The showrunners of “Rings of Power” raise hopes for Isildur’s romance in season 2

Everything Isildur (Maxim Baldry) ever wanted in Season 1 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power to see the world. But now that he’s seeing Middle Earth up close in Season 2, Isildur would do anything to return to his home island of Númenor.

As Baldry said earlier Weekly entertainment for our digital cover story on the next chapter of Amazon Prime Video’s epic fantasy series: Isildur’s top priority in Season 2 is simply to survive – which is easier said than done in the newly created land of Mordor.

Presumed dead at the end of the epic battle of the first season, Isildur was left behind while the rest of the Númenoreans (including his father Elendil) sailed back to whence they came. His fate was uncertain at the end of the last season, but it will come as no surprise to JRR Tolkien fans that Isildur survived. After all, it is his destiny to one day cut the One Ring from Sauron’s hand and father a progeny that will eventually include Aragorn.

Before that, Isildur must protect himself from the spider Shelob and other monsters that lurk in the shadows and swamps of Mordor. But on the other hand, he experiences a new romance after meeting the new character Estrid (Nia Towle) along the way.

“He falls in love for the first time, but she may not be exactly who he thinks she is,” Baldry teases. “It taps into those Tolkien themes about love. It’s not just about attraction. I think it’s also about finding a deep-rooted connection between two people who have lost so much.”

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For Rings of Power The plot of Isildur’s second season, helmed by showrunners Patrick McKay and JD Payne, is all about letting Baldry show his full range as a romantic hero and a seasoned adventurer. “Maxim is great and can do anything. When you have an actor like him, you want to throw him a fastball,” Payne tells EW.

Shelob is definitely an unexpected surprise for the lost Númenorean, but so is young love! Ask any teenager how challenging romance can be.

“He has a romance here and as we see that develop, we’ll see him go from being a restless, immature adolescent to a slightly more mature person with greater understanding,” Payne adds.

Isildur’s future adventures, including his involvement with Estrid, are also intended to allow the character to grow so that he can finally fulfill his destiny and become a heroic prince capable of standing up to Sauron.

“We talked a lot about how Isildur in Season 1 is this kind of restless youth who wants to get away from home,” says McKay. “Season 2 is his Dorothy story. He’s in Oz now and there’s no place like home.”

Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Premieres on August 29th on Prime Video.