The Season 2 finale of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power came with full of surprises. In “Shadow and Flame,” after losing his father to the Balrog of Morgoth, Durin IV (Owain Arthur) ascends to the throne of Khazad-dûm, but not without contest. According to his wife Disa (Sophia Nomvete) and his steward Narvi (Kevin Eldon), there are rumors that Durin the Younger was not King Durin III’s (Peter Mullan) preferred heir, and that his brother, whose name we still don’t know, is gathering support among some of the Dwarf-lords. But who is Durin’s brother, who all of a sudden is a threat to him after barely being mentioned before?
Not Much Is Known About Durin III’s Family Tree in the Second Age
The first step to understanding anything in The Lord of the Rings is to follow J.R.R. Tolkien‘s original writings. The Rings of Power has been taking many liberties with Tolkien lore for the sake of a story that makes sense within its own context, and, so far, it has been working; the series made some major changes, but, for the version of the story it wants to tell, they all make sense. So, to find out how Durin IV’s genealogy works, it’s always best to first check with the original texts. There is only one problem: Tolkien doesn’t mention anything about it. Durin IV himself is an original character in The Rings of Power.
In truth, Tolkien didn’t have much time to delve deeper into Dwarven lore in the Second Age, so most of what is known comes from the appendixes in The Lord of the Rings and other brief writings. Who is present is Durin III. He is the king of Khazad-dûm during Second Age events like the forging of the Rings of Power by Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) and Annatar/Sauron (Charlie Vickers) and the Sack of Eregion by Sauron’s forces. Also, he is the only Dwarf-lord who receives his Ring of Power from the Elven smiths themselves, while the others are distributed to the other Dwarf-lords by Sauron. In the books, Durin III faces no Balrog, for the beast doesn’t awaken for a whole other age. The books don’t specify whether Durin III’s heir is indeed Durin IV, and neither do they explain his genealogy. So, in The Rings of Power, Durin IV existing as Durin III’s son and having a brother contest his claim to the throne of Khazad-dûm is completely new territory in terms of Middle-earth lore.
‘The Rings of Power’ Setting the Destruction of Khazad-Dûm in the Second Age Changes Everything
There is no mention of the Balrog ever awaking in Khazad-dûm during the Second Age, and, yet, The Rings of Powerexplores it all the same. What this means is that the series is probably playing out the fall of Khazad-dûm a whole age earlier, exploring the subject of darkness spreading through Middle-earth as a concept that backs this. Again, it may not be like Tolkien wrote it, but it does make sense in the context of the series. For this to work, though, it will probably draw on events — and possibly even characters – from the Third Age.
Who does face the Balrog in the Third Age is Durin VI. He is the king of Khazad-dûm who leads the Dwarves to dig too deep in search of mithril, and awakens the beast as a consequence. Durin VI is slain by the Balrog, which is where the beast’s name comes from: Durin’s Bane. He is succeeded by his son, Náin, the last king of Khazad-dûm, who only rules for a year before being slain by the Balrog, too. From then on, the Line of Durin continues with Thráin, who leads the Dwarves away from Khazad-dûm and establishes the kingdom of Erebor.
A possible path for the series is bringing Náin into the fold a whole age earlier, as Durin IV’s brother and Durin III’s youngest son. After all, Náin only becomes king of Khazad-dûm after a Durin dies facing the Balrog, which actually happens in the Season 2 finale – just not his Durin from the books. Surprisingly enough, it also fits with Durin IV’s storyline so far, and his possible path in Season 3.
Durin IV Having a Brother Sets Him Up for Trouble in ‘The Rings of Power’ Season 3
Whoever Durin IV’s brother may be, we know next to nothing about him. Before the Season 2 finale, the only ever mention of him having a brother at all is in Season 1, Episode 7, “The Eye.” Back then, Durin fights with his father, who strips him of the crest he wears as heir to Khazad-dûm. In the next scene, Disa comforts Durin, telling him that, one day, Khazad-dûm will be his, not his brother’s. No mention of whom this brother is, though.
Still, Durin having his claim challenged makes sense within the chronology of Season 2. It may have ended with Durin the Elder calling his son “King Durin” and cementing Durin the Younger’s status as the new king, but that is hardly any official confirmation unless someone is there to document it. At the beginning of the season, though, Durin the Elder and Durin the Younger are not on speaking terms, and that seems to be public knowledge, so it makes sense for a younger brother advancing a claim to the throne on this basis. It also sets Khazad-dûm for a power struggle in Season 3, as Durin probably tries to stop the digging of mithril and his brother wants to delve deeper into the mountain, awakening the Balrog again. So, whoever Durin’s brother is, the Dwarven prince is certainly up for trouble in the future.
Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.
