Warning: Spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episodes 1 & 2
A mysterious sea monster was briefly glimpsed in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episode 2. Galadriel’s main goal is to track down Sauron, but it looks like a very different kind of threat has seized her attention for the time being. Before dealing with Sauron, she’ll have to find a way to survive an encounter with a massive creature swimming in the Sundering Seas.
Galadriel’s decision to put off going to Valinor in The Rings of Power episode 1 plunged her straight into harm’s way. Being so isolated in the ocean put her in the crosshairs of a sea monster large enough to wreck small ships. Described as a “worm” in episode 2 by a shipwreck survivor, the monster enjoyed a feast as it preyed on a group of humans who had previously survived one of its attacks. Galadriel and Halbrand escaped unscathed, and though episode 2 ended with the characters possibly being rescued, the sea monster may not be a creature that’s easily turned away from a potential meal.
The Rings of Power episode 2 avoided a full look at the sea monster but showed enough to provide an idea of exactly what this beast is. Its snake-like build suggests it’s a sea serpent. In most fantasy worlds (including Middle-earth), sea serpents are essentially the dragons of the ocean. With their size and strength, they’re easily capable of capsizing ships. No specific sea serpents have ever been discussed, with the only monster comparable to it being the Watcher in the Water from The Fellowship of the Ring. However, its identity was always left ambiguous in the books, so it’s hard to say whether or not it was a true sea serpent.
Why Sea Creatures Are Rare In Lord Of The Rings
While the oceans and lakes are home to their fair share of monsters, the list of known sea creatures in the books is rather short when compared to the rich library of land-based monsters in Tolkien’s world. Sea monsters are actually quite rare in the source material due to the settings chosen for most Middle-earth stories. Tolkien’s characters have spent some time in the water, but the bulk of the adventures played out on land.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power offering a story set in the Sundering Seas (even if it only lasts a few episodes), grants the series an opportunity to flesh out the underwater side of Tolkien’s Middle-earth world. Considering that the movies are adaptations of events that happened in the books, there haven’t been many chances to show the monsters of the oceans in live-action. As a Lord of the Rings show centered on an original story, the series is in a good position to introduce all sorts of Middle-earth monsters that weren’t shown in the movies.
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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power releases new episodes on Fridays on Amazon Prime Video.
