If you’ve been following the new Rings of Power series on Amazon Prime, some of the character names might sound familiar. Even though hundreds of years pass between The Rings of Power and The Lord of the Rings, some of these characters are immortal, and tend to make an appearance when there’s a war between good and evil. Here’s a quick guide to who’s who in The Rings of Power series and where you might know them from in The Lord of the Rings.

Who is Sauron?

Sauron is the Big Bad of The Lord of the Rings who wants to get his ring back, and to destroy humankind while he’s at it. He’s the iconic big burning eye in the sky in The Lord of the Rings. He sends the Ringwraiths (the dark, faceless monsters dressed all in black) to retrieve his ring, and he sends orcs and other soldiers to destroy the race of men.

Who is Elrond?

In The Lord of the Rings movies, Elrond is the Lord of Rivendell. When the protagonists flee the Ringwraiths and take shelter there, Elrond advises them and facilitates the organization of the fellowship of the ring (for which the first book and movie are named). He orders the re-forging of the sword that Aragorn uses to summon the Army of the Dead and threaten Sauron in Return of the King.

Who is Galadriel?

After the loss of Gandalf in the mines of Moria, the fellowship takes refuge in the woods of Lothlorien, home of a group of wood-elves who are ruled by Galadriel. She is at that point one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, of all the elves alive, and bears one of the Rings of Power that answer to the One Ring. When offered the One Ring, she is tempted to accept it, but ultimately refuses.

Who is Isildur?

In The Rings of Power, Isildur is still a young man struggling to find his place in the world, but this name will sound familiar if you remember that Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings is “Isildur’s heir,” and destined as such to become king of Gondor. Before Aragorn was ever born, Isildur became king, and was the man to defeat Sauron—if only for a time—in his era. In just the first few minutes of The Fellowship of the Ring, we see that his fatal mistake was choosing to keep the One Ring instead of destroying it in the fires of Mount Doom when he had the chance. 

Who is Durin IV?

You’ve probably never met Durin before, but you’ll know his name if you’ve seen The Hobbit movies or read the book, as the dwarves and Bilbo have to find the secret door to get into the Lonely Mountain where Smaug dwells. The keyhole to the door is only visible during the last light on Durin’s Day, which is the first day of the dwarves’ New Year, named for Durin IV’s grandfather a few generations back. 

Who is The Stranger?

As of this writing (and episode 5), we don’t yet know the name of the man who fell from the stars and who was rescued by Nori and Poppy among the Harfoots, but he sure looks like a certain meddling old wizard we know from both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

If you want to learn more about any of these characters, Tolkien crafted a very intricate lore for Middle Earth that has captivated generations. You can explore it by reading his books (The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Silmarillion, The Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-earth and others—for a complete list, visit The Tolkien Society), or visiting any Tolkien wiki, including Tolkien Gateway and LOTR.Fandom.com. Be warned though that, while the writers of The Rings of Power are creating their own plotlines, there’s a good chance that you might come across strong hints of the direction they’re going with the series. Either way, you’re sure to enjoy his world.