Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is building towards the Oath of Fëanor – here’s why that might create a no-win scenario for Amazon’s upcoming series. The more details emerge regarding The Rings of Power, the more question marks arise over its timeline. Initially announced as a story set within J.R.R. Tolkien’s Second Age, trailer footage and official images have continuously teased events from the First Age, including the Two Trees of Valinor and maybe even the Kinslaying at Alqualondë.
The Rings of Power is now alluding toward the Oath of Fëanor. In fresh material revealed ahead of Amazon’s big SDCC 2022 panel, the second The Rings of Power teaser trailer features a passing glimpse of armored knights standing in a circular formation and raising their swords. Thanks to a distinct lack of facial hair among the group, these characters are clearly elves, all clad in silver and golden armor.
This Rings of Power trailer scene could depict the Oath of Fëanor. The assembled soldiers look similar enough to be brothers, and their armor appears to bear the sigil of a star – possibly the Star of Fëanor. If Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power does adapt the Oath of Fëanor in live-action, what could that mean for Prime Video’s TV series?
The Oath Of Fëanor Explained
The Oath of Fëanor is a fateful pact made between the elf-king Fëanor and his seven sons during Tolkien’s First Age, and is recounted by The Silmarillion. Before the First Age, Valinor was lit by two divine trees called Telperion and Laurelin, and these can be spotted in The Rings of Power trailer footage. As a master craftsman, Fëanor forged three jewels containing the shining essence of light from these trees, naming them the “Silmarils.” So coveted and glorious were the Silmarils, Fëanor became increasingly fixated upon his creations, developing an obsession not entirely unlike holders of One Ring.
Fëanor’s Silmaril addiction and his resentment of the Valar (the archangel-like rulers of Valinor that elves originally lived under) was stoked by Morgoth, the original source of evil in Tolkien’s mythology, who pushed Fëanor down a darker path through lies and rumors. Having waited for the perfect time to strike, Morgoth conspired with the spider-like creature Ungoliant to launch a secret attack upon Valinor. They destroyed the two trees, killed Finwë (Fëanor’s father), stole the Silmarils, and escaped to Middle-earth. Not a great day for Fëanor, all things considered.
The Oath of Fëanor is what comes after. With his father deceased and the King of the Noldor title passed on, Fëanor gathered his sons. They all raised their swords in unison and made a pledge to never relent or retreat until the Silmarils had been reclaimed, whilst also swearing that any who attempted to separate the jewels from their rightful owners would be chased and vanquished without mercy. Upon taking the oath, Fëanor led the Noldor from Valinor to Middle-earth, where they waged war against Morgoth to retrieve the stolen Silmarils. While accepting this sworn duty probably felt like a good idea at the time, the Oath of Fëanor quickly became renowned as a curse among his descendants, as constant war over the Silmarils resulted in more bloodshed, but no jewels. Ultimately, the foolhardy oath spelled doom for all those bound to it.
What The Oath Of Fëanor Means For The Rings Of Power
The Oath of Fëanor proves just how heavily Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will draw from J.R.R. Tolkien’s First Age – despite being predominantly set within the second. Peter Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring opens with a flashback sequence that briefly explains the One Ring’s origin story and the Last Alliance of Elves & Men. Both are pivotal events in understanding Frodo’s journey. When The Rings of Power‘s very first image landed to reveal the Two Trees of Valinor, many suspected this scene could fall within a similar “history lesson” montage, but the Oath of Fëanor digs deeper, invading areas of Tolkien lore that don’t directly impact The Rings of Power. Throw in the Kinslaying at Alqualondë and other potential First Age footage scattered throughout Amazon’s promotional campaign, and it becomes clear that The Rings of Power season 1 is putting heavy emphasis on the very earliest reaches of Tolkien chronology – far greater than just a fleeting exposition-loaded backstory tacked onto the front of episode 1.
In one sense, that’s an encouraging sign for The Rings of Power. The Oath of Fëanor deserves much better than a cursory mention, and Amazon can have huge fun bringing the brothers’ fateful promise into live-action, chronicling both the conflicts that preceded it, and the tragedies that transpired thereafter. But therein lies a problem for The Rings of Power. The Oath of Fëanor takes place more than 3500 years before the age of Isildur, who will be played by Maxim Baldry in Amazon’s live-action TV series. If First Age events enjoy a significant presence in season 1, The Rings of Power faces a huge challenge in connecting these disparate stories and bridging the gap between vastly different timelines. It’s the equivalent of squeezing House of the Dragon into Game of Thrones.
The Silmarillion – Tolkien’s posthumously-released book from which The Rings of Power is drawing much of its narrative – is not a conventional novel like Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, but something straddling a history textbook and an anthology. The Rings of Power must walk the tightrope between doing landmark moments like the Oath of Fëanor justice through ample screen time and proper exploration, whilst simultaneously turning these divergent stories that span thousands of years into coherent television.
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