The Rings Of Power Season 3 Trailer Raises A Giant Question For Every LOTR Fan

What in Middle-earth is going on here? That's the question destined to be on the lips of many a fan of "The Lord of the Rings" following the release of the first trailer for "The Rings of Power" Season 3, though for reasons we may not have fully anticipated. Ever since its debut, the Prime Video prequel has made it quite clear that this is a bold and fresh chapter in the epic story first created by author J.R.R. Tolkien. Despite adapting material taken straight out of the various books, series co-showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay have taken several liberties in translating some seriously dense history into an easily-digestible experience. With that, however, comes its own set of fascinating question marks.

To wit: Are we sure we know exactly what "The Rings of Power" is able to adapt? We certainly thought we'd put this to rest, considering that the showrunners themselves previously provided the answer to the question. Months before Season 1 debuted in 2022, Payne explained what Amazon had access to in terms of the copyright situation: the original trilogy, "The Hobbit," and the appendices located at the end of "The Return of the King." That seems straightforward enough. So, too, is the fact that this adaptation exists as a separate franchise from the Peter Jackson movies (as well as other productions currently in the works). What happened in the films has no bearing on what goes down in "The Rings of Power," and vice versa.

If that's the case, then the new Season 3 trailer raise some major questions. Several designs and visuals look eerily similar to those from the films, while others are downright identical. That may just be the tip of the iceberg, as it turns out, and could leave diehards scratching their heads.

A degree in English Literature would come in handy when discussing the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, but who knew we'd also need to brush up on business and copyright law when it comes to "The Rings of Power" and where it fits within the vast "The Lord of the Rings" canon? The Season 3 trailer for the Prime Video series certainly emphasizes the grandeur and awe of the story, make no mistake. But it's also making us wonder about the logistics of it all, as well.

Namely, just how closely-related is the show meant to be with the movies? Are we to believe that the younger version of Sauron, played by Charlie Vickers, ought to be considered the exact same as the faceless eye we see throughout the trilogy? (Here's another wrinkle: Notice how much his pointy crown resembles the one featured in "The Fellowship of the Ring.") Or how about the Ringwraiths and those winged Fell-beasts they ride, which look exactly the same as the ones in the trilogy (not to mention the Ringwraith itself emits a scream just like the movies)? Need we even point out how previous depictions of the fiery Balrog are a direct 1:1 match for the one portrayed by Peter Jackson?

So, if the show exists off in its own separate corner of Middle-earth, why the heck is there so much crossover with the world-famous films? Our best guess is that there's some wiggle room, given that these elements remain faithful to how Tolkien himself describes them in his books — meaning any similarities to the movies are circumstantial, at best. Where things get slightly more convoluted, however, is in one minor reference hiding in plain sight.

Are you ready to get truly nerdy? As much as we can hand-wave away any overt connections between "The Rings of Power" and "The Lord of the Rings," one specific addition in Season 3 of the Prime Video show is giving us some pause. Much has already been made of the mysterious figure named Khamûl (played by newcomer Zubin Varla), one of several proto-Ringwraiths referred to as Nazgnagôl (as per this Empire article) at this point in the story. They dress in all black, ride black horses, and sport some gnarly-looking headgear, just like in the movies — which is all well and good.

Here's where things get a little zany. That specific name comes straight from J.R.R. Tolkien ... but only in a book that the showrunners specifically mentioned in the past that they don't have the rights to. As noticed by fans online, this name refers to one of the nine Ringwraiths that will go on to terrorize the Fellowship centuries down the line. The only problem is that Khamûl is named as such in Tolkien's "Unfinished Tales." If you remember from earlier in this article, I mentioned that showrunner J.D. Payne name-checked the books that Amazon purchased the rights to, along with the ones that they didn't. As he put it:

"We do not have the rights to 'The Silmarillion,' 'Unfinished Tales,' 'The History of Middle-earth,' or any of those other books."

Did Amazon expand on their initial purchase and acquire the rights to more material? If so, that opens up a world of possibilities for future seasons. Either way, "The Rings of Power" just got a lot more interesting.