Why The Rings Of Power Has Changed The Nazgûl’s Name

The confirmation that The Rings of Power season 3 will debut the famous Nazgûl comes as no great surprise. From the beginning, Amazon’s series has been about Sauron crafting the circular treasures, ultimately leading to the birth of the One Ring itself. The past two seasons have already shown the elves wielding the Three and the dwarves being tempted by the Seven. It was only a matter of time before the Nine found fingers to call home.

The Nazgûl will officially make their debut in The Rings of Power season 3, as Sauron looks to consolidate his hold over Middle-earth by bringing kings of men under heel. As we know from The Lord of the Rings, these Ringwraiths will remain loyal to their master for thousands of years, hunting down Frodo in The Fellowship of the Ring and fighting for Mordor at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.

The biggest question for The Rings of Power to answer has always been the identities of the Nine. Only two of the Nazgûl were named by Tolkien: the Witch-king of Angmar and Khamûl the Easterling, and of that dastardly duo, it’s likely that only Khamûl retained his original name from before becoming Sauron’s acolyte. As such, there are a number of characters in The Rings of Power who could potentially become Nazgûl in season 3, with Theo and Kemen among the top contenders.

Now, another question arises. Alongside the reveal that Nazgûl will indeed feature in The Rings of Power season 3 is the announcement that they’ll instead be called “Nazgnagôl.” Despite not being a term you’ll find in Tolkien’s source material, there is a logical reason behind the Ringwraiths’ attempt to rebrand.

The Rings Of Power’s New Name For The Nazgûl Represents The Early Stage Of Their Corruption

As the story goes in J.R.R. Tolkien’s lore, Sauron hands out nine Rings of Power to mortal kings, some from Númenor, at least one from Rhûn, and others presumably from Middle-earth’s various other settlements. The attraction of this arrangement for the kings involved is power and wealth, and Sauron fulfills his end of the bargain, as each of the nine kings grows in strength and standing as a result of their pacts with Mordor.

Similar to the One Ring itself, the Nine gradually chip away at the souls of their owners, bringing each of them deeper under Sauron’s influence. By the time the process completes, those wearing Sauron’s Rings of Power are little more than ethereal spirits with no wills of their own, completely under the control of their master sporting the One Ring.

The name “Nazgûl” translates to “Ringwraith,” with that name coming from the wearers’ ghostly appearance and non-corporeal existence somewhere between life and death. When The Rings of Power season 3 takes place, the nine kings are still enjoying the Rings’ benefits, or in the early stages of their descent into darkness. They haven’t yet transcended beyond the mortal realm, so the term “wraiths” doesn’t really apply, meaning “Nazgûl” would be somewhat premature.

As co-showrunner J.D. Payne explains (via Empire), the phrase “Nazgnagôl” means “Ring-servant,” which more accurately describes where the Nine currently are in their respective downfalls. They’re allied to Sauron in The Rings of Power season 3, but they’re also still living, breathing individuals with personalities of their own. “Nazgnagôl” isn’t a term Tolkien himself ever used. Before the kings became fully wraith-like, they were merely recognized as allies of Mordor without a specific name for their nine-piece band. The new term does, however, broadly make sense. Middle-earth’s bad guys loved a name-change, as Melkor and Mairon can attest.

It would appear that The Rings of Power is about to give a more detailed account of the Nazgûl origin story than even Tolkien provided. By season 3’s end, it’s even possible that some Nazgnagôl will have passed their probation and become fully-fledged Nazgûl, complete with see-through faces and ‘death metal vocalist stuck in a tunnel’ voices.

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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