Even if Isildur is still a child in The Rings of Power, the Amazon series already anticipates the day when he won’t destroy Sauron’s One Ring
Isildur’s catastrophic betrayal of Middle-earth is already being teased in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power through subtly veiled foreshadowing. Fans of The Lord of the Rings will already be familiar with the terrible tale of Isildur. Isildur flew in with his father’s broken sword and severed the One Ring from its owner’s black hand after his father, Elendil, and High King Gil-Galad had driven Sauron to his knees. Isildur was urged to toss the One Ring into Mount Doom and obliterate it in order to permanently terminate Sauron’s rule over Middle-earth. When the time arrived, Isildur had different plans.
It goes without saying that everyone suffered as a result of that choice. Isildur died while attempting to transport the One Ring to a more secure location after quickly realizing his error. Due to the trinket’s continued existence, Sauron was able to resurrect and begin a final campaign to rule over Middle-earth. Isildur is much younger when he first appears in The Rings of Power on Amazon, going through his “being kicked out of the Sea Cadets” period. Isildur, as portrayed by Maxim Baldry, shares many characteristics with his more mature self from The Lord of the Rings, like courage, a strong sense of justice, attractive hair, etc. However, The Rings of Power also shows flashes of the Isildur who will one day condemn Middle-earth to another bloody war against Sauron.
With the help of the Nmenor Sea Cadets, Isildur starts his training for The Rings of Power and is almost prepared to ace the Trials. The child begins to fantasize about traveling to Nmenor’s distant west as the day draws closer. Isildur hears the call of adventure and must decide whether to stick with his current work path or chase what he feels to be some grand destiny. In the end, Isildur chooses to be a coward and quit rather than getting fired from the cadets.
His two closest buddies are also expelled as a result of this, which was not his intention. Similar to Isildur’s refusal to destroy the One Ring in The Lord of the Rings, it is a situation. He is aware that throwing the Ring is the best course of action, but once more his emotions take precedence. Isildur accepts the ring as a “weregild” for the deaths of his family. Isildur may have felt it was fate, thought Elrond was mistaken like Elendil, or imagined he could control the Ring out of conceit. In any case, there were more than just two irate pals as a result of this incident’s unforeseen effects.
The Rings of Power Show That Isildur’s Choice Was Predetermined
In The Rings of Power, Isildur is portrayed as a well-intentioned but misguided dreamer whose head is so far in the clouds that he can’t understand the results of his acts until it’s too late. Episode 4 of The Rings of Power practically acknowledges this when Valandil exclaims, “Does it really matter? Isildur is the main issue, and that situation won’t change.” Valandil is more right than he realizes, despite the fact that his statements may come from a young man who just lost his job as a result of his best buddy hearing a mystical voice. Later on, Isildur’s rebellious nature would lead to a lot of issues.
The Rings of Power‘s depiction of Isildur certainly isn’t heroic in the typical sense. Valandil not only accuses his friend of failing to earn a place among the Sea Cadets, but also chides Isildur for constantly whining about his late mother. It’s clear that the young Númenórean is undergoing an identity crisis, constantly trying to prove himself and escape his father’s considerable shadow. One might argue that Isildur was still seeking validation after liberating Sauron of his finger, and that by keeping golden Ring for himself, Isildur fantasized that he could forge some great legacy on his own terms.
Sauron’s One Ring has a corrupting influence – especially upon Men – that makes it very hard to hand over willingly, so Isildur isn’t entirely to blame. Nevertheless, the strength of the Ring-bearer’s will is an important factor too, and The Rings of Power shows precisely why Isildur was always the wrong man for the job.
