Summary
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerexplores a different point in Middle-earth history than past screen adaptations of Tolkien’s work. While Frodo’s story inThe Lord of the Ringsis at the foundation of the overall franchise, it is set at the tail end of a timeline over 60,000 years long.The Rings of Poweris also set in this timeline, but several thousand years before the One Ring ever fell into the hands of Hobbits. However, understanding precisely how all this fits together gets a little more complicated since Prime Video has made some changes to Tolkien’s Middle-earth timeline.
Theevents ofThe Rings of Powerare based on the various works that Tolkien constructed to outline the lore ofThe Lord of the Rings. This includes the appendices ofThe Return of the King, as well as posthumously published books likeThe SilmarillionandUnfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-earth. The stories within begin at the very beginning of time and the creation of the universe and span all the way through tens of thousands of years, through the First, Second, and Third Ages of Middle-earth.Prime Video’sThe Rings of Poweris set somewhere in the middleof all this.
Lord Of The Rings' Second Age Explained, Completely & Succinctly
Long before Frodo and Bilbo’s adventures in the Third Age, the Lord of the Rings' Second Age happened, filled with wicked wars and seismic shifts.
The Rings Of Power Is Set During The Second Age Of Middle-earth
Thousands Of Years After Morgoth’s Downfall - Thousands Of Years Before Lord Of The Rings
The Rings of Poweris set during the Second Age of Middle-earth, a period in Tolkien’s timeline that spanned 3,441 years. It followed the First Age, an approximately 6,000-year period, and preceded the Third Age, a 3,021-year period. Since Prime Video’s series is predominantly about Sauron’s Rings of Power, and these were created in the year SA 1500, this is approximately whenThe Rings of Powerseason 1 and season 2 are set. This means the events of theseries take place about 7,500 years after the start of the First Age and 4,959 years beforeFrodo leaves the Shire inThe Lord of the Rings.
The beginning ofRings of Powerseason 1 featured moments from the First Age, when the Dark Lord Morgoth was the central antagonist of Middle-earth.
The Rings Of Power Condenses Tolkien’s Middle-earth Timeline
Second-Age Events Overlap In Rings Of Power
While Sauron made his Rings of Power in SA 1500, the timeline forRings of Poweris a little more complicated than just this. For example, Isildur, the future king of Gondor, isn’t born until SA 3209, over a thousand years after Sauron’s deception at Eregion. Prime video condensed the timeline,making Isildur a young man when Sauron forges the Rings of Powerin season 2. This was necessary because it would have been difficult to cover the stories of the mortals and immortals of Middle-earth at the same time. Of course, the consequence of this is a rather accelerated timeline.
Rings of Powerhas also done things out of order. Sauron’s story is the foundation of the series, andRings of Powerseason 1 covered his actions between about SA 50 and SA 1500. However,Pharazôn taking power and the downfall of Numenor didn’t happen until around SA 3261and SA 3319, both events that have been teased to be on the way inRings of Powerseason 2. Then, there is Sack of Eregion, which takes place in SA 1697 in canon and has been confirmed forRings of Powerseason 2.
Second Age Events Relevant To Rings Of Power Seasons 1 & 2
Sauron returns to Middle-Earth
SA 500
SA 1500
SA 1590
SA 1600
SA 1693
SA 1697
SA 3209
SA 3319
How Far Into Middle-earth’s Timeline The Rings Of Power’s Story Can Last
Rings Of Power Might End With The Second Age - But It Doesn’t Have To
The Rings of Powerseason 1 didn’t contain events that went any further than SA 3255, and season 2 shouldn’t take things beyond this. However,future seasons ofRings of Powerare sure to dive into the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, which forms in SA 3430, as well as the Battle of Dagorlad, which is when Sauron is destroyed and the One Ring claimed by Isildur. This will likely happen sometime near the end of the Prime Video series, but it’s certainly possible thatRings of Powerwill take things forward into the Third Age of Middle-earth.
It’s certainly possible thatRings of Powerwill carry on into this period, exploring Isildur’s decline to the One Ring, and the dwindling of Sauron’s remaining Rings of Power in Middle-earth.
The Third Age kicks off right after Sauron’s downfall, and this period in Middle-earth’s timeline sees a lot of important development for thecharacters ofThe Rings of Power. Isildur becomes king of Gondor, Elrond marries Celebrian (Galadriel’s daughter), and Gandalf the Gray makes his official arrival in Middle-earth (thoughRings of Powermay have moved this up with the Stranger). It’s certainly possible thatRings of Powerwill carry on into this period, exploring Isildur’s decline to the One Ring, and the dwindling of Sauron’s remaining Rings of Power in Middle-earth. Only time will tell.
