The first four episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 are now streaming on Prime Video, and the fourth installment, "Gundabad," concludes with the death of a major character.
If you haven't watched yet, spoilers follow.
When Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), Arondir (Ismael Cruz Cordova), and Marnûkh the Orc (Adam Young) make their way to Mount Gundabad in search of the last surviving Elven smith who could potentially replicate Celebrimbor's (Charles Edwards) work, they find Galadriel's long-lost husband Celeborn (Jamie Campbell Bower) in one of the cells.
Upon learning that the smith has died, they attempt to leave the stronghold with some help from Thorondor the Eagle, but unbeknownst to them, Sauron (Charlie Vickers) and his Nazgnagôl -- the name given to the nine mortal men corrupted by Sauron's power before they become Ringwraiths -- have arrived on the back of a Fell Beast.
One of these "proto-Ringwraiths" cuts off their escape, seemingly killing Marnûkh (there's a lot of speculation that he may have survived) in the process. Arondir stands his ground in an attempt to give Galadriel and Celeborn time to get away, at which point the Nazgnagôl unmasks to reveal Theo's (Tyroe Muhafidin) face.
Arondir does his best to get through to the lad he once thought of as a son, and may have succeeded had Sauron not stepped through the door. The Dark Lord orders his servant to "kill him," and Theo immediately puts his sword through Arondir's chest.
The others fling themselves from the mountain rather than face the might of Sauron, but are saved by Thorondor. The episode ends on a close-up of Arondir's face as the light leaves his eyes.
Like Eärien (Ema Horvath), who was killed off in episode 2, Arondir was an original character created for this show, and always seemed likely to meet his end at some point. Even so, the heroic Wood Elf had become very popular with fans, so his death at this point in what is expected to be a five-season series did come as a surprise.
“The idea of the journey that Theo goes on and the journey that Arondir goes on, having their paths intersect in a way that has ultimately tragic consequences, that was one of the earliest ideas that we kind of hung the whole season around,” co-showrunner Patrick McKay tells IGN.
“One of the things that I told the showrunners when they told me Arondir’s fate, I said, ‘Well, if he's gonna go, let's make sure that we can show all the colors of him, things that we haven't seen, things that we want to punch up, and that people can see a little bit more of him in the softer side,’” Córdova adds. “You see all that, and you see that softness with Marnûkh, and you see that friendliness with Galadriel. But on a drop of a hat, I will obliterate [any foes too]."
New cast members include Eddie Marsan (Clayface) as King Durin IV’s older brother, Thrain; Andrew Richardson (Guys & Dolls) as Elendil’s younger son and Isildur’s brother, Anarion; and Adam Young (Don’t Breathe 2) as Marnûkh, who is described as “a mysterious Orc who may not be what he seems.”
The Boys and Shawn of the Dead star Simon Pegg will voice the Balrog.
"Sauron has returned. Cast out by Galadriel, without army or ally, the rising Dark Lord must now rely on his own cunning to rebuild his strength and oversee the creation of the Rings of Power, which will allow him to bind all the peoples of Middle-earth to his sinister will."
"Building on Season 1’s epic scope and ambition, Season 2 of Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power plunges even its most beloved and vulnerable characters into a rising tide of darkness, challenging each to find their place in a world that is increasingly on the brink of calamity."
"Elves and dwarves, orcs and men, wizards and Harfoots... as friendships are strained and kingdoms begin to fracture, the forces of good will struggle ever more valiantly to hold on to what matters to them most of all.. each other."
Returning cast members include Morfydd Clark, Benjamin Walker, Charles Edwards, Charlie Vickers, Markella Kavenagh, Nazanin Boniadi, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Tyroe Muhafidin, Maxim Baldry, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Owain Arthur, Trystan Gravelle, Ema Horvath, Sophia Nomvete, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Leon Wadham, Daniel Weyman, and Sara Zwangobani.