In this week’s episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, a dark and ancient relic from the First Age comes into the light. Adar (played by Sam Hazeldine), in his first conversation with Galadriel (played by Morfydd Clark), reveals Morgoth’s crown.
Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, once wore this crown, but now Sauron (played by Charlie Vickers) seeks it. According to Adar, the Iron Crown’s power, when combined with the Elven Rings of Power, could potentially defeat Sauron.
However, Galadriel finds the crown dangerous and refuses to even look at it. What makes this crown so special, even after Morgoth’s defeat so long ago?
Morgoth’s Iron Crown Held the Silmarils
The Iron Crown of Morgoth immediately seems familiar. It follows the same design and look as Sauron’s famous armor from The Lord of the Rings movies, which The Rings of Power mirrors.
This shows how Sauron sees himself as Morgoth’s heir, even in his armor and equipment. But the history of the Iron Crown goes back much further, to a time before the First Age of Middle-earth.
During the Years of the Trees, when the world’s light came from the two trees Laurelin and Telperi in Valinor, Fëanor, an Elven smith, created the Silmarils. These three gems, known for their unmatched beauty, were among the most beautiful things in Middle-earth.
They held the light of the Trees and had the blessing of the Valar, making them precious beyond measure. Morgoth, obsessed with the Silmarils, destroyed the Trees and stole the gems from Fëanor during the chaos.
In the process, Morgoth also killed Fëanor’s father. Nearly all the conflicts of the First Age stem from these events, as Fëanor’s sons swore to recover the Silmarils and defeat Morgoth.
After stealing the Silmarils, Morgoth returned to his fortress, Angband, and designed the Iron Crown. The crown might not seem special at first, but it is a powerful object.
Although the Silmarils themselves don’t hold magical power, the light they contain and the Valar’s blessing make them harmful to Morgoth. Still, Morgoth desired to wear all three gems in his crown.
Still from Rings of Power (Credit: Prime Video)
To protect himself, he designed the Iron Crown to hold the Silmarils without letting them hurt him. The Silmarils still burned Morgoth’s flesh when he wore the crown, but he never took it off.
Morgoth’s Crown Is Lost After the War of Wrath
The First Age was filled with battles involving Morgoth and the Silmarils. One of the Silmarils was recovered by Beren and Lúthien and passed down through their family to Eärendil the Mariner and his wife Elwing, the parents of Elrond (played by Robert Aramayo).
With the Silmaril on the bow of their ship, they became the first mortals to reach the Undying Lands of Valinor by themselves. Eärendil pleaded with the Valar to help in the fight against Morgoth, and the Valar agreed.
With the help of the Host of the Valar, a great war called the War of Wrath began against Morgoth. It became the bloodiest conflict in Tolkien’s stories and is shown in the opening scenes of The Rings of Power Season 1, although with some changes from the books.
The destruction was so intense that Beleriand, a continent in Middle-earth where most of the battles took place, sank into the sea. In the end, Morgoth was defeated, losing his crown and the Silmarils.
As punishment, Morgoth was banished to the Void, a place between worlds. To ensure he could never return, the Valar turned Morgoth’s crown into a collar and chains to imprison him. The Silmarils were also lost. Eärendil kept the Silmaril on his ship as he sailed the skies.
The other two Silmarils were recovered by Fëanor’s sons, Maedhros and Maglor, but they could not hold onto them. After committing many cruel acts to get the gems, they found the Silmarils too painful to keep. One gem was thrown into a fiery pit, and the other was cast into the ocean.
Morgoth’s Iron Crown Returns in The Rings of Power Season 2
Before Adar shows Galadriel the Iron Crown, The Rings of Power hinted at its importance. Adar tells Galadriel that he witnessed Sauron reforge the crown for himself and then used it to kill him. This scene is shown in the opening sequence of Season 2 as a flashback.
In this scene, set in Sauron’s fortress in Forodwaith, Sauron declares himself the new Dark Lord to the Orcs. However, the Orcs do not trust him and refuse to follow him into another deadly war. Pretending to accept Sauron’s leadership, Adar uses the crown to kill him.
Still from Rings of Power (Credit: Prime Video)
The survival of the Iron Crown and its use in the Second Age is a major change from Tolkien’s original writings, but it works within the series. Adar does not explain how he recovered the crown, only saying that “there are many stories” about what happened to it.
The crown also appears in teasers for Season 2 in different scenes, including one where Sauron holds it while fighting Galadriel. Charlie Vickers, who plays Sauron, also mentioned the crown in an interview, so it will likely play a key role in the final episodes of the season.
Season 2 of The Rings of Power is now streaming on Prime Video in the U.S. New episodes are released every Thursday.
Agatha All Along has been highly anticipated, especially for fans of WandaVision who have missed the magic and mystery since its release in 2021.
Before Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) left Westview with the Darkhold, she cast a spell on Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), trapping her as the nosy neighbor, Agnes. Three years later, even though the Scarlet Witch is believed to be dead, Wanda’s spell over Agatha remains. A dangerous rival, Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza), is out to kill her.
With the help of a mysterious teen (Joe Locke), Agatha’s only chance to get her powers back lies at the end of the Witches’ Road.
Could an unexpected coven — Lilia Calderu (Patti LuPone), Alice Wu-Gulliver (Ali Ahn), Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata), and Mrs. Hart / Sharon Davis (Debra Jo Rupp) — be Agatha’s last hope? Along this road, there are many Marvel Easter eggs, hidden references, and callbacks that fans will enjoy.
Episode 1 of Agatha All Along Nods to Mare of Easttown and Other Crime Dramas
Agatha All Along begins with a strong WandaVision feel, resembling real TV shows mixed with magic. It’s not just a trick to make us remember the good times with WandaVision. Agatha is still stuck under Wanda’s spell, and it seems she is now part of a crime drama series.
The title sequence, using names like Agnes as the credited actor, hints at True Detective with its style and music. At the end, there’s a nod to the Danish series WandaVisdysen, referencing The Killing and other Scandinavian crime thrillers.
However, the most noticeable tribute in Episode 1 is to Mare of Easttown. There is a recently suspended detective, a house filled with memories of a dead child, a girl’s body found in the woods, help from an unwanted department, and a quirky American accent. All these details come directly from the Kate Winslet-led limited series.
Agatha Finds a Clue in a Book Named ‘Dialogue And Rhetoric’
Agatha discovers a library slip from Westview Public Library on the body of a dead girl (Jane Doe). The slip is connected to a book titled Dialogue And Rhetoric: Known History Of Learning & Debate. Agatha learns the book was stolen three years ago, and all copies were destroyed.
This is much like what happened with the Darkhold in WandaVision when it was taken from Agatha, and later, all copies were destroyed in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Still from Agatha All Along (Credit: Disney+)
Agatha quickly notices that the first letters of the book’s title spell “Darkhold,” but she is interrupted before she uncovers more secrets. Interestingly, the author listed, Andrew Ugo, is an anagram for “Wundagore,” which is where Wanda supposedly died.
Wanda Maximoff’s Jane Doe & Key Marvel Dates
The dead girl found in the woods is the focus of Agatha’s investigation and causes her much distress. Before her identity is revealed, some clues point to who she is. She’s in her late 20s, has green eyes, is 5’7″, and has scarlet-colored hair.
Her hands and feet are blackened, which happens to witches when their magic is drained or when the Darkhold corrupts them. Soil from Eastern Europe is found under her nails, and Wundagore, the place Wanda was last seen, is located in Eastern Europe.
The victim also stole the book mentioned earlier, and her name is revealed in the library slip’s last row as “W. Maximoff.” The slip also includes fun Easter eggs: February 16 is Elizabeth Olsen’s birthday, June 2 is Marvel Studios’ head Kevin Feige’s birthday, and December 28 is Stan Lee’s birthday.
Marvel’s Bellevue Hospital
While Agatha is examining the book stolen from the library, a piece of paper under her notepad has the name “Bellevue” on it. This is a small Easter egg for Marvel fans. In the comics, Bellevue Hospital in New York appears often and is a place where heroes and villains like Night Nurse, Daredevil, Ms. Marvel, and Bullseye visit.
Agatha’s Brooch and Her Styles from WandaVision
Agatha’s brooch, showing the Triple Goddess (Maiden, Mother, Crone), is found on the dead girl’s body. After learning what it means, Agatha becomes very interested, as it is the first clue of her true identity that has slipped out of Wanda’s spell.
She slowly begins to break free from the enchantment. As she tears off different pieces of clothing, we see her go through each of the personas Wanda forced her into during the WandaVision hex.
Señor Scratchy and Salem’s Seven
Señor Scratchy, Agatha’s pet bunny, returns in Agatha All Along. We’ve always thought of him as the MCU’s version of Nicholas Scratch, Agatha’s son in the comics. In the first episode, Agnes’ fake crime world shows her with a son named Nicholas Scratch, who is said to have died.
Still from Agatha All Along (Credit: Disney+)
In the comics, Nicholas Scratch is an important character, and the introduction of the Salem Seven may hint at a faithful adaptation. The Seven, who are Nicholas’ children (and therefore Agatha’s grandchildren), could play a role in future episodes.
Wanda and Vision’s Westview Home and Post-Traumatic Stress
In other Marvel projects like Hawkeye and Secret Invasion, one of the most interesting aspects was how we got to see the impact of Thanos’ Blip. Half of all life disappeared for five years, and we witnessed how people suffered as a result.
Similarly, Agatha All Along shows the lasting effects of Wanda’s control over Westview’s residents. Three years later, the people of Westview are still dealing with post-traumatic stress.
They refuse to mention Wanda’s name. The abandoned foundation of Wanda and Vision’s home is covered in graffiti. “Evil Witch” is sprayed in red, and the Scarlet Witch’s crown is drawn with a line through it.
The first two episodes of Agatha All Along are now available to stream on Disney+.
