Pharazôn — presumably, given that the carriage under attack is unmistakably his.

Equally significant are the shots hinting at the first interactions between Númenor and the Elves as their alliance begins to take shape. We see not only the king himself, but also Gil-galad and Elrond, twin brother of Elros, the first great ruler of of the island kingdom. In one scene Pharazôn declares “I came to slay a God”, referring to Sauron, against a backdrop that appears to evoke Umbar. In Tolkien’s writings, in fact, it is at Umbar that the King of Númenor lands before marching against Sauron.

The show’s compressed timeline may nevertheless have led the production to combine this episode with earlier conflicts between Sauron and the forces opposing him, including the battles around Sarn Ford and, later, along the banks of the Gwathló. In the historical accounts of the Second Age, however, these events belong to different stages of the conflict and are separated by many years, and that’s why the show may therefore bring them together into a single, large-scale confrontation against the forces of the Dark Lord.

Galadriel, Celeborn and… Sauron

There is something you fear to tell me

We now come to one of the most hotly debated aspects of the entire trailer: the scenes featuring Galadriel and the long-awaited return of Celeborn. We know that the future Lord of Lothlorien is discovered in captivity and that, after centuries of separation, he will finally be reunited with her. At that point, the two characters will have to rediscover one another and rebuild a relationship that, for a long time, was believed to have been severed by war and death.

In Tolkien’s writings, Galadriel and Celeborn are indeed separated for several centuries during the Second Age, although under very different circumstances. In the written lore, Celeborn refuses to pass through the gates of Khazad-dûm because of his deep-seated hatred of the Dwarves, a resentment rooted in the events of the First Age, when the Dwarves slew King Thingol and brought death and ruin to his kingdom of Doriath.

In the show, however, Celeborn is imprisoned by Sauron for centuries, only to be found, apparently, by his own wife. The trailer also offers a glimpse of an elegant sword fight between them. Yet it is Sauron who has truly set tongues wagging. One frame depicts him lying beside Galadriel, seemingly embodying the temptation of power that he has always represented. Naturally, this image has been linked to rumours of an alleged love triangle involving the Dark Lord, Galadriel herself, and Celeborn — speculation circulated by several outlets that have, in all likelihood, misinterpreted the true significance of Sauron’s presence in this context.

Let us be clear on one point: Sauron is a being who does not experience human emotions in the way mortals do. He has always regarded Galadriel as a powerful piece on the board, one he could exploit to expand his influence and tighten his dominion. He has never shown any genuine romantic interest in anyone. What we are likely to witness, then, are projections designed to torment Galadriel and sow doubt and chaos within the couple, in yet another attempt to draw Finarfin’s daughter closer to him. There will be no love triangle, but rather a calculated campaign of manipulation orchestrated by a being whose sole desire is to establish dominion over every living creature.

Clashes, bloodshed, and the threat of war

This day we march together, to bring order to this broken world

In this section of our analysis, I would like to turn my attention to the action sequences and scenes of warfare that Amazon has chosen to treat us to in this trailer. Many of its shots focus on the mission undertaken by Arondir and Galadriel, which will lead them to explore lands under the dominion of Sauron and the Nazgnagôl. We are thus given several glimpses of the pair battling Orcs in a variety of situations, including an intense confrontation inside a fortress deep within a forest. Eagles can also be seen soaring overhead during this sequence, suggesting that the battle may prove far grander in scale than it might initially appear.

Several action sequences also feature Gandalf, who will face off against the Blue Wizard Pallando and one of the Nazgnagôl, the latter wielding a magical staff. In this regard, I would also like to praise the quality of the visual effects used to portray magic, with bolts of lightning, magical effects, and luminous energy trails that look particularly impressive. The Fell Beasts will also take centre stage: the iconic mounts of the future Nazgûl, they will help bring the show closer to the style and tone of Peter Jackson’s film trilogy, while adding a striking visual element to its battle sequences.

Many of the trailer’s other scenes, meanwhile, depict epic preparations for a large-scale conflict, culminating in Sauron delivering a rousing speech to his armies. The season therefore looks set to offer not only drama and tension, but also a substantial dose of spectacle and epic grandeur, enhanced by a scale that appears considerably greater than that of the series’ first two instalments.

The One Ring

We conclude with the trailer’s most powerful and iconic moment: the completion of the One Ring. This is one of the most consequential events in the entire Legendarium of J.R.R. Tolkien, a turning point destined to change the history of Middle-earth forever and set in motion stories of tragedy, wonder, and heroism.

We see Sauron proudly wearing the Ring on his finger, the very artefact that will henceforth allow him to dominate Middle-earth, subjugating the other Ring-bearers and bending them to his will. The scene is breathtakingly powerful, capturing precisely what the creation of such a weapon should evoke: an oppressive sense of power and an unprecedented threat looming over the world.

Sauron will bind his very life-force to the Ring, and, in my view, the process of forging the One will be among the most fascinating and spectacular elements of the entire season. As the production has hinted at in various interviews and promotional materials, Sauron will struggle immensely before finally succeeding in its creation, suffering several failures before discovering the right formula.

According to Appendix B of The Lord of the Rings, Sauron forged the One Ring ten years after Celebrimbor had completed the Elven Rings, pouring much of his own power into it. This suggests that the process must have been both lengthy and demanding, presumably requiring multiple attempts and an immense expenditure of energy.

This arduous journey, marked by suffering and setbacks, will allow us to explore even further the character’s remarkable complexity, already brought to life with extraordinary skill by Charlie Vickers throughout the first two seasons. All that remains is to wait impatiently for a season that, at least for now, appears poised to raise the bar across the board.