The Rings of Power's Owain Arthur and Sophia Nomvete have teased how the dwarven rings will sow division throughout Khazad-dûm in season 2.
The actors, who play Prince Durin IV and Princess Disa in Amazon's high fantasy prequel series, sat down with me to discuss all things dwarf-related ahead of The Rings of Power season 2's launch. Chief among my queries was, perhaps unsurprisingly, the impact that the forthcoming crafting of the seven rings for the Dwarf Lords will have on the duo, Durin's father King Durin III (Peter Mullen), and their subterranean kingdom.
It sounds like they'll prove to be as divisive as the three elven rings have been, too with the dwarfs' immortal brethren taking a "huge risk" in using said magical artefacts in season 2. Indeed, we only catch a glimpse of the dwarven rings being forged towards the end of episode 2 of the popular Prime Video show's second installment. However, given the differing opinions that Durin IV and Disa have already expressed to each other – and Sauron, who's masquerading as Annatar this season – it appears that the seeds of his disunity could spell danger for Khazad-dûm as a whole.
"He's suspicious of Annatar," Arthur said of Durin IV after his first encounter with Sauron's alias and Celebrimbor's plan to make more rings. "Annatar mentions Elrond, which was a big mistake on his part, because he probably wasn't expecting Durin to be such good friends with an elf. That instantly lays the seed of suspicion.
"But it's hearing about the rings and the deviousness of the plan that splits opinion. Durin doesn't see them as a quick fix [for Khazad-dûm's issues], but some people really trust them, and others acquire a thirst for them. It's like being addicted to drugs in a sense, because of their apparent ability to cure problems, but that's not the case with substance abuse, and it certainly isn't here."
The quandary that Khazad-dûm is there for all to see. As a by-product of Mount Doom's creation in season 1 episode 6, a powerful earthquake hits The Lord of the Rings' famous dwarven realm, which destroys the race's sun shafts that are vital to dwarven agriculture. As a result, their crops die and Khazad-dûm's limited food reserves need to be used to sustain the population.
Oh, and let's not forget that the two Durins have become estranged after an explosive falling out in season 1 episode 7. Oh, and then there's the fact that Disa and her fellow resonators have seemingly lose their ability to 'sing' to the mountain – another crucial part of Dwarven culture that helps them expand into new areas that are ripe for excavation. That's before we get onto the emergence of the Balrog known as Durin's Bane, too, which will surely attack the kingdom before season 2's final episode.
"Their opinions [of the rings] shift and change," Nomvete said. "For Durin, it's all speculative, but Disa views them through rose tinted glasses because the dwarves are in crisis. This has to be the answer because it's a magic pill that'll solve everything. She's lost her spark and pure part of her because she can't sing to the mountain so, while I think her intentions come from a place of love, she becomes desperate. She can feel the pain within the city's walls, which drives her to make some slightly dodgy decisions.
"But they [the rings] end up being like putting a dressing on a wound or papering over the cracks. I think Disa discovers that later on when she links things back to her voice. She thinks 'Hold on, it took an absolute age to come up with this gift of resonating. These rings aren't going to solve everything'. There has to be cause and effect. There has to be a cost and she starts to sense that the cost is not only great, but dark. That's when things shift between Disa and Prince Durin, who starts to question why she's waivering in her confidence of the rings."
I'll bring you more exclusives throughout one of the best Prime Video shows' second season run, including more from my chat with Owain and Sophia. In the meantime, read our spoiler-light review of The Rings of Power season 2's first three episodes, or check out even more exclusives from my interviews with its showrunners and other cast members.
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