Rings Of Power Season 2 Reveals Two New Lord Of The Rings Characters - Exclusive

Looper is excited to exclusively reveal two new characters for "The Rings of Power" Season 2. Calam Lynch ("Dunkirk," "Bridgerton") will play an elven map-maker from Eriador named Camnir. In addition, Selina Lo ("Hellraiser," "Boss Level") will portray an elven archer from Lindon named Rían. Looper has also been told that both characters are connected to Elrond's (Robert Aramayo) Season 2 story arc.

As with much of the "Rings of Power" story, Tolkien didn't give us too many details for this part of the history of Middle-earth. However, as Season 2 unfolds, we do know that the rest of the Rings of Power will be forged at some point soon (we got only the Three Elven Rings in Season 1, and we know more are coming in Season 2). Drawing from Tolkien's scattered Second Age material, we also know that Sauron will attack Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) and his elven smiths in Eregion (near Khazad-dûm) to try to take them by force.

In the book "Unfinished Tales," Tolkien explains that during this assault, "when news of this reached Gil-galad he sent out a force under Elrond Half-elven; but Elrond had far to go." And when it says "far to go," we're talking hundreds of miles across the vast region of Eriador (a large portion of the west side of Middle-earth). Once Elrond arrives in Eregion with his forces and prepares to fight Sauron, it adds that the elven commander gathers some of the local elves as he goes along. While we won't get into the spoilers of what happens when the two armies come to blows, it appears that Lo's and Lynch's characters will be giving audiences a boots-on-the-ground perspective of the entire encounter.

Selina Lo's casting in "The Rings of Power" Season 2 was reported within weeks of Season 1's finale, but her character's identity has been hidden until now. Rían is a new, non-canon elf created for the Second Age adaptation by showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay. The official description of Lo's character reads, "Reputed to be one of the finest archers in Lindon, Rían is one of the members of Elrond's recently formed band of warrior-elves. Her courage, and her aim, will prove invaluable in the fight for Eregion." 

The bit about a recently formed band of warrior-elves could be in reference to Tolkien's description of Elrond gathering fresh forces as he approaches Sauron's armies. Then again, this could reference a group Elrond commands before he's sent out to Eregion. In that case, it would be a creative addition to the story specific to the series as it transitions Elrond from a young elven diplomat in Season 1 into a warrior in Season 2. 

Elrond may be a wise counselor in "The Lord of the Rings," but during the Second Age, he is younger, more inexperienced, and a lot more hands-on when it comes to the military stuff. We also know he will eventually be present when Isildur cuts the One Ring from Sauron's hand in battle (as seen in the opening sequence of Peter Jackson's "The Fellowship of the Ring"). All that is to say, Elrond is gearing up for war, which means introducing Rían as a top-notch archer from Elrond's home region of Lindon and a member of his personal warrior-elf band could make her a very important character, both in Season 2 and beyond.

While it's clear that Rían comes from Lindon (a powerful elven realm during "The Rings of Power"), Calam Lynch's character's origin isn't quite as clear. The official description reads, "An expert elven map-maker, with a particular expertise in navigating the woods of Eriador. After unforeseen danger requires finding a new path to Eregion, Camnir's bravery will be put to the test when Elrond's band of warrior-elves encounters an unexpected attack on the road: The Barrow-wights." 

Referring to Camnir simply as an "elven" map-maker who knows Eriador like the back of his hand indicates that he could come from a few different groups of elves who live in the area at this point. "Unfinished Tales" describes how, in this region during the Second Age, there are Noldor (High Elves) and Sindar (Grey-elves) as well as Laiquendi and Nandor (both Green-elves). While we won't break down the origin of elvish clans and factions here, suffice it to say Camnir could come from any of these groups, and each could influence how he impacts the story.

The Barrow-wight connection is also interesting. This ghoulish group was previously unadapted on screen, and "The Rings of Power" will bring Barrow-wights to the screen for the first time. If you draw a line from Lindon to Eregion on the Middle-earth map, it goes right through the Barrow Downs, where the haunting creatures live later in the Third Age. If Camnir is going to function as Elrond's cartographer and guide through Eriador, it makes sense that he would end up helping them navigate a Barrow-wight-ridden area in or near the famed burial mounds of "The Lord of the Rings."

"The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" Season 2 debuts on August 29 on Prime Video.