Who was that at the end of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episode 2?

Warning: This story contains spoilers from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episodes 1 and 2. If you’ve not seen them yet, don’t read any further!

The second episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power ends on a cliffhanger. Galadriel and Halbrand had been navigating the Sundering Seas on their barely stable ruin of a boat when a huge storm hit. Galadriel was knocked overboard before being saved by her human companion who dove in after her. 

Following the ordeal, the pair are floating on the ocean when they are discovered by a mysterious boat. The episode ends with them looking up at a blurry figure on the helm – but who is this new character?

While we can only see his outline, we’re pretty certain that’s Elendil (played by Lloyd Owen). In the final Rings of Power trailer, he can be seen on a ship very similar to the one at the end of the episode and if we compare the hair and the armor, it seems almost definite they are the same person.

Elendil is a key character in Tolkien lore thanks to his later role in the battle against Sauron. The series is set many years before the big battle for Middle-earth. We know that, during the show's timeline, Elendil's taking his family across the Great Sea from Númenor. He's forced to flee the island of long-living men after his father foresaw its coming destruction. He loads nine boats with his family and their supporters as they head for safe haven.

In an interview with Collider, actor Lloyd Owen confirmed we’ll meet him for the first time on his journey. "In terms of where we see him start the series, he's a very capable ship's captain," he explained. "And he's trying to bring up these three adult children, but he's recently been widowed. So the turbulence within the family is something that he's just trying to calm. He's trying to find calm waters."

Those familiar with their Tolkien lore will also know that Elendil’s son plays an important role in the coming battle against Sauron. Isildur, who will also be traveling on the boat with him, is the one who cuts the One Ring from Sauron’s hand. This is depicted in the prologue of Peter Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring, where his refusal to destroy the ring is what allows Sauron’s spirit to survive into the Third Age. Of course, in The Rings of Power, we meet the future king (and descendent of Aragorn), as a young man played by Maxim Baldry.

We’ll have to wait until episode 3 to see what this version of the character is like. To make sure you don’t miss the next episode of the show, check out our Rings of Power release schedule.