Amazon Prime Video is currently gearing up for the return of Ring of Power this year, and while the first season had Adar amassing his army of orcs, this second season will have more dark creatures joining the ranks of ‘The Father of Orcs’.
Season 2 of ROP is set to give fans their first look at hill-trolls, and what’s funny is that this new character is inspired by a beloved TV icon from one of the most celebrated dramas today.
LOTR: The Rings of Power Season 2’s New Hill-troll
As revealed by Empire, Adar’s orc army will be gaining a new kind of creature in the form of hill-trolls, and this season will introduce a new one named Damrod the Hill-troll. Not much story details have been revealed about Damrod, but he’s described as “ready to deal out serious damage with its significant stature and grouchy demeanor” and is said to have the title of “eater of dragon bones”.
Here’s an image of Damrod in the series facing Adar (previously played by Joseph Mawle; replaced by Samuel Hazeldine):
Though Damrod’s backstory is still unknown, it has been revealed that he is inspired by Breaking Bad character Mike Ehrmantraut.
How Mike from Breaking Bad Inspired a Troll
According to showrunner Patrick McKay, Mike’s lumbering but oddly casual strength inspired the character of Damrod. He explains, “[He] was inspired in part by Mike Ehrmantraut in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul… if you look at the way he moves and his casual sense of strength.”
For context, Breaking Bad’s Mike—played by Jonathan Banks—is a former cop who is a jack-of-all-trades specialist in Albuquerque’s criminal underworld. Though Mike has been teased for being old and grumpy in the show, he’s proven himself to be ruthlessly efficient, and he’s become a solid fan favourite for both Breaking Bad and BCS enthusiasts.
It’s funny that Mike should inspire a troll in Lord of the Rings since in the first season of Better Call Saul, Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk) calls Mike a ‘troll under the bridge’ when he refuses to let him pass.
Damrod in LOTR: The Rings of Power
Trolls in LOTR have changed characterisation depending on the story. In Peter Jackson’s original Lord of the Rings trilogy, they were pretty much mindless beasts, but by the time The Hobbit was made, trolls were able to talk and had distinct personalities—albeit they were still considered to be unintelligent and turned to stone in the sunlight.
Since this story takes place thousands of years before Bilbo, it’s possible that the trolls in Rings of Power could be a bit smarter. Trolls had actually served Melkor during the First Age, and they were called Olog-hai. Besides being monstrous brutes, these Olog-hai were also said to be able to withstand sunlight—making them more dangerous.
Hopefully Damrod gets an arc in this season just to flesh out the species more when it comes to the lore.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 premieres on Amazon Prime Video on Aug. 29.