Collage of Charles Edwards as Celebrimbor, Morfydd Clark as Galadriel, and Bridie Sisson as the DwellerThe Rings of Power season 2 must answer questions raised in the first outing of the Amazon series, but it can also elaborate on a mystery character introduced but left unexplored in The Lord of the Rings. Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series pulls from J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings, but it takes liberties with the author’s work. Despite featuring characters who appear in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Rings of Power is also detached from the feature films. Still, since it elaborates on Tolkien’s writings, it has some overlap with the trilogy — and that means it can explore a character who appears in The Return of the King.

Characters like Galadriel, Elrond, and Isildur play prominent roles in The Rings of Power — basically, anyone who is alive during the Second Age of Middle-earth, when the Prime Video show is set. Isildur’s story will be especially important as the series continues, since Isildur is the one who brings Sauron’s first reign to an abrupt end. Given The Rings of Power‘s focus on Isildur’s backstory, the show has the opportunity to explore a character connected to Aragorn’s ancestor who doesn’t get enough attention in The Lord of the Rings.

Amazon’s Rings Of Power Season 2 Can Introduce LOTR’s King Of The Dead

The Series Can Work Him Into Isildur’s Story

Paul Norell as The Dead King glowing green in The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

The Lord of the Rings trilogy introduces the King of the Dead in The Return of the King, having him fight alongside Aragorn and his companions during the War of the Ring. The King of the Dead and his undead army only agree to help because Aragorn is the descendant of Isildur. The army is cursed because they swore their loyalty to Isildur when he was alive, then turned their backs on him. Because of this, the King of the Dead and his followers cannot rest until they fulfill their vows — something they’re able to do when Aragorn requests their help during Middle-earth’s Third Age.

Since The Rings of Power will cover Isildur’s history, season 2 of the Amazon series can work the King of the Dead into its run. Although this character appears in Tolkien’s source material, he’s not as fleshed out as the other players who appear in The Lord of the Rings. The Rings of Power season 2 can introduce the King of the Dead and elaborate on the character further, showing how he came to be in Isildur’s service and why he betrayed Aragorn’s ancestor. It can give him more of an identity than The Lord of the Rings does, potentially even pushing an established character into the role.

Could The Dead King Already Be In The Rings Of Power?

Theo Or Valandil Could Be The King Of The Dead

Tyroe Muhafidin as Theo holding a broken sword in The Rings of Power Maxim Baldry as Isildur looking intently in The Rings of Power Lloyd Owen and Maxim Baldry as Elendil and Isildur looking concerned in The Rings of Power.
Morfydd Clark and Tyroe Muhafidin as Galadriel and Theo in Rings of Power Charlie Vickers as Halbrand smiling in Mordor in The Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power Season 1 Episode 8

The Rings of Power features numerous characters whose roles in the history of Middle-earth are unclear, as they don’t exist in Tolkien’s writings — at least not as they’re introduced in the show. Halbrand is an example of this, as no character by that name appears in the author’s works, though Sauron is a hugely important figure in the history of Middle-earth. Other players, like the Stranger and Theo, have yet to receive names that fit with Tolkien’s lore as well. It’s possible someone like Theo could become the King of the Dead in The Rings of Power, getting to know Isildur and later betraying him for selfish reasons.

Theo’s an obvious choice, as The Rings of Power has already hinted at a darkness in its youngest main character. However, someone like Valandil could also fill the role, taking on a bigger part of the show’s narrative as it continues. It would be even more tragic if one of Isildur’s longtime friends turned out to be his betrayer, transforming into the King of the Dead sometime after The Rings of Power season 2. Given that Halbrand and the Stranger are iterations of characters from Tolkien’s lore, it won’t be surprising if the King of the Dead is someone viewers know already.

What Tolkien Already Revealed About Lord Of The Rings’ Dead King

Not Much Is Known Beyond Is Betrayal Of Gondor

Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn wields his sword in front of the Army of the Dead from Lord of the Rings

While Tolkien’s writings don’t include a ton of information about the King of the Dead, they offer a few details that can be used to parse out his story in The Rings of Power. It’s confirmed that the character follows Sauron before swearing his oath to Isildur and Gondor. This means that anyone who falls prey to Sauron’s philosophy in the Amazon series could become this Lord of the Rings character. Tolkien fans also know that the King of the Dead isn’t present at the War of the Last Alliance, though by this point in Middle-earth’s history, it’ll be clear if the series is covering the King of the Dead.

The King of the Dead and his army also reside at Dwimorberg in the White Mountains after becoming cursed. While The Lord of the Rings never explains why they chose this location, The Rings of Power could work it into their backstory, making this spot a meaningful part of their history. It’s hard to say if the Amazon show will go this route, but it should definitely elaborate further on the King of the Dead. In doing so, The Rings of Power can expand on a fascinating aspect of Tolkien’s lore and form another indirect connection to the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy and the books it’s based on.