‘The Rings of Power’: Where Is Rhûn and Why Are Nori and The Stranger Traveling There?
TL;DR:
- The Rings of Power Season 1 ends with Nori and The Stranger headed to Rhûn.
- Rhûn is all the way to the East of Middle-earth and is mostly loyal to Sauron.
- The Stranger hopes to learn more about his purpose when he reaches Rhûn.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power ends its first season with Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh) and The Stranger (Daniel Weyman) embarking on an adventure. The pair is headed to Rhûn, where the latter believes he’ll learn more about his purpose in Middle-earth. The Rings of Power Episode 8 gives The Stranger his memory back. However, he doesn’t have all the pieces. His journey to Rhûn in The Rings of Power Season 2 may change that, but where exactly is the region located?
Where in Middle-earth is Rhûn located?
Rhûn is located in the Eastern part of Middle-earth, not far from the area that will come to be known as Mordor. In fact, the people residing in Rhûn will later join Sauron’s armies. Dubbed the Easterlings (per Fandom.com, Rhûn is also known as the Eastlands), these are the men who side with the Dark Lord during The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Rhûn is also not far from Gondor, which will be established sometime during Middle-earth’s Second Age. Given that Elendil (Lloyd Owen) is involved in Gondor’s founding, The Rings of Power is likely to cover that chain of events. Rhûn and Gondor will eventually become enemies, as the areas have different allegiances during the Second and Third Age. But why is The Stranger headed to the area that falls under Sauron’s control?
Why Nori and The Stranger are traveling to Rhûn in ‘The Rings of Power’
Knowing Rhûn’s ties to Sauron, The Rings of Power fans may be wondering why The Stranger would want to go there. It’s because of the constellation he’s trying to find, which The Ascetic (Kali Kopae) revealed can be seen from Rhûn. It’s not entirely clear what The Stranger will gain from locating the stars he seeks. However, it must be something important, as it’s the only part of his memory he retained after falling from the sky.
And it’s possible Rhûn’s connection to Sauron is precisely the point. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s lore, the Istari were sent to help Middle-earth fight the Dark Lord. As such, sending The Stranger to Rhûn will place him closer to the show’s villain — and perhaps other major characters as well.
The Stranger may meet Sauron in ‘The Rings of Power’ Season 2
With The Stranger and Nori headed to the East of Middle-earth, the pair may just run into Sauron in The Rings of Power Season 2. After all, Halbrand returns to the Southlands — now Mordor — during the finale. He’ll likely establish the area as his base in the coming episodes.
Whether he’ll venture to nearby regions remains to be seen, but it would make for some interesting interactions. It seems inevitable that The Stranger and Sauron will cross paths sometime during this series. And they’ll be right near one another once Nori and The Stranger reach Rhûn.
The Rings of Power Season 1 is streaming on Prime Video.
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