The Rings of Power Season 3 Premiere Recap: Sauron's Reign Brings Betrayal, Heartbreak, and a Shocking Death

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3, Episodes 1–4.

Five years have passed since the fall of Eregion, and Middle-earth is still paying the price for Sauron's ambitions. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power returned to Prime Video on November 11 with four new episodes, and if anyone thought the Dark Lord might have mellowed out during the time jump, think again. He's more powerful, more dangerous, and making life miserable for just about everyone.

Season 3 doesn't waste much time getting down to business. Sauron is building his army, Galadriel is still determined to stop him, and the kingdoms that should be standing together are too busy fighting among themselves. Throw in a long-lost husband, a royal family scandal, and one absolutely heartbreaking betrayal, and Middle-earth is already having a rough season.

Sauron Has a New Look, but the Same Old Ambitions

Sauron (Charlie Vickers) is finished pretending to be someone else. After spending two seasons manipulating everyone as Halbrand and Annatar, he's now ruling from Mordor with his armies spreading across Middle-earth. The days of charming his way into someone's good graces are over. Well, mostly.

His biggest problem is that he still hasn't figured out how to forge the One Ring. His latest attempt ends rather badly when an unfortunate Orc is chosen to test the creation and promptly bursts into flames. That's one way to learn your experiment needs a little more work.

Sauron also has Celebrimbor's remains hanging in his workshop, which is a particularly disturbing reminder of how far he's willing to go. Even in death, the Elven-smith continues to haunt him, with Sauron envisioning his former victim questioning whether someone incapable of forming genuine connections can ever truly control others.

Meanwhile, Sauron has begun recruiting Men by offering them Rings of Power. One of those recruits is Khamûl, who emerges from a deadly competition for a ring and becomes one of Sauron's terrifying Nazgnagôl, the early forms of the Nazgûl. The Dark Lord might be struggling with his jewelry-making, but his talent for corrupting people is working just fine.

Galadriel Gets a Reminder of What She's Lost

Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) remains one of Sauron's greatest enemies, although five years of fighting haven't brought her any closer to ending his reign. The Elven strongholds continue resisting his forces, but the danger grows with every passing day.

The premiere also gives us a glimpse of Galadriel's life before all the fighting and heartbreak. A flashback introduces her relationship with Celeborn (Jamie Campbell Bower), the husband she has long believed was lost. Their early romance includes a playful sword fight and dreams of building a life together, reminding us that Galadriel once had more on her mind than hunting down Dark Lords.

Back in the present, however, her situation is considerably less romantic. During a confrontation with Sauron's forces, Galadriel encounters a powerful ring-servant who proves difficult to defeat. Her Ring of Power helps warn her of an approaching ambush, but even that advantage isn't enough to make the battle easy.

Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova) is also carrying his own emotional baggage. He remains haunted by his separation from Theo, the young man he helped raise alongside Bronwyn. Five years might not seem particularly long to an Elf, but for a human, that's plenty of time for things to go terribly wrong. And unfortunately for Arondir, they have.

Theo Is Making Some Very Bad Decisions

Remember Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin), the boy Arondir was so determined to protect? Well, he's grown up, and life hasn't exactly been kind to him. In Pelargir, Theo is no longer enjoying anything resembling a position of authority. Instead, he's forced into hard labor under Númenórean rule, where he's punished and treated with little dignity. With his mother dead and Arondir absent, Theo has become increasingly bitter about the people and circumstances that left him behind.

When he learns Sauron is offering powerful rings to Men willing to join his cause, Theo sees an opportunity to change his circumstances. It's a terrible opportunity, naturally, but the promise of power is awfully tempting when you've spent years feeling powerless. He eventually makes his way to Mordor alongside other men seeking Sauron's help. The Dark Lord offers them a chance to claim a ring through a deadly contest, and Theo is more than willing to participate.

Watching someone who once had Arondir looking out for him walk straight into Sauron's hands is especially troubling. But Theo has his own reasons for being angry, and Sauron knows how to use those feelings against him.

An Orc Becomes an Unlikely Ally

One of the more unexpected turns involves Marnûkh (Adam Young), an Orc who decides he wants no part of Sauron's plans.

Marnûkh arrives with information that could give the Elves a fighting chance. Sauron is searching for an Elven-smith who might know the secrets behind Celebrimbor's work, hoping that knowledge will finally help him create the One Ring.

Galadriel and Arondir reluctantly agree to work with Marnûkh and travel to Gundabad, where they hope to find the surviving smith before Sauron does.

Naturally, Arondir isn't thrilled about trusting an Orc, especially one with a troubling past. Marnûkh previously participated in the torture of prisoners at Eregion, which doesn't exactly make him the ideal traveling companion. Still, the group pushes forward. And while Marnûkh certainly has plenty to answer for, his willingness to oppose Sauron suggests there's more to him than his past.

Durin's Brother Is Causing All Kinds of Trouble

If the Elves have Sauron to worry about, the Dwarves have their own family problems, and these might give any royal household a headache. King Durin IV (Owain Arthur) is trying to hold Khazad-dûm together while keeping Sauron's influence away from his people. He's also secretly helping Elrond by supplying weapons, even though not everyone agrees with his decisions.

Then there's his older brother, Thráin (Eddie Marsan), whose return brings an uncomfortable amount of baggage.

It turns out Thráin and Disa (Sophia Nomvete) were romantically involved years ago. That would be awkward enough under ordinary circumstances, but Thráin also has ambitions involving the throne. Family reunions in Khazad-dûm clearly aren't for the faint of heart. Durin refuses to surrender the Dwarven Rings, while Thráin believes the other Dwarf-lords deserve access to them. Their disagreement eventually escalates into a trial by combat, with Durin losing his throne to his brother.

A misunderstanding involving Disa contributes to the disastrous outcome, leaving Durin stripped of his crown while Thráin takes control. Considering everything Durin has already lost, watching his own brother become another problem is particularly frustrating. And with Sauron's influence reaching into the kingdom, this family feud couldn't have come at a worse time.

Númenor Is Becoming a Political Nightmare

Over in Númenor, Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle) is still enjoying his grip on the throne, but his enemies aren't going away quietly. Míriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) and the Faithful continue opposing his rule, while Elendil (Lloyd Owen) and Isildur (Maxim Baldry) find themselves caught in the increasingly dangerous fight for the kingdom's future.

Isildur attempts to assassinate Pharazôn, but the plan fails. His sister Eärien (Ema Horvath), meanwhile, becomes entangled in a scheme that places her family in danger. After unknowingly helping Pharazôn's supporters lure Elendil into a trap, Eärien realizes how badly she has been manipulated. Overcome by what has happened, she takes her own life, leaving Isildur to face another devastating family tragedy. Númenor's troubles are becoming increasingly difficult to contain. Between Pharazôn's determination to hold power and the Faithful's refusal to surrender, the kingdom is tearing itself apart at the exact moment Middle-earth needs allies.

Gandalf Learns More About the Dark Wizard

Gandalf (Daniel Weyman) is still in Rhûn, where his journey with Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear) brings him closer to understanding the mysterious Dark Wizard (Ciarán Hinds). Through a vision, Gandalf learns that the Dark Wizard was one of the five Istari sent to Middle-earth. Rather than fulfill his purpose of protecting the land, he betrayed that mission, killed another wizard, and pursued power for himself.

Gandalf begins to understand that confronting this former companion may be part of the reason he was sent to Middle-earth. He also acquires a familiar piece of his future appearance: his iconic pointed hat. The threat from the Dark Wizard is another reminder that Sauron isn't the only dangerous force wandering around Middle-earth. Gandalf has his own fight ahead, and there's still plenty he doesn't know about the enemy he's preparing to face.

Galadriel's Long-Lost Husband Is Alive

Galadriel's mission to Gundabad brings an unexpected surprise, although things initially look rather hopeless. The Elven-smith she hoped to rescue is already dead, leaving the group without the person who might have helped stop Sauron from completing the One Ring. But another prisoner is being held inside the fortress, and his identity changes everything. It's Celeborn. After centuries apart, Galadriel finally reunites with the husband she believed she had lost. It's an enormous moment for her, particularly after everything she has endured in her pursuit of Sauron.

Unfortunately, nobody gets much time to celebrate. Sauron's forces are closing in, and the group must escape before the Dark Lord can capture them. Marnûkh helps them flee, putting himself in danger in the process. His fate is left uncertain, but his actions make it clear that his decision to oppose Sauron was more than just talk. And then comes the moment that makes the entire reunion bittersweet.

Arondir's Fate Is Absolutely Heartbreaking

As Galadriel, Celeborn, and their companions attempt to escape Gundabad, Arondir finds himself confronting one of Sauron's masked ring-servants. When the figure reveals his identity, Arondir discovers he's facing Theo. The young man he once protected has become one of Sauron's servants, and Arondir is understandably devastated. Still, he refuses to give up on him.

Theo warns Arondir to leave, explaining that Sauron is after Galadriel and Celeborn. But Arondir won't walk away from someone he considers family, especially after spending years separated from him. For a brief moment, it seems like Theo might actually listen. Arondir urges him to remove the ring, offering him a chance to leave Sauron's influence behind.

Then Sauron arrives. The Dark Lord orders Theo to kill Arondir, and Theo obeys, stabbing the Elf who had tried so desperately to save him. What makes the scene particularly cruel is that Arondir wasn't trying to defeat Theo. He was trying to bring him home. The betrayal leaves Arondir dead and Galadriel and Celeborn fleeing on an Eagle, unable to save their companion. After all the fighting Arondir has endured since the first season, his story ends at the hands of someone he loved.

Theo's future is now one of the biggest questions hanging over the season. How much control does he really have while wearing Sauron's ring, and is there still a way to reach him?

Middle-earth Is in Serious Trouble

The first four episodes of The Rings of Power Season 3 leave nearly everyone in a worse position than when they started. Sauron still hasn't forged the One Ring, but he's gathering followers, corrupting Men, and watching his enemies fracture without needing to lift a sword every time.

Galadriel has finally been reunited with Celeborn, yet that happiness is overshadowed by Arondir's death. Durin has lost his throne, Númenor is slipping further into chaos, and Gandalf is discovering just how dangerous the Dark Wizard really is.

Perhaps the most disturbing part of Sauron's plan is how effectively he uses people's pain against them. Theo wanted freedom from oppression and ended up serving the very kind of evil Arondir spent his life fighting. Thráin wants power, and his ambitions threaten the kingdom his family should be protecting. Middle-earth may still have heroes willing to fight, but right now Sauron seems to understand their weaknesses better than they understand his.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power continues with Episodes 5 and 6 on November 18, followed by the final two episodes on November 25, exclusively on Prime Video.

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