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Spoilers below.
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings books (and the films that followed), only one ring was the main focus of the entire trilogy. The Dark Lord Sauron forged a master ring—the “One to Rule Them All”—that granted him power over all other magical rings of the Elves, Dwarves, and men of Middle Earth, which he had a part in its creation. Those who don’t follow Tolkien lore might not know much about the other rings–three for the elves, seven for the dwarves, and nine for men–at least until now. The Rings of Power’s season 1 finale finally showed the formation of the Three Elven Rings. And now, the second season will focus on more rings created by the master smith Celebrimbor of the Elves of Eregion under the watchful eye of Sauron disguised as Halbrand and Annatar, the benevolent “Lord of Gifts.”
For those who need a Lord of the Rings refresher: Sauron wanted to create rings for elves, dwarves, and men to corrupt and enslave them under his control. “Halbrand/Annatar” offered knowledge in the mystical arts to assist Celebrimbor, who was deceived into thinking that the rings would be used for good (and, possibly, against Sauron). Instead, they all became linked to The One Ring, forged by Sauron.
“Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men, doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Let’s be honest: It’s a lot to take in, and if you haven’t read the books or know the lore, it can be hard to keep track of Middle Earth’s rich history, especially the many rings of power. So we created a guide to all 20 rings, who owns them, and what power they hold.
The Three Elven Rings
Forged by Celebrimbor alone, the Three Rings of the Elves—Narya, Nenya, and Vilya—were thought to be free of Sauron’s influence but were still linked to him due to “Halbrand”’s knowledge of magic used to craft them. To save the dying Tree of Lindon, which represents Elven life on Middle Earth, Celebrimbor forged rings to preserve its beauty from decay and destruction. When all three put their rings on, the Light of Eldar returns to the Tree of Lindon, allowing their people to remain on Middle Earth.
While all three have healing properties, each ring is linked to other powers.
Narya
Worn by: Círdan, the Lord of Mithlond (The Grey Havens), Gandalf
Other names: Ring of Fire
The ruby-centered Narya can inspire and unite others against tyranny and despair, giving the wearer extra stamina and endurance. Due to its bright red stone, it is often associated with fire and passion. According to Tolkien’s The Silmarillion, Elven High King Gil-Galad gave Narya to Círdan, one of the eldest and most respected elves and a master shipbuilder.
He later gives Narya to Gandalf, who wears it throughout the LOTR trilogy, telling him, “Take this ring, master, […] for your labours will be heavy; but it will support you in the weariness that you have taken upon yourself. For this is the Ring of Fire, and with it you may rekindle hearts in a world that grows chill.”
In the second season, Círdan is entrusted by Elrond to dispose of the rings, destroying what influence Sauron may have on the Elves. While on this journey, Círdan is tempted by the power of the rings and returns to Lindon, believing the rings can be used for good. He enters the Council of Elves wearing Narya, handing Gil-Galad the other two rings.
“Perfection does not exist only in Valinor, High King,” Círdan says of the rings. “It is here. Celebrimbor has brought it to Middle Earth.”
Nenya
Worn by: Galadriel
Other Names: Ring of Adamant, Ring of Water
Nenya has the power to protect and hide from evil forces. Celebrimbor gives Nenya to Galadriel, which she uses to conceal her home of Lothlórien from nefarious threats. Despite her ethereal appearance in the Lord of The Rings films?, she empathizes with Frodo about the burdens of being a ring bearer as she reveals her Nenya to him.
This season sees Galadriel become the bearer of the ring. Though Elrond warns her not to put it on, she is drawn to its power and slips it on, causing a rift between the two besties. We can expect to see the ring’s impact on Galadriel, especially with her historical connection with Sauron and the ring’s link to him.
Vilya
Worn by: The High King Gil-Galad, Elrond
Other Names: Ring of Sapphire, Ring of Air, Blue Ring
Vilya is the most powerful of the Elven rings and is given to the Gil-Galad by Celebrimbor. Though the details of its power were never revealed in the lore, it was believed to have the general power to heal, preserve, and possibly have the power of the wind and water. Before the events of The Hobbit, Vilya is passed down to Elrond, who keeps it safe and hidden in his home in Rivendell.
In the series, Gil-galad is the last to put on the Elven ring given to him by Círdan. The power of the three rings rejuvenates the Tree of Lindon, bringing hope to the Elves of Middle Earth.
The Seven Rings of the Dwarves
Worn by: The Seven Dwarf Lords (Ring of Thrór worn by King Durin III of Khazad-dûm and their kin)
Created by both Celebrimbor and “Annatar,” the rings were given to the seven Lords of the Dwarf Kingdoms of Middle Earth: Durin’s Folk, Firebeards, Broadbeams, Ironfists, Stiffbeards, Blacklocks, and Stonefoots. Despite Sauron’s influence on the rings, the Dwarf Lords proved to be resistant to his control due to their robust and stubborn nature. The rings granted the dwarves excessive wealth, amplifying the kings’ greed and wrath. The hoards of treasure attracted dragons—think the Desolation of Smaug—and became the downfall of many dwarf kingdoms.
In the lore, Celebrimbor only approved to give one ring of power, the Ring of Thrór, to the Dwarf King Durin III of Khazad-dûm, but Sauron gave six to the other Dwarf-Lords in his attempts to control the dwarves. Sauron would obtain three of the seven rings later, while the rest were lost to dragons.
In The Rings of Power, Khazad-dûm is in peril after an earthquake causes the light sources to collapse. There are rumors of other dwarf kingdoms in trouble as well. Annatar and Celebrimbor offer the dwarves a solution: In exchange for mithril, they will create rings of power for all Dwarf Lords that will heal and bring prosperity to their mountains. We should expect to see how the ring will affect Durin III when he is given the Ring of Thrór and is slowly consumed by its power.
The Nine Rings of Men
Worn by: Nameless Mortal Men
Even Celebrimbor knew men were the worst.
According to The Silmarillion, Celebrimbor refuses to create rings for mortal men because he knows they could easily be corrupted by money and power. But Sauron takes the rings made by Celebrimbor (and himself) and gives them to mortal men. The men were never given names or faces, but it didn’t matter because they would all become consumed with power, amassing glory, wealth, and immortality, eventually leading to their demise. Over time, they began to be consumed by the delusions of Sauron, slowly falling under his control—transforming into servants of the Dark Lord in the form of the Nazgûl, also known as the Ringwraiths. Only two Nazgûl are mentioned in Tolkien canon: the Witch-King of Angmar and his second-in-command, Khamûl, the Black Easterling.
It is unknown if the Rings of Men will be shown this season on The Rings of Power. Since no significant characters are named as ring bearers for mortal men, the series may take creative liberties to develop new characters and backstories for the doomed men, especially the Witch-King.
The One Ring
Worn by: Sauron—then Isildur, Sméagol/Gollum, Bilbo Baggins, and Frodo Baggins
Other names: The One Ring to Rule Them All, The Great Ring of Power, Ruling Ring, Isildur’s Bane, “My Precious”
“Deep in the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom in the land of Mordor, the Dark Lord Sauron forged a master ring, and into this ring, he poured his cruelty, his malice, and his will to dominate all life.” – Galadriel, TheLord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring film
The One Ring, the most infamous ring in the Tolkienverse, was created solely by Sauron to grant him control of all 19 rings of power and enhance his strength. The ring is a plain gold band but, when it is heated, a black speech inscription in Elvish script appears, translated as: “One Ring to rule them all, One ring to find them; One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.”
As told in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Sauron was defeated in the War of the Elves when Isildur managed to cut the ring off of Sauron’s finger. Instead of throwing the ring into the fires of Mount Doom, Isildur became corrupted by its power and took it for himself. Isidur lost the ring in the river, which Sméagol/Gollum found, only to lose it to Bilbo Baggins, who passed it onto Frodo Baggins before it was finally destroyed.
As for The Rings of Power, it’s unknown if this season will see the creation of the One Ring. The series still has 16 more rings to forge before introducing the one that will rule them all.
Laura Sirikul is a freelance entertainment journalist and copy editor based in Los Angeles. Throughout her career, she has written for Entertainment Weekly, NBC News, the Los Angeles Times, and many more outlets. She has appeared as a TV and film expert on NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour and BBC World News. She is a member of the Asian American Journalists Association and Critics Choice Association.