10 Best LOTR Characters in The Rings of Power, Ranked

One of the greatest fantasy sagas of all time got a TV series, but from the very first trailer, The Rings of Power managed to split The Lord of the Rings fanbase in half (and honestly, that was bound to happen). The show takes one of the most beloved universes in the genre and throws it thousands of years into the past, exploring a Middle-earth still in the making, where elves, men, and dwarves are trying to find their place before the ultimate evil rises. It’s a mix of ambition, nostalgia, and controversy, as classic characters get younger (and much more flawed) versions, while others step into the spotlight for the first time outside J. R. R. Tolkien’s appendices. Creative liberties were definitely taken, and fans are still debating them to this day.

But the truth is that the show still managed to deliver characters that slowly won people over through charisma, depth, or sheer screen presence. So, considering both Tolkien’s original material and the show’s new approach, have you ever wondered which characters fall flat and which ones really shine? Here are the 10 best original characters in The Rings of Power, ranked (with the ones created specifically for the show left out of the list).

10) Tom Bombadil

A long-awaited fan favorite, Tom Bombadil finally made his debut in The Rings of Power season 2. What’s great, and honestly, the smartest move the show could’ve made, is that it doesn’t try to explain him. Instead, it just drops him into the Second Age with a clearer purpose than he ever had in the books. He’s still that timeless, almost omniscient figure who seems to understand everything and care about nothing. It’s a fun nod to the mythology and a gift for anyone who’s ever wondered what Bombadil would actually look like in a real adaptation.

In the original material, he is one of Middle-earth’s biggest mysteries, and his absence from Peter Jackson’s films has always been a hot topic. The show gives him more direction — even if that means losing some of his “beautifully inexplicable” charm. Still, it’s refreshing to see the writers take that creative swing and play with Tolkien’s lore. He lands this low on the list mainly because he hasn’t impacted the plot much yet, serving more as a mentor figure for The Stranger (before he becomes Gandalf). But honestly, the fact that he exists in the show at all earns him a solid spot here.

9) Gil-galad

Gil-galad is the kind of character who always looks like he’s in the middle of an important meeting. As the High King of the Elves, he carries the weight of an entire race on his shoulders, but the show does a solid job of showing that even he doesn’t have all the answers when it comes to his people’s slow decline. He’s authoritative, skeptical, and composed, though sometimes a bit too cold for his own good. That distance makes him more of a symbol than a fully engaging character, but it fits the political tone the series gives him.

In Tolkien’s lore, Gil-galad is remembered as one of the last great elven kings — a mythic figure often mentioned more than explored. The Rings of Power takes a different approach, placing him in a more active and fallible position to humanize the legend. He’s relevant to the larger story and clearly important to the world-building, but he rarely steals the spotlight. Gil-galad is the kind of character you respect more than you actually miss when he’s not around.

8) Isildur

In the show, Isildur is just a young man trying to figure out who he is — a big contrast to the tragic figure readers know from Tolkien’s lore. He wants to be a hero, to do something great, but he’s still miles away from understanding what that really means. The show smartly highlights that before the legendary mistake with the One Ring, there was a restless, ambitious, and stubborn kid trying to prove himself. It’s a grounded take that gives context to his future downfall and makes his story a lot more layered than just “the guy who messed everything up.”

In the books, Isildur is almost a name in history: the man who both saved and doomed Middle-earth in one move. The show gives him humanity, turning his eventual tragedy into something far more compelling. Still, since The Rings of Power is only scratching the surface of his arc, it’s too early to rank him any higher. But the potential is clearly there. If the series keeps building on this version of Isildur, he could easily become one of the show’s most emotionally complex characters.

7) Míriel

Queen-Regent Míriel is easily one of the most grounded human characters in The Rings of Power. As the ruler of Númenor, she’s constantly torn between tradition and rebellion, trying to hold together an empire on the edge of collapse. There’s a balance of faith and pragmatism in her that makes her surprisingly relatable — she’s not perfect, but she gets it. Míriel stands out as the rare voice of reason in the middle of the island’s political chaos, and one of the few people who actually seems to understand the scale of what’s coming.

In Tolkien’s lore, she’s mostly a tragic footnote, like a victim of circumstance, with little agency in her own downfall. The show flips that around, giving her strength, perspective, and a real presence in the story. She’s not a mythical hero, but she is the kind of character who makes the show’s political drama work. Her arc, especially after losing her sight, turns her into one of the most compelling figures in Númenor’s storyline, and it’s through her that the growing rivalry with Pharazôn feels earned rather than just inevitable.

6) Sauron

Here is easily one of the most divisive characters in the series, not just because he’s the main villain of the saga, but because of how the show decided to handle him. Turning Sauron into Halbrand (and also Annatar) was a bold move, but honestly, the show deserves credit for taking that risk. Portraying the Dark Lord not as a distant, faceless evil but as a manipulative, charming, and even likable presence actually works. The human disguise pays off, making viewers forget who he really is, which makes the eventual reveal hit way harder (even if it was already suspicious). The idea that evil can hide behind something familiar might be one of the show’s smartest creative choices.

Traditionally, Sauron has always been more of an abstract presence, like the embodiment of corruption, rather than a flesh-and-blood character. Here, he’s got a face, a voice, and, somehow, a little bit of swagger. So why isn’t he ranked higher? Because it’s still too early. As much as he’s already menacing, this isn’t peak Sauron yet — the foundations are there, but the full terror of the character hasn’t surfaced. The season 2 finale made it clear: his real rise is just getting started.

5) Celebrimbor

Celebrimbor has one of the most tragic backstories in all of Tolkien’s lore, and The Rings of Power makes the right call by putting him front and center in season 2. He’s the brilliant yet naive elf who thinks he’s shaping history — only to literally forge his own downfall. Watching him walk that line between pride and blindness is fascinating; he truly believes he’s creating something great while being expertly manipulated by Middle-earth’s ultimate villain. It’s compelling, but also painful to watch, especially considering his fate and his final words to Sauron.

Originally, Celebrimbor is more of an idea than a character: the legendary smith who made the Rings of Power and paid the ultimate price. However, the show gives him a face and a personality, proving how the series format can deepen the mythology. Still, there are moments when he feels caught between hero, victim, and just a guy with awful judgment. He’s a key part of Middle-earth’s history, no question, but he hasn’t yet delivered the emotional punch that would put him higher on this list.

4) Durin IV

Let’s be honest: Durin IV is one of the easiest characters to like in the show. He’s got humor, heart, and a real sense of duty that makes everything he does more engaging. His friendship with Elrond is easily one of the show’s best dynamics and one of the few relationships that genuinely feel warm and authentic. Durin breaks past the usual dwarf stereotypes, balancing pride, anger, and vulnerability without ever feeling like a caricature. He’s a heroic prince, sure, but not the kind of “perfect good guy” that’s boring to watch — and definitely not reduced to comic relief either.

Plus, in Tolkien’s writings, Durin is actually a dynastic name, not a single person. So turning that lineage into a fully realized character (apart from his father) is one of the smartest creative choices the show makes. The Prince of Khazad-dûm perfectly represents what The Rings of Power does best: taking fragments of lore and giving them real emotional depth. He’s the beating heart of the series, and while he gets plenty of screen time, it still feels like he deserves even more.

3) Gandalf

The idea of showing Gandalf before he was Gandalf sounds risky on paper, but the show makes it work by exploring a vulnerability we’ve never seen in him before. In the TV adaptation, he’s still figuring out who he is and why he’s in Middle-earth, and that’s fascinating to watch in a character we’ve always known as the wise, all-knowing mentor. He still carries that same charisma and aura of wisdom, but now it’s mixed with confusion and fear. It’s a side of the wizard we’ve never met before, and surprisingly, it works really well.

Even in Tolkien’s books, Gandalf is already a fully formed figure: the mentor, the strategist, and the symbol of balance. He’s essential to The Lord of the Rings, but his backstory is barely explored. So, considering he’s practically a pop culture icon, why not dig into his origins and see how he became who he is? The Rings of Power reminds us that even legends have beginnings, and in Gandalf’s case, that beginning is far more chaotic than anyone expected. He easily earns a top 3 spot because even without the gray beard or the iconic staff, he’s still one of the most captivating characters to watch.

2) Elrond

Here’s where The Rings of Power truly shines in character development. Elrond is a politician and diplomat with his heart in the right place; someone constantly trying to balance duty and empathy in a world that allows neither easily. His friendship with Durin is what most humanizes him, serving as the emotional backbone of the entire series. He’s the quiet center holding everything together. But just when it seems that’s all he is, Season 2 reveals a bolder, braver side as he steps up to command the Elven forces of Lindon — and that makes his arc even more compelling.

In Tolkien’s writings, Elrond is already the wise figure everyone respects. In the show, we actually see how he becomes that person, and the journey is filled with challenges that make his gradual growth deeply rewarding to watch. Much of the spotlight goes to Galadriel (understandably, since she’s the main character), but Elrond is just as essential. He fits perfectly within the show’s tone (grand yet flawed), and it’s hard not to root for him, even knowing the quiet melancholy that will follow him through the ages.

1) Galadriel

Galadriel is the driving force of The Rings of Power and a fantastic heroine, even if she’s a completely different version of the elf fans knew from the movies. She’s more impulsive, more flawed, and far more human, not some ethereal, untouchable figure. The show’s idea was to portray her as someone obsessed with defeating evil and blind to the cost of that obsession — and that’s exactly what makes her so compelling. Centering the story around her works perfectly because she makes the conflict of the Second Age feel deeply personal. Plus, it’s worth noting that she stands out as a powerful female lead not just because she’s a great warrior or commander, but because she falls hard and always gets back up.

Galadriel has long been known as one of the wisest and most powerful figures in Middle-earth — almost a spiritual force. The Rings of Power rewrites that image by showing the road she had to take to become that legend, taking a bold narrative risk instead of just recreating what fans expected. Of all the original Tolkien characters who were reimagined for the show, hers is arguably the most interesting to watch (even if some viewers disagree). She tops the ranking because she’s the one who changes the most and drives the story forward. Without her, the series would lose half its strength.

Do you like the show? Who’s your favorite character? Let us know in the comments!

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