In the first season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Owain Arthur‘s Prince Durin IV found himself at odds with his father, the king (Peter Mullan). An open-minded dwarf who recoils at the idea of convention, Durin defended his friendship with Elrond (Robert Aramayo) and sought to build alliances between Elves and Dwarves, which only got his friend banished from Khazad-dûm and put him in hot water with his father.

Despite Durin’s struggles, Arthur also reveals a lighter side of the dark for Season 2, largely taking place at home with his wife, Disa (Sophia Nomvete), in Khazad-dûm. Fans should appreciate the focus on the Dwarves’ daily goings-on, Arthur said, where the levity resides in an otherwise much darker second season.

Last year, when The Ringsof Power Season 2 was filming in England, Collider’s Steven Weintraub and a few other reporters got to speak with Arthur. They discuss Durin’s homelife, filming in London vs. New Zealand this time around, and the potential repercussions of Durin’s Balrog discovery.

Question: What can you tell us about the time frame between Season 1 and 2 and where your character is at?

OWAIN ARTHUR: At the end of the first season, we saw Durin being sick of being a prince, and so we see him at quite possibly the lowest point he’s been all his life, really. His relationship with his father is broken, so I think it’s a case of who’s going to give in first if they are gonna give into each other to try and put things up. It’s quite complex for Durin because it’s his father. He really looks up to his father.

I think Durin III is a hero for Durin IV. I think to be rejected by him, to let him down that much at the end of Episode 7 hurt him. He’s fighting against the king as well — his father, but also a king, and therefore there’s tradition and a respect that’s different to any father and son relationship, and it’s quite complex, really.

This is gonna be a darker season in Season 2. Does that play on his psyche a little bit more? And does the relationship with his father impact the decisions that he makes in Season 2?

ARTHUR: Good question. He starts the season in, like I said, in the darkest place he’s ever been and therefore, he’s trying to figure out the best way to fix that. But whilst doing that as well, he’s also discovering himself, and this is where I think Durin is more open-minded, I suppose, than his father. I think it’s his relationship with Elrond that’s opened his mind, broadened his mind, I think. So he’s kind of figuring all of that stuff out in Season 2 through the darkness.

Will his father’s decision impact that relationship with Elrond at all? Is there blame there, or does it bring you two closer together?

ARTHUR: He’s impacted on that massively by banishing him. So it’s difficult for Elrond — well, he’s not allowed. So, yes, it’s impacted him immensely. I don’t know if you feel this with your parents or your aunties or your grandparents; they become a certain age — I’m finding that now with my parents — that you have to treat them differently. Like the status has changed. That’s what’s happening with Durin and his father in Season 2, that he’s discovering himself and, therefore, questioning his relationship with his father.

The Balrog Is Almost Certain to Return

Durin III did something pretty significant in Season 1 by placing a leaf down a very long cave, and we were introduced to the Balrog. How much does that factor into Season 2?

ARTHUR: Well, we know it’s there; we, the audience, know it’s there. Whether he will appear in Season 2, I mean, what do you think?

I’m saying that there’s a good possibility that the Balrog could make a presence.

ARTHUR: Possibly, possibly. I’m not allowed to say. I mean, I’d love to tell you. I’d love to bring you on to the set and go, “Listen, this is what happens, this happens here, and this happens here.” I’d love to tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. I want people to discover it in that moment.

What was it like doing the acting this season?

ARTHUR: I see where you’re going with that. Yeah, I kicked its ass. I didn’t. Yes, there were stunts involved. There were stunts involved last season as well.

Durin and Disa Are Closer Than Ever

Image via Prime Video

I really love the relationship with Durin and Disa, the family unit. Will we get to see more of that? Will we get to see the kids more this season?

ARTHUR: Certainly, you will see Disa and Durin together. Don’t think that’s much of a spoiler because me being disowned impacts on her as well. At the beginning of Season 2, we see who copes best with that, and Disa is a strong woman. But it’s always been the case, I think with Durin and Disa — she certainly has the remote control of what I do in the house.

We’ve spent a lot of time today talking about how sets have evolved from Season 1 to Season 2, specifically Khazad-dûm, with the changes and early scene where they’re trying to showcase the more familial aspects of the Dwarves. What was it like shooting in this new, different version?

ARTHUR: Have you been to Khazad-dûm? It’s incredible. It really is. I was blown away in New Zealand, and I am blown away again this season. The scale of the sets of Khazad-dûm is quite incredible, but also, what was comforting was going back home to Durin’s house. That was lovely, being able to walk the same steps and see the table and the tree and the water, and so that was nice to have continuity from Season 1; to go, “Ah, yes, this is where we belong.” And for that to be our home as well. It was lovely.

Durin Ventures Outside of Khazad-dûm in Season 2

Do you get to go outside of Khazad-dûm this season, or is primarily everything taking place there?

ARTHUR: There’s a lot of work to be done in Khazad-dûm. I’ve got a lot. My status in Khazad-dûm doesn’t really allow me to make those decisions, to kind of wander off and do a state visit to Eregion or wherever. But I do wander out. I do.

We spoke to the art department and they said that J.D. and Patrick really wanted to humanize Khazad-dûm and Dwarven society and show the day-to-day life of the Dwarves. Will we see new Dwarves?

ARTHUR: Yeah, you’ll see different aspects of Khazad-dûm, definitely. I can say that much, and it’s really exciting. I’m annoyed because I really want to tell you about these animals that were on set. They were incredible. But you’ll just have to wait and see.

We were talking with Cynthia about how Season 2 will be much darker, but there’s still the light that is the core of Lord of the Rings. How does that balance with Durin’s darker, more difficult story this season?

ARTHUR: Good question. Even though he is going through a lot of darkness and struggle and his whole life has been turned upside down, Disa is there as an anchor for him, and they share some light moments together, some loving moments together. That just means that I, as an actor, am able to bring some light, some contrast to characters instead of it just being the same all the time. So through Disa, I think, through our bouncing off each other, and also in the writing as well, they’ve allowed us to show light in some places. I mean, he fancies the pants off Disa; this is the thing. I mean, she’s from him, so give him half a chance, and he’ll kiss her; he doesn’t need a second chance. So, there’s love and comedy through that as well, just watching the man dote on his wife.

Can you talk about the differences between filming in England and New Zealand?

ARTHUR: The difference is I’m home here, so, literally, it takes me 40 minutes to drive from my bed to the studios. That’s the big difference. Instead of it being a 24-hour flight, which also means that I get to see my family, get to see my friends, live a normal life, and have that kind of stability to anchor myself, basically. Therefore, when I come to work, I can disappear instead of being far away. I was thinking about this on the way here, actually, about New Zealand and what they’ve done. Because the costumes were created over in New Zealand, they were made in New Zealand, they’ve been shipped over, it kind of feels like there’s a bit of New Zealand still in the show, which is quite nice. But I absolutely love filming here in London. I have to say, I prefer it.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 will be available to stream on Prime Video beginning August 29. Season 1 is available now.