The Rings of Power Season 3: The Forging of Fate

Rating: 4.5/5 Shadows Deepen

After a divisive first season and a critically acclaimed second season that found its footing, The Rings of Power Season 3 arrives as the series’ strongest chapter yet. The showrunners have finally embraced the epic tragedy at the heart of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Second Age, delivering a season that is dark, emotional, and visually breathtaking.

Plot:

Season 3 picks up in the aftermath of the Eregion siege. Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) is dead, murdered by Annatar (Charlie Vickers), the Lord of Gifts now fully revealed as Sauron in fair form. The three Elven rings are hidden, the seven Dwarven rings are scattered, and the nine rings for mortal men are being forged in the fires of Mordor.

The season splits across four storylines:

1. Elrond (Robert Aramayo) and Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker) lead the remnants of the Elven armies to Rivendell, establishing the last stronghold against Sauron’s growing power. Elrond must also grapple with his growing feelings for Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) , who has withdrawn into herself after Celebrimbor’s death.

2. Galadriel, haunted by her failure to stop Sauron and her own temptation by his lies, embarks on a solitary journey into Lorien. There, she meets Celeborn (a new casting), her long-lost husband, who reveals secrets about Sauron’s true plans.

3. The Dwarves of Khazad-dûm, led by Prince Durin (Owain Arthur) and King Durin (Peter Mullan) , face their own crisis. The rings have awakened a terrible hunger in the depths—a Balrog stirs, and the Dwarves must choose between their greed and their survival.

4. The Southlands and Númenor: Isildur (Maxim Baldry) returns to Númenor to find the kingdom fractured. Ar-Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle) has declared himself King, and his hatred of the Elves grows. Eärien (Ema Horvath) discovers the secret of the Palantír, setting in motion the Downfall.

The Good:

• Charlie Vickers as Sauron: Vickers has grown into one of the most compelling villains on television. This season, Sauron is not a cackling dark lord; he is a manipulator, a gaslighter, a tempter who genuinely believes he is saving Middle-earth. His scenes with Galadriel (via visions and dreams) are electric—part psychological warfare, part twisted romance. You hate him. You also understand him.

• The Forging of the Nine: The sequence where Sauron forges the nine rings for mortal men is a masterpiece of dark fantasy. The visuals—black smoke, molten gold, screaming faces trapped in metal—are haunting. When he hands a ring to a desperate, power-hungry king of the Southlands, you feel the tragedy unfold.

• Dwarven Tragedy: The Khazad-dûm storyline is devastating. Owain Arthur delivers a gut-wrenching performance as Durin, torn between his love for his father and his duty to his people. The Balrog is barely shown (saving the full reveal for later), but its presence is felt in every tremor, every shadow.

• Cinematography: The show has never looked better. The siege of Rivendell, the forests of Lorien, the throne room of Númenor—every frame could be a painting. Bear McCreary’s score soars to new heights, with a haunting new theme for the Nine.

The Bad:

• The pacing remains an issue for some. The season is eight episodes, and the first two episodes are slow, rebuilding the world after the chaos of Season 2.

• The Harfoot/Stranger storyline (now in Rhûn) feels disconnected from the main plot. While beautiful and mystical, it’s unclear how it connects to Sauron’s rise.

• Some fans may be frustrated that the full forging of the One Ring is saved for the Season 4 finale.

The Verdict:

The Rings of Power Season 3 is the show finally becoming what it promised to be: a tragic, beautiful, epic retelling of the Second Age. The performances are superb, the visuals are stunning, and the story now carries the weight of Tolkien’s themes—power corrupts, hope endures, and evil wears a fair face. This is essential viewing for any Middle-earth fan.

Final Thought: Three rings for Elves. Seven for Dwarves. Nine for Men. One for the Dark Lord. The game has begun.

Post-Credits Scene: A dark tower rises in Mordor. Barad-dûr. On its summit, a figure places a ring upon his finger. The world goes silent. A single eye opens—not of fire, but of shadow. “Ash nazg durbatulûk,” he whispers. The screen goes black.