The Rings of Power character that showrunner Patrick McKay compares to Michael Corleone

Patrick McKay sat down with Vanity Fair to talk about the lore he and fellow showrunner JD Payne used to bring The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power to life and what fans of the series can expect. Along the way, he mentioned Isildur (Maxim Baldry), a legendary figure who will one day be the warrior who cuts the One Ring from Sauron’s finger.

“You meet Isildur and he’s like Michael Corleone. He’s the young family member who has optimism and immaturity,” McKay explained. “Track this guy to the tragic, final decision rather than the mistake of a fool.” If he puts it that way, fans can probably start to see what the showrunner is getting at here.

Like Isildur, Michael Corleone of The Godfather was a young and noble man who wanted nothing to do with the family business. Though the lines of royal succession and the paths of power through organized crime may seem different, both are filled with schemers trying to get what they want and fight their way to the top at any cost.

It sounds like Isildur from “The Rings of Power” will likely be drawn into the monarchy whether he likes it or not, and how Corleone will one day be corrupted by the power if he refuses to destroy the ring. This establishes his tragic fall and the ultimate price he must pay for his hubris, just as Corleone inevitably did at the end of The Godfather: Part III.