27 Biblical Allusions in “The Rings of Power”
From wilderness wanderings to light overcoming darkness
While The Rings of Power certainly draws from J.R.R. Tolkien’s written world of Middle-earth and Peter Jackson’s cinematic adaptations, the show also alludes to biblical language and scenery as well as classic religious imagery and iconography.1
Here are more than two dozen allusions from the first seven episodes of the second season.
Episode 1: “Elven Kings Under the Sky”
1. The spiked crown of Morgoth resembles a crown of thorns, particularly as it was used to jam into Sauron’s head.
2. Halbrand brings to mind Moses, as he directly says, “Let my people go,” and Jesus, as he was mocked as a powerless king brought before the ruler who conquered his land and people.
3. The Stranger wanders around in the wilderness like Moses. In fact, his entire story this season resembles the biblical patriarchs from Abraham to Moses.
Episode 2: “Where the Stars Are Strange”
4. In Galadriel’s nightmare vision, vines slither through the garden like snakes.
5. When Halbrand arrives to Eregion, he shows that his back has been whipped. First, he gives us the lowly Jesus before showing the glorified version.
6. Walking in the forge fire, Annatar brings to mind the other person in the fire with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who looked like a son of the gods in Daniel 3. He then reveals himself in a scene resembling every Renaissance painting of a glorious Jesus descending to Earth. We’re given a visual depiction of 2 Corinthians 11:14 as Paul says Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Like the angel in Revelation 19:10, Annatar tells Celebrimbor not to bow to him.
Episode 3: “The Eagle and the Sceptre”
7. The shrine that first appears here and then again in episode 5 resembles a church with stained glass windows.
8. The breastplate worn by Pharazôn recalls the urim and thummim worn by Old Testament priests. It looks similar to the design worn in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Both were men trying to harness religious power they knew nothing about.
9. When Celebrimbor says, “I have reached the very height of my craft. This … this is my moment,” it’s hard not to hear echos of the speech from the “King of Babylon” in Isaiah 14:14. “I will ascend above the highest clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”
10. Estrid gives us a picture of grace when she tells Isildur that he can’t repay the sacrifice his mother made. “I don’t know if you can earn a thing like that,” she says. “I think you just have to accept it, as a gift. One she gave freely because you were precious to her.”
11. The molten metal used to create the rings pours around serpentine curves and resembles a snake.
Episode 4: “The Eldest”
12. Tom Bombadill turns paper into bread for the Stranger to eat, recalling Ezekiel 3:3 and Revelation 10:9-10 where God’s spokesman eats the scroll.
13. Tom’s description of himself as the Eldest and the third person imagery of how far back he goes resembles biblical language of God being eternal, like Psalm 90:2 or describing Himself as “I Am” to Moses.
14. Additionally, we see Tom hold a lamb and strike an image very much like numerous paintings of Jesus as the good shepherd.
15. The Stranger gets the wrong impression of Tom and the secret fine. He asks, “This … magic. Can you teach it to me?” He sounds like Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8 who tried to buy the ability to lay hands on someone so they receive the Holy Spirit.
16. Winterbloom, the entwife, says, “Forgiveness takes an age.” In that, we may hear Jesus tell Peter that we are to forgive 70 times seven times.
Episode 5: “Halls of Stone”
17. Prince Durin and Narvi look up to the new light shaft revealed by King Durin as if they are seeing an angel.
18. We return to the shrine for a religious ceremony and talk of the afterlife. The room also has physical shrines that may resemble the Virgin Mary iconography for the Catholic Tolkien.
19. Kemen washes his bloody sword in the waters at the shrine. This reflects both Pilate washing his hands in an attempt to rid himself of the guilt of Jesus’ death and possibly one of the plagues in Egypt with the Nile turning to blood.
Episode 6: “Where Is He?”
20. Elendil’s farcical trial resembles Jesus’ trial. We see a similarly fickle crowd that originally chanted for Pharazôn and the death of Elendil switch to cheering Miriel.
21. The illustration of the sea monster resembles old paintings of Jonah and the whale, which later proves an apt comparison as the monster spits Miriel back on dry land.
22. Elendil tells Miriel, “Faith is not faith if it is not lived.” That clearly echoes James 2:17. “Faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.”
23. Annatar’s full visual deception of Celebrimbor illustrates 2 Corinthians 4:4, which says Satan blinds people’s minds.
Episode 7: “Doomed to Die”
24. The discussions between Annatar and Celebrimbor show the deceptiveness of sin, including self-deception. Celebrimbor tells Annatar that he really is the “Great Deceiver.” Revelation 12: 7-9 describes Satan as the deceiver of the whole world.
25. Annatar shows his bloody palm to demonstrate his sacrifice, which works on multiple levels. He intends it to show that he is human and bleeding to help protect the city, but he is actually bleeding because he cut his hand so his blood would be mixed in with the nine rings for men.
26. The elves and orcs give us a visual demonstration of light vs. darkness, complete with the heroes riding in on the white horse (Revelation 19:11).
27. Celebrimbor’s final words to Galadriel—“It is not strength that overcomes darkness but light. … Light endures and is mightier than strength. For in it’s presence, all darkness must flee.”—echo John 1:5 about light shining in the darkness and 2 Corinthians 12:10 that reminds us God is most strong in us when we are weak.
Bonus
Last season, they alluded to the Inklings, the Oxford literary group that included C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and others. In the Southlands, the camera lingered on a carved image of a bird carrying a baby that resembled the sign outside of the Eagle and Child, the pub where the Inklings met.
This season, in episode two “Where the Stars Are Strange,” Celebrimbor tells Annatar, “You have not the slightest inkling … how this feels.” Then episode three is titled “The Eagle and the Sceptre.” I can’t help but think both of those are slight nods to Tolkien and his friends.
What other allusions, biblical or otherwise, did you see in the first season or so far in the second season? I’ve opened the comment section so you can share some I missed.
Each image used is a screenshot from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two on Amazon Prime.
Enjoyed this list, Aaron! To add to it, I saw two allusions to Joshua in Episode 7. Adar's army damming the river and crossing to attack Eregion brought to mind the River Jordan drying up before Joshua and the Israelites in Joshua 3 as they entered the Promised Land. Sauron's self-description as "I am the one keeping the storm at bay. Balancing the very sun above your head" to Celebrimbor also brought to mind the book of Joshua, this time chapter 10 where the sun stood still above them.