The Rings of Power: Who Is Rúmil (& Why Does Adar Mention Him to Elrond)?

Warning: The following article contains spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 7, “Doomed to Die.”

The name “Rúmil” comes up during a pivotal scene in The Rings of Power Season 2’s latest episode – and it’s likely to leave casual fans a bit confused. So, who exactly is Rúmil in The Lord of the Rings canon, and why does Adar give him a shout-out?

Who Is Rúmil in The Lord of the Rings Canon?

According to The Lord of the Rings scribe J.R.R. Tolkien’s original canon, Rúmil is an Elven sage. His big claim to fame is that he developed one of the first alphabets, known as the “Tengwar of Rúmil.” It didn’t really take off, however, legendary Elf-smith Fëanor used Rúmil’s aphabet to create his own version of Tengwar, which did see widespread use in Middle-earth (and beyond). Rúmil also penned a number of important texts. Notably, he’s the in-universe author of the creation story presented in The Lord of the Rings‘ prequel, The Silmarillion. Other than that, we don’t know a whole lot about Rúmil. He probably sided with Fëanor when the latter first went to war with Morgoth over the Silmarils, and he probably bailed once things started getting messy. But honestly? We really don’t know for sure.

Related: The Rings of Power: Is Morgoth’s Crown a Big Deal in the Books?

That’s likely why The Rings of Power Season 2 invents some additional backstory for Rúmil. In Episode 2, “Where the Stars are Strange,” Círdan brands Rúmil “a drunkard.” It’s part of a wider conversation between him and Elrond about the Rings of Power and the merits of judging a creation separately to its creator. That’s the last we hear about Rúmil in Season 2 until Episode 7, “Doomed to Die.” Here, Adar quotes the Elven lore-master to Elrond during the Siege of Eregion. “Have you forgotten your Rúmil?” Adar asks his vanquished opponent. “‘Never make war in anger.'” It’s a worthwhile sentiment – but why does Adar bring it up on the battlefield?

Why Does Adar Mention Rúmil in The Rings of Power?

Adar quoting Rúmil in The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 7 is seemingly a callback to his encounter with Elrond earlier in the episode. During the pair’s tense negotiations, Adar makes a point of Elrond’s background as an academic, not a military commander. So, by spouting the words of a sage Elrond would’ve studied prior to taking up a sword, Adar is mocking his Elven enemy’s supposed transition from scholar to soldier. It’s a high-brow burn, basically.

Related: The Rings of Power: What Is the Secret Fire in Lord of the Rings Canon?

It’s also not surprising that Adar is familiar with Rúmil’s writings, despite being the Mordor orcs’ leader. After all, Adar is a Moriondor: one of the original batch of Elves that Sauron’s former boss, Morgoth, transformed into the first Orcs. As such, he presumably leafed through at least some of Rúmil’s works while still an Elf and had them front of mind during his showdown with Elrond.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 is currently streaming on Prime Video, with new episodes dropping Thursdays.