The Rings of Powerseason 2 sees Sauron manipulating Celebrimbor into making Nine Rings for Men, and viewers might be wondering where these are duringThe Lord of the Rings. Apart from the One Ring, there are19 Rings of Power in total— though few of them actually appear inThe Lord of the Rings. Galadriel and Elrond each possess one of the Three, but theDwarves' Seven Rings are mostly gonebefore Frodo’s story unfolds. And whilethe Nine do still exist in the Third Age,they aren’t visible throughout its main story.
This may leave fans wondering where the rings for Men are, andJ.R.R. Tolkien’s booksprovide a somewhat confusing answer. These Rings of Power are used by Sauron to corrupt the Men they’re given to, all of whom turn into Ringwraiths, or Nazgûl, by the timeThe Fellowship of the Ringbegins. The Nazgûl do Sauron’s bidding, but it’s unclear whether they continue to hold the Nine into the Third Age. At some point, it seems that Sauron possesses them instead.
The Nine Rings Are Either With The Ringwraiths Or With Sauron During The Lord Of The Rings
J.R.R. Tolkien Makes Both Claims
TheNine Rings of Power for Menare either with Sauron or the RingwraithsduringThe Lord of the Rings. Tolkien’s writings point more heavily towards the former, withThe Fellowship of the RingandUnfinished Talesstating multiple times that Sauron collected the Nine sometime in the Third Age (viaTolkien Gateway). This indicates that they’re in his possession duringThe Lord of the Rings,though it’s hard to say for certain. AsLOTRdoesn’t follow Sauron as closely asThe Rings of Power,we never actually see him depicted with the rings; we’re just told he has them.
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter whether Sauron or the Nazgûl hold the Nine, as Sauron has control over the Ringwraiths duringThe Lord of the Rings.
AndGandalf makes a statement that contradicts this during the Council of Elrond inThe Fellowship of the Ring.He says, “The Nine the Nazgûl keep,” which suggests that the Nazgûl still have their Rings of Power at some point during the Third Age. It’s possible Sauron retrieves them later, rendering both statements true. But ultimately, it doesn’t matter whether Sauron or the Nazgûl hold the Nine, as Sauron has control over the Ringwraiths duringThe Lord of the Rings.
What Happens To The Nine Rings After Sauron’s Defeat In Return Of The King?
They’re Either Destroyed Or Powerless
It’s not totally clear what happens to the Nine after Frodo destroys the One Ring inThe Return of the King.However,we can probably assume they’re destroyed — or that they no longer work. The Three remain, but they lose their power after the One Ring is destroyed. Of course, the Seven and the Nine are more closely linked to Sauron, so they may have perished with him. The Nazgûl also die following Sauron’s defeat, so it’s not hard to believe their Rings of Power met similar fates. Even if they didn’t, they’re likely powerless afterThe Lord of the Rings.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Cast
Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the epic events leading up to the stories in J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novels. The series chronicles the creation of legendary characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the fate of Middle-earth.
