Who Are the Nazgûl in The Rings of Power Season 3? Khamûl and the Nine Explained

The Nazgûl are the nine human bearers of Rings of Power who eventually become Sauron’s enslaved Ringwraiths. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 is introducing their earlier forms as the Nazgnagôl, according to Prime Video’s official Season 3 material. One of the key names is Khamûl, played by Zubin Varla. His casting is confirmed; the precise events of his transformation on screen are not yet established.

That distinction matters before the November 11 premiere. The frightening Black Riders from The Fellowship of the Ring are familiar to film audiences, but Prime Video is showing an earlier stage in the process. Below is what the distributor has announced, what Tolkien’s writings establish, and what viewers should not mistake for a spoiler about episodes that have not aired.

Nazgûl, Ringwraiths and Nazgnagôl: what is the difference?

Prime Video’s November 5 Sauron explainer says Sauron already possesses the Nine Rings and is using them to build a group of servants. It explicitly describes their continued corruption into the otherworldly Nazgûl known from the Third Age. The show therefore has a concrete direction, but promotional copy cannot tell us the order or outcomes of individual unaired scenes.

How do the Nine Rings turn Men into Ringwraiths?

The short answer is prolonged corruption through rings tied to Sauron’s power, not an immediate change into a cloaked ghost. Tolkien’s accounts describe the bearers gaining power and unnaturally extended existence before gradually fading from the ordinary world.

There is an important distinction between the One Ring and the Nine. Sauron seeks the One as his means of domination, while the Nine are tools that enslave their human bearers. Our separate One Ring explainer describes why Sauron needs that central instrument and why it is not simply another invisibility ring.

The Encyclopedia of Arda, drawing on Tolkien’s texts, identifies the Nine as a group whose names are mostly unknown. A fan-made list of nine elaborate names does not become Tolkien canon just because it appears in a game, wiki or graphic.

Who is Khamûl in Rings of Power Season 3?

Zubin Varla plays Khamûl, an Easterling associated with Rhûn. Prime Video announced the actor and character in its October 21 cast and trailer update. This is a casting confirmation, not an announcement of the character’s eventual fate in a specific episode.

In Tolkien’s wider material, Khamûl is the only Ringwraith explicitly given a personal name, aside from the title by which the Witch-king is known. The Encyclopedia of Arda identifies him as second in rank, while Tolkien Gateway points readers to Unfinished Tales for his background. His association with the East makes the Rhûn connection meaningful without establishing every choice the adaptation will make.

That is the useful boundary for pre-premiere readers: Khamûl is a named figure in Tolkien lore, and Varla is officially cast as him. How many steps toward becoming a Ringwraith the series shows, and when, are questions for the episodes themselves. For the other new arrivals, including Celeborn and the Balrog voice casting, see our Season 3 cast guide.

Is Khamûl the Witch-king?

No. Tolkien treats the Witch-king as the leader of the Nine and Khamûl as another Ringwraith. The Witch-king is known by that title, but Tolkien does not provide a comparable ordinary personal name for him. Khamûl should not be renamed the Witch-king just because both are prominent among the Nine.

Similarly, there is no authoritative Tolkien list assigning an established identity to every one of the nine before their corruption. Be wary of infographics that silently mix licensed-game inventions with names from Tolkien’s texts.

What has Prime Video actually confirmed for Season 3?

Prime Video’s official synopsis advances the story five years from the fall of Eregion. Sauron is openly operating from Barad-dûr, holds the Nine Rings and is working to forge the One Ring. The studio has promoted the Nazgnagôl in dark armor as part of the conflict spreading through Middle-earth.

That gives a clear narrative setup, but it does not confirm which of the Nine appear in which episodes, whether they all receive rings on screen together, or the exact order in which they will fade. Our Sauron identity guide separates the verified Halbrand and Annatar developments in Seasons 1–2 from the Season 3 story being advertised.

This is also where adaptation differences matter. The show’s invented or expanded terminology and event ordering should be described as Prime Video’s version rather than automatically attributed to Tolkien. An announced story direction is not an independently witnessed episode.

When does Season 3 come out?

The first four episodes premiere on November 11, 2026, episodes five and six follow on November 18, and the final two arrive November 25, on Prime Video. Amazon says the premiere covers more than 240 countries and territories, but exact local catalogue access and a universal release hour were not established by the announcement cited here.

Our Season 3 episode schedule has the full release breakdown. For a critical view of what the show changed in its first two seasons, read our Rings of Power Seasons 1–2 review.

FAQ

Are the Nazgnagôl already Nazgûl?

Not necessarily. Prime Video describes them as early ring-servants who become the Nazgûl through further corruption. The promotional term does not establish that all nine have already completed that change before Season 3 begins.

Who plays Khamûl in Season 3?

Zubin Varla. The actor and the Rhûn-associated character are listed in Prime Video’s official casting information.

Is Khamûl the same character as the Witch-king?

No. In Tolkien lore, the Witch-king leads the Nine; Khamûl is another member of the group, associated with the East.

How many Rings were given to Men?

Nine. This is the group that becomes the Ringwraiths. The show’s exact portrayal of their corruption remains to be seen.

Does Season 3 confirm every Ringwraith’s identity?

No. Public casting confirms Khamûl but does not provide a verified full list of all nine or reveal their completed on-screen arcs.

Image provenance: the hero is Prime Video’s authentic Season 3 Sauron still, originally used in our Sauron guide. It is promotional studio imagery reused here for editorial identification; this article does not assert a Creative Commons license or new permission from Amazon MGM Studios.