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With the release of the new trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power comes many hints and clues as to what to expect with the upcoming season. While there’s much speculation as to how season two will play out, the official trailer does confirm a few things.
In The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, fans are in for a lot of pivotal moments in season two. The official trailer shows Sauron changing his disguise from Halbrand to his elf form, known as Annatar in Tolkien’s written works. Númenor will see more events that will inevitably lead to its downfall. More rings of power will be crafted by Sauron during this season, and so much more.
The Rings Of Power: Is Halbrand Supposed To Be Annatar?
Annatar is the Elven form Sauron takes to deceive the Elves during the Second Age. Is Halbrand in The Rings of Power supposed to be Annatar?
But one thing that might have surprised viewers in the trailer is the very short glimpse of the Great Eagles. They appeared so briefly that it could have been missed, but they were there in Númenor with Pharazôn.
What Are The Great Eagles In The Lord Of The Rings?
Eagles, among other creatures of Middle Earth, were messengers of Manwë, the King of the Valar (gods of Arda). But among the eagles, there were also Great Eagles, extremely large birds that were capable of speech.
As servants of Manwë the Great Eagles were sent to Middle Earth for a number of reasons, with the main responsibility being messengers and spies for Manwë. Their most important duty was to keep an eye on Morgoth during the First Age and Sauron during the Second Age, but they also kept tabs on the exiled Noldor Elves as well.
Although they were meant to keep tabs on the Noldor, during the First Age of Middle Earth, the Great Eagles were allied to the Elves. They fought with the Elves during the War of Wrath against Morgoth and helped in a number of different ways too, including aiding in quests, protecting survivors from orc attacks, and much more. Under Thorondor’s leadership, the Lord of the Great Eagles, nearly all great birds in Middle Earth were able to come together to destroy most of the dragons as well.
During the Second Age of Middle Earth, two Great Eagles had an eyrie inside the King’s house in Númenor up until the Númenoreans became hostile towards the Valar. This happened long before the events of The Rings of Power. It was also said that the Great Eagles would watch the peak of Mount Meneltarma, a sacred mountain on Númenor that was often the location of special gatherings.
Will The Great Eagles Make An Appearance In The Rings Of Power?
The Great Eagles are set to make an appearance in The Rings of Power, as confirmed by the official trailer. However, how big their role will be is not entirely clear. Fans of The Lord of the Rings know the Great Eagles play a key role in The Return of the King by rescuing Frodo and Sam from Mount Doom after the One Ring is destroyed. But how will the Great Eagles play a role in The Rings of Power?
As previously mentioned, during the Second Age Great Eagles were seen watching over the peak of Mount Meneltarma in Númenor. This is one explanation for why they will be in The Rings of Power season two. However, they’re more likely to be playing a slightly bigger role seeing as they appear in a scene with Pharazôn.
How Will The Great Eagles Play A Part In The Fall Of Númenor?
Although The Rings of Power is able to take creative liberties, according to Tolkien’s lore, the Great Eagles are seen in Númenor during this time doing more than just watching over Mount Meneltarama. So seeing them in the season two trailer makes sense and also gives some insight into the direction The Rings of Power is planning on taking.
Along with the crafting of the rings of power, the fall of Númenor may be one of the largest events to take place during the Second Age of Middle Earth. The decision to include the Great Eagles in The Rings of Power trailer shows viewers just how close Númenor is to this tragic event.
According to Tolkien’s written work, Great Eagles come to Númenor right before the kingdom’s fall. The Valar sent a huge storm cloud that was the Great Eagles to warn the Númenoreans. The warning was to let the people of Númenor know they had fallen out of favor with the Valar and there would be punishment. It was also meant to warn that the end of Númenor was near. Since the Great Eagles are seen in The Rings of Power trailer, it’s safe to assume that the show is setting up for the fall of Númenor to happen either towards the end of season two or during season three.
