Warning: the following contains spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episode 4. Turn back if you haven't seen the new installment in Amazon's epic Tolkien adaptation.
There was a treat waiting at the end of The Rings of Power episode 4 as a preview trailer for what's coming next was hidden in the credits. Currently, the trailer is only available to watch on Prime Video here so we've broken down some of the biggest moments – and what they tell us about the darkness building in Middle-earth.
The biggest concern is the upcoming battle brewing in the Southlands as Bronwyn and her people decide to fight rather than bend the knee to Adar. She's seen leading the charge as she convinces her people that they can survive the onslaught with Arondir by her side. However, it's not clear how this will play out as Bronwyn can later be seen holding the mysterious dark sword Theo had been hiding with a terrified look on her face…
Meanwhile, Adar is preparing for his attack as he tells his Orcs to "summon the legions, it is time." Curiously, as he says these words, The Stranger can be seen looking over his shoulder – could he be one of those Adar is attempting to summon?
In Lindon, Elrond has seemingly revealed the secret of the Mithril to Celebrimbor, despite his oath. The trailer begins with the Elven smith bringing the metal to King Gil-galad, as he marvels how nothing can diminish its light. Given the consequences of sharing the knowledge laid out by Durin, this could mean bad things lie ahead for Elrond.
Galadriel is prepping for a return to Middle-earth by practicing her swordsmanship. But Halbrand isn't so keen to head back to the Southlands. "You're asking me to go back to the one place I swore never to return," he tells her before we see him cradling a mysterious bottle.
Elsewhere in Númenor, Pharazôn is stirring up discontent over the Queen Regent's new alliance with Galadriel. And it seems he has an unexpected ally in Isildur: "When all this is ended," Pharazôn tells him, "Elves will take orders from us."
Finally, we get our first look at the Harfoots after they were missing in the latest episode. But things aren’t looking good as Nori and her family is attacked by a beast while carrying their caravan on the migration.
It seems like plenty of drama lies ahead in the remaining four episodes of The Rings of Power – check out our release guide to make sure you don't miss a moment. And if you're looking for a recap ahead of the next episode, we've broken down all of the major Rings of Power characters and where the show sits on the Lord of the Rings timeline to get you up to speed.
