5 The Rings Of Power Armor Designs That Are 10/10 Perfect

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power holds nothing back in the way of epic fantasy battles, so there is naturally a lot of great armor to admire. The Prime Video series is entering its third season in November 2026, and this is when the real meat of the War of the Elves and Sauron should begin. It’s a dark time in Middle-earth’s history, as Sauron’s forces make their way through Eriador to devastating effect. On the bright side, this means Rings of Power season 3 should really turn up the volume in the way of on-screen combat and violence.

Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy did a great job of establishing a visual aesthetic for Middle-earth, and Rings of Power has kept that going. The Elves in particular have a distinctive style—sleek, elegant, and simply lovely. From day to day, the Elves of Prime Video’s prequel series wear elaborate gowns and robes. During battle, however, their elegance is reflected in the almost liquid movement of their metal or wooden armor.

There’s certainly an overarching theme here—even the ugliness of Middle-earth is somehow beautiful. Still, each set of armor in Rings of Power is deeply individual. Some unique touches reflect that character’s personality and even provide teases regarding their own lore. Suffice it to say, the costume department did a spectacular job.

Arondir’s Ent-Inspired Armor

The armor Arondir wore in Rings of Power season 1 was technically part of a uniform, so he wasn’t the only one decorated in this way. Still, the look is certainly striking. As a Silvan Elf, it makes sense that Arondir would have a nature-themed design. The whole suit feels like something that could have grown onto the character of its own accord. This effect is further emphasized by the leaf-crowned face that looks out from Arondir’s breastplate.

The face on Arondir’s armor appears to be carved from wood, and while this might not be effective against sharp metal weapons, it further contributes to the idea that this Elf is under the protection of an ancient Ent. These are the mysterious tree shepherds of The Lord of the Rings, tasked with protecting the forests. Arondir isn’t just a warrior, but a guard, so the guardian on his armor makes perfect sense.

Halbrand’s ‘Hero’ Armor

When he and Galadriel set out from Numenor to defend the Southlands, Halbrand looked every bit the hero. He borrowed some armor from the island city, which favors fishscale-like designs layered across the breastplate and pauldrons. It’s simple enough, but on a figure like Halbrand, it comes across as ruggedly royal. The vibe is very similar to what we saw from Aragorn in Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Of course, this was all purposely misleading. Rings of Power season 1 revealed that Halbrand wasn’t really an exiled king waiting for his time to shine, but the Dark Lord Sauron himself. The fact that the character struck such a figure in that trustworthy armor made the whole thing all the more shocking. The ‘Halbrand’ armor made a return in Rings of Power season 2 when Sauron transformed into this form to tempt Galadriel. Still, he couldn’t resist making himself a bit shinier and more refined than he had been in the true moment.

Sauron’s Armor Reimagined

We have yet to see Sauron officially become the armor-clad villain we know from The Lord of the Rings in Prime Video’s The Rings of Power. However, the show has provided us with a look at what this version of the character did or will look like. Much like what we saw in Jackson’s films, Sauron’s armor is covered in sharp, jagged spikes. The villain wears a cloak and is crowned with a helmet that completely conceals his face. It’s pretty frightening and immediately recognizable, though there are some differences.

Sauron’s armor in The Rings of Power is just a bit more slender and sexy than what we saw in The Lord of the Rings. The look isn’t about being bulky or imposing, but rather, Sauron is made to appear delicately powerful. There is clear vanity here, which makes sense considering the sort of villain Sauron is in Prime Video’s prequel series. We’ve yet to really get up close and personal with this version of the character, but, so far, that armor is pretty spectacular.

Galadriel’s Warrior Queen Armor

While in Numenor, it seems that Galadriel has some armor made for her that she can wear into the Southlands, and whoever the craftsman was, they were obviously inspired. This armor is lovely and feminine, but not in the way stylized armor for women in movies, TV shows, and games usually is. The ribs and ripples in the breastplate accentuate Galadriel’s form without being needlessly sexy or impractical. She looks like the lovely baddass that she always should be.

The most notable feature of Galadriel’s armor in Rings of Power is the star on her chest. The golden, eight-pointed thing is a symbol of Galadriel’s royal lineage while connecting her to the Light of Valinor, the Two Trees, and the beautiful glow of the Silmarils. It’s the Star of Eärendil, the light of which Galadriel will one day capture in a vial and gift to Frodo Baggins during his harrowing journey to defeat the Dark Lord and his One Ring to Rule Them All.

Elrond’s Battle-Time Armor

Elrond wore some pretty great armor and outfits in Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies, but Rings of Power suggests that he was even more stylish as a young elf. There hasn’t been anything quite as striking as the armor this character wears into battle in season 2. The style is consistent from the gorget to the gauntlets and greaves, laced with branches and vines that bring to mind the Two Trees of Valinor. There’s also a similar sort of star as the one seen on Galadriel’s armor, which makes sense considering Eärendil is Elrond’s own father.

What really stands out about Elrond’s The Rings of Power season 2 armor is the wing detailing on his pauldrons and helmet. Etched feathers fan out from his face and around his shoulders, giving the impression that Elrond is just about to take flight. The lovely detail is certainly an homage to the Elf’s mother, Elwing. This half-elven hero can transform into a giant white seabird and has become legend for her involvement in keeping a Silmaril from falling into the wrong hands. Clearly, Elrond is proud of his mother, as he wears her feathers like a badge of honor into battle.

Release Date

September 1, 2022

Network

Amazon Prime Video

Showrunner

John D. Payne, Patrick McKay, Louise Hooper, Charlotte Brändström, Wayne Yip

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