The Nine Rings for Men are finally being made in “Halls of Stone,” Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Sauron (Charlie Vickers), in disguise as Annatar, persuades Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) to help him create the rings.
Celebrimbor initially resists because he believes Men are too easily corrupted. To change his mind, Annatar mentions three of the bravest men in Middle-earth: Eärendil, Tuor, and Beren. These men were noble and fought against great evils, including Sauron.
Beren Steals a Silmaril From Morgoth and Meets Sauron
Beren is known for being one of the few Men to marry an Elf. He marries Lúthien, and their story is one of the greatest tales in J.R.R. Tolkien’s works. Beren starts as an outlaw in Beleriand and is the son of Barahir, who once saved Finrod Felagund (Will Fletcher), Galadriel’s (Morfydd Clark) brother.
Finrod promised to help Barahir in return. Later, when Beren falls in love with Lúthien, her father, King Thingol, only agrees to the marriage if Beren retrieves a Silmaril from Morgoth’s Iron Crown.
The Silmarils are incredibly beautiful gems fought over in the First Age. Morgoth, enchanted by them, has all three on his crown. Beren uses Finrod’s favor to attempt the task, but he and his companions are captured by Sauron in his fortress of Tol-in-Gaurhoth.
Finrod battles Sauron in a contest of songs but loses, and they are imprisoned. When werewolves come to kill them, Finrod sacrifices himself to save Beren. Lúthien later rescues Beren.
Eventually, Beren and Lúthien attempt the quest again. They enter Morgoth’s fortress of Angband, where Lúthien uses her powers to put Morgoth’s court to sleep.
Beren retrieves one of the Silmarils, but Morgoth’s wolf, Charcharoth, bites Beren’s hand with the gem. They are rescued by the Eagles, who help hunt Charcharoth and retrieve the Silmaril. After Beren’s death, Lúthien follows him, but the Valar allow them to be reborn as mortals to live their lives together.
Tuor Saves Lives During the Fall of Gondolin
Tuor, like Beren, marries an Elf, Idril, the princess of Gondolin. After losing his family to Morgoth, Tuor is guided by Ulmo, the Valar of the Seas, to deliver a warning to Gondolin.
Despite Tuor’s warning, King Turgon of Gondolin does not prepare for Morgoth’s attack. Tuor becomes a respected member of the court and marries Idril. They have a son, Eärendil.
Still from The Rings of Power (Credit: Prime Video)
Eventually, Gondolin is betrayed by the Elf Maeglin and falls to Morgoth. Tuor, Idril, and their family survive and save many lives under Ulmo’s guidance.
Tuor and Idril later sail to the Undying Lands of Valinor. Tolkien’s Letter 153 suggests that Tuor is granted Elvish immortality, implying that they may have reached Valinor and still reside there.
Eärendil Pleads With the Valar to Fight Morgoth
Eärendil, the son of Tuor and Idril, is a key figure in Middle-earth’s history. He has two sons, Elrond and Elros. He is married to Elwing, who is the granddaughter of Beren and Lúthien. Eärendil has a deep connection to the sea. As Morgoth’s forces continue to destroy Middle-earth, Eärendil sails to Valinor to ask the Valar for help.
Elwing has the Silmaril that Beren and Lúthien recovered. They use it to guide their ship across the sea to the Undying Lands. Eärendil becomes the first mortal to reach Valinor, and the Valar agree to help fight Morgoth. Thanks to Eärendil, Morgoth is finally defeated.
Eärendil fights in the war and, at its end, is given a choice by the Valar. He can become an Elf or remain a Human. He chooses to become an Elf and now sails across the sky with the Silmaril on his ship. The first star seen in the sky is known as the Evening Star, and it represents Eärendil sailing.
Season 2 of The Rings of Power is streaming on Prime Video, with new episodes airing weekly on Thursdays.
One of the most celebrated symbols from J.R.R. Tolkien’s stories has finally appeared in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2. In Episode 5, the famous Doors of Durin make their debut. These doors are a special result of the friendship and teamwork between Elves and Dwarves during the Second Age.
Narvi the Dwarf (played by Kevin Eldon) reveals these doors to those who worked on them, and they look just like how Tolkien imagined them. This is a significant piece of craftsmanship that will influence the future of Middle-earth.
How Do the Doors of Durin Work?
Anyone who has watched The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring remembers the scene where Gandalf (played by Ian McKellen) tries to find the password to open a beautiful door made of light, carved into the Misty Mountains.
These are the Doors of Durin. In The Rings of Power, the doors look the same as they do in Peter Jackson’s movie. This is not due to design choices but because Tolkien himself drew many of the elements in his stories.
The doors are made of stone with Dwarven skills and are decorated with ithildin, a magical silver that is only visible when starlight or moonlight shines on it. When closed, the doors look almost invisible and blend perfectly with the rock. The symbols on the doors include references to the partnership between Elves and Dwarves.
They include the sigil of Khazad-dûm (a crown and stars) and a hammer-and-anvil representing Dwarven craftsmanship. Below, the Star of Fëanor refers to Celebrimbor’s heritage as Fëanor’s grandson. There are Sindarin letters C, N, and D, referring to Celebrimbor, Narvi, and Durin. Trees by the door’s pillars symbolize the two Trees of Valinor.
The most famous symbol on the Doors of Durin is the inscription on the top arch. It reads in Sindarin: “Ennyn Durin Aran Moria: Pedo mellon a minno.” This translates to: “The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria: Speak, friend, and enter.” This is a riddle. Instead of a secret password, the inscription itself provides the answer.
Still from The Rings of Power (Credit: Prime Video)
In The Fellowship of the Ring novel, it is mentioned that intonation matters. The correct interpretation is: “Speak ‘friend’ and enter.” The Sindarin word for “friend” is “Mellon.” When spoken, the Doors of Durin open.
The Doors of Durin Have Only Been Opened a Few Times
In Season 2, Narvi the Dwarf plays a key role in the Khazad-dûm storyline. The revealing of the Doors of Durin in Eregion is the first time he appears outside the mountain.
As the Delve-master (responsible for coordinating tunnel digging), he has advised King Durin III (played by Peter Mullan) and shown loyalty to Prince Durin IV (played by Owain Arthur) and his wife, Disa (played by Sophia Nomvete).
The revealing of the doors is hinted at in Episode 2, “Where the Stars are Strange,” when Celebrimbor shows his assistant, Mirdania (played by Amelia Kenworthy), his first work with ithildin. Although important, the Doors of Durin have only been opened a few times in Middle-earth’s history.
In the early Second Age, when Elves and Dwarves were cooperating, Celebrimbor set up Eregion (known as Hollin in the books) near the Misty Mountains. This increased trade and improved relations between the two races. Thus, King Durin III decided to open a new entrance to the mountain, also known as the west gate of Khazad-dûm.
The doors are known to have opened only twice in history. While they likely opened many times during Eregion’s peak, they were shut indefinitely after the Sacking of Eregion. They were opened again by the Fellowship of the Ring when crossing the Misty Mountains through the Mines of Moria.
Gandalf managed to open them once, and the Dwarf Óin also did when Balin (played by Ken Stott) failed to reclaim Khazad-dûm from the Orcs. Unfortunately, Óin was killed by the Watcher in the Water (the monster in the lake just outside the Doors of Durin).
The Revealing of the Doors of Durin Is Adjusted to Fit ‘The Rings of Power’ Timeline
In The Rings of Power, Celebrimbor and Narvi celebrate the Doors of Durin during the same time as the forging of the Rings of Power. Sauron (played by Charlie Vickers) appears at their revealing in his Annatar disguise.
The books do not give a specific timeline for when the doors are completed, but this happens in the early Second Age, with Eregion established only in the year 750. Celebrimbor and Annatar start forging the rings in the year 1500 of the Second Age, so there is a gap of about 500 years between these events.
Still from The Rings of Power (Credit: Prime Video)
Annatar’s presence at the revealing of the Doors of Durin is significant. He shows coldness towards Celebrimbor and uses this event to try to convince him to forge the Nine Rings for Men.
While the friendship between Elves and Dwarves is important, Annatar sees it as a distraction from something more powerful. In the end, Celebrimbor refuses but lets Annatar use his forge. Later, Celebrimbor joins the ongoing forging of the Nine Rings.
Season 2 of The Rings of Power is available for streaming on Prime Video, with new episodes released weekly on Thursdays.
