Amazon’s The Rings of Power will introduce Marnûkh, an original Orc character who defects to the Elves and helps Galadriel oppose Sauron. The character represents another significant departure from Tolkien’s canon, intended to explore whether Orcs might retain free will and individual personalities rather than being solely Sauron’s servants.

Played by Adam Young, Marnûkh is described by the showrunners as morally compromised, unpredictable and capable of poetry, leaving other characters unsure whether he can be trusted. Season 3 is set five years after Eregion’s fall and centres on Sauron’s attempt to forge the One Ring; its first four episodes are due to premiere on 11 November 2026.