Rings of Power stars tease 'the most epic battle' in season 2: 'You've got to go even bigger'

It took a few episodes for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power to introduce its sprawling cast of characters and set up its various storylines, but season 1 eventually built to an incredible battle sequence — and season 2 is poised to up the ante.

In season 1, the forces of Númenor, led by Queen Regent Miriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), sailed to Middle-earth to save the people of the Southlands from an army of orcs. But though they succeeded in saving lives, the Númenoreans couldn't stop the orc leader Adar from awakening Mount Doom and transforming the Southlands into Mordor.

"With the battle in season 1, certainly for Númenor, it was a losing battle," Addai-Robinson said in an interview at Entertainment Weekly's Comic-Con 2024 video suite on Saturday, before teasing what's next. "The arc of season 2, for a lot of us, is really trying to climb out of this defeat."

But they won't have unlimited time to lick their wounds and recover, because the new trailer for season 2 (released at the Rings of Power Comic-Con panel on Friday) reveals that more battles are coming up. And the stars promise you ain't seen nothing yet.

"If you're going to do a second season of something, you've got to go even bigger, even grander," Addai-Robinson said.

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The Númenoreans weren't alone in that battle, of course. They were joined by the elf Arondir (Ismael Cruz Cordoba), who refused to abandon the Southlands even after the rest of the elves departed. So whatever the big battle is in season 2, you can bet Arondir will be involved.

"There is a battle, and it's on a different level," Cordoba said. "It was a different level to shoot, and visually it's going to be just a feast."

Because The Rings of Power is such a massive show that involves so many moving parts, including complicated special effects and monsters, some time has elapsed since these actors filmed season 2. So they're as excited to see the finished product as fans are.

"We have enough distance from filming so that when this show comes out, we're also going to be the audience," Addai-Robinson mused. "We're also going to be the fans taking in what I know, even without having seen it, is the most epic battle sequence that we have coming up for season 2."

She continued, "It feels really cinematic this season. You know in the first season that was the case as well, but I just think we've got to top ourselves, and I feel like we've done that. So I'm excited just to watch it myself."

Watch the video above for more from the Rings of Power cast. Season 2 premieres Aug. 29 on Prime Video.