Don’t let the title fool you: “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” may suggest that this Prime Video series is all about the origins of Sauron (played by Charlie Vickers), but the truth is much more complicated than that. In the very first scene of Season 1, we see the events of the saga told through the eyes of Galadriel (Morfyyd Clark), positioning her as our de facto main protagonist. In the time since, an ensemble of characters have risen up to take the reins of this story. There’s Robert Aramayo’s Elrond, the Dwarf king Durin (Owain Arthur), our lovable clan of Harfoots, and so many more spread out over the vast expanse of Middle-earth. But, if you ask the show’s creative team, Season 3 takes this versatile approach to even greater heights.
In fact, I did ask them exactly that. At the recent press junket for “The Rings of Power,” I spoke to co-showrunner Patrick McKay about whether he sees these three seasons as a Sauron-centric narrative or something that extends far beyond our favorite Dark Lord. According to McKay, it’s a tricky balance:
“Sauron is going to be the center of gravity in many ways, but it’s an ensemble show, and we love the idea that from episode to episode, sequence to sequence, someone might surprise you (…) We love that we can do that.”
McKay actually singled out one particular character by name who takes the lead at one point in “The Rings of Power” Season 3, but we’ll save that (very minor) reveal for below. Needless to say, it’s a perfect example of the series’ writers staying light on their feet. With such a talented cast, the show might as well use them to its advantage.
The Rings of Power Season 3 finds new ways to ‘shake it up and surprise you’
Without spoiling any specifics, one of the more memorable instances of this comes in the early episodes of “The Rings of Power” Season 3. While Sauron’s ongoing conquest of Middle-earth puts the pressure on the forces of good, the sequestered island nation of Númenor is dealing with its own troubles closer to home. Caught in the middle of this turmoil, the family made up of Isildur (Maxim Baldry), his sister Eärien (Ema Horvath), and their father Elendil (Lloyd Owen) are hard-pressed to keep up a united front. This subplot may not be the most obvious favorite for many viewers of the show, but Season 3 goes out of its way to shine a brighter spotlight on one secondary character in particular.
According to Patrick McKay, fans ought to be on the lookout for what Episode 2 has in store. “The second episode this season, arguably the protagonist is Ema Horvath’s character Eärien over in Númenor — who you abstractly would never think that the sister of the (character) over in that particular story would take that kind of prominence,” he explained. It’s a calculated gamble, but one that speaks to his and co-showrunner J.D. Payne’s new mentality. McKay added:
“We’re just looking (for) ways to shake it up and surprise you, and we know what Ema can do. And we were very excited to give her that chance.”
The storylines revolving around Galadriel, Sauron, and Jamie Campbell Bower’s newly-introduced Celeborn will likely make most of the headlines this year, but don’t sleep on the supporting characters populating this world. You never know which one might surprise you. “The Rings of Power” Season 3 premieres November 11, 2026, on Prime Video.
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