Rings of Power Final Shot Could Lead Directly to Hobbit, Theory Explained

A planned ending in view

The Rings of Power follows Sauron’s rise during the Second Age, thousands of years before The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Its story is building toward a major conflict between Mordor and the other peoples of Middle-earth.

Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay have said the final shot was planned during season 1. The series’ many historically significant characters make its endpoint difficult to predict, though the One Ring is a possible focus.

The timeline ahead

Season 3 is expected to cover the War of the Elves and Sauron, during which Sauron creates the One Ring. Based on Tolkien’s writing, season 4 is likely to cover Númenor’s fall, while season 5 is expected to bring the Last Alliance.

That final season could include Isildur refusing to destroy the Ring. After his death, it is lost in the Anduin and remains hidden for thousands of years.

A possible bridge to Hobbit

The theory argues that ending with Isildur’s death could make for a bleak finale. Instead, the series could close with a scene echoing The Return of the King’s flashback: Déagol finds the Ring while fishing with Sméagol.

That moment would point toward The Hobbit, where Bilbo encounters Sméagol, later known as Gollum, and obtains the Ring. The theory says the series could end at Déagol’s discovery while keeping its focus on the Second Age.

Another story covers Gollum

The upcoming film The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is set to explore more of Gollum’s backstory and his time with the Ring. The theory suggests there is little reason for The Rings of Power to jump further ahead when that film will examine a later period. Ending with Déagol finding the Ring could therefore offer a concise transition toward The Hobbit, while leaving the series’ main conflict at the center of its final sequence.