In the series «The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power» there are still no hobbits. As the events unfold in the Second Age of Middle-earth, the inhabitants of the Shire from J.R.R. Tolkien’s original works have not yet fully emerged. But their ancestors will be even more represented in the second season.
Already well-known characters of the series Nora Brandifoot (Markella Kavanagh) and Poppy Proudfellow (Megan Richards) are exploring the desert of Rhun in the east of Middle-earth. There they will meet distant relatives — stoors. These Protogobits are the ancestors of the river people from whom the one of the main characters of the saga «The Lord of the Rings», Smeagol-Golum. Unlike garfoots, sturgeons do not roam.
«The origins of the Stur people were nomadic at one point. But over the years, as a group, we settled down and it became our culture to take care of each other,» says Tanya Moody, who plays the leader of the Stur community, Gundabel.
As they stay in one place, the Sturians began to record their history and culture. This is emphasized in the very detailed sets and costumes that helped the actors understand their characters.
«This beautiful carving, done by Christian [Milsted], our wonderful production designer, looks like frescoes with the history of the Stur and Harfoot. I loved looking at it when we were on set. It made me feel at home with my family. It always helped me to get into the character of Merrimack,» says Gavi Singh Chera, who plays another Stur.
Rhun — is a desert, and therefore the environment is completely different from the green Shire, where the hobbits will one day live. The show’s co-creators, Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne, said they were excited to tell the story of The Lord of the Rings in the desert for the first time. Christian Milstead also took the opportunity to show something different on the screen.
«The canyon that the sturgeons call home — it’s such a wonderful little oasis, but it’s a harsh world. We wanted to do something that was very different from the Shire that we saw on screen. So it was more like they have these dwellings dug into the rock of this very hostile environment that creates a very tight community. They have a written history, they have a library, they have a star map, they have a whole history woven into this set,» says Milstead.
The Garfoots preceded the Hobbits, so we can consider Nora and Poppy to be distant ancestors of Frodo and Sam. The river people who will come out of the storrs one day give birth to Smeagol, who will become Golum. But in the series, they are unlikely to resemble their descendant.
«My character’s intentions are always focused on what will protect us, what will keep us alive and hopefully bring us prosperity. While I was doing this, I wondered if I was related to Smeagol. But I couldn’t justify any stories like: «Oh, I am his great-great-grandmother». It seemed like it was achieved»,” says Tanya Moody.
Living in the desert allows us to look at the history of the river people from a different perspective. It is known that one day they will live near generous rivers.
«In the books, we know that sturgeons love water. I think it’s so interesting that they originated in a really arid and dry environment, a place where water is sacred. So, if you travel later and come across a river and that’s your story, it must seem like a real oasis,” says Chera.
You will be able to see Gollum’s ancestors on August 29, when Amazon Prime Video will host premiere of the second season «The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power».
Source: Entertaintment Weekly