**Warning – Spoilers ahead for The Rings of Power**
Fans were spoiled with a heart-racing entry into The Rings of Power this week as war erupted in the Southlands. Referring to the title of the sixth episode, we explain what Udûn means and how it foreshadowed the events to come.
There was little relief from the tense battles that took place in the Southlands this week, with Arondir, Bronwyn, and Theo struggling to stay alive. Luckily, Galadriel, Halbrand, and the Numernoreans arrived just in time to save the day and capture Adar, however, the eruption of Mount Down in the closing moments was the real threat to our heroes.
Developed by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay for Amazon Prime and based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel, The Lord of the Rings, The Rings of Power will be set thousands of years before The Hobbit and its successor, starring Robert Aramayo, Morfydd Clark, Owain Arthur, Maxim Baldry, and many more.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power | SDCC Trailer
What Does Udûn Mean?
Udûn is the name of the depressed valley we see in the Southlands during The Rings of Power Episode 6.
Udûn is also a Sindarin word that simply means ‘Hell’, which is a fitting title for the barren wasteland that is to become of the valley.
Tolkien lore also titled Morgoth’s first fortress as Udûn, located in the far north of Middle-earth.
During the closing moments of Episode 6, we see Waldreg perform the task instructed by Adar and used the broken sword as a key to activate a mechanism that ended up draining the valley of Udûn.
We learned that the Orcs were not just digging the tunnels to move around, but digging channels for the water to drain through and eventually pour into Orodruin – which would later become known as Mount Doom.
The mix of water and lava caused Orodruin to erupt and cover the Southlands in devastation.
Why Did Gandalf Call the Balrog “Flame of Udûn”?
During The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf battles the Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-dum and recites the following:
“You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn. Go back to the Shadow!”
Gandalf is identifying the Balrog as a demon from Hell basically, but he could also be referring to the beast as a flame of Morgoth, since the Balrog is a corrupted Maia that showed fealty to the first Dark Lord.
Episode 7 Preview
The Rings of Power Episode 7 is scheduled to release on Amazon Prime on Friday, October 7, 2022, at Midnight ET.
Next week will show the devastating aftermath of Mount Doom’s awakening in the Southlands and reveal all who survive.
Elsewhere, the Harfoots will be in for a tough time as the mysterious figures continue to track the Stranger and we’ll also see how their migration went.
Lastly, Elrond and Durin clearly dig too deep for Mithril, as outlined in the Amazon Prime preview, which will surely awaken the Balrog.
By Jo Craig – [email protected]
The Rings of Power is now streaming on Amazon Prime.
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