The One Ring is the focal center of The Lord of the Rings, considering the entire story is shaped around the journey taken by two Hobbits to erase Sauron’s grip on the world forever. However, there are nineteen other Rings of Power that play crucial roles in the events leading up to the Third Age of Middle-earth and beyond.
They are first mentioned in the iconic Rhyme of the Rings—“Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die.” The Rings of Power are complex and riddled with political intrigue, but large fragments of their history are conspicuously absent from the cinematic adaptation.
Sauron Tricks The Elves In The Form Of Annatar
Sauron’s role as Morgoth’s devoted lieutenant during the First Age is not forgotten by the Elves, which is why he initially tries to obtain allegiance from Men. However, he soon realizes that the only real way to create and hold on to power would be to ally with the Elves, even temporarily.
Sauron, therefore, manifests a fictional entity known as Annatar in the Second Age, a time which will be the setting of The Rings of Power, managing to eke out a welcome from most Elven lands. While Galadriel, Gil-galad, and Elrond have their suspicions about his real identity, they are unable to prove it.
There Are Lesser Rings Of Power
Including the One Ring, there are twenty great Rings of Power in total. However, rumors exist of so-called other “lesser Rings” being crafted, although neither their number nor their natures are known, nor do they ever appear physically appear in Lord of the Rings.
Historical record shows that these Rings did not bear gemstones or decorative motifs, suggesting that they were basically a means to practice a newly learned craft without wasting time and resources developing a failed great Ring. While these items largely remain a mystery in the franchise, the title of Rings of Power could suggest that the truth about the lesser rings could finally be brought to light.
The Lesser Rings May Still Have Power
While very little is known about the so-called “lesser Rings,” one startling observation seems to suggest that their story may not have been told just yet. Because these rings’ power is not tied to the One Ring, it is possible that they were not rendered useless by its destruction at the end of the Third Age.
If these rings truly do retain power following the destruction of the One Ring, they may still have a part to play in the story of Middle Earth. With the greater Rings of power now nothing more than jewelry, the lesser rings may find a greater importance in the Lord of the Rings than ever initially suspected.
All But The One Ring Are Produced In Eregion
Eregion, ruled by Celebrimbor, is a peaceful Noldor realm before the appearance of Annatar, as evidenced by their friendly relationship between the Elves and the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm. Unfortunately, Sauron’s true motives remain hidden to the inhabitants of Eregion—being the “Gwaith-i-Mírdain”, they are more than happy to assist him in forging the Rings of Power.
It is claimed that their smithing skills surpass almost anything made by the Elves, which is probably why Sauron befriends them in the first place. As such, Celebrimbor oversees the creation of all but the One Ring, which is manufactured in Mordor.
The Elven Rings Are Untainted By Sauron’s Will (To An Extent)
Celebrimbor forges the Elven Rings without Sauron’s knowledge or influence, although it must be noted that they still technically fall within the ambit of the One Ring. The Three Rings are not capable of granting invisibility, but their innate healing powers allow wielders to regenerate and safeguard their dominions.
In fact, it is stated that Nenya and Vilya, the rings that belong to Galadriel and Elrond respectively in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, are partly responsible for the peace in Rivendell and Lothlorien, while Narya, the ring belonging to Gandalf, encourages and inspires those oppressed by Sauron.
Sauron Wages War On The Elves For Total Control Of The Rings
When Sauron wears the One Ring, it instantly reveals his darkness to the Elves, unraveling his carefully constructed schemes for domination. He concludes that brute force is the only option left to him, triggering what is known as the War of the Elves and Sauron.
Elrond and Gil-galad bring their respective armies to protect Eregion from the legions of orcs swarming out of Mordor, but the Elven kingdom is inevitably destroyed. Sauron tortures Celebrimbor, forcing him to surrender the Nine and Seven Rings, but thankfully fails to learn anything about the Three.
The One Ring Has Some Major Limitations
Since the One Ring contains only Sauron’s will, it is basically a shiny reflection of his evil soul. He uses it to great effect, manipulating the rulers of Númenór into committing unforgivable atrocities (such as attempting to besiege Valinor).
However, this great Ring of power is nothing more than a worthless piece of jewelry to people like Tom Bombadil, meaning that the One Ring is not omnipotent, not by a long shot. More importantly, any of the Valar could probably crush it between their thumb and forefinger if they tried.
The Correlation With The Silmarils
The Silmarils of Fëanor are the most important artifacts to ever exist, resulting in considerable death & destruction across the world. In the end, one of them is taken by Eärendil on his flying ship, while the other two fall into a fiery abyss and the ocean, respectively.
Vilya, Narya, and Nenya, the Elven Rings of power, are based on air, fire, and water, signifying a vaguely thematic resemblance with the fate that Mandos declares for the Silmarils—that they would be lost to the elements of Arda.
Created In Sets
While most LOTR fans know that the rings of power were separated into different groups and distributed among the Men, Elves, and Dwarves, not everyone realizes that the Rings were specifically created in sets, each for their respective owners.
Thereby, all the rings that were eventually passed on to the nine kings of Men were created together, with the seven Rings of the Dwarves being created separately and specifically. The Elven rings, however, were created entirely separate so that they would not come under the sway of Sauron and the One Ring to Rule Them All.
The Bloody History Of The Seven Dwarf Rings
Little is clear about the Seven Rings, mainly because the Dwarves are extremely private beings and rarely interact with those outside their clan, let alone their race. Sauron doles them out to seven important Dwarf-lords, hoping to bring them under his control, but things turn out quite differently.
The Rings don’t affect them per se but play a vital role in increasing the fabled Dwarven Hoards, which inevitably leads to internal warfare. Two of the Seven are eventually uncovered by Sauron, four are consumed by Dragons, and the final one is kept with Thráin II until his capture and incarceration in Dol Guldur.
The Nature And Location Of The Nine Rings Remain A Mystery
The Nine Rings work exactly as intended: each Man who receives one is completely taken over, body and soul, by Sauron. The Rings transform these once-human kings into ghoulish specters of their former selves, tormented ghosts called the Ringwraiths.
Interestingly, Tolkien wrote that “the Nine the Nazgûl keep,” but Frodo clearly notes that they are devoid of Rings when they attack him on Amon Sûl. This could either be an editorial oversight or mean that Sauron has the Nine in his personal possession. However, with The Rings of Power delving deeper into these mysteries, it may finally be revealed exactly what the fate of the Nine may be.
The Rings Of Power Possess A Basic Level Of Sentience
In the wise words of Gandalf the Grey, the Rings of Power are equipped to “look after themselves,” explaining how the One Ring transfers itself from Isildur to Gollum to Bilbo, piggybacking on anyone it believes to be a suitable ring-bearer/host.
It takes every possible effort it can to survive while simultaneously distressing the wearer, a paradox of malice that mirrors its creator’s deepest desires. This feature of semi-sentience is also present in the remaining Rings, although to a far lesser degree than the One.
Extra Connection To Tolkien
Every fan of The Lord of the Rings is familiar with its prolific creator and author J.R.R. Tolkien. However, many fans may not be familar with Tolkien’s strange, and completely coincedental, connection to the Rings of power in his magnum opus.
Tolkien died in 1973, a year that has great significance to those learning about the Rings of power. Each number in Tolkien’s year of death corresponds to one set among the Rings: One Ring to rule them all, Nine for the kings of men, Seven for the Dwarf-lords, and Three for the Elves. While a coincedence, this connection is a strange and interesting addition to the lore of the Lord of the Rings fandom.
