J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings has been adapted on numerous occasions. Although several directors believed the story to be “unfilmable,” Ralph Bakshi’s 1978 animated version proved it wasn’t impossible. Peter Jackson’s trilogy finally dispelled the idea that The Lord of the Rings wouldn’t translate well on film.
Amazon’s TV series, subtitled The Rings of Power, revolves around the Second Age and the Rise of Sauron, effectively serving as a prequel to the movie trilogy. However, it is important for the show to delve deeper into Middle-earth’s past, perhaps in the form of flashbacks, given the historic world-shaping events that occur during the First Age.
9 The Building Of Valinor
The original inhabitants of Arda are the 15 Valar and their Maia helpers. These “angelic powers” help terraform the world, so to speak, creating an environment suitable for the upcoming Children of Ilúvatar. Melkor, later called Morgoth, cruelly destroys Almaren, so the Valar decide to rebuild their home in Valinor on the continent of Aman.
The earliest Elves are welcomed into Aman, where they spend millennia living in peace and harmony. Iconic characters like Galadriel are born and raised in Valinor, making it a historically important location.
8 The Birth Of Elves And Men
The Elves are the first sentient beings to awaken in the Middle-earth, arguably with the exception of the Ents. They live around Cuiviénen for a long time, organizing into proto-tribes called the Nelyar, Tatyar, and Minyar.
The latter two groups eventually make their way to Valinor and rebrand themselves as the Ñoldor and the Vanyar. Men, on the other hand, are born thousands of years after their Elven brethren, and are therefore the Secondborn. These races would go on to shape the future of Middle-earth.
7 The Creation Of The Orcs
Orcs are the most commonly observed villains in The Lord of the Rings. Known for their savage nature and destructive temperaments, they have been wreaking havoc on Middle-earth since their creation. However, there is no definitive canonical evidence for their origins.
Tolkien wrote that the Orcs “were bred by Melkor of the subterranean heats and slime,” supposedly “in mockery of the Children of Ilúvatar.” Another explanation suggests that they were Elves transformed “by slow arts of cruelty and wickedness.” It would be interesting to learn more about the Orcs in The Rings of Power.
6 The Death Of The Two Trees
Melkor spitefully shatters Illuin and Ormal, the twin Lamps casting their radiance upon the entire world. In response, Yavanna Kementári sings the Two Trees into existence. Golden Laurelin and silver Telperion emit their respective light at different times, thereby creating the concept of day and night for the first time.
Melkor hates the Valar all the more for circumventing his violent tendencies, so he teams up with the monstrous Ungoliant and kills the Two Trees. Yavanna luckily manages to extract a flower from Telperion and a fruit from Laurelin, which are subsequently reshaped into the Moon and the Sun.
5 The Eternal Love Of Beren and Lúthien
Beren the Man and Lúthien the Elf meet and fall in love, an unforgivable taboo at the time. Hoping to nip their romance in the bud, King Thingol orders Lúthien’s suitor to fetch a Silmaril in exchange for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Beren is inevitably caught and incarcerated by Sauron, forcing Lúthien to embark on a rescue mission.
She defeats Sauron with Huan’s assistance, saves her love, and acquires the Silmaril. Beren is killed before he can propose to Lúthien and she perishes from a broken heart. However, Lúthien somehow convinces the Vala Mandos to resurrect Beren and herself, thereby subverting the immutable laws of Ilúvatar. Their descendants include Elrond, Arwen, and the once and future King of Gondor, Aragorn.
4 The Tragedy Of Túrin Turambar
Túrin Turambar, son of Húrin Thalion, spends his life fighting the effects of Morgoth’s curse on his family. He loses both his father and his sister, following which he is sent to Doriath to serve Thingol, who eventually adopts him. Túrin proceeds to wed an unknown woman named Níniel, completely ignorant of the fact that she’s actually his sister, Nienor.
Morgoth’s curse catches up to Túrin when he is pitted against Glaurung, the so-called Father of Dragons. Glaurung’s death breaks his memory-spell on Nienor, prompting her to commit suicide. Unable to bear the shame, Túrin impales himself on his own sword. It is said that he will return during the Dagor Dagorath and “deal unto Morgorth his death and final end.”
3 The Malevolent Tyranny Of Morgoth
Before he became known as Morgoth, Melkor was a rebellious Ainu in the Timeless Halls of Ilúvatar. Like Lucifer in Christian theology, he tires of his Creator’s will and takes matters into his own hands. Melkor blends his cacophonous thoughts into the Great Music of the Ainur, bringing discord into Arda.
He refuses to accept his mistakes and decides that he would rule the world and subjugate its inhabitants. Melkor is named Morgoth after he steals Fëanor’s precious Silmarils, instigating the War of the Jewels. The first Dark Lord of Middle-earth deserves at least some attention, given his influence on Sauron.
2 The War Of Wrath
The evil influence of Morgoth throws Arda into disarray and alters the sociocultural fabric of the world. He successfully invades and lays waste to the city of Gondolin, but fails to neutralize Eärendil, King Turgon’s grandson. Eärendil later makes peace with the Valar and begs them to help Middle-earth in the War of Wrath.
Angband is torn to shreds, while Morgoth has his “feet hewn from under him” before being thrown into the Void surrounding Arda. As the first offspring of Ilúvatar and the mightiest Vala, Morgoth still haunts the Void, waiting for the day when he can break into the world once more.
1 The Changing Of The World
The Rings of Power is expected to cover the history of Númenor, a kingdom established by Elros Half-Elven, Elrond’s twin brother. Sauron convinces Númenor’s final monarch, Ar-Pharazôn, to attack Valinor. The Valar “lay down their government of Arda” and pray to Ilúvatar, who triggers “a great chasm […] between Númenor and the Deathless Lands,” engulfing Ar-Pharazôn’s armada as well as his island kingdom.
The Creator also removes “the land of Aman and Eressëa of the Eldar beyond the reach of Men forever.” This process effectively transforms Arda into a sphere. Among the only survivors of Númenor are Amandil and his sons, Anárion and Isildur.