The Rings of Power: How Does the Palantír Work?

Warning: The following article contains spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 5, “Halls of Stone.”

Míriel’s palantír continues to play a major role in The Rings of Power Season 2’s Númenor storyline – yet the artifact itself is still largely shrouded in mystery. So, how does the palantír work, and does it always tell the truth?

The Rings of Power’s Palantír, Explained

Made by the Elves in the First Age, the palantíri (or seeing stones) are crystal balls with two main functions. The first is showing users events happening vast distances away (so long as the target environment is well-lit enough). The more skilled and strong-willed the user, the clearer and more detailed their view. It’s picture-only, though; palantíri don’t transmit audio in the truest sense, even if you’re an elite practitioner. The palantíri’s second function is one-on-one communication. Two people with a seeing stone each can transmit messages back and forth telepathically.

Related: The Rings of Power: Does Míriel Get Her Sight Back in the Books?

How much of the above applies to The Rings of Power‘s palantír remains to be seen, however, we already know the show’s seeing stones differ in at least one major way from those described by The Lord of the Rings scribe J.R.R. Tolkien. According to him, a palantír could also display non-current events – but only those from the past. By contrast, multiple characters in The Rings of Power use Míriel’s palantír to peer into the future. In fairness, this isn’t unusual for live-action Middle-earth adaptations. In the extended cut of The Return of the King, a palantír depicts Arwen dying – a fate she ultimately avoids.

Does the Palantír Always Tell the Truth?

Yes and no; it depends on what you mean by “truth.” Palantíri can’t create false images. They only show the world as it really is (or once was). That said, skilled users can “edit” what their palantír presents to distort what the person at the other end sees. For example, in the books, Sauron paints a much grimmer portrait of Gondor’s odds of defeating Mordor to break Denethor’s spirit. So, truthful or not, seeing stones can still spread misinformation. User interpretation (and misinterpretation) only adds to their unreliability.

Related: What’s the Deal With the Rings of Power Season 2’s Tom Bombadil?

And now, The Rings of Power seems to be adding yet another wrinkle into the mix. Season 2, Episode 5 hints that future events glimpsed in a palantír aren’t guaranteed to happen. Whereas before Míriel’s palantír forecast Numenor’s doom, now it seemingly suggests the island kingdom could yet be spared, depending on individuals’ actions. If so, this brings the show’s palantíri in line with the artifacts’ portrayal in Return of the King. Or, it could be yet another case of characters misreading a seeing stone’s contents. We’ll just have to wait and see!

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