Princess Disa is a character unlike any we’ve ever seen in Middle-earth. It’s not just that Sophia Nomvete is the first woman and the first Black person to have played a noteworthy Dwarf in a Tolkien adaptation — although that is an achievement in itself.
What makes Disa so remarkable in “The Rings of Power” is that she exudes a kind of boisterous warmth that is rarely found in “The Lord of the Rings” or “The Hobbit” movies. Hobbits live cozy lives, but they’re often insular and suspicious of outsiders. The Elves are welcoming and (mostly) good-natured, but they’re also haughty and prone to arrogance. Even the other Dwarves tend to be so caught up in their quests and their excavations that they forget the importance of all the comforts of home.
Disa, however, has it all. From the moment she greets Elrond with a massive hug and an invitation to dinner, this princess of Khazad-dûm shines. Disa’s down-to-earth nature makes her fascinating to watch as she tells off her kids, bickers or flirts with her husband, and enjoys a good drink as much as anyone else. In a world populated by mythical heroes and terrible monsters, Disa is the most human, and perhaps the most relatable, character in all of “The Rings of Power.”
Still, that’s not to say there isn’t room for Disa to walk a more sinister path in future seasons of “The Rings of Power.” Her final scene in Season 1, in which she convinces Durin that they, not Durin’s father, will one day rule the mountain and that they are the rightful owners of the mithril that lies within, suggests that Princess Disa is far more than a hug and a kind smile.
