The history of Middle-earth stretches long before two tiny hobbits made the trek into Mordor.
BetweenThe Lord of the Rings,The Hobbit,andThe Silmarillion,J.R.R.
Tolkien’s writing spanned thousands of years, andthe detail-oriented professor turned world-building into an art.
Ismael Cruz Córdova and Nazanin Boniadi in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’.Credit: Ben Rothstein/Prime Video
Now, Amazon Prime Video is returning to Middle-earth.
(More on him in a minute.)
(Which, appropriately, happens to be the name of the show.)
The elves gather in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’.Prime Video
That hard-earned triumph marked the official end of the Second Age and the beginning of the Third.
One important note: ShowrunnersJ.D.
(In Tolkien’s timeline, they live thousands of years apart.)
The island of Númenor in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’.Prime Video
Here, EW breaks down some of the major plot points and major players of Tolkien’s Second Age.
He also stole the elves' most beloved jewels, the three precious Silmarils.
The Second Age begins with many of the elves attempting to rebuild after the destruction.
Owain Arthur as Prince Durin IV in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’.Ben Rothstein/Prime Video
Some leave Middle-earth and journey west to Valinor, the holy land of the angelic Valar.
Others like Galadriel and Elrond remain behind.
Others, like the Silvan elves, retreat into the forests and build kingdoms of their own.
Markella Kavenagh as a Harfoot in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’.Prime Video
While many elves and dwarves distrust each other, the smiths of Eregion and Khazad-dum (a.k.a.
Moria) strike up a friendly alliance, swapping secrets and trading techniques.
(it’s possible for you to probably guess where this is going.)
That’s because he has lived the consequences of that choice firsthand.
WhenRings of Powerbegins, Elrond is about 1,000 years old but his twin brother Elros is long dead.
Numenor sits on an island to the west of Middle-earth.
Thanks to Elros' blood in their veins, the kings of Numenor lived much longer than ordinary humans.
Rings of Powerpicks up in the twilight of Numenor, as competing factions vie for control of the throne.
But her cousin Ar-Pharazon presents a strong challenge, having won fame as a warrior in Middle-earth.
And still, there is hope.
Not all Numenoreans (also called the Dunedain) have forsaken the traditions of their ancestors.
They may be the only hope for Elros' legacy to survive the increasingly dark political tides of Numenor.
Viewers will see this realm from the perspective of rulers like Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur).
Eventually, these groups would mingle and settle in the Shire.
Like their hobbit descendants, the Harfoots are kind, curly-haired creatures, and they prefer to go barefoot.
As for how they fit into the Second Age?
We’ll have to wait and see.
