With Amazon Primes Rings of Power season two still a far away on the horizon, we look ahead to try and get a glimpse of what we can expect. Now that we have the first 3 for the Elves, surely the season will also focus on the next 7?
What do we know about the 7 Rings for the Dwarves?
These rings were created before Sauron forged the One Ring, and he was not involved in their making. The most famous was the Ring of Thrór: in Dwarven tradition it was said Celebrimbor gave the Ring to Durin III king of Durin’s Folk before the Downfall of Eregion.
The Dwarf Lords proved resistant to the malevolent magic of the rings, as they are hard to tame, and the thoughts of their hearts are hidden. The rings, used only for the gaining of wealth, amplified their wearer’s natural skills and desire for dominion which as a consequence, made them greedy and exceedingly rich; the Rings gave them the power to multiply whatever they mined. It is said that thanks to them the Seven Hoards were made. But also the Rings kindled greed and wrath in the Dwarves, bringing evils that in the long-term benefitted Sauron.
However, Sauron was aware of the Dwarf-rings’ existence and sought to dominate their wearers. He secretly forged the One Ring, which he intended to use to control the other rings and their bearers. When Sauron put on the One Ring, the bearers of the Seven Dwarf-rings were revealed to him, and he began to exert his influence over them.
The Dwarf-rings had varying degrees of power and influence over their wearers, but ultimately, they all fell under the control of Sauron when he forged the One Ring. The Seven Dwarf-rings are named as follows:
- The Ring of Durin III
- The Ring of Thror
- The Ring of Thrain II
- The Ring of Celebrimbor
- The Ring of Narya (not technically a Dwarf-ring, but given to Gandalf by Celebrimbor)
- The Ring of Alberich
- The Ring of Kheled-zaram (also known as the Ring of the Glittering Caves)
It’s worth noting that in the books, the fate of the Seven Dwarf-rings is not explicitly stated, but it is implied that they were all either reclaimed by Sauron or lost to time. No doubt Amazon will use their “creative” initiative to take as on a new journey here.
What happened to the 7 Rings for the Dwarves?
The fate of the Seven Dwarf-rings is not explicitly stated in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings,” but it is suggested that they all ultimately fell under the control of Sauron, the Dark Lord. Here is what we know about each ring:
- The Ring of Durin III: The fate of this ring is unclear, but it is believed to have been lost or reclaimed by Sauron.
- The Ring of Thror: This ring was passed down through the line of Durin’s folk until it was taken from Thror by Smaug the Dragon. After Smaug’s defeat, Thror’s grandson, Thorin Oakenshield, led a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain and the Ring of Thror, but he ultimately died in battle, and the ring’s fate is unknown.
- The Ring of Thrain II: Thrain II, father of Thorin Oakenshield, wore this ring until he was captured by Sauron’s forces and imprisoned in Dol Guldur. Sauron took the ring from him, and its fate after that is unknown.
- The Ring of Celebrimbor: Celebrimbor, the Elven-smith who helped create the rings, wore this ring until he was tortured by Sauron, who forced him to reveal the secrets of ring-making. Celebrimbor was killed, and Sauron took the Ring of Celebrimbor for himself, adding it to his collection of rings.
- The Ring of Narya: This is not a Dwarf-ring but one of the Three Elven-rings, which were not made by Sauron. Narya was given to Gandalf by Celebrimbor before his death, and Gandalf used its power to inspire hope and courage in others.
- The Ring of Alberich: This ring is mentioned only briefly in Tolkien’s works, and nothing is known about its fate.
- The Ring of Kheled-zaram: This ring is also known as the Ring of the Glittering Caves, and it is mentioned in “The Hobbit.” The ring was lost when its bearer, a dwarf named Balin, was killed in Moria by Orcs.
