In J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings,” Isildur is one of many imperfect human characters in a fantasy world where elves, dwarves, and other magical races rise and fall in centuries-long warfare.
Maxim Baldry, who stars in the Amazon prequel series “Rings of Power,” began bringing Isildur to life by researching his humanity.
“My prior knowledge of him was that he did not throw the One Ring into the fire at the opening of ‘The Fellowship of the Ring,'” Baldry told Insider during a recent Zoom chat. “Then, when I delved farther into the works, I saw that this character was not simply a tragic villain. He has had numerous heroic experiences during his lifetime.”
Long after the events of “The Rings of Power,” as depicted in Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” film series, Isildur eventually succeeded in stealing the One Ring from Sauron. He failed, however, to destroy it. Instead of obeying Elrond’s advice to throw the ring into the flames of Mount Doom, Isildur kept it and was consequently murdered.
Consequently, audiences who see “The Rings of Power” on Amazon presumably already know the tragic end of this young Nmenórean, which adds an element of anticipation to Baldry’s performance.
How does this restless youth become the hardened commander who will fail to vanquish Sauron once and for all when he finally has the chance? Or, as Elrond stated in the film “The Fellowship of the Ring,” Isildur’s deeds will one day symbolize “the day the power of men failed” and “bad was allowed to persist.”
In the first season of ‘The Rings of Power,’ according to Maxim Baldry, it was vital to give Isildur a youthful quality.
“I had the ability to bring this character to life and give him a personality, making him a realistic young sailor on the edge of maturity who’s trying to find himself,” Baldry said. “He is quite fragile. He is grieving the loss of his mother and is not particularly receptive to others. No outlet exists for that. This is evidenced by the deterioration of his connection with his family and his unwillingness to embrace the path laid forth by his father, Elendil.”
When spectators first encounter Isildur in “The Rings of Power,” he is attempting to find his place in Nmenór. Uncertain of his desires, he appears to be aware that whatever he seeks cannot be found in the pure city of his ancestors. Isildur, while sailing with the Sea Guard naval force, hears an unseen voice calling to him from the island’s beach.
“The fan theories surrounding it are fascinating. Who’s there? Is it the mother? Is it chance? Is it his fate that beckons him? Is it indeed the One Ring? What exactly is it?” Baldry said. Because there is so much in store for him, I believe that his exploration of all of these things makes him such an intriguing character to portray.
Maxim Baldry portrayed Isildur in “The Lord of the Rings.”
Prime Video
Since we already know what happens to Isildur, the actor believes that showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne face a daunting challenge in creating a compelling tale “that gets us from where we have started now to where we know we need to end.”
Isildur’s journey in the first season of “Rings of Power” begins with him as a naive child who will eventually transform into the warrior and future king we know him to be.
Isildur’s current communication difficulties hinder his connections with others (such as his father Elendil and his pals). But this difficulty disappears when he mounts Berek, his noble steed.
“His love and affection are expressed via Berek,” stated Baldry. “His sense of self really blossoms around animals, perhaps because he hasn’t quite found out how to interact with humans.”
Even with these interpersonal flaws, Isildur maintains a sense of responsibility and strives to do his best within Nmenórean society, according to the actor.
“I do not believe he is merely rebelling,” Baldry stated. “He is attempting, but something is dragging him away. How about that? And I am uncertain, it could be fate or destiny.”
“I’d rather not identify the specific instances that motivate him,” he continued. “I want it to be open to interpretation because I believe that’s what makes him so interesting: he’s not a black-and-white figure; he has shades of gray.”
Baldry predicts that Isildur will soon be ‘deprived’ of something that will send him on the path to’retribution.’
Maxim Baldry portrayed Isildur in “The Lord of the Rings.”
Amazon
As of the sixth episode of “The Rings of Power,” which aired on September 30, Isildur and several hundred other Nmenóreans are engaged in a perilous war against Sauron’s minions in Middle-earth. In the last minutes of the episode, Isildur, his closest companions, and his father were engulfed by an explosive volcano in the Southlands – the future Mount Doom and the region where Isildur will finally do battle with Sauron.
But how will his character arrive there? We will have to wait for “The Rings of Power” to reveal further details.
Baldry stated, “I leaned heavily on his youth and propensity to make mistakes because I believe he’s going to turn dark and have certain things taken away from him.” “And, without giving away any spoilers, it will force him down a path of… what would be the correct word? Retribution.”
Baldry also hinted to a wardrobe detail that Tolkien scholars may like to investigate more (you can see it in the photo above).
“His civilian costume had a Nmenórean accent on the shoulder,” Baldry added. “It is golden Nmenórean writing. Time will teach him the significance of that for him. I believe he takes Nmenór for granted, but when he is dressed in Nmenórean attire, he feels at home. This sense of home will be crucial to him in the future, although he does not yet realize it.”
New episodes of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” premiere every Friday on Amazon Prime. See images of each “Rings of Power” character compared to the actor in real life for additional information on the series.