The Lord of the Rings: How do the rings of power work?

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER

October 7, 2024 at 10:54 am

In The Lord of the Rings, Sauron forges 20 rings of power to subjugate Middle-earth. You can find out exactly how the magic behind the rings works with us.

Do you want to know what happens next in Middle-earth? The finale of the second season of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” leaves some questions unanswered. We’ll tell you what action-packed battles and exciting intrigue await you in “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” Season 3!

With the 20 rings of power, Sauron (Charlie Vickers) plans to subjugate all of Middle-earth. Together with the elven blacksmith Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards), he creates 19 of these rings, which he distributes to the rulers of the elves, men and dwarves. But he secretly forges the One Ring that will rule the others, without Celebrimbor knowing about his sinister intentions.

While the three rings of the Elves remain largely free of Sauron’s dark influence, “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” Season 2 reveals how Sauron is gradually corrupting the remaining 16 rings. But how exactly does the magic of these powerful artifacts work? We checked in with Sauron and Celebrimbor cast members Charlie Vickers and Charles Edwards to find out more.

Watch “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” on Amazon Prime Video❯

We ask Sauron and Celebrimbor himself: How does the magic of the rings work?

How exactly the magic of the rings works and how the One Ring is supposed to help Sauron control the ring bearers is not explained in either the “Lord of the Rings” films or “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”. We have now asked the ringsmiths themselves.

In an exclusive Netzwelt interview, Sauron star Charlie Vickers and Celebrimbor star Charles Edwards tell us how the magical rings of power work.

I think what they do is they reinforce the qualities that the ring bearers already bring with them. I think this is going in the right direction. It’s a little hard to categorize.

Charles Edwards

“I think it’s important,” notes Sauron actor Charlie Vickers, “that Tolkien never really described a scientific mechanism for how these rings work.”

Edwards adds: “There’s no recipe. When we made them we didn’t say a spoonful of this and a little bit of that – there’s no such thing and we didn’t try to show it, I think. That would destroy the mystery.”

“But then I think in the case of the elves, for example, they amplify their life energy. With other races it has different effects,” Edwards continues, and Vickers adds: “I think the way the series conveys this story, and that’s book canon , is that Sauron’s influence over the rings is growing.”

The three elven rings are not corrupted, because even though I was there, I had no part in their creation. I had already left Eregion by the time they were forged. And as the series progresses we will see that I have a very active role in the creation of the dwarven rings and then, as the series continues, the human rings!

Charlie Vickers

The more rings are forged, the more Sauron would bring in parts of his personality: “The corruption increases with each ring. It is a mix of the typical characteristics of the ethnic groups and the influence of the Dark Lord in the creation of the rings.”

Edwards: “It’s a mix of the magic that exists in each individual [die Ringträger sowie Sauron und Celebrimbor] slumbers. My magic is to bring out the good in people. And then he just gives it over there [zeigt auf Charlie Vickers] still sneaky a little something into the mix.”

How does the power of the rings affect those who wear them?

What Edwards and Vickers describe suggests that the rings have an effect on the wearer that does not necessarily create superpowers, but rather enhances what is already there. However, if someone has magical powers, such as Gandalf, then these would also be enhanced.

If an elf has a magical bond with animals, this ability would be enhanced. If someone is power hungry, this would be amplified. And the more influence Sauron has in creating the rings, the faster these characteristics turn bad and make the wearer easier for Sauron to manipulate and vulnerable.

By also forging the One Ring, Sauron creates a kind of link between the different rings. By wearing his ring, he can influence the rings of others and thus also their wearers.

So Sauron seduces Celebrimbor into forging the rings

Intimate – and absolutely physical!

Celebrimbor-Star Charles Edwards

To get Celebrimbor to forge the rings, Sauron must manipulate and deceive him. His seduction techniques are based primarily on the shared passion for the blacksmith’s craft and the desire for excellence.

In order to manipulate Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) during the first season, Sauron relied on a certain level of sexual tension. You can find out exclusively from us whether this can also be found in Sauron and Celebrimbor!

The second season of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” has come to an end with the eighth episode. So far it is not clear whether “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” season 3 will come. The consequences are already being worked on, but there is no official statement from Amazon yet.