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War is coming to Middle-earth, but it won't unfold as it did in J.R.R. Tolkien's original books. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 will pick up at one of the bloodiest moments in LOTR history. As Sauron's power grows, the Elves finally rise to meet him in battle, setting in motion events that will ultimately lead to the conclusion of the Second Age and the dawn of a new era.
Prime Video confirmed that Season 3 will depict the beginning of the War of the Elves and Sauron. This should catch the attention of longtime Lord of the Rings fans. Once again, The Rings of Power is playing fast and loose with J.R.R. Tolkien's original lore, but for good reason.
Middle-earth's Next Big War Unfolds in The Rings of Power Season 3
The official logline for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 reads: "Jumping forward several years from the events of season two, season three takes place at the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron, as the Dark Lord seeks to craft the One Ring that will give him the edge he needs to win the war and conquer all Middle-earth at last."
The statement confirms rumors of a large time jump between the ending of Season 2, which depicts the beginning of the war, and Season 3. The upcoming season picks up well into the ongoing conflict between Sauron and the Elves of Middle-earth. It also reveals a major diversion from the timeline that J.R.R. Tolkien established in The Silmarillion and his other writings.
According to Tolkien's lore, the War of the Elves and Sauron doesn't begin until after the dark lord has forged his One Ring of Power. In his craftiness, Sauron deceives the races of Middle-earth, giving each a set of powerful Rings: three for the Elf-lords, seven for the Dwarf-lords, and nine for the Kings of Men.
It is only later that the others learn that Sauron has created a "Master Ring" to rule the others, except the Elven Rings, which he had no power over. Upon learning this, the Elves declare war on Sauron, kicking off the conflict known as "The War of the Elves and Sauron."
According to the new Rings of Power logline, the series will shift the timeline so that the war begins before Sauron forges his One Ring. It appears that Sauron will set about trying to create his Master Ring during the events of Season 3. This, of course, is a major diversion from the original timeline that may anger hardcore fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's lore.
Prime Video hasn't yet given any reason why the series is changing this sequence of events, but this may become clearer after the season premieres later this year.
The Rings of Power Keeps Changing J.R.R. Tolkien's Timeline
This is far from the first time that The Rings of Power has changed the timeline originally established in J.R.R. Tolkien's extensive writings on the history of Middle-earth. Most noticeably, the Prime Video fantasy series has severely truncated the timeline of the conflict between the Elves and Sauron in the Second Age. In Tolkien's original lore, these conflicts are stretched out across nearly two thousand years. In the series, however, things happen much faster, with the conflict lasting only a few years.
The Rings of Power doesn't make these changes haphazardly. The creators behind the series recognize that the medium of television is much less forgiving than literature when it comes to pacing a story. Stretching the narrative out by several thousand years would capture the epic scale of the Elves' wars with Sauron, but would also risk alienating viewers who want to see the action unfold more quickly. It also simplifies the story into a more palatable timeline that is easier for casual viewers to follow.
By shortening the timeline of the Second Age, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power must also change the order of events revealed in Tolkien's original writings. Entire portions of Sauron's history are cut out, while other events become much more prominent. The series spends more time with Sauron and Celebrimbor, for example, showing more of the dark lord's manipulative practices that led to the forging of the Rings of Power.
Many hardcore Lord of the Rings fans are unhappy with the creative liberties The Rings of Power takes in retelling Tolkien's story. While this is an understandable complaint, it also feels necessary. Tolkien's lore is simply too expansive and complex for any series to adapt in its entirety. Trying to do so would be a losing battle for Prime Video's Lord of the Rings prequel. While it may not be what every fan wants, this is the best live-action version of the story that they may ever get.
What Is the War of the Elves and Sauron?
For many casual fans of The Lord of the Rings, the War of the Elves and Sauron may not be familiar. The conflict, as its name implies, is between the dark lord Sauron and the Elves of Middle-earth during the Second Age. In Tolkien's original lore, the war first breaks out after Sauron dons his newly forged One Ring, which immediately alerts the Elves to his sinister machinations. Distrusting Sauron, the Elves had forged their own Rings in secret, which allowed them to combat the power of the Enemy's new weapon.
A common misconception is to equate the War of the Elves and Sauron with the War of the Last Alliance, as depicted in The Fellowship of the Ring. In Tolkien's lore, these are two separate wars. The War of the Elves and Sauron takes place first and ends when the Elves and their Numenórean allies defeat Sauron during the Battle of the Gwathló. Sauron is left defeated and weak, forcing him to retreat to the land of Mordor to recoup and plot his revenge. The War of the Last Alliance takes place about 1,700 years later, culminating in Sauron's defeat at the hands of Isildur.
Given the abbreviated timeline of The Rings of Power, the series may combine these two conflicts in its coming seasons, though this has yet to be confirmed by Prime Video. The series has already altered several details about the beginning of the War of the Elves and Sauron, suggesting there may be more timeline changes ahead as the battles continue. Nevertheless, Prime Video promises an action-packed third season as the show passes the halfway point of its five-season plan.
Regardless of the timeline in which the war takes place, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 is poised to deliver some of the greatest action in the history of the fantasy franchise. As the Elves finally take up arms against their ancient enemy, the next war for the soul of Middle-earth is about to begin.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is available to stream on Prime Video.
