Morgoth's War of Wrath Has Major Implications for 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power'

When you start watching "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power," which premieres on Amazon Prime Video on September 1, there's one name you'll hear over and over again: Morgoth. But if you're a casual Lord of the Rings fan, you might be wondering who the mysterious villain is - who was defeated before 'The Rings of Power' began. Here's the backstory you need to know and what it means for the upcoming series.

Who is Morgoth?

In the world of J.R.R. In Tolkien's books, the first creatures to ever exist were the Ainur, created by Eru Ilúvatar, the creator of everything. The Ainur are also known as Saints. When the world was finally created, the Ainur entered it to prepare it for the life of Elves and Men, and the Ainur became known as the Valar and the Maiar. But one of them, Melkor - who would eventually be known as Morgoth - wanted to dominate the other Valar, the world, and all who would eventually inhabit it.

Morgoth managed to commit major atrocities, and he also brought some Maiar to his side. One of these Maiar was Sauron, then known as Mairon. Sauron, of course, is the big villain of The Lord of the Rings film series, and he's also the villain of "The Rings of Power." Morgoth also created the first orcs.

What was Morgoth doing before "Rings of Power"?

"The Rings of Power" is set during the Second Age, shortly after the end of the First Age. During the First Age, Morgoth was often at war with the Elves. He slew the elven king Finwë, an act that prompted Finwë's son Fëanor to give him the name Morgoth. After years of violence, a half-elf named Eärendil sailed to Valinor to ask the Valar for help in the fight against Morgoth, and they agreed. Eventually they won the conflict, called the War of Wrath, and Morgoth was captured and driven from the world. This ended the First Age.

Is Morgoth in "The Rings of Power?"

So far in “The Rings of Power,” many characters, including Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), come to terms with their trauma from the War of Wrath. Many elves believe the wars are all behind them, but Galadriel believes Sauron, who was Morgoth's right-hand man throughout the war, is still around, growing in power and strength (and that's not a spoiler to say she's right). Additionally, in parts of Middle-earth, Elven soldiers are still stationed to watch for further attacks, leading to strained relations with the populations of Men there.

Morgoth, however, is actually gone for good. Tolkien however points out in his books that the spirit of Morgoth is infused into the world and can sow evil in the hearts of people around the world. And Sauron still carries on his legacy of death and destruction.

New episode of "The Rings of Power" available Friday on Prime Video.

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