The possibility of this Lord of the Rings on-screen first in The Rings of Power season 3 is exciting as it could be one of the show’s most unique and faithful elements yet, or it could create more controversy in the notoriously picky fandom. Season 3 is set to dive into Sauron’s (Charlie Vickers) distribution of his Rings of Men and his subsequent forging of Lord of the Rings’ One Ring. The show will be racing the clock to then fit in its Númenor arc before its five-season finish. However, there may yet be time to include the fan-favorite Glorfindel.
Two Different The Lord Of The Rings Adaptations Cut Glorfindel
No English-Language Adaptation Has Included Glorfindel
There is a real chance that Rings of Power season 3 will finally bring Glorfindel to life, unlike most previous movies and TV shows. No English-language production has really adapted Glorfindel for the screen yet, with the main omissions being from the Ralph Bakshi movie and Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Glorfindel has a big role in part one of the Lord of the Rings novel, The Fellowship of the Ring, which both movies adapted. However, Elf extra Jarl Benzon is credited with Glorfindel’s role in an official trading card game.
Benzon is listed as “Coronation Elf” in the cast of the Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King movie. However, game company Decipher worked with Wētā Workshop’s Daniel Falconer in the 2000s to cast and costume characters for the game, including Glorfindel. Falconer was a senior designer for the Peter Jackson movies across props, costumes, and effects. Meanwhile, Sweden’s 1971 Sagan om Ringen briefly features a Glorfindel that is actually fairly visually convincing. Now, Rings of Power may bring this character to the U.S. and U.K.
How Glorfindel Could Feature In The Rings Of Power Season 3
Glorfindel Was Bizarrely Present Through The Ages
The Lord of the Rings timeline roughly places Glorfindel in Middle-earth at the time of the events of Rings of Power season 3. Many readers will know Glorfindel as the Third Age Elf who helps Frodo at the Ford of Bruinen in Fellowship of the Ring. Of course, Jackson gave this role to Arwen for his movie. However, less casual fans will know that Glorfindel also fought in Morgoth’s Sack of Gondolin in the First Age, as described in The Silmarillion and The Fall of Gondolin. Unfortunately, Glorfindel emerged from the Fall of Gondolin dead and buried.
Tolkienian Age
Event Marking The Start
Years
Total Length In Solar Years
Before time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Days before Days
Ainur entered Eä
1 – 3,500 Valian Years
33,537
Pre-First Age Years of the Trees (Y.T.)
Yavanna created the Two Trees
Y.T. 1 – 1050
10,061
First Age (F.A.)
Elves awoke in Cuiviénen
Y.T. 1050 – Y.T. 1500, F.A. 1 – 590
4,902
Second Age (S.A.)
War of Wrath ended
S.A. 1 – 3441
3,441
Third Age (T.A.)
Last Alliance defeated Sauron
T.A. 1 – 3021
3,021
Fourth Age (Fo.A)
Elven-rings left Middle-earth
Fo.A 1 – unknown
Unknown
Fans must look to apocryphal Tolkien material found in The Peoples of Middle-earth to explain this conundrum. Although never published while Tolkien was alive, drafts contained in this collection and other The History of Middle-earth books show Tolkien’s evolving story. It turns out Glorfindel was revived early for his great deeds — Lord of the Rings’ Elves could normally be reembodied if they died an early death. Fascinatingly, Glorfindel was sent to Middle-earth in the Second Age by the Valar, allowing for a Rings of Power cameo in season 3.
Why Glorfindel Is Alive In Middle-Earth’s Second Age, Despite Dying Way Earlier
Glorfindel Is One Of Very Few Elves To Be Reincarnated Early
Second Age Event
S. A. Year
Sauron began construction on Barad-dûr
1000
Sauron befriended the Elves of Eregion as Annatar
1200
Rings of Power were forged
1500
The three great Elven-rings were forged
1590
The One Ring was forged, Barad-dûr was completed, Sauron openly proclaimed himself
1600
Sauron began to prepare to invade Eriador
1605
The War of the Elves and Sauron began
1693
Sauron invaded Eriador
1695
Sauron sacked Eregion and killed Celebrimbor. Rivendell was founded. The Dwarves assailed Sauron. Khazad-dûm closed.
1697
Sauron overran Eriador
1699
Númenóreans defeated Sauron
1700
Sauron was driven from Eriador and fled to Mordor. First White Council held
1701
Ar-Pharazôn seized the scepter
3255
Sauron became Pharazôn’s prisoner in Númenor
3262
Númenor fell
3319
Glorfindel was sent to Middle-earth between S.A. 1200 and 1600 by Lord of the Rings’ Vala Manwë to help Elrond and Gil-galad oppose Sauron during his rise to power. Annatar got to Eregion in 1200 and forged the One Ring in 1600, so Rings of Power season 3 is fully primed for Glorfindel to arrive and save the day. Elrond (Robert Aramayo) and Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker) will soon need assistance when Sauron’s War Against the Elves has only just begun. It isn’t clear how much of this war, often described in Unfinished Tales, the show will adapt, but Glorfindel could appear regardless.
Finrod was Galadriel’s brother, while Galadriel was described as the greatest of the Noldor by Tolkien.
Rings of Power has the rights to Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit but has been acquiring one-off rights to other texts as needed, including Unfinished Tales. Only The Peoples of Middle-earth describes Glorfindel’s story in Lord of the Rings’ Second Age, but even if the show struggles to get rights to this content, Glorfindel appears more than enough in Lord of the Rings to allow for some original Second Age material. If perfectly cast, Glorfindel could be the jewel in the crown of The Lord of the Rings: the Rings of Power.
