Every Main Character In Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power, Ranked Worst To Best

Amazon's highly anticipated journey into Middle-earth has finally arrived, expanding on a time period only briefly touched on in J.R.R. Tolkien's novels. "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" is a daring, glossy, and thrilling original series that explores the Second Age of Middle-earth, approximately 5,000 years before the events of Peter Jackson's beloved "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Following characters both new and familiar, the series will explore how the Rings of Power came to be, and how the dark lord Sauron rose to power. 

Drawing primarily on the material in the appendix of "The Lord of the Rings," "The Rings of Power" is one of the most exciting attempts to create original material in the Middle-earth canon. As a result, it has several fascinating new characters for viewers to dissect and enjoy, such as Halbrand and Disa, along with existing fan-favorites like Galadriel and Elrond. Here, we've ranked every main character in "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power," from the worst to the best.

As the high king of the elven realm of Lindon, Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker) rules in an age after the elves have fought and defeated Middle-earth's original villain, Morgoth. However, while many of his subjects, especially Galadriel, warn him that evil still lurks in the realm, he chooses to believe that all the danger is gone. Instead, Gil-galad champions peace, even going so far as to send Galadriel to the Undying Lands as a reward for her service — or, perhaps, to get rid of her. Like many characters from the books, we already know Gil-galad's fate: Sam sings a song in remembrance of him in "The Fellowship of the Ring," describing him as an Elven king who ultimately died at Sauron's hands. 

Though Gil-galad's sacrifice helps Isildur beat Sauron, "The Rings of Power" makes it seem like he also contributed to Sauron's ascendance. Furthermore, it's uncertain whether Gil-galad is a politician who's desperately trying to keep the peace and making poor decisions as a result, or if he has ulterior motives that will eventually cause his demise. Regardless, by ignoring the counsel of his soldiers, Gil-galad is unwittingly inviting Sauron to his front door, a decision that will have lasting impacts for both him and Middle-earth.

Introduced as he's rescuing Galadriel and Halbrand, Elendil (Lloyd Owen) is perhaps the closest character "The Rings of Power" has to someone like Aragorn — with good reason. Fans of the original trilogy may remember Elendil as the mythical figure who served as the first king of Gondor, making him Aragorn's distant ancestor. A soldier who fights for Númenor and a single parent to his two children, Isildur and Earien, Elendil isn't afraid to give his kids some tough love. When Elendil tries to make Isildur follow in his footsteps, however, his son bucks against his authority and strives to find his own way forward, forcing Earien to act as a mediator between the two. 

Elendil also finds himself in a difficult position politically when he saves Galadriel. Queen Regent Miriel is suspicious of his relationship with the lost warrior, and suspects that he's loyal to the elves, a dangerous accusation in Númenor. However, Elendil's willingness to work with other races will play an important role in the coming war against Sauron. Elendil and his family are a huge part of Tolkien's mythology, and getting to see his human side will undoubtedly add more layers to this legendary character. However, at this point in the series, it feels like his story is just getting started.

Female dwarves are somewhat of a foreign concept in Tolkien's writing; Gimli even jokes about their puzzling rarity in the film version of "The Two Towers." This makes Durin's wife, Disa (Sophia Nomvete), a refreshing character to include in the series, and helps to further build out the mythology of dwarves. While many dwarves appeared in Peter Jackson's films, none were Black or female. And yet, Disa instantly feels like a natural part of this world, even though she's very much a brand-new character. 

As her husband's right hand, Disa deftly navigates the relationship between Durin and Elrond, supporting Durin's goals while protecting him from the elves' ulterior motives. Nomvete has an incredibly warm screen presence, and her character has lots of narrative potential. In fact, it seems like she may already play a major role in the dwarves' political affairs. As the tension escalates between the dwarves and elves over the discovery of mithril, Disa's intelligence and strategic mind may be key to the future of Durin and Elrond's friendship. With so many possibilities for where she may go, Disa is one of the most exciting parts of "The Rings of Power."

As portrayed by Tolkien, men are the race most susceptible to moral failings like greed, hubris, and a lust for power. "The Rings of Power" seems to be using this archetype as a way to amplify the tension between men and elves, which is further highlighted by the introduction of Halbrand (Charlie Vickers), a man who saves Galadriel from drowning. The two become tentative allies, although Halbrand himself is entirely a mystery. As one of the series' original characters, little is known about his origins or fate. 

However, Halbrand is already a wildly compelling character.  Beyond his undeniable chemistry with Galadriel, he has gradually revealed his strength, intelligence, and strategic thinking in Númenor. This leads Galadriel to deduce that he must be the rightful king of the Southlands, which could make him analogous to Aragorn. On the other hand, the Southlands are the region of Middle-earth that ends up becoming Mordor. As a result, Halbrand could fail to take the throne, might end up allying with the bad guys, or may be lying about his identity and turn out to be someone else entirely. He's one of the show's few truly mysterious characters, making him, and his relationship with Galadriel, one of the more gripping parts of the series.

Bronwyn (Nazanin Boniadi) is one of the humans who resides in the Southlands, a territory that's already scarred by war. The politics of this region are very important, with elves serving as watchers over the land due to the men who live there having previously sided with Sauron's precursor, Morgoth. While many of Bronwyn's kin resent the elves and their oversight, Bronywn's gentle spirit leads her to form a friendship — and, eventually, more — with Arondir, symbolically aligning her with the forces of good. 

This is important because Bronwyn's son, Theo, has found a tool of Sauron's that attracts orcs and other evil creatures. While Theo hates Arondir and the elves, Bronwyn's growing relationship with Arondir saves them time and again from Theo's ignorant and dangerous mistakes. Another original character created for the series, Bronwyn's romance with Arondir and parenting of Theo feels refreshingly grounded, particularly in light of the previously limited portrayals of women in Tolkien adaptations. With no predetermined ending for her story, Bronwyn has all of the pieces she needs to become one of the most compelling characters in "The Rings of Power."

Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) is not the same elf we meet in "The Fellowship of the Ring." While the Galadriel we come to know in the films is older, wiser, and more resigned, the version of the character that appears in "The Rings of Power" is a warrior determined to avenge her fallen older brother, Finrod. Though most of the elves — and the residents of Middle-earth in general — have been lulled into a false sense of security, Galadriel knows deep down that evil, led by Sauron, is coming. "The Rings of Power" hosts a sprawling ensemble full of many characters and stories, but Galadriel is positioned as our primary protagonist. It's a fitting choice, as her heroic and wise nature allows her to move through Middle-earth's various realms with ease. 

However, Galadriel feels like less of a political actor than Elrond. Instead, she seems more driven by her personal mission. Like the show's other pre-existing characters, we know Galadriel's fate, which makes her portrayal in "The Rings of Power" all the more fascinating. While the Galadriel most of us are familiar with is an isolationist who provides guidance to Frodo and the Fellowship — and little else, although her small gifts do come in quite handy — her younger incarnation is a fierce warrior who would never sit on the sidelines. The writers have undeniably set up a profound journey for Galadriel, and we can't wait to experience it with her over the course of the series.