The Lord of the Rings: Who is Morgoth in The Rings of Power?

Like Peter Jackson’s first movie in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Amazon Prime Video’s The Rings of Power TV series begins with a huge expository montage. Central to that opening sequence is the history of the Elves and what brought them to Middle-earth, specifically that their war with Morgoth was key to them arriving on the continent and even the larger plot of the entire series. Despite being the main antagonist of the conflict, which defined the entire First Age of Middle-earth, there’s not much about Morgoth that is revealed in the show. Luckily J.R.R. Tolkien’s mythology is very dense, so we’ve got the answers.

Who is Morgoth in The Lord of the Rings?

A former Ainur (essentially the Middle-earth version of a lesser god), Morgoth turned his back on the others of his kind and fell from grace, again a larger Lucifer analogue that fits with Tolkien’s larger Christian beliefs/roots. From there he would lead campaigns to conquer Middle-earth, raise beasts including the Balrogs (viewers may recall Legolas referring to “a Balrog of Morgoth” as the cause of Gandalf’s death in The Fellowship of the Ring) and battle the Elves for centuries. This is all largely covered in the opening of The Rings of Power, described by Galadriel as leaving Middle-earth in ruin. 

What happened to Morgoth?

After his defeat, Morgoth was cast into the void (the closest thing Middle-earth has to hell) where he would remain. The circumstances of his defeat are not covered in great detail beyond a throw away line in The Rings of Power, instead it spends more time focusing on the fact that Morgoth’s defeat resulted in his orc armies spreading across Middle-earth and Sauron attempting to fill the power vacuum left in his wake.

How is Morgoth related to Sauron?

Technically they’re not related, but Sauron served as one of Morgoth’s lieutenants during his campaigns. Sauron is largely in hiding during the first episodes of The Rings of Power, but as we know he’ll eventually take part in the creation of the titular rings and use it to attempt another takeover of Middle-earth.

Is Morgoth in The Rings of Power?

Unless a flashback occurs in the show that shows Morgoth’s campaign against Valinor or even more of the battles on Middle-earth that his armies fought in, it doesn’t seem like it. The narrative real estate of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is moving in a clear way, so it seems unlikely.

How to Watch The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

The new series can only be streamed on Amazon Prime Video, be it directly through an internet browser or on a Prime Video app on a Smart TV or other device. The series is only available to watch for Amazon Prime subscribers, available on a monthly or annual subscription, but you can sign up for it here.