A guide to all the new and familiar characters on The Rings of Power
Míriel
- Actor: Cynthia Addai-Robinson
- Books: The Silmarillion; Unfinished Tales
Not to be confused with the elven mother of Fëanor — the creator of the Silmarils — Míriel is queen regent of the island of Númenor during the Second Age. This island was created by the Valar as a gift for the men who helped defeat the dark lord Morgoth.
The people of Númenor are not immortal like elves but live far longer than other men in Middle-earth. The Lord of the Rings fans will remember that legendary heroes like Aragorn, Boromir, and Faramir were descended from the Númenoreans.
In The Rings of Power, Míriel rules with love and respect over her mostly peaceful homeland. But she’s not blind to the political tensions and dark shadows waiting to break free.
In Tolkien’s books, Míriel is known as Tar-Míriel and was the last rightful ruler of Númenor. However, the stories say she never officially ascended the throne because her cousin, Ar-Pharazôn, usurped her. Unfortunately, she drowned when she tried to reach the summit of Númenor’s sacred mountain during the island’s sinking.
Elrond
- Actor: Robert Aramayo
- Films: The Lord of the Rings trilogy; The Hobbit
- Books: The Hobbit; The Fellowship of the Ring; The Return of the King; The Silmarillion; Unfinished Tales; The History of Middle Earth
The other most famous elf in Middle-earth lore is Elrond, played by Hugo Weaving in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy and by Robert Aramayo in The Rings of Power.
Though younger than Galadriel and half-elven, Elrond is still more than a thousand years old during the Second Age. In the series, Elrond is not yet an elf lord but is at a bit of a turning point in his long life. He bares the weight of a mythic and powerful family legacy, and his brother Elros chose mortality to found the kingdom of Númenor.
Elrond’s father Eärendil was a legendary figure who helped save the world from the dark lord Morgoth. Elrond is also the great-grandson of Beren and Lúthien, a star-crossed man and elf whose love story is one of the most famous in all Middle-earth. Their journey is mirrored in that of Aragorn and Arwen from The Lord of the Rings.
Like Galadriel, Elrond is a pivotal figure in Tolkien’s lore. Throughout his life, he fought alongside his fellow elves, men, and dwarves; his last battle is the one where he watches Isildur refuse to toss the One Ring into Mount Doom after defeating Sauron.