Summary
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerhas brought Stoors into the mix, a group of Hobbit ancestors outlined in Tolkien lore. Though the Prime Video series has made some changes to what is known about the Stoorish Hobbits, this added history still falls within the realm of possibility. The in-world historians of Middle-earth paid little attention to pre-Hobbits of the Second Age, so records are limited.Rings of Powerintroduces Stoors during a period that predates Middle-earth’s written history of their people, which has allowed for a touch of creative freedom.
Rings of Powerseason 1 introduced another group of pre-Hobbits—the Harfoots. These are a nomadic tribe of halflings who stay out of sight of Elves and Men, thus explaining why Second Age history made no mention of them in Tolkien canon. These arethe distant ancestors of importantLord of the Ringscharacterslike Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, and Pippin Took. However, the Harfoots weren’t the only pre-Hobbits in Middle-earth these many centuries before Frodo acquired the One Ring. Other halfling ancestors included the Fallohides and, of course, the Stoors.
The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power Season 2- Release Date, Cast, Story, Trailer & Everything We Know
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 promises to continue the origin story of the powerful rings - and unleash Sauron at last.
The Rings Of Power Season 2 Introduces The Stoors
Nori & The Stranger Meet Stoor Characters In Rhûn
The Rings of Powerseason 2 seesNori and the Stranger meet a group of halflings in the deserts of Rhûn, and these are ultimately revealed to be Stoors. This dry environment is a surprising home for these pre-Hobbits since, during the early Third Age, they are known to live along the Anduin River. However, there is no record of the Stoors during the Second Age, so Prime Video has developed its own version of where the Stoors came from. It seems that, inRings of Power’s account, the Stoors were forced to migrate West toward the Anduin as Rhûn became increasingly inhospitable.
With the introduction of the Stoors came two notable Stoorish characters. Gundabel (Tanya Moodie) is the leader, while Merimac (Gavi Singh Chera) is a young member of her community. TheseRings of Poweractors explainedthat, while living in Rhûn, water became sacred to the Stoors since it was so scarce. Therefore,it makes sense that this group of pre-Hobbits would take such a liking to the Anduin River once they found it, establishing the Stoors' reputation for being wetland folk.
Tolkien’sLord of the Ringswere constructed like found manuscripts, so anything not recorded by in-world historians wasn’t included in the author’s works.
The Stoors' History In Lord Of The Rings Lore Explained
Tolkien Dived Into The Known History Of Stoors In The Lord Of The Rings
The earliest record of the Stoors inLord of the Ringscomes from the early Third Age when they lived in the swampy areas near the South of the Anduin River. However, around TA 1300, they began to migrate, and over the next thousand years, many eventually settled near Gladden Fields near the Gladden River, a tributary of the Anduin. Here, they lived for centuries, always led by a matriarch (like the Stoors seen inRigns of Power). The Gladden Stoors were excellent swimmers and fisherswho crafted effective boats to sail the Gladden and Anduin.
It was during these centuries of the Stoors' history that their most notable member was born—Sméagol.
It was during these centuries of the Stoors' history that their most notable member was born—Sméagol. He was the grandson of the Stoors' matriarch, and he and his cousin Déagol grew up among the most prosperous of their people. Of course, one fateful day,Déagol found a golden ring while fishing and Sméagol murdered his cousin to claim it as his own. The young Stoor was eventually exiled by his grandmother, leading him to live centuries within the Misty Mountains, tormented by Sauron’s One Ring. By the time Sméagol, now Gollum, emerged from the caves in search of his precious, the Stoors were gone.
Lord of the Rings: Why Smeagol Is Called Gollum
J.R.R. Tolkien’s iconic Lord of the Rings character is called by two names, Smeagol & Gollum, as a nod to the character’s monstrous transformation.
How The Stoors Connect To Harfoots & Hobbits
The Stoors Ultimately Joined With The Other Hobbit Ancestors
By theevents ofThe Lord of the Rings, the Harfoots, Stoors, and Fallohides were no more. Over the years, they slowly migrated toward what eventually became the Shire and its surrounding regions, interbreeding until there were only Hobbits. The genetics of the Harfoots mostly won out since they were the most numerous. This meant that most Hobbits of the Shire were quite small, with dark curly hair and a fascination with the earth and things that grow. However, there were signs within Frodo’s community thatsome Hobbits were descended from Stoors.
The Stoors had been tall and broad compared to the Harfoots and Fallohides, and these genes carried on through some of the Hobbits ofThe Lord of the Rings. The Brandybucks, including Merry, were exceptionally tall for Shire Hobbits and likelier to enjoy sailing and fishing on the Brandywine River. This means that, like Nori, the Stoors ofThe Rings of Powercould be ancestors of someThe Lord of the RingsHobbits, including Merry and, of course, Gollum.
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.
