The following contains spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 1, Episode 3, "Adar," now streaming on Prime Video.

Over its first two episodes, The Rings of Power did a good job introducing characters and building a Tolkien-esque world. However, some fans weren't pleased with some of the changes that the series made to The Lord of the Rings lore. It portrayed the war-like Galadriel as too much of a hero, and there were some important events that the series' introduction conveniently glossed over. However, Episode 3, "Adar" started to change that by significantly upping its lore game.

The episode went in three separate directions. The Harfoots discovered Meteor Man, and surprisingly, he joined them on their migration. Secondly, Arondir failed to escape from his Orc captors and their leader Adar. Finally, the episode introduced Elendil and the island nation of Númenor. All three plotlines had some important references to LOTR, and that really helped The Rings of Power feel like it was part of the larger universe. So, here are some of the best bits of lore in "Adar."

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Sadoc Burrows Alludes to Eärendil

Rings of power BIPOC diversity

A lot of fans believe that Meteor Man is Sauron, but his identity is still technically a mystery. The fact that he joined the Harfoots on their migration will undoubtedly lead to some kind of trouble eventually, but the biggest happening in that plotline was a simple LOTR allusion. When Sadoc Burrows found out about Meteor Man, he said, "I've heard of beings who turned into stars. But never the other way around." That was a reference to the legendary Eärendil. He was the half-Elven father of Elrond, but more importantly, he journeyed to Valinor to invoke the aid of the Valar in the War of Wrath. After the war, Eärendil's fate was to forever sail his ship through the sky with one of Silmarils.

Orcs Hate Sunlight on The Rings of Power

lotr orcs and the two trees of valinor

The exact origin of Orcs is debated among LOTR fans, but one thing is clear. They hate sunlight because they were created in the early, dark days of Middle-earth. In The Lord of the Rings, sunlight doesn’t always seem to be a problem for Orcs, but there were a few explanations. First, the Orcs were more afraid of Sauron than the sun, so they would follow orders regardless of their wishes. Secondly, a lot of events happened near Mordor, and the volcanic clouds would have helped shade the sun. So, the fact that The Rings of Power made a big deal about the Orcs trying to avoid the sun was a nod to their origins.

Elendil Named-Drops Anárion and Receives Narsil

The Rings of Power Narsil

Elendil might be two-faced in "Adar," but it looks like he's only hiding his allegiance to the Faithful of Númenor. In LOTR, he, his father Amandil and his son Anárion were all leaders in the movement. So, Elendil name-dropping Anárion is a good sign that he's already started to plot against Pharazôn and the King's Men. At another point in the episode, Queen Regent Míriel gave Elendil a new sword. While it doesn't look like the LOTR version, a lot of fans have speculated that the sword will end up being Narsil -- the sword that Elendil uses to fight Sauron and the same sword that Elrond will reforge and give to Aragorn.

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Galadriel References Finarfin and Elros

Galadriel looks anxious in The Rings of Power

Galadriel also referenced some major players from LOTR. When she introduced herself to Míriel, she said that she was of the "Golden House of Finarfin." Like Galadriel, Finarfin's descendants had golden hair, which was unique among the Noldor. Finarfin never went to Middle-earth, becoming king when Fëanor left Valinor to pursue Morgoth. He was one of the wisest and fairest Elves in history, so hearing him referenced was pretty cool. In another part of the episode, Galadriel and Elendil briefly discussed that Elros had been the first king of Númenor. He was the brother of Elrond, and referencing him was a great way to pull together The Rings of Power's overall story.

The Rings of Power Changes Elendil's Lineage

 Elendil in the Amazon TV series, The Rings of Power

It's important to note that, in The Lord of the Rings, Elendil was part of the royal house of Númenor. He wasn't in-line for the throne, but he wasn't a nobody either. On The Rings of Power, however, it looks like Elendil's just that -- a nobody. Queen Regent Míriel had to ask him who he was, which was an odd development. Eventually, Elendil and his sons will lead a remanent of Númenóreans to Middle-earth and found the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor. So, the fact that he's a nobody was a significant change to LOTR lore. Maybe it's all part of a ruse, or maybe Amazon just wants to show Elendil in a "rags-to-riches story."

To break down more LOTR lore, watch The Rings of Power. New episodes stream Fridays on Prime Video.