Top 10 Rings of Power Moments That Werent in the Books

#2: Halbrand the Deceiver
Introducing Halbrand may be one of the most controversial decisions that “The Rings of Power” showrunners have yet made. His story sort of follows the model of Tolkien’s writing, as book-Sauron embodies a false form that ultimately manipulates the elves. He’s a prominent cast member here, though, and his journey with Galadriel is a unique creation. Halbrand’s cunning friendship with her is new, and it ultimately leads to this pivotal moment when Galadriel deduces that her “ally” is not who he seems. It seems the show writers wanted us to first meet Sauron with a human-like personality, perhaps in hopes of making the Dark Lord even more detestable as the story develops.
#1: The Stranger’s Identity
Back when “The Rings of Power” was just a trailer, one of its biggest mysteries was the astral meteorite that carried the Stranger. There’s been plenty of uncertainty amongst fans about his identity, but Season Two’s finale let us know. And it did so with one notable callback. Though Tolkien's “Unfinished Tales” has Gandalf arriving in Middle-earth during the Third Age, there are hints in other texts that suggest he may have visited at earlier times. The writers ran with that idea and told an unexplored origin story for the emblematic wizard. Awakening the Balrog of Moria was another unwritten moment that we see. The presence of both in one episode is darkly poetic, since Gandalf is ultimately the one that slays Durin’s Bane.
What was your favorite “Rings of Power” scene that didn’t come from the books!?
