It's been a long wait since Sauron sacked the idyllic Elven city of Eregion, but at long last we're about to see what's next for Middle-earth. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premieres its third season this week on Prime Video, launching viewers into the thick of the Dark Lord's war with the Elves. Sauron stands on the brink of crafting the One Ring to rule them all, and based on what we know from the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, the chances are very good it won't go well for our heroes this time around.
If you're itching to get back to Lindon or Mordor and want to make sure you can watch as soon as you're able, you're in the right place. We've just gotten word of several of the episode titles & runtimes for The Lord of the Rings season 3, and it's a perfect excuse to break down the release schedule and time everything will be hitting Prime Video. And then, as an added bonus, let's break down when exactly this new Middle-earth series is set on the timeline of Tolkien's legendarium.
The Rings of Power episode titles
While Prime Video has yet to formally announce any episode titles for season 3, the British Board of Film Classification posted information about the first four episodes today, mere hours before they're slated to hit the streaming service. Shoutout to the eagle-eyed fans over at @RingsOfPowerEra on X for catching the news!
These titles are more than a little intriguing. Let's run through what we just learned, and then talk a little about what it means:
- Episode 1 — "Marnukh" — Runtime: 74 minutes
- Episode 2 — "The Gift of Men" — Runtime: 69 minutes
- Episode 3 — "The Secret Fire" — Runtime: 58 minutes
- Episode 4 — "Gundabad" — Runtime: 57 minutes
There are definitely some things we can glean from these titles. "Marnukh" is the name of a new Orc character being introduced this season, who will bring crucial information to the Elves about Sauron's quest to craft the One Ring.
"The Gift of Men" doesn't tell us overmuch, but it does hint that this episode could have a stronger focus on the realms of Men, which would make sense considering that the season as a whole is likely a sprawling affair spread across storylines for Elves, Dwarves, Men, Sauron, and more. There's little doubt the premiere will heavily feature characters like Sauron and Galadriel, so it's possible we'll catch up more with Númenor or the refugees in the Southlands in episode 2.
"The Secret Fire" is a power of creation belonging to the divine being known as Era Ilúvator — essentially the Middle-earth universe's version of God. There are all sorts of things this could apply to, so the mystery remains strong.
"Gundabad" is a mountain fortress; in the source material, the Orcs capture it and turn it into one of their stronghold's during the middle of Sauron's campaign against the Elves. The fact that it's an episode title pretty much confirms we're going to see it this season, which should make for an exciting hour of television. As for what could bring the story there, we have a theory or two.
What time does The Rings of Power air?
The Rings of Power premieres Wednesday, November 11 on Prime Video. The show's third eight-episode seasons will be released in three separate binge drops, which co-showrunner Patrick McKay has teased will create an ideal viewing experience for audiences. Here's the full schedule:
- November 11 — Episodes 1-4
- November 18 — Episodes 5-6
- November 25 — Episodes 7-8
Yes, you read that right; all four of those episodes we just discussed titles for drop as one huge batch on the 11th. Together, they account for roughly four hours of Middle-earth adventure; that's just shy of the runtime as the extended edition of Peter Jackson's The Return of the King, which clocks in at 4 hours and 23 minutes, for those keeping track. It should make for a pretty epic way to kick off the season!
As for the actual time that The Rings of Power hits Prime Video, the official word is that it will launch on the streaming service at 12:00 a.m. PT / 3:00 a.m. ET. That said, Prime Video has been known to shadow drop episodes early to surprise fans. Personally, I would start keeping one eye on the Prime Video app anytime after 6:00 p.m. PT / 9:00 p.m. ET.
When does The Rings of Power take place?
Now that you know precisely when you can hit play on the new episodes of The Rings of Power, let's talk a little bit about the season as a whole. The Rings of Power is set during the Second Age of Tolkien's Middle-earth, thousands of years before The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, which take place during the Third Age. In this earlier era, Sauron is just now forging his Rings, the Elves are founding the city of Rivendell, and the island nation of Númenor, whose descendants will one day found Gondor, is still at the height of its power.
The third season of The Rings of Power features its own adjustment to the timeline as well. While seasons 1 and 2 took place in succession, season 3 will begin with a five-year time jump that puts us right into the middle of the war between Sauron and the Elves, while the Dwarves remain in their subterannean strongholds and the Men of Númenor debate about whether to get involved at all. It's against this backdrop that Sauron will race to forge the One Ring, which will grant him dominion over those he's already given to Men and Dwarves, as well as the three Elven Rings, which were made by the smith Celebrimbor without Sauron's influence.
Season 3 promises to be a darker, bloodier outing than anything that's come before for The Rings of Power. It should make for spectacular television, with all the heroism, evil, battles and drama we've come to expect from The Lord of the Rings. We'll be watching it soon enough!
You can read our spoiler-free review for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 here. We'll also be recapping each episode as they release, and conducting interviews with cast members, so make sure to check back if you're embarking on this latest quest into Middle-earth!
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