Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Rings of Power season 2.The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 2’s three-episode premiere sees Isildur reckon with a hive of spiders, with one noticeably big one resembling Shelob. The second season of the Amazon Prime Video TV show picks up almost immediately from whereThe Rings of Powerseason 1’s endingleft off; Galadriel and Elrond are trying to figure out what to do with Celebrimbor’s rings, while Halbrand/Sauron returns to the newly-christened Mordor to enact the next stage of his master plan.
WhileSauron’s plan inThe Rings of Poweris a focus of season 2, the show does not lose sight of its other characters. One such character is Isildur, who was presumed dead in thestory ofThe Rings of Powerseason 1. As many who are familiar with the character will know, Isildur survived and was revealed to have been captured by a brood of spiders inThe Rings of Powerseason 2. Upon his escape, Isildur faces an unusually large spider, leaving many wondering if it is Shelob and whether the great spider would fitThe Rings of Power’s timeline.
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Who would win in a fight between Sauron and Shelob, Galadriel, and Gandalf? Lord of the Rings is full of powerful beings. Here’s how they rank.
Shelob Is In The Rings Of Power Season 2’s Spider Scene
Shelob’s History Fits With The Rings Of Power
Based on what is known of Shelob’s history and confirmation from the show’s cast, Shelob is confirmed as the spider inThe Rings of Powerseason 2, episode 3. To support this, the show emphasizes how large one spider is compared to those around it, making it a bigger threat for Isildur to overcome. Secondly, Shelob was born long before the Second Age of Middle-earth, meaning she is old enough to appear inThe Rings of Power. Similarly,Isildur is in Mordor inThe Rings of Powerseason 2’s premiere, where Shelob resided for thousands of yearsuntil the Third Age.
Aside from Middle-earth’s history and Baldry’s confirmation of Shelob’s appearance,The Rings of Powergives some visual queues to confirm the giant spider is Shelob. The design of the creature, though much smaller givenThe Rings of Powertakes place thousands of years beforeThe Lord of the Rings, is very similar to that of Peter Jackson’s trilogy. Also, when grappling with the spider, Isildur holds its pincers to prevent being eaten, much like how Samwise does when battling Shelob inThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
How Shelob Came To Mordor In Lord Of The Rings Mythology
Shelob’s Time Before The Second Age Is Shrouded In Mystery
Interestingly, Shelob is one of the manyLord of the Ringscharacters whose history is uncertain. Given how wide-reaching Tolkien’s world was, it would have been impossible for the author to have fleshed out every single detail about every character, creature, or location within the vast history of the world. As it turns out, Shelob is one of the characters whose story is not as detailed as the likes of Sauron or Galadriel.
Upon Sauron claiming Mordor for his own, Shelob’s lair above Minas Morgul was already established, leading to her appearances inThe Lord of the Rings…
In Tolkien’s works,Shelob was described as being born in the Elder Days, the era of Middle-earth before the War of Wrath ended. Her timeline after this is uncertain, with Tolkien only mentioning that she eventually came to dwell in Mordor before Sauron began the construction of Barad-dûr, which again fits withThe Rings of Powerseason 2. Upon Sauron claiming Mordor for his own, Shelob’s lair above Minas Morgul was already established, leading to her appearances inThe Lord of the Rings, millennia afterThe Rings of Powerseason 2.
The Rings of Power season 2’s new episodes will be released every Thursday on Amazon Prime Video.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Cast
Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the epic events leading up to the stories in J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novels. The series chronicles the creation of legendary characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the fate of Middle-earth.
