There are many mysteries involved The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerbut one of Theo's riddles is best left unsolved. The Rings of Power the first season thrived on enigma, teasing the Stranger, Adar, and Halbrand as possible hidden Saurons. The Season 1 finale revealed Halbrand as Sauron, while Season 2 launched the mystery of the Stranger's identity, which was revealed in the Season 2 finale. It goes without saying that suspense is a key feature of the show, but Theo is best left out of this tactic.
The Rings of Power the third season will certainly address the identity of the Dark Wizard. This is a fair thread to follow throughout the season and could easily culminate in another season-ending reveal, but the series may also want to address a big question about Theo. Theo is an original character in Rings of Powerbeautifully portrayed by Tyroe Muhafidin. His story was an integral part of the first season and he could have a whole new relevance in the future. There is ample subject matter to explore here, without delving into the question of Theo's ancestry.
The Rings Of Power Season 3 Should Leave The Mystery Of Theo's Father Unsolved
Viewers don't need to know Theo's ancestry
The Rings of Power raised the question of Theo's father, but shouldn't necessarily answer it. Theo's mother was Bronwyn, played by Nazanin Boniadi. Sadly, Bronwyn died between seasons 1 and 2, reflecting Boniadi's choice to leave the series for other projects. But Theo's father was absent and The Rings of Power never confirmed his identity. While The Rings of Power season two cleverly revealed the Stranger's identity hint by hint, Theo's parentage hasn't been treated in the same way thus far, so it might be strange for the series to suddenly change that.
The Rings of Power Producers JD Payne and Patrick McKay revealed at San Diego Comic-Con that they did, in fact, plan to introduce more content about Theo's father into the series in future seasons. Theo's father was considered a mystery on the show, with a season 1 conversation involving Theo being teased about the possibility of his mother's infidelity. Despite this setup, the show has clearly not yet pursued this as a major plot point, having not hinted at it like it did with the Stranger and Sauron's identities. That could be for the best.
Complicating Theo's family history risks continuing a common power ring claim
Revealing Theo's ancestry could make the power rings too complicated
Shining more light on Theo's family history could continue a commonly cited problem with The Rings of Power. Theo is not a character JRR Tolkien created for The Lord of the Rings' Second Age, he is an invention of The Rings of Power. This means that Theo runs the innate risk of taking the show even further from a faithful adaptation of its source material. While source material is necessary in all adaptations and especially those with such difficult source material, focusing on Theo's family in season three would allow the show less time to explore critical storylines.
|
Tolkienian era |
Event marking the beginning |
Years |
Total length in solar years |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Ahead of time |
Undetermined |
Undetermined |
Undetermined |
|
Days before days |
Ainur entered Eä |
1 - 3,500 Valian years |
33,537 |
|
Pre-First Tree Years (YT) |
Yavanna created the Two Trees |
YT 1 - 1050 |
10,061 |
|
Early Age (FA) |
Elves woke up in Cuiviénen |
YT 1050 - YT 1500, FA 1 - 590 |
4,902 |
|
Second Age (SA) |
The War of Wrath is over |
SA 1 - 3441 |
3,441 |
|
Third Age (TA) |
Last Alliance defeated Sauron |
AT 1 - 3021 |
3,021 |
|
Fourth Era (Fo.A) |
The elven rings have left Middle-earth |
Fo.A 1 - unknown |
Unknown |
The Rings of Power should explore the forging of the One Ring in season 3 and also the origins of The Lord of the Rings' Ringwraiths, as Sauron must now distribute the Rings of Men to their individual bearers. The series may also have to start addressing its Númenor arc, which was heavily foreshadowed in the series and confirmed by the team in interviews. Exploring Theo's ancestry could overcomplicate an original character this is already strong and undermines these key Tolkien arcs. Giving Theo a Tolkien character as a father would be even riskier.
Theo's true identity should be more important than his LOTR show ancestry
Theo's story stands on its own in Rings Of Power
Theo's importance to the story and his complete identity are more important than his ancestry, so the show doesn't need to waste time exposing Theo's father. The two issues are inherently linked, but it makes more sense to focus on Theo's future rather than his past. Theo's position in The Lord of the Rings timeline and The Rings of Power the development makes him a candidate for some interesting lore characters. This can be explored without harming the fidelity of the adaptation and can also tie into the most important pillars of the show's third season.
Theo becoming a Tolkien character may represent a trend that some find frustrating.
The Rings of Power has a lot of lore to fit into its planned five seasons, which are expected to be a fleshed-out version of the story Peter Jackson told in his prologue in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. As such, the show should focus the third season where it matters. In some ways, Theo becoming a Tolkien character could represent a trend that some find frustrating - that of original characters eventually being revealed as Tolkien figures. LOTR. However, if Theo becomes a Ringwraith, it could fit perfectly into the pacing of Season 3.
The plot of the series is explored in Tolkien's 1977 book, The Silmarillion.
With Sauron ready to deploy the Nine, it would make sense for the show to have already introduced one or more of its wielders. This will create more impact when the ringbearers fall into Sauron's thrall. If Theo wins a ring in Season 3 and starts becoming a Nazgûl, the show could stay on schedule and also make clear Theo's continued relevance to the show. Theo's ancestry is superfluous to this important arc, while most of the Ringwraiths have no known identities, so The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power inventing them does not contradict tradition.