IGN has previewed the newly released trailer for Season 3 of Amazon's "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power", highlighting three plot threads it believes could make this the show's strongest season yet. Chief among them is Gandalf (Daniel Weyman), whose identity was confirmed only at the end of Season 2, now stepping fully into the role audiences have long anticipated, including a foreshadowed clash with the Balrog. The article also flags the surprise revelation of Galadriel's husband Celeborn (Jamie Campbell Bower) being alive, and the promised origin story of the Nazgnagôl, early forms of the Ringwraiths.

The trailer depicts Middle-earth descending into open war as Sauron (Charlie Vickers), now forging the One Ring in Barad-dûr, sends his armies against the Elves, Dwarves, Men and Wizards. Season 2 saw Sauron manipulate the Elven smith Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) into crafting the Rings of Power while posing as Annatar, before attempting to kill Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) once his true identity was exposed. IGN notes that Gandalf previously rejected an offer of power from the Dark Wizard (Ciarán Hinds) and will eventually face the fire-demon Balrog, voiced by Simon Pegg, building towards the character's iconic battle at Khazad-dûm.