It's time to return to the East in this week's episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2. After the Stranger (Daniel Weyman) gets separated from Nori (Markella Kavenagh) and Poppy (Megan Richards), a lot happens in the distant and mysterious lands of Rhûn in Episode 4, "Eldest," including the introduction of Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear) and the Stoors. Rhûn is as east as the Middle-earth map goes, and many other mysterious tribes of Men and mystical beings inhabit these lands. Not much is known about it from J.R.R. Tolkien's writings, making it the perfect setting for an adventure.
Not Much Is Known About Rhûn in ‘The Lord of the Rings’
The land of Rhûn is one of the most mysterious parts of Middle-earth. It's so vast that it's mostly known simply as "the East," stretching all the way from the east of the Iron Hills and Mirkwood to the lands east of Mordor, too. In The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the story's furthest east is to Erebor and Lake Town, but Rhûn is still further on. In Season 1, the Stranger and Nori travel to Rhûn from Rhovanion, meaning they were probably south of Greenwood (as Mirkwood is known during the Second Age) when they set out on their adventure, guided by the Hermit's Hat constellation that the Stranger needs to follow to learn about his mission.
The main route into Rhûn is through the Sea of Rhûn, a large inland sea since it's where rivers flowing from Mirkwood and the Iron Hills meet. Although The Rings of Power portrayed it as a sprawling desert with sparse rock formations and merely a little vegetation, not much is known about the geography of Rhûn itself since the stories of J.R.R. Tolkien's Legendarium take place mostly in the western portion of the continent. It doesn't mean Rhûn has no historical significance, though. When Erú Ilúvatar creates the Elves and the Men, and they first awaken in Middle-earth, it happens in the lands of Cuviénen and Hildórien, respectively. Tolkien didn't leave much to be used as a geographical reference about those two, but they are said to be in the faraway east by the Sea of Helcar, another inland sea. Although not confirmed, it's said that the Sea of Rhûn is probably what remains of the Sea of Helcar.
In The Lord of the Rings, the only contact with Rhûn is through its inhabitants, known simply as "the Easterlings." They are the people who ride olyphants during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, and whose troops Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) see entering Mordor through the Black Gate. They are described as being fierce warriors in the books who align with Morgoth in the First Age and with Sauron (Charlie Vickers) when he rises as the new Dark Lord. Also, the only Nazgûl whose identity is known is Khamul the Easterling, a powerful ruler from Rhûn.
A Lot Is Happening in Rhûn in Season 2
One of the things The Rings of Power has been doing best is exploring the gaps in lore left by Tolkien in his Legendarium. There is a lot to be covered, and Rhûn is one of the biggest gaps. Rhûn is referred to as "where the stars are different" by the Harfoots, especially because of the Stranger's quest to find what lies under the Hermit's Hat constellation. To everyone's surprise, what he is looking for turns out to be the dwelling of Tom Bombadil, one of the most beloved and curious characters in Tolkien lore - and, in the series, Tom is a hermit and wears a hat.
Like in the books, Tom reveals that he has been around for a long time. A long, long time. No one knows who or what exactly Tom Bombadil is, but he mentions that he has seen many things happening for the first time and that Rhûn was once green. He also mentions that, besides the Stranger, another Istar came to him before, the Dark Wizard (Ciarán Hinds), who now has his fortress in Caras Gaer. The identity of this mysterious figure is still unknown, but he is after the Stranger and the Harfoots, and has a pact with local warriors known as the Gaudrim, and that's enough to know that his intentions aren't the best ones.
The Dark Wizard is also looking for Nori and Poppy, who are on a strange journey. Desperate for water, they find more than they bargained for when Merrimac (Gavi Singh Chera) suddenly finds them after being chased by the Gaudrim. In the Season 2 premiere, "Elven Kings Under the Sky," Poppy mentions that the Harfoots' Wandering Song contained clues about how to navigate Rhûn, and that their tribe probably wandered those lands in the past. Merrimac is proof, but he is not a Harfoot. He takes Nori and Poppy to his village, where the chief, Gundabale (Tanya Moodie), explains that they are Stoors. In the books, Stoors are another branch of Hobbits, the most famous Stoor being Sméagol (Andy Serkis), who eventually becomes Gollum. This tribe was probably nomadic once, like the Harfoots, but settled in Rhûn. They live in holes carved in the rocks, much like future Hobbits will in the Shire.
What Happens in Rhûn in the Second and Third Ages?
The Rings of Power is set in the Second Age, a time in which not much is known about Rhûn's history. This period is largely marked by the rise and fall of Númenor, but since it's far from the western shores, Rhûn isn't much influenced by the star-shaped kingdom. What is known for sure is that, as Númenor rises in the West, Sauron's influence rises in the East, the Men of Rhûn being among his strongest allies.
In the Third Age, however, the Istari arrive in Middle-earth. Saruman (Christopher Lee), Gandalf (Ian McKellen), and Radagast (Sebastian McCoy) arrive together, while the two Blue Wizards, Alatar and Pallando, arrive a few centuries before them. The Blue Wizards' mission is to venture into Rhûn to spread resistance and rebellion against Sauron's growing influence, but it's not known whether they succeed. A few millennia later, Saruman himself travels to Rhûn before settling in Isengard. His knowledge of the lands and peoples of the East, including the Easterlings, implies that he spent significant time there, and some theories argue that these travels may have contributed to his eventual corruption.
These are important facts to consider, given that there are two Istari in Rhûn during The Rings of Power Season 2. It may be that the Stranger and the Dark Wizard turn out to be the Blue Wizards, who are officially known to have journeyed to Rhûn. Or that the Dark Wizard is actually Saruman in his own early travels to the East.
Season 2 of The Rings of Power is streaming on Prime Video. New episodes air weekly on Thursdays.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Adventure
Fantasy
Epic drama set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings' follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth.
- Release Date
- September 1, 2022
- Cast
- Morfydd Clark , Ismael Cruz Cordova , Charlie Vickers , Markella Kavenagh , Megan Richards , Sara Zwangobani , Daniel Weyman , Cynthia Addai-Robinson , Lenny Henry , Lloyd Owen , Nazanin Boniadi , Dylan Smith , Alex Tarrant , Tyroe Muhafidin , Robert Aramayo , Geoff Morrell , Thusitha Jayasundera , Maxine Cunliffe
- Main Genre
- Adventure
- Seasons
- 2
- Website
- https://amzn.to/3LT5k4R
- Story By
- Patrick McKay, John D. Payne
- Streaming Service(s)
- Amazon Prime Video
- Franchise(s)
- The Lord of the Rings
- Directors
- J.A. Bayona , Sanaa Hamri
