Troll Scene, Season 3 Explained by Ismael Cruz Cordova

SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers for Season 2, Episode 7 of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” now streaming on Prime Video.

It’s all-out war in Middle-earth, with orcs and elves at each other’s throats.

The Siege of Eregion continues in “Rings of Power” Episode 7, with Adar’s forces breaching the castle walls and storming the elven stronghold. Hundreds of deadly, disgusting orcs lay waste to the city, but Elrond has a plan to stave off the destruction: calling upon dwarven reinforcements led by Prince Durin IV. However, the dwarves are nowhere to be found by the end of the episode, as King Durin III has been corrupted and brainwashed by his ring of power.

Unfortunately, the elf who is having the worst day of all is Celebrimbor. He finally realizes the truth about Sauron and sees through the dark lord’s disguise as Annatar, but the damage is done. Celebrimbor has made all the rings of power under Sauron’s orders, and the master blacksmith decides to mangle his own hands so he can’t make any more dangerous jewelry.

Arondir swoops in to save the day and helps free Galadriel from Adar’s orc camp. She shares a kiss with Elrond before they join the elven army at Eregion. In a badass elf team-up, Arondir and Elrond take down a massive hill troll that stomps through the battlefield. Before Arondir can take out more orcs, however, he finds Adar in the skirmish and fights him one-on-one. Adar proves to have the upper hand and he takes down Arondir before moving onto Elrond and taking his ring of power. The episode ends on a dark note, teasing even more destruction to come.

With Variety, Córdova discusses the intense, physical training he underwent this season to play Arondir, breaks down his troll fight scene and teases that Season 3 is already in the works.

Arondir does even more flipping, fighting, and orc killing this season. He explains that all the wire work and stunts seen on the show are done by him, except for a tiny bit where he has a double. He underwent training in strength, martial arts, and choreography to bring Arondir to life on screen.

He also reveals that he learned horseback riding for the season, even though he doesn’t get to ride on camera. Córdova enjoyed the experience and would love to try stunt driving and underwater action scenes in the future.

When asked about what training he hasn’t done but would like to try, Córdova mentions stunt driving and underwater action sequences. He also expresses interest in mastering the swiftness of sword movements and playing the violin on screen as Arondir.

Regarding the hill troll fight scene, Córdova explains that a combination of practical effects and CGI was used to bring the monster to life. He describes the chaotic energy on set during the Eregion battlefield scenes, highlighting the immersive and exhilarating experience of filming such intense sequences.

Reflecting on his character’s fight with Adar, Córdova discusses Arondir’s emotional recklessness leading to his defeat. He explains the dynamics of the battle and how Adar exploited Arondir’s moment of weakness.

As for a potential Season 3, Córdova hints at a renewal and expresses his excitement for future scripts and developments in the series.

In conclusion, Córdova’s dedication to his role as Arondir shines through in his commitment to physical training and immersive storytelling. Fans can look forward to more thrilling action and character development in the upcoming seasons of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.”