Rings of Power Season 3 Introduces the Nazgnagôl, Early Ringwraiths

The third season of The Rings of Power is set to explore one of Middle-earth's darkest transformations: the corruption of nine human rulers into the Ringwraiths. Rather than presenting them fully formed, the show will introduce an early iteration called the Nazgnagôl, charting their gradual fall under Sauron's influence as he consolidates his rule over the world.

The cast is expanding to bring these characters to life. Zubin Varla will play Khamûl, the Black Easterling, while Jamie Campbell Bower joins the ensemble as Celeborn, a character who will appear in the coming season. These additions signal the show's intention to deepen its exploration of how Sauron builds his dominion, moving beyond the creation of the Rings themselves into the darker consequences of their power.

With the series planned to run for five seasons, the introduction of the Nazgnagôl in season three positions the show to trace a long arc—from these early corrupted rulers toward the fully realized Ringwraiths that loom so large in The Lord of the Rings itself. It's a deliberate choice to show process rather than simply inherit the mythology wholesale, giving the show space to explore how ordinary people become instruments of evil.

Source: IGN