[+] The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power - SPOILERS ALLOWED

[Paul Farquhar]

Further analysis of Halbrand's necklace:

Whilst superficially it ties into the idea of mirror-Aragorn by resembling this:

This design (from the movie rather than the books) is in the form of white stone in the centre of a flower, with leaves behind.

From what I saw in episode 3, Halbrand's looked like a top-down image of a swan, attached to a leather pouch. It would be useful if anyone managed to make a screen capture!

If it is a swan, that would connect it to Galadriel herself. Possibly something Sauron might use in order to fool her with something she likes? Dol Amroth also uses a swan logo, but this seems a bit obscure.

If it is some other winged creature, an eagle would connect it to the Valar Manwe, but this seems unlikely to me. It could be something darker, such as a dragon, giant bat, or fell beast. It has been suggested that Halbrand might eventually become the Witch King of Angmar.

 

[John R Davis]

Ooooh I like TWKOA idea!!

 

[Maxperson]

If it is some other winged creature, an eagle would connect it to the Valar Manwe, but this seems unlikely to me. It could be something darker, such as a dragon, giant bat, or fell beast. It has been suggested that Halbrand might eventually become the Witch King of Angmar.

I had the thought that he might be being set up to become one of the 9. Falling in with and helping Galadriel will put him in good position to be gifted one of the rings for mortal men when the time comes.

 

[MarkB]

From what I saw in episode 3, Halbrand's looked like a top-down image of a swan, attached to a leather pouch. It would be useful if anyone managed to make a screen capture!

I found this with a Google image search:

It has been suggested that Halbrand might eventually become the Witch King of Angmar.

Presumably pretty much any current king or leader of human nations is a strong candidate for being a ringwraith by the end of the series.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I found this with a Google image search:

Presumably pretty much any current king or leader of human nations is a strong candidate for being a ringwraith by the end of the series.

Looks like a goose, seen from below!

Could be a flaming torch or sword hilt though.

Currently he is the only human leader in the show (assuming we can rule out Elendil, Isildur, Anarion* and anyone female).



*That would be a twist!

 

[John R Davis]

Need 7 dwarves to give rings to as well!

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Need 7 dwarves to give rings to as well!

We know Dain IV gets one. The others are probably extras. I can't see them doing the full rounds of dwarven kingdoms.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Sure, except that we already know that the Tolkien timeline is right out the window.

Well, yeah, and I'm not loving that though I can sort of understand the producer/writer desire to introduce a cast early then have them remain the same through the whole series. I don't personally think that's necessary -- what better way to highlight the cultural differences between elves and men than to have the human characters disappear each season? -- but I'm not in entertainment so what do I know.

I'd hope the major beats are the same, and the fact that they are running events set thousands of years apart simultaneously shouldn't have to change the major events, especially if part of Amazon's charter is "don't contradict the printed material".

If Halbrand is a new character, and part of a new culture, that's fine. Or heir to a culture that isn't explored in LotR, that's fine. Swan symbol -- founder of Dol Amroth? I also like the theory of corruption that makes him into one of the Nine, because we need some characters to have a tragic fall, not just identify the mustache-twisting evil folks and have them be predictably evil.

 

[MarkB]

It occurs to me that, if events are time-compressed into a single narrative, what we may well be heading for is another Star Wars prequels Palpatine / Clone Wars situation.

Darth Sauron is raising an army of evil ready to take on the forces of light and plunge the world into darkness, as the elves, humans and dwarves unite against him.

Meanwhile Senator Sauron the wise counsellor is selling the good guys on this wonderful new rings-of-power concept he and Celebrimbor have come up with which will allow them to unite their powers and defeat those awful awful orcs and their oh-so-terrible leader.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Well, if they resurrect Christopher Lee to play Adar, we will know you are right.