Cynthia Addai-Robinson on Númenor’s Role in ‘Rings of Power’ Season 3

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power returns this week, picking up five years after season two. Sauron is that much closer to crafting the One Ring, but in the meantime, Middle-earth has become a battleground between his followers and his opponents. As season three begins, Númenor is one of the few realms remaining that has yet to declare a side. One reason for that is because Númenor is an island kingdom, so it’s viewing the rise of Sauron from a distance. But another is because it’s dealing with its own political struggles. Queen Regent Míriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) lost her throne to her cousin, Al-Pharazôn, in season two. In season three we see that her supporters, called the Faithful, haven’t given up hope that she will rule again. Ahead of The Rings of Power’s season three premiere, io9 spoke to Addai-Robinson about what’s in store for the “Queen of the Sea,” especially now that the J.R.R. Tolkien series has moved past needing to lay a lot of groundwork ahead of its biggest clashes. “I think there’s an interesting challenge where you have both people who are deeply familiar with this material and this lore and then [also] trying to introduce this to audiences who are maybe less familiar or this is completely new,” Addai-Robinson said. “I’m often thinking of the super fan or the older fan or somebody who grew up reading the books or seeing the films, and [also] somebody who’s 12 years old, and this is their introduction, their point of entry. Trying to navigate the balance of that,” she continued. “There’s a certain amount of introduction or reintroduction that we needed to do to set things up. But I think for those who have been on the journey with us, season three is going to really be the culmination of all of that setting of the table to now get to the stuff that’s iconic and that people are much more familiar with.” When season three begins, Míriel is hiding out in exile. It’s not ideal, but thankfully she’s not locked up in a dungeon. And she’s still trying to do right by her people, despite threats from the current ruler and those larger dangers emerging from Middle-earth. “I think if you’re guided by purpose, as opposed to ego, that’s something that you can kind of return to. Pharazôn and Míriel are two examples [of that],” Addai-Robinson said. “Pharazôn has his sense of conviction and his idea of what he thinks Númenóreans should believe or lean toward. But I think it’s quite ego-driven and quite power-driven. And maybe there is purpose in that, I guess, in a way.” Addai-Robinson continued. “But I think for Míriel, it’s sort of [in service of a] higher purpose and selfless and egoless. And I think even in a moment, which we’ll see further into the season, where she is presented with a choice—not an impossible choice, but with a choice—it’s still that sense of higher purpose that ultimately leads her to make the decisions that she makes. I mean, leadership is hard, right? If you want it for the wrong reasons, it’s sort of all about the ego. But I think [even] when there’s a pure reason around it, it’s always complex.” The first four episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power arrive today, November 11, on Prime Video. The next two drop November 18, and the final two episodes arrive November 25. Want more io9 news? Check out the best movies and TV shows to stream this month and all the upcoming sci-fi, fantasy, and horror books that should be on your radar.