The Rings of Power features the royal Dwarven family, the House of Durin, whose lineage traces through the centuries to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Prime Video's TV adaptation of Tolkien's famed fantasy world takes place during the Second Age of Middle-Earth, introducing a new cast of characters as they face the impending threat of Sauron and his forging of the One Ring. One of the prominent characters in The Rings of Power is Durin IV, and his Dwarven lineage will be familiar to fans of The Lord of the Rings.
The Dwarves are one of the primary races featured in Tolkien's work, and the House of Durin is one of the foremost families among them. Holed up in the mighty kingdom of Khazad-dûm, the Dwarves are important players on the battlefield, and as Season 3 of The Rings of Power returns, their loyalty and might are more important than ever as Sauron's forces gather and war looms.
There have been many iconic Dwarven characters throughout Tolkien's work, and, interestingly, despite the many decades between them, many of them connect to the Durin lineage.
The Durin Family Tree in The Rings of Power, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings
Tolkien's franchise spans many centuries and generations, and several family members from the House of Durin have been depicted on-screen in The Rings of Power, The Lord of the Rings, and The Hobbit, while others are mentioned only in Tolkien's lore.
The Rings of Power is the earliest entry in the timeline of the Lord of the Rings franchise to be explored on-screen.
Durin III
Durin III is the oldest living member of the family that we meet on-screen. Peter Mullan stars as Durin III in The Rings of Power, who is the reigning king of the Dwarven kingdom of Khazad-dûm. Durin III is also in possession of one of the seven Dwarven rings of power, which it turns out has enthralled him with its power, causing plenty of conflict with his son.
Durin III sacrificed himself at the end of The Rings of Power Season 2 to fight the Balrog in the depths of Khazad-dûm, and to save his son.
Durin IV
Durin IV is the main Durin family member featured in The Rings of Power. The Prince, now King, of Khazad-dûm as of Season 3, is played by Owain Arthur. Durin IV has a close friendship with the Elf, Elrond, in the show, and helps forge an alliance between the Elves and Dwarves.
Durin IV had a tumultuous relationship with his father, who did eventually name him the heir to the throne, which instigates even more turmoil in the family and his older brother, Thrain, in Season 3.
Disa
Disa is Durin IV's wife and the Princess of Khazad-dûm. She is fierce, witty, and not afraid to challenge her husband. Played by Sophia Nomvete, Disa is an original character created for The Rings of Power. She is a stone-singer, one of a special group of female dwarves who can communicate with the mountain.
Thrain
Durin III's eldest son, Thrain (played by Eddie Marsan), joins The Rings of Power in Season 3. After being passed over for the throne, Thrain returns from exile to challenge his younger brother for the throne.
Gamli
Another of the original characters introduced in The Rings of Power is Disa and Durin IV's son Gamli. Following the five-year time jump between Season 2 and 3 of The Rings of Power, the young prince Gamli is now a teenager played by Lee Braithwaite.
Gerda
Joining Gamli as another original character created for The Rings of Power is Gerda, the sister of Gamli and the daughter of Durin IV and Disa. Gerda is played by Amber Mendez-Martin as a teenager.
Durin V
Durin V has not been introduced on-screen in The Rings of Power, but he is a descendant of Durin IV and the King of Khazad-dûm in the early Third Age of Middle-Earth.
Thrór
After skipping at least six generations and entering the Third Age, the House of Durin has spread far and wide across Middle-Earth. Picking up next with Thrór, the King of Durin's Folk in Erebor, the Lonely Mountain. Thrór was in control of the mountain when it was attacked by Smaug, the dragon, who sought the wealth of the Dwarves, forcing everyone to flee the mountain.
Thráin II
Thrór's son, Thráin II, was the next in line and became King of Durin's folk after his father was slain. Thráin II is seen on-screen in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, where he led an attack against Azog and was defeated and taken prisoner by the Necromancer for decades.
Thorin Oakenshield
Many will be familiar with Thráin II's son, Thorin Oakenshield, played by Richard Armitage in The Hobbit film trilogy. Thorin led the company to take back the Lonely Mountain from Smaug and defeat the dragon. He also led the human, dwarf, and elven alliance in the Battle of the Five Armies.
Fíli
Fíli and his brother are two of the members of Thorin Oakenshield's company to take back the mountain in The Hobbit trilogy. Fíli, played by Dean O'Gorman, is the nephew of Thorin and a direct descendant of the Durin line.
Kíli
Fíli's inseparable younger brother is Kíli, played by Aidan Turner in the film trilogy. The pair are the youngest in the company and are committed to reclaiming their family's ancestral home. Tragically, both brothers die fighting in the Battle of the Five Armies.
Dáin Ironfoot
Billy Connolly portrays Dáin Ironfoot in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, the fifth King under the Mountain, who was the cousin and eventual successor of Thorin Oakenshield.
Balin
Another dwarf who joined Thorin's company to retake the Lonely Mountain was Balin, another descendant of Durin, played by Ken Stott. Balin was known for keeping lookout for the group and also developed a close friendship with Bilbo Baggins.
Dwalin
Balin's younger brother, Dwalin (Graham McTavish), was another member of the Quest of Erebor in The Hobbit. Dwalin is known for being staunch, loyal, and a great fighter, and was one of Thorin's biggest supporters.
Óin
Swapping over to another branch of Durin's descendants, Óin, played by John Callen, is memorable as one of the members of Thorin's crew to the Lonely Mountain, plus he is Gimli's uncle.
Glóin
Brother of Óin and father to Gimli, Glóin (played by Peter Hambleton), joined his brethren on Thorin's quest to liberate the mountain and restore the dwarves' home. Glóin was known for his handywork skills, and later, in The Lord of the Rings, he accompanied Gimli to the Council of Elrond.
Gimli
Perhaps the most recognizable dwarf in The Lord of the Rings franchise, Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), represented the dwarves in the Fellowship of the Ring. He developed a friendship with the elf, Legolas, overcoming the Elf/Dwarven rivalry and assisted the team in defeating Sauron's armies.
Gimli's heritage traces back to the House of Durin in The Rings of Power, marking a long lineage of Dwarven heroes and kings in the franchise.
