Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episode 7 is now out on Amazon Prime Video and it brings back the sinister White Cloaks trio, as well as new revelations about them. Who are the Rings of Power White Cloaks, and do they have a basis in Tolkien or Lord of the Rings lore?
Lord of the Rings White Cloaks in Tolkien lore
The White Cloaks seem most likely to be either Easterlings or Avari that serve either Sauron or Morgoth. There have been many theories about this group since they appeared in the first trailer, but episode 7 takes a leap forward as the White Cloaks are apparently magic users. There aren’t too many of these in Middle-Earth, so this narrows down who they could be.
Executive producer Lindsey Weber has previously noted that the White Cloaks have traveled ‘from far to the east—from the lands of Rhûn.’ The Avari and Easterlings both live here. The Avari are an off-shoot of the Elves and are also known as ‘elves of darkness.’ They may have been the ones that Morgoth transformed into Orcs, so are the same branch as Adar. Not much is known about them in Tolkien lore, so the producers may be exploiting that mystery.
Alternatively, they may be Easterlings, the eastern race of Men that supported Morgoth and would ultimately fight for Sauron in The Return of the King (they’re the ones with the giant elephants). While not specifically magical in nature, they are unique in having the only named member of the Ringwraiths in all Tolkien lore — the Easterling king Khamûl, who was given a Ring of Power and was said to become a powerful sorcerer before re-emerging as one of the nine Nazgûl.
At this time, it’s not known for sure who they are, nor what the White Cloaks want with the Stranger. The Rings of Power episode 8 is next week and is the season one finale, so hopefully, fans may get some answers on October 14.
