The Rings of Power at San Diego Comic-con: Hall H Presentation Recap
On Friday morning, the cast and showrunners of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power took the stage of the iconic San Diego Comic-con Hall H to share an exclusive look at season two with fans.
I was invited by Prime Video to attend this panel as well as a few other The Rings of Power related events throughout the week, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have attended. I took extensive notes during the panel and am thrilled to share a recap with those who were not able to join us in-person. Please note that the responses to questions are paraphrased as I was not recording the entire panel.
Friday Morning Hall H Presentation
Panel Breakdown
The panel began with a live performance of NAMPAT led by Bear McCreary along with a full choir and drums. As the lights dimmed, the wrap-around screen immediately drew the audience back into Middle-earth. The primary focus of the clip was, fittingly, the Rings of Power. Of interest is that in this clip, the name Annatar was used although it did not appear in the official trailer.
Charlie Vickers, Morfydd Clark, and Benjamin Walker were then brought on stage. They began with a short discussion of how Galadriel has learned not to trust handsome men in season one and that Gil-galad is ready to tell her as much in season two.
Immediately after, the lights were dimmed and the audience was shown the trailer for the first time.
After the trailer, the cast and showrunners joined the stage. Present were Patrick McKay, JD Payne, Morfydd Clark, Charlie Vickers, Ema Horvath, Sophia Nomvete, Benjamin Walker, Charles Edwards, Maxim Baldry, Lloyd Owen, Daniel Weyman, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Megan Richards, Robert Aramayo, Trystan Gravelle, and Tyroe Muhafidin. (Sam Hazeldine and Robert Strange joined later.) The panel moderator was Yvette Nicole Brown.
Questions and Responses from the Cast and Showrunners (Paraphrased)
How are the stakes being raised in season two?
Showrunners: Season two is watching Sauron set everyone against each other to build power. “It's a psychological drama, it's filled with gaslighting as he manipulates people into forging seven rings for one person, nine rings for others."
What is Elrond’s relationship with Galadriel?
Robert Aramayo: His head tells him she’s made some questionable decisions but his heart believes she is a force for good in Middle-earth and he cares for her.
Where is Celebrimbor at the beginning of season two?
Charles Edwards: Celebrimbor is feeling adrift after the forging of the Three Rings. He feels abandoned, he’s waiting, spirits are low, he’s vulnerable… and the doorbell rings and somebody turns up and we take it from there.
Break for Behind-the-Scenes Footage which featured the making of the Rings (as props for the show), featuring John Howe designing and discussing their roots in Norse mythology. One highlight of this clip is a scene in which Celebrimbor is asking Halbrand news of the Rings, if they worked etc., and Halbrand tells him that they “worked wonders”.
Between Celebrimbor and Sauron, which is the real “Lord of the Rings?”
Charlie Vickers: Maybe [Celebrimbor] starts as the first lord of the rings, but then it changes… it’s a power struggle. No one person is fully in power, but it’s a back and forth, psychological thriller the whole season.
When asked about the Dwarven plotline:
Sophia Nomvete: Disa is sent to fix the whole damn thing. The Dwarven rings solve their problems, but also bring about new problems.
When asked about the friendship between Durin IV and Elrond:
Robert Aramayo: Elrond and Durin’s friendship is very important to him. Through it he can bring the two peoples together, and there’s a sense of brotherhood that is really important.
About the season:
Showrunners: season two is about entering the nuclear age and everyone wants the “nuclear codes”, but they don’t realize it all feeds into [Sauron].
When asked about Adar:
Charlie Vickers: At the end of season one we see Sauron descending into Mordor, and in the second season we find that the first person he sees there is Adar.
At the mention of Adar’s name, the panel is “interrupted” by an orc army appearing on screen and an orc (played by Robert Strange) escorts Sam Hazeldine onto the stage.
Is Adar an evil character?
Sam Hazeldine: Of course Adar is not an evil character. He’s protecting his children. At the end of season one he’s made a home for his children so really his work is done but he’s got a nagging feeling. He’s thinking about the familiar man he met in episode six of season one, so he’s distracted -until Halbrand arrives.
Charlie Vickers: Adar and Halbrand meet each other in the first episode and there’s a lot that goes under the surface. They’re on a level but there’s stuff under the surface, they’ve known each other for tens of hundreds of years. They have shared history.
The audience was then shown a Behind-the-Scenes look at the various new creatures in season two, featuring ents (an entwife?), Shelob, an entire army of orcs, and Damrod the hill troll. In this clip, we see Adar directing Damrod to march into battle.
When asked about Númenor:
Lloyd Owen: There is a coming “battle for the soul” of Númenor. The question is which side of history do they want to be on. Some impossible choices must be made between the love for his country and the love for his daughter and that is complicated by some of his feelings for Míriel. “My daughter, as beautiful as she is, is a complicated one.”
Ema Horvath: [Earien] is very angry. She thinks her brother is dead and she will follow anyone who promises to right that injustice.
Cynthia Addai-Robinson: When this season starts we have returned from a losing battle. A very unpopular decision. Númenor is at a crossroads and she must decide in which direction to lead her people. This ties into [Númenor’s] elvish heritage and traditions.
When asked about filming the “Sea Trial”:
Cynthia Addai-Robinson: “I went for a little swim…”
Cynthia also thanked the VFX and post-production crew and expressed her excitement upon finally seeing the trailer. “We’re each others fans”
When asked about the Ents:
Ismael Cruz Córdova: The Ents were created by Yavanna to protect the forest…
Tyroe Muhafidin: “If you don’t love Ents you’re just weird, they’re so sick.”
When asked about young Shelob:
Maxim Baldry: I was so scared but Shelob is a legendary monster in Tolkien and it was the most amazing thing to film and I can’t wait for you to see it. I got muddy the whole season.
Ismael Cruz Córdova: “Our characters (Isildur and Arondir) have a beautiful journey this season.”
When asked about the Balrog:
Sophia Nomvete: There’s something lurking in the bowels of Khazad-dum; “The Balrog is here, what can I say? Was I allowed to say that?”
Disa will do more singing and resonating
When asked about Poppy’s journey this season:
Megan Richards: For Poppy it is very much a continuation of her journey in season one but there are other parts of her life that are getting to be explored; she is leading the way through Rhun and it is a heavy weight to have on her shoulders.
The showrunners then mention that there is a romance for Poppy.
When asked about the Stranger:
Daniel Weyman: We’ve seen the Stranger doesn’t really understand his power and he comes into the same area as Tom Bombadil. The Stranger is disoriented. He spars and sings with Tom Bombadil.
Morfydd Clark, who had not been asked any questions during the panel: “Hello to all of you!”
JD Payne: It fills my heart with so much joy to see all of the costumes; thank you all for your support of the show.
Fan Question & Answer Session (Paraphrased)
For Charlie Vickers: Were you worried you might get recast [because Sauron is a shapeshifter]?
Charlie Vickers: I had full faith that I was never ever going to be recast… [Laughs] We know there is a point in the Legendarium where Sauron does lose his fair form so we’ll see what their plan is for that…
For all of the cast: Can you share some stories about fighting?
Ismael Cruz Córdova: When they're punching, lean in. Punch first… You've got one chance…
For all of the cast: What would you name your own real-life weapons?
Morfydd Clarkwould name her weapon “white flame” in Welsh;
Ismael Cruz Córdova mentions that he named his sword Rhianna.
Benjamin Walker remarks that he is keeping Aeglos (Gil-galad’s spear).
For Sophia Nomvete: What is the chance Disa will play the voice of reason in season two?
Sophia Nomvete: There is a big chance that [Durin and Disa] are the voice of reason in trying to save Khazad-dum and that the dwarves are in trying to save Middle-earth.
For the showrunners: Will Glorfindel appear in The Rings of Power?
Showrunners: The answer is YES; there’s room for a lot of people to show up. “Celeborn will be back, don’t worry.”
When asked about who Theo’s father is:
Ismael Cruz Córdova: Arondir is not Theo’s biological father; we don’t know who his dad is but in this series we show what family is about and show how the bond of fatherhood shows up; Theo and Arondir have a father-son bond despite not being related by blood.
Showrunners: Theo’s real dad will be revealed down the line.
When asked about costuming and prop design:
Morfydd Clark: The costumes are incredible and they’re so varied. Morfydd loves Elrond’s armor and says the craftsmanship is incredible.
Robert Aramayo mentions that he got to have input into the design of his sword etc.
Showrunners: Costuming begins with mood boards and then narrows down from there. Mention of artists such as John Howe working on costume and prop design, the Rings of Power specifically. Míriel’s gown is mentioned specifically as an example of expert craftsmanship. Cynthia’s white gown is supposed to be for a coronation but something else goes down
Cynthia Addai-Robinson: We’re proud to wear these costumes.
Will there be LGBT+ representation in the show?
Showrunners: Maybe you’ve seen it already.
Robert Strange, dressed as the orc Glug, rejoins the cast for a group selfie.
“Can you give me a little bit of hope for all the fan-fiction writers in the room that we are going to get more of Hot Sauron and Galadriel in season two?”
Charlie Vickers: “I think there is hope for sure. What can we say?”
Patrick McKay: “Say it, say it!”
Charlie Vickers: “Yeah, I think we will.”
Will there be more dwarven and elvish music in the series?
Benjamin Walker: I mean, yeah. In the books the elves see a ripple on the water and start signing. Yes, Gil-galad sings. [At this moment, Benjamin Walker stands to sing a verse in Elvish.]
For Robert Aramayo: Is Elrond’s weather-worn cloak in season one significant?
Robert Aramayo: It’s a relic from another time. I love the stories of the Fall of Gondolin and there’s a lot of possibility for some of those relics to have survived, so that was the idea of it.
As the panel concludes, the audience is shown the trailer for a second time while the cast watches as well.
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