Heartbreaking The Rings of Power theory might reveal why Arondir's friends were captured by Orcs

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Arondir the Elf might be responsible for his friends' capture

Arondir in The Rings of Power
(Image credit: Amazon Prime Video)

A theory about The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episode 3 might have revealed why Arondir's Elf friends ended up captured by Orcs alongside him. Spoilers ahead for everything we've seen so far from Amazon's fantasy series!

The latest Rings of Power episode reveals Arondir's fellow Elves have been captured and put to work by Orcs. What the creatures are digging for is a mystery – though they say they are looking for a weapon, so most likely the sword that Theo holds – and the Elves attempt to escape. Tragically, Arondir's friends are killed by the Orcs – one has his throat cut while drinking water, while another is shot by arrows after climbing from the trench. 

One theory suggests the events of the episode are even more upsetting: Arondir could be the very reason his friends were caught in the first place. "After Arondir and his ride-or-die find out the war is over and that they're being sent home, Arondir goes to see Bronwyn," points out a Redditor. "She asks him: Where's the rest of your company? He says: Most likely searching for me.

"If Arondir hadn't run off, they may have already departed the Southlands and never been captured by the baddies. In fact, since Arondir ends up traveling further east it's very possible that simply looking for Arondir brought them right to the enemy."

Considering how keen the Elves were to leave for Lindon before Arondir went missing, it seems almost inevitable that he's to blame for their eventual capture by the Orcs and their leader, Adar.

We'll have to wait and see to find out just what's going on in the Southlands. In the meantime, check out our speculative piece on the identities of The Stranger and Sauron. You can also find out exactly when the next episode drops in your time zone with our guide to the Rings of Power release schedule. 

In the meantime, see our roundup of the best shows on Amazon Prime Video for everything else the streamer has to offer. 

Molly Edwards
Molly Edwards
Deputy Entertainment Editor

I'm the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.