Why did Bronwyn die in Rings of Power? Nazanin Boniadi exit explained

Rings of Power Season 2 begins with a big off-screen death: Bronwyn, the brave Southlander played by Nazanin Boniadi, who’s since exited the Lord of the Rings series.

Bronwyn was introduced early in Rings of Power Season 1: a mother to Theo and Tirharad’s healer, who also harbored a secret love for Arondir.

She joined Galadriel, Halbrand (*cough* Sauron! *cough), and Miriel on a mission to defend the Southlands from Adar and the Orcs. It went disastrously, thanks to Mount Doom erupting and covering the area in ash.

We last saw her recovering and offering to lead people to Pelargir, a Númenorean settlement. However, in the first three episodes of Season 2, it’s revealed she’s already dead – so what happened?

Bronwyn was killed off because Nazanin Boniadi left Rings of Power

Nazanin Boniadi confirmed she’d left Rings of Power earlier this year. Instead of recasting the role, the character was killed off-screen, with her son Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin) poised to take her place in the coming episodes.

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The star stepped away from acting in September 2022 (when Season 1 premiered) “to focus solely on the #WomanLifeFreedom uprising in Iran and to advocate for the people of my homeland who have been risking everything for freedom.”

“Despite my passion for acting, I knew it would take a very special project to convince me to once again split my time between my day job and my calling as an activist,” she wrote on Instagram.

However, in May this year, Boniadi posted another statement clarifying that her decision to exit the series wasn’t connected to her advocacy efforts.

“I made the choice not to return for Season 2 of Rings of Power. This was unrelated to my subsequent decision to prioritize my advocacy,” she wrote.

“Throughout my career, the values I have held most dear are honesty, empathy, and integrity.  My character Bronwyn was committed to these same ideals in striving for a fairer world, which is why I connected so deeply with her. I look forward to sharing my latest projects with you soon.”

Boniadi hasn’t elaborated on any issues she may (or may not) have with the series’ portrayal of Bronwyn or the character’s original intended arc before she left.

How did Bronwyn die?

Bronwyn was shot by an Orc arrow in Rings of Power Season 1, and its “foulness” left her with a fatal infection.

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Despite seeming to make a full recovery at the end of the first season, when Arondir arrives at Pelargir, she’s already dead, with the settlement’s people gathering for her funeral.

“I failed to stop Adar, I failed to protect her. I thought she was getting better. There is a foulness in Orc arrows not easily forgotten by human flesh,” Arondir explains to Isildur.

Check out our recaps Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, and Episode 4. If you’re unsure when Rings of Power takes place in the Lord of the Rings timeline, we’ve also got you covered, and read our our breakdown of Tom Bombadil and our predictions for the Dark Wizard.