Who is Khamûl in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?
"Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" introduces Sauron's Ring-servant Khamûl. But who was he in J.R.R. Tolkien's books?
In The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the character Khamûl (Zubin Varla) plays a significant role as the second-in-command to the Witch-king of Angmar. Unlike many Nazgnagól, or Ring-servants, Khamûl is a canonically established figure in J.R.R. Tolkien's work. Although not explicitly named in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Tolkien elaborates on his background in Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, revealing that Khamûl serves the Witch-king from Rhûn.
Known as the Shadow of the East and the Black Easterling, Khamûl's role in the Nazgûl's hunt for Frodo Baggins in The Fellowship of the Ring is notable, as he nearly captures Frodo and his friends at Bucklebury Ferry. The character's presence in Tolkien's larger legendarium extends to holding the fortress of Dol Guldur in Mirkwood during the Third Age.
As Khamûl accepts a ring in The Rings of Power, his fate is sealed, and he becomes an undead servant of Sauron, serving as the Witch-king's second-in-command for thousands of years.
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