Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power shows a new story in Middle-earth, as it jumps back in history, exploring the events that take place thousands of years before the more familiar tale. Though J. R. R. Tolkien established a lot about his fictional world through his detailed world-building, there are more than a few mysteries that he never quite explained. The Rings of Power has already expanded on a few of them by taking characters to the lands of Rhûn and introducing Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear). And Season 2’s finale sets up more explanations for the show to create, like the much-speculated identities of the Nazgûl and, more subtly, the fate of the Entwives, which is a mystery so great that not even the characters in Middle-earth know the truth.
The disappearance of the Entwives is discussed in the events of The Lord of the Rings, when Treebeard mentions it, but even thousands of years later, he is still unsure what happened to them, and Tolkien never definitively established that piece of history. This makes it a natural question for The Rings of Power to build on, and that’s exactly what fans expected after Season 2 introduced an Entwife in episode 4, “Eldest.” Though the rest of the season lacks Ents and Entwives, the series has set itself up to explore the mystery. In only one line, The Rings of Power teases the Entwives’ disappearance. The Season 2 finale gives a hint of how the series might handle this story through the character of Kemen (Leon Wadham).
What Do We Know About ‘The Rings of Power’s Entwives? 
The Rings of Power provides the first glimpse of an Entwife when Isildur (Maxim Baldry) and Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova) venture into the forest to investigate the mysterious threat that took Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin). They discover that the situation was caused by the Ent, Snaggleroot (Jim Broadben), and the Entwife, Winterbloom (Olivia Williams), reacting to the Orcs clearing the forest near Pelargir. Winterbloom is mourning the trees she tended, and in her grief, she takes action, proving herself more deceived than the notoriously meandering Ents. Raging at the destruction of the forest, Winterbloom takes out her vengeance on anyone, including the wildmen and the people of Pelargir, until Arondir promises to keep the peace while the forest heals. Winterbloom’s conclusion is hopeful, as she and her husband leave, believing they have time to forgive and heal from the past, but unfortunately, that will not last.
As the Entwives have faded into legend by The Lord of the Rings, something will happen to drive away Winterbloom and the rest of the Entwives not long after the events of The Rings of Power. And Winterbloom’s motivations suggest what it could be. As the only Entwife or Entmaiden we are familiar with, Winterbloom’s feelings stand for the group. She is fiercely protective and devoted to the trees she tended, which is why the destruction of the forest caused such a reaction. This passion must be what causes the change as Arondir’s promise to keep the peace, while noble, is impossible considering the war with Sauron (Charlie Vickers) that is coming, but problems are closer to the forest than they realize.
‘The Rings of Power’s Season 2 Finale Hints at the Entwives’ Future
Kemen is not a character likely to listen to reason, so even if they explain the Ents’ attacks, he will not let up. Whatever the Southlanders decide, Kemen will have someone cutting down trees, further angering the Ents and leaving the Entwives to grieve more trees. Based on Winterbloom’s emotional reaction, the continued destruction of the forest could motivate the Entwives to seek a home far away from civilization or to stand up to their enemies and be whipped out in the process. Though nothing has happened yet, The Rings of Power clearly intends for Kemen’s demands to have an impact on the Entwives’ story, whether it is the deciding factor or not.
How Would This Explanation Work for ‘The Rings of Power?’
The story is only beginning in The Rings of Power, and there are sure to be many twists ahead, but as it takes shape, it seems to be a fitting story for the series, even though it is not perfectly accurate to the source material. While there is little information about the Entwives, Tolkien did set up a different story for them. Tolkien wrote the Entwives to focus on gardening and agriculture, while the Ents tended to the trees and forests, so the Ents traveled while Entwives preferred to stay in their gardens. The last known location of the Entwives is east of the Anduin, where they taught Men agriculture. Tolkien wrote that Sauron torched the area in the Second Age, which assumedly either killed the Entwives or forced them to move yet again.
Since Tolkien never made definitive statements about the Entwives’ fate, The Rings of Power can alter the story without contradicting the source material. However, already, the series has created questions that it must answer. For example, if the Ents and Entwives are together, how do the Ents not know what happened? Though the series takes a new approach to the Entwives, it creates an interesting story. If Kemen is the missing piece of the puzzle, the series can use the fate of the Entwives to further vilify him, though it is hardly necessary as he already holds the title of The Rings of Power‘s most unlikeable character. This change could make Kemen more powerful than he has been so far, showing how his cruelty impacted Middle-earth for thousands of years, and give fans more time with the Ents.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 1 and 2 is available to stream on Prime Video.
