Hark! Ye be warned, gentle readers, for the tale to be unfurled contains spoilers aplenty for “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” Season 2, Episode 8 – aye, tread carefully if thou wish to keep thy surprises intact.
Lo! Season 2 of “The Rings of Power” draws to a close, with Sauron poised to embark upon his recruitment of the dreaded Ringwraiths. But who shall he choose to don the mantle of these dark servants? Verily, the candidates are many, and thus we shall endeavor to cast light upon the most likely prospects thus far.
What measures did we employ to discern the chosen few? Nay but to the annals of J.R.R. Tolkien’s original “Lord of the Rings” lore did we turn. Thus, to earn a place on this list, the potential Nazgûl must hail from the race of Men, be of influence in their domain, and a born of Númenor, for it was decreed by the sage Tolkien that three of the Nine hailed from that island realm.
Theo, be he a Southlander of mysterious lineage, hath captured the fancy of many a fan since the days of Season 1. Whispers abound that he may be the very Witch-King himself, tied to Sauron through ancient relics. Yet despite his uncertain parentage, the shadows of doubt cast upon this theory are as many as the stars in the night sky. For though respected among his kin, Theo’s path seemeth to lead him away from the darkness that beckons the Nazgûl.
Kemen, son of Ar-Pharazôn the king of Númenor, cuts a figure of regal ambition, a man of power with a destiny shrouded in prophecy. Whilst his sire may be barred from the ranks of the Ringwraiths, Kemen’s ascendancy to that dark brotherhood seems a more likely fate. For he lords over Pelargir, a fortress borne of his will and Númenórean blood flows through his veins.
Eärien, a controversial choice for a Nazgûl, stands at a crossroads of redemption and damnation. Though the lore decrees the Nazgûl as men, the lines grow blurry in the shadows of possibility. As a figure of authority in the regime of Númenor, she stands as a tempting target for Sauron’s dark gaze. Yet her path may yet veer away from the abyss that awaits the Ringwraiths.
Brânk, chieftain of the Guadrim, a folk of the east, presents himself as a leader of unyielding will and cunning. His actions speak of a man unafraid to soil his hands in pursuit of his goals, a trait most fitting for a Nazgûl. And though the lore speaks of a different figure from the east, called Khamûl, the tapestries of fate may yet weave Brânk into the ranks of the Nine.
Belzagar, the right hand of Ar-Pharazôn, commands authority and respect in equal measure. A lord of Númenor, his haughty demeanor and lust for power mark him as a prime candidate for the mantle of the Nazgûl. Yet his status as a lesser figure in the grand tapestry of “The Rings of Power” may yet hinder his ascent to the ranks of the Nine.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” Season 2 doth unfold its mysteries on the streaming realms of Prime Video, where watchers may delve into the shadows of Middle-earth and witness the dark machinations of Sauron’s rise.
