Prime Video has shared the first official teaser for the third season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which has been filming in the UK for the past few months.
The promo doesn't reveal very much, but does give us a blurry first glimpse of the returning Elendil (Lloyd Owen), as he wields "The Sword of the Faithful."
This sword is clearly Narsil - the blade that cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand during The War of the Last Alliance - so we're not sure if it's been renamed for the show (a rights issue, perhaps?), or it will be referred to as the Sword of the Faithful initially as a means to rally the Númenórean loyalists behind Elendil.
In the season 2 finale, Elendil set off for the west after being presented with the legendary sword as a parting gift from Míriel.
According to a previously released synopsis: "Jumping forward several years from the events of season 2, season 3 takes place at the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron, as the Dark Lord seeks to craft the One Ring that will give him the edge he needs to win the war and conquer all Middle-earth at last."
"'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' continues to captivate audiences worldwide, and we’re thrilled that a third season is underway," said Vernon Sanders, head of television for Amazon MGM Studios when the third season was announced. "The creative team has an extraordinary vision of what’s to come with stories that have left us enchanted and enthralled. We look forward to continuing this epic journey, for our global customers, delving even deeper into the legendary tales that shaped Middle-earth."
"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.
Sam Hazeldine (Peaky Blinders) replaced Joseph Mawle as Adar, with Ciarán Hinds (Game of Thrones), Rory Kinnear (Penny Dreadful), and Tanya Moodie (The Man Who Fell to Earth) joining season 2 in key roles.