The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 Unveils First Look at Sauron’s Future Ringwraiths!
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 will explore a major part of Middle-earth history as Sauron’s future Ringwraiths begin their journey toward becoming the terrifying servants fans know as the Nazgûl.
Full Story Breakdown
Although the characters are not yet the feared Ringwraiths from The Lord of the Rings, the upcoming season will show how ordinary men gradually fall under Sauron’s influence. As a result, Season 3 could provide a darker look at the corruption that eventually transforms them into some of Middle-earth’s most terrifying figures.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 Introduces the Nazgnagôl
In The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3, the future Nazgûl are known as the Nazgnagôl. At this point in the story, they remain ordinary men who faithfully serve Sauron.
Showrunner J.D. Payne explained that the creative team used Tolkien’s languages to develop the term. According to Payne, the process reflects how J.R.R. Tolkien himself built much of Middle-earth through language.
“We love looking back at what inspired Tolkien. He led with language. Language became a scaffold on which the myth would hang. The word ‘Nazgûl’ means ‘Ringwraith’ in the Black Speech of Mordor. But before they were Ringwraiths, we know that these were just men.”
Payne continued:
“So we were able to derive in the Black Speech that ‘nagôl’ could mean ‘servant.’ ‘Nazgnagôl,’ therefore, literally means ‘Ring-servant.’”
Therefore, the name offers an early glimpse at the characters’ eventual destiny. They are not yet Ringwraiths, but their loyalty to Sauron already places them on a dangerous path.
Khamûl’s Journey Toward Becoming a Ringwraith
One of the most important future Ringwraiths appearing in the season is Khamûl the Easterling, played by Zubin Varla.
Khamûl is one of Sauron’s loyal servants. However, his journey will eventually lead him toward becoming one of the Nine Ringwraiths. As a result, his story could become one of the season’s darkest character arcs.
Varla also compared the characters’ transformation to Gollum’s tragic journey. He explained:
“In a sense, they go on the same journey as Gollum. Evil begets evil, and violence begets violence. Their souls, and their bodies, are corrupted until they are literally hollowed out, almost devoid of physical form.”
This comparison suggests that Season 3 will focus heavily on the gradual corruption of Sauron’s servants. Instead of becoming monsters instantly, the characters will slowly lose their humanity as evil consumes them.
The Rings of Power Season 3 Continues Sauron’s Rise
The new season takes place several years after the events of Season 2. The story unfolds during the War of the Elves and Sauron, while the Dark Lord continues working toward his ultimate goal: forging the One Ring.
Meanwhile, Sauron’s influence continues to spread across Middle-earth. His future Ringwraiths also begin their own descent into darkness. Therefore, their introduction could connect the show’s Second Age storyline to the terrifying future seen in The Lord of the Rings.
The first trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 arrives tomorrow. The new season will premiere on Prime Video on November 11, 2026.
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