LOTR Rings of Power: 7 Movie References Only Jackson's Fans Will Notice
Have you been able to catch each and every one of them?
Rings of Power worked hard to recapture the magic that was Peter Jackson's LotR. However, during its first season, the show couldn't resist referencing some of the movie's most memorable moments.
Here are six of the best references to the film franchise that have appeared throughout the show so far.
The eruption of Mount Doom
Mount Doom is the most prominent location of LotR, the final destination for Frodo and Sam leading to the climax of the whole franchise. Yet the show included an interesting backstory to its original creation. Detailing not just an elaborate origin of how Mordor came to be, but revealing Sauron's plans all along were far more involved for the forging of the One Ring than anyone could have ever expected.
The words of Gandalf
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Who The Stranger may be was a big mystery throughout the first season. And even by its final episode, his true identity is still slightly ambiguous. Yet a single phrase uttered to his new Harfoot friend Nori, "follow your nose", was immediately recognisable to any LotR fan as a direct quote by Gandalf himself.
If this is a suggestion that The Stranger is indeed the grey wizard, or just a clue to his heritage is yet to be confirmed. But this was most certainly an intended reference nevertheless.
Poppy and Nori's Friendship
Viewers can't help but get strong Frodo and Sam vibes when watching Nori and Poppy. The Harfoots may be Hobbit predecessors, but there is a lot in common between these two sets of friends. Nori is clearly like Frodo, initially looking for a far-off adventure.
Where Poppy is happy as things are, not initially looking to disturb the peace of things. Yet their clear devotion to each other means the two ultimately always have each other's back. You just have to love the friendship between these two.
Isildur and his horse skills
Who can forget Aragorn's horse-taming skills, saving the war horse Brego, who would later come back to return the favor. RoP has given a similar quality to Aragorn's ancestor Isildur. Clearly, a fondness for horses runs in the family. Throughout the series, Isildur's horse and close friend Berek is mentioned on several occasions. Eventually, we see Elendil let him go however it seems inevitable that he has gone to save his master, just as Brego did for Aragorn.
The Seeing Stones
There are several known seeing stones of Middle-Earth, also known as the palantíri. The show cleverly uses one of these mystical orbs to reveal Míriel's disturbing vision of Númenor's fate.
However, to fans of Jackson's trilogy, it displays a close resemblance to the seeing stones used by both Sauron and initially Saruman to communicate in LotR.
We assume knowing the future of Númenor's existence, that this stone in particular will be lost with the city. However, the reference to a well-known device of Middle-Earth lore did not go unnoticed.
All the moths
Fans may remember Gandalf's close association with moths throughout the movies. He communicates with one while held captive on the roof of Isengard Tower, who delivers his call for help to the eagles. He also does something similar in the Hobbit to save Bilbo and the troupe of Dwarves. Therefore The Stranger's moth transfigurating ability in episode eight (again may be a reference to Gandalf) seems more than a coincidence. Maybe the show is setting up another hidden meaning to the moths that will be revealed later on.
The exact same words
Having miraculously escaped death in the ruins of Khazad-dûm, the Fellowship of the Ring find themselves in Lothlórien, an elven kingdom ruled by King Celeborn and Queen Galadriel. Unable to bear Gandalf's death and the weight of his burden, Frodo tries to offer Galadriel the One Ring. Galadriel admits that like many others she is tempted by the Ring's power, for by possessing it she would become queen of all Middle-earth.
"In place of a Dark Lord, you would have a queen!" she proclaims, "Not dark, but beautiful and terrible as the dawn! Treacherous as the sea! Stronger than the foundations of the earth! All shall love me, and despair!"
Halbrand says the same words when he tries to lure Galadriel over to his side during their last encounter in the final episode of the Ring of Power's first season.