Season 2 of “The Rings of Power,” premiering August 29, 2024, introduces the Stoors, settled ancestors of hobbits living in Rhûn’s desert, expanding Middle-earth’s lore.
Key Takeaways
- Season 2 of The Rings of Power premieres on August 29, 2024, on Prime Video.
- The new season introduces the stoors, ancestors of hobbits who live in the desert region of Rhûn.
- Unlike the nomadic harfoots, the stoors have settled in one place and developed a rich cultural history.
Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Rings of Power continues to explore the rich history of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world.
While the Hobbits as we know them from The Lord of the Rings haven’t appeared yet, the show is now introducing us to their ancestors, the stoors.
The stoors are a group related to the harfoots but with distinct characteristics like heavier and broader build than the hobbits.
Furthermore, they have settled in the desert region of Rhun
And let me tell you, they are nothing like the nomadic harfoots.
Tanya Moodie, who plays Gundabel, the stoors’ community leader, explained to Entertainment Weekly:
” The stoors’ ancestry at some point was nomadic. But over the years, we as a group have settled and that has become our culture, to look after one another. “
The Stoors Have A Rich Cultural Heritage in a Harsh Environment
Now as per books, The Stoors were one of the three breeds of Hobbits, developed a rich cultural heritage despite living in a harsh environment.
Originally, the Stoors were a riverside people who resided in the Vales of Anduin and the Gladden Fields.
They were known for their heavier build, larger hands and feet, and unique ability among Hobbits to grow facial hair.
These characteristics made them resemble Men more than their Hobbit cousins. Furthermore, they were famous for maintaining friendly relations with human communities.
Over time, the Stoors settled in various regions, including Dunland, where they adopted a unique dialect influenced by their interactions with the Dunlendings.
In the second season of “The Rings of Power,” this rich heritage is highlighted through the community’s adaptation to the desert region of Rhûn.
Production designer Kristian Milsted created detailed sets to reflect this rich history.
While talking about the sets, Gavi Singh Chera, who plays the stoor character Merimac, shared:
The Rings of Power Season 2 marks the first time a Lord of the Rings story has been set in a desert environment.
Kristian Milsted, the production designer, took advantage of this unique setting to create something distinctly different from the familiar Shire.
While talking about his experience while creating this unique setting, he said:
The canyon that the stoors call home is such a wonderful little oasis, but it's a harsh world, We wanted to make something that was very different from the Shire that we've seen on screen. So it was more like they have these abodes that are dug into the rock of this very hostile environment, which creates a very close-knit community.
Connecting to Future Middle-earth Lore
While the stoors are ancestors of the river folk who will one day produce Gollum, the actors were careful not to draw direct connections.
In an interview with EW, Tanya gave a little info about her character when she said:
My character’s intentions are always focused on what will protect us, what will keep us alive, and hopefully thrive. While I was doing it, I was wondering whether or not I’m related to Sméagol. But I couldn’t justify any sort of narrative like, ‘Oh, I’m his great-great-grandmother.’ That felt like a bit of a reach.
However, the desert setting does provide an interesting contrast to what we know of the stoors’ future. As we all know in books, the stoors had a profound love of water.
While talking about the same thing, Gavi said:
I think it’s so interesting that their origins are a really arid and dry environment, a place where water is sacred. So if you then travel and you come across a river, and this is your history, it must seem like the ultimate oasis.