What Is Numenor In The Rings of Power?
Numenor is an important island kingdom and is a major player in the storyline of Amazon's The Rings Of Power. However, those who only watched The Lord of the Rings movies or read J.R.R. Tolkien's novel will likely be confused since the island kingdom does not exist in that world's setting. The production for The Rings of Power takes audiences to The Second Age - long before the events of those earlier movies and shows that this island had been submerged and destroyed before the start of The Lord of the Rings. However, it does appear that the island has left behind an important heritage that has shaped many of those characters who come to be familiar in those later adaptations. This means that many events which have shaped how those storylines are presented, are important to understanding its lore. It can be traced through J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion, his Lord of the Rings appendices, as well as other, larger-scale explorations in his books, especially considering those worlds were crafted decades before this adaptation came into being.
The Rings Of Power has brought in a few unique events for The Second Age as it brings the island kingdom back to life for viewers - showcasing just how essential the events of Númenor were for shaping those later stories.
How Was Numenor Founded In Middle-Earth?
Numenor is an island in Middle-earth that was specifically formed for men in The First Age - a time that took place thousands of years before the story in The Lord of the Rings or even those earlier productions. Those men who took on an integral role in combatting Morgoth, known as a dark and evil entity, that existed within the realm and would bring about chaos and havoc - they formed an alliance with those who had a connection to the Valar. They are divine and almost angelic entities that fought alongside them. In a sense, their loyalty to this cause (and the destruction that came about due to Morgoth’s acts) served as a reward - which brought forth the creation of the island kingdom - which eventually becomes a part of those events as the War of the Ring (a war with the central antagonist - Sauron - who has a connection to Morgoth and is set during The Lord of the Rings narrative).
Numoneron, an island kingdom was designed to be a gift - a sign of gratitude, allowing those humans of Middle-earth to have a more peaceful world, one that was not as destructive - after a series of battles that reshaped Middle-earth in The First Age. In addition, its creation led to its inclusion within The Second Age, where it became an essential element that shaped how Sauron eventually rises to become a terrifying enemy, those who are familiar with the story and those events that led to The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings.
How Does Numenor Compare to Middle-earth?
Although Numoneron is known for being a rich culture, an island kingdom with impressive architecture - and a diverse landscape - those who watched Amazon The Rings of Power, can see just how much Numenron, despite existing thousands of years before the story of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings - the culture has a remarkable legacy.
Those familiar with Tolkien's world will recognize just how vast the cultures of Middle-earth have become - with numerous and distinct characters from those Hobbit races to those living in Gondor and Rohan - but the island kingdom has often served as a testament to just how advanced the human civilization became over the course of hundreds of years as those men who settled in this realm, lived without conflict and were blessed with peace and prosperity as their empire rose and expanded. These qualities are evident throughout Amazon The Rings of Power. Those characters of Numenor are given a unique visual aesthetic and are often depicted as beings of great strength. The story of Numenor does also appear in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion and the Lord of the Rings appendices.
How Does Numenor Influence the Lord of the Rings?
Although Numenor has become a prominent feature across many of J.R.R. Tolkien's writings (which include his expansive stories about Middle-earth) and an essential event in those narratives - the story of The Lord of the Rings does not feature the island itself or its inhabitants - as its fate took place long before Frodo, Gandalf, and other notable figures embarked on their quests and those perilous journeys that reshaped Middle-earth into what viewers came to see through The Lord of the Rings. However, those events - those wars, those influences have created a profound connection and impact. For example, its political structure, as Numenor, was a monarchy that eventually became a more diverse and complex culture.
In a sense, its story is one that serves as an integral part of the greater world - influencing the decisions that shape how Gondor, one of the great nations of Middle-earth. The characters of Numenor and their cultures became so great and prolific. One should also keep in mind how it brought forth an influential, diverse group that impacted not just Middle-earth - but its future.
What Happened to Numenor?
Although the island kingdom appears to have been a haven and a paradise, as well as a prosperous culture with those island kingdom inhabitants, such as the Numenoreans, having more advanced technologies and even a distinctive lifestyle than any that could have been found on the continent - the destruction of this great nation came from a blend of pride and the inevitable influence of the Dark Lord - Sauron, the former lieutenant to Morgoth. Even as Numenor had made significant strides in helping to defeat the dark Lord and prevent further harm from those powerful entities - their arrogance ultimately proved their downfall.
In J.R.R. Tolkien's writing, the people were seduced into making choices that brought about their downfall as they took an excessive amount of interest in seeking immortality and those elements associated with power, which eventually would bring the destruction that those who love this universe are familiar with. Even as Sauron sought to weaken this kingdom, they eventually turned their wrath against the Valar, those who were meant to protect them, by forming an army and embarking on a journey toward Valinor - their eventual doom came about, as a divine power ended their existence by destroying the island through the power of the sea.
Was Numenor In The First Age Of Middle-Earth?
While Numenor did exist in The First Age - it wasn't an important factor. During this era - as those familiar with Tolkien's stories and how they are told - the great struggle was between those who had aligned with Morgoth and those who worked against him. There were, at this point, those races, both the humans (the Edain - as a main group) and Elves who sought to defeat Morgoth - while they came to find a place to make their own as they were faced with an extremely violent world.
Númenor came into being after The First Age ended. Its formation serves as the central moment that sets the stage for The Second Age, which is when the events that influence The Rings of Power are unfolded.
Who Was Elrond’s Brother?
Elrond is known as one of the most recognizable figures. This iconic character from The Lord of the Rings is part of a family - who also has a connection to The Second Age . This character, known as a powerful, and even revered, elf whose leadership played a role throughout that period. This prolific elf - was a Half-elf, whose lineage had a strong connection to those early years in Middle-earth.
Elrond’s brother was a man who was known for forgoing his elven side to live as a human - his name: Elros Tar-Minyatur - a decision that made him the first king of Numenor. He established a line that continued to reign over that kingdom - with those that would have a significant influence over the fate of Middle-earth in the centuries to come.
Are There any Elven Characters In The Rings of Power Who Were Part of Numenor’s History?
Even though Numenor had a unique set of circumstances and influences (it was a gift from the Valar and was a sanctuary created for men, those who resided on the island kingdom - those inhabitants did not all come from the same origins - and that's true even in Amazon’s production: The Rings of Power). In Tolkien's books, those elves (those known as the Elves of Middle-earth, or those who were from the First Age of Middle-earth, those known as "The Eldar" (a large set of elves with powerful influence). However, it was the elves who traveled from Valinor (the home to the Valar) who came to Numenor, not to stay, but to travel through. Many traveled as visitors and traders as their skills (particularly those focused on craftsmanship and even their deep connection to magic) served as a conduit to establish those lasting relations that existed for a very long time - during those periods which impacted those human civilizations.
In The Rings of Power, Galadriel is one such elf who travels to Numenor. This appears in the series, a crucial moment that allows her to witness those early developments and the cultural trends. These have led to an ongoing sense of power - a dangerous power as they seek to claim more of the world around them. The journey serves as a pivotal moment in the Amazon The Rings of Power. She attempts to understand how Sauron is manipulating those characters.
