Rings of Power: The three elven rings, explained

Cameron Frew
The three elven rings in Rings of Power Episode 8

Rings of Power Episode 8 ends with the forging of the three elven rings – what are they, what are their powers, and who will wear them? We’re here to answer your questions.

“Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, nine for Mortal Men, doomed to die, one for the Dark Lord on his dark throne, in the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.

“One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.”

J.R.R. Tolkien’s poem is the foundation of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and we’ve finally seen the first of their kind: the three elven rings – let us explain.

Rings of Power: What are the three elven rings?

Episode 8 ends with Celebrimbor forging the first three rings of power: Narya, the Ring of Fire; Vilya, the Ring of Air; and Nenya, the Ring of Adamant.

Narya, designed as a ruby ring, is said to have the power to inspire hope, combat the weariness of time, and allow its wearer other magical powers – such as the Flame of Anor.

Vilya, designed as a sapphire ring, is considered to be the strongest of the three elven rings. While its exact powers haven’t been specified in the books, there’s plot points to suggest it allows its wearer to wield the elements, like Elrond summoning a torrent of water against the Nazgûl.

Nenya, made of mithril, has the power of “preservation and concealment from evil”, though the beauty of anything it preserves is prone to fade when distanced from the ring.

Rings of Power: Who wears the three elven rings?

We can expect Vilya to be worn by Elrond, Narya to be worn by Círdan (the Elven lord of Mithlond, who hasn’t been introduced yet), and Nenya to be worn by Galadriel. These are the Keepers of the Three Rings.

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s writing, Círdan gives Narya to Gandalf shortly after he arrives in Middle-earth on TA 1000, recognizing his power, wisdom and responsibility as a Maiar.

In Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings, which takes place in the Third Age of Middle-earth, we see Galadriel still wearing Nenya.

In The Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf tells Durin’s Bane he’s a servant of the Secret Fire and wielder of the Flame of Anor, and we see him wearing Narya at the end of The Return of the King.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 1 is available to stream in its entirety now. You can sign up for Amazon Prime here.

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About The Author

Cameron is Deputy TV and Movies Editor at Dexerto. He's an action movie aficionado, '80s obsessive, Oscars enthusiast, and a staunch Scot. He earned a First-Class Honours Degree in Multimedia Journalism from Glasgow Caledonian University, accredited by the NCTJ and BJTC. He began his career at UNILAD, starting as a Junior Journalist and becoming Entertainment Editor prior to joining Dexerto. You can contact him at cameron.frew@dexerto.com.