Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Silmarillion book that may or may not happen in The Rings of Power.
Amazon's J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion, as well as some locales more familiar to the original The Lord of the Rings trilogy audiences.
First released on February 13th, 2022, via a half-time Super Bowl LVI ad, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power's first teaser trailer contains sweeping shots of never-before-seen kingdoms brought to life for Amazon's LOTR prequel. Many of these kingdoms were envisioned in line with Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, with around a third of filming taking place on location in New Zealand. These gorgeous filming locations for The Rings of Power season 1 include the Hauraki Gulf, the Coromandel Peninsula, the Denize Bluffs in the King Country, Mount Kidd in Fiordland, and New Zealand's coastlines.
As a result, The Rings of Power audiences can expect stunning adaptations of Tolkien's most famous Middle Earth kingdoms from across the Second Age. From the seafaring isles of Númenor to the once-great city of Khazad-dûm, the Second Age's cities are vast, high-fantasy spectacles. Here's every The Lord of the Rings kingdom in The Rings of Power's Middle Earth explained.
Númenor
The first shot granted to audiences by The Rings of Power trailer is a merchant ship sailing under a great arch as the camera pans out to reveal Númenor. Originally raised from the sea as a gift to the Fathers of Men at the dawn of the First Age, Númenor stood as a bastion of Middle Earth's maritime culture by the beginning of the Second Age. The Númenorians inhabiting the isles enjoyed long lives three times the span of Men on Middle Earth and forged a great coastal kingdom on the shores of the central world - yet many still desired the immortality of the Elves above all else. It was this envy that Sauron eventually wove into distrust and hatred, convincing the Númenorian king Ar-Pharazôn to attack the Valar, an action that led to Númenor being sunk to the bottom of the ocean and cursed as "the drowned kingdom." In The Rings of Power, Númenor is the birthplace of Isildur (Maxim Baldry) and his father, Elendil, who manage to escape Númenor's destruction and settle their loyal men in Middle Earth.
Tirion upon Túna
One of the first images released by The Rings of Power's biggest story beats, granting audiences a first on-screen look at the Undying Lands that Frodo (Elijah Wood) and company sail away to at the end of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
Khazad-dûm
From its midpoint onwards, The Rings of Power's trailer shows several shots of Dwarves in their natural habitat mining gold, breaking stone, and ruling over their halls. All of these shots take place in Khazad-dûm, which is the grand hold of the line of Durin. Two of The Rings of Power's main characters, Durin IV (Owain Arthur) and Disa (Sophia Nomvete), are Khazad-dûm royalty, while Durin IV's grandfather Durin III is the holder of one of the seven Dwarven Rings of Power. Furthermore, Khazad-dûm plays a big part in the Second Age wars between Sauron and the Free Peoples of Middle Earth, with Durin III's surprise attack on Sauron saving Rivendell's Elven forces and allowing the Last Alliance to defeat the Dark Lord in battle. Khazad-dûm is also featured in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring under its darker name Moria long after Khazad-dûm fell to hordes of Goblins and the Balrog Durin's Bane in the Third Age.
Rivendell
Two separate shots in The Rings of Power teaser trailer show both Rivendell's Council Stone and gardens, respectively, with Rivendell a center of learning and prosperity across the First and Second Ages. The city of Rivendell is integral to the Second Age narrative, with Elrond taking stewardship over the city likely a key story beat in The Rings of Power as Robert Aramayo's character moves from (per Vanity Fair) "being optimistic and eager to world-weary and closed-off throughout the series" amidst the horrors of the war against Sauron. Rivendell's survival following the Last Alliance's victory also allows Elrond to rebuild its numbers as the "The Last Homely House East of the Sea" that Frodo finds save haven in during The Fellowship of the Ring.
Gondor
Although not overtly showcased in The Rings of Power trailer, the kingdom of Gondor is sure to make an appearance due to the inclusion of Isildur and Elendil's Númenor storylines. Following the destruction of Númenor, Elendil and his son flee to Middle Earth, where their few remaining loyal followers (known as The Faithful) establish The Lord of the Rings kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor, respectively. Isildur, in particular, is charged with ruling over a burgeoning Gondor, planting the White Tree, and shoring up the city's defenses - making Gondor's presence in the later confirmed seasons of The Rings of Power a strong possibility.