Summary
- The inclusion of Stoors in Rings of Power’s season 2 suggests the arrival of another Hobbit ancestor group from Tolkien’s lore.
- The emergence of the Stoors may lead to the appearance of the final group of Hobbit ancestors, the Fallohides, in the series.
- Excluding the Fallohides would be an odd choice for Rings of Power, as all three groups of Hobbit ancestors are likely to be featured eventually.
A recent Rings of Power season 2 update revealed that the Stoors will appear in the coming episodes, and this all but confirms another group of characters from J.R.R. Tolkien’s lore will show up at some point. The Rings of Power season 2 premieres on August 29, 2024, bringing viewers back to the Second Age of Middle-earth. On the heels of Sauron’s return, the Elves will have their hands full in the upcoming season. And recent Rings of Power news confirms new characters will be introduced as well.
Per Entertainment Weekly, The Rings of Power will feature the Stoors in its sophomore season — one of the three groups that are ancestors to the Hobbits. The Stoors have this in common with the Harfoots, though both groups are only briefly described in Tolkien’s books. By including the Stoors, The Rings of Power risks repeating season 1’s Harfoot controversy. However, it makes sense to include more Hobbit ancestors now that the Harfoots are present. And the Stoors’ introduction all but confirms the final group of Hobbit ancestors will appear at some point in the series.
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The Rings Of Power’s Stoors Update Means The Fallohides Have To Appear At Some Point
They’re The Final Group Of Hobbit Ancestors
Tolkien describes three ancestors of the Hobbits in The Fellowship of the Ring, and it’s likely we’ll see all of them during The Rings of Power‘s run. With the Harfoots playing a major role in the first season and the Stoors showing up in season 2, it’s only a matter of time before the Fallohides make an appearance. The Amazon series appears to be setting up the emergence of Hobbits during its portrayal of the Second Age, likely as an attempt to connect to The Lord of the Rings’ story.
Tolkien describes three ancestors of the Hobbits in
The Fellowship of the Ring,
and it’s likely we’ll see all of them during
The Rings of Power
‘s run.
This approach has been somewhat divisive, as Tolkien doesn’t suggest that the Hobbits’ ancestors accomplished anything of note before the Third Age. However, The Rings of Power is exploring this untapped bit of lore, giving the Harfoots and the Stoors more fleshed-out backstories. As the Fallohides are also important to the emergence of Hobbits, it seems inevitable they’ll get similar treatment. They may not appear in The Rings of Power season 2, but they’ll probably make an entrance before the series ends.
Who Are The Fallohides In J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lore
They’re Forest-Dwelling Hobbit Ancestors
Although Tolkien doesn’t center any narrative around the Fallohides — or any of the Hobbits’ ancestors — they have an established history in Middle-earth. The Fallohides resided in the forests of the Great Shelf, though it wasn’t called that at the time (via Fandom.com). Living here granted them a love of nature and trees and made them more adventurous than groups like the Harfoots. They followed the Harfoots for a while, but they eventually took a different route to what would become the Shire.
The detail about following the Harfoots could prove important in The Rings of Power, as it’s an easy way to work the Fallohides into the Amazon show’s story. According to Tolkien’s lore, the Fallohides also maintained relationships with the other races of Middle-earth and were the first Hobbits to use Middle-earth’s Common Speech. This gives them an easy way to enter The Rings of Power‘s conflict, as they seem more involved in the affairs of Middle-earth than the Harfoots and Stoors.
It Wouldn’t Make Sense For The Rings Of Power To Exclude The Fallohides Now
Excluding Them Would Be An Odd Choice For The Amazon Show
With The Rings of Power introducing both the Harfoots and the Stoors, it wouldn’t make sense for the Amazon series to exclude the Fallohides. The show clearly has plans for the Hobbits’ ancestors, and leaving the Fallohides out of them would be noticeable and bizarre. The fact that the Fallohides are the most likely group to get involved in a greater conflict would make such a decision even stranger. Needless to say, The Rings of Power is going to need to bring in all three groups to do the Hobbits’ backstory justice.