Rings of Power (Season 2)
Alright this is my first post specifically dedicated to a specific show. I was going to do one the night of our Shogun finale watch party, but I got a bit too liquored up on sake and lost steam. This time I only had a few beers with friends watching the season finale, so I should be able to get some of my thoughts down.
Let me start by saying that I’m not well versed on Middle Earth history / lore or The Silmarillion. And since it seems like Rings of Power is just absolutely ignoring the well documented lore, I’m just going to focus on the show itself (if you want the lore video, this one is pretty deep, though I haven’t watched the whole thing since it’s really long). I’ve split my thoughts into comments about each of the 8 plot lines. I’ll further break my thoughts with just bullet points of what was good and what was bad. Blame our culture’s fascination with listicles.
Warning Spoilers Below:
My main issue with Rings of Power is that it could be so much better if they just focused a bit more. They invested heavily in it, have some great actors, it’s quite pretty, and has some really intriguing plots… but they keep breaking the world’s logic and speeds, plus they’re bouncing around a bit too much to do them all justice. They’re also trying too hard to connect this all with the Lord of the Rings directly via types of characters (Harfoots instead of Hobbits, Arondir instead of Legolas), actual characters (Gandalf, Isildur, Galadriel, Elrond, the Balrog, etc.), and plots (somehow the fall of Numenor, the Rube Goldberg origin of Mordor, the creation of all of the rings, the beginning of Gondor, the fall of Eregion, the establishment of Rivendell, etc. are all supposed to happen within a few years?). I get they’re trying to make it exciting, but it really is too much to do. Should have picked fewer things or made multiple shows and had them address different aspects. Could have built a whole Marvel Cinematic Universe type content machine. Instead it’s gone the route of DC’s Justice League, being brute forced into one condensed narrative with no patience.
Plotlines:
The easy solution here is cut Plotlines 6-8. 6 & 7 and separately 8, could each be their own spin off show or dedicate entire episodes to them. This would give them the proper attention and care. They could all come together for the prequel to the Lord of the Rings with Isildur and Sauron. Let Rings of Power be about exactly that, the Rings of Power. Make the War of the Last Alliance a different show.
1. Celebrimbor, Sauron, and the Forging of the Rings in Eregion
Good
The Good
Celebrimbor “waking up” in episode 7 and reclaiming his honor in episode 8 is great. Well acted and very intense. Charles Edwards was really great in this, it’s a pity we’ll no longer have him.
The actual forging (however incorrect from lore) of the elven, dwarven, and men rings is really cool. Giving us this origin story is very fun and how Annadar deceives and bromances Celebrimbor and Eregion as a whole generally works.
The Battle of Eregion is generally really cool and well done.
The Bad
Why Halbrand goes from Eregion to Mordor and back in the first two episode doesn’t make any sense… why and how could he have done this? Just skip it. Adar and the orcs could easily have just surmised that Sauron was in Eregion from someone else.
I’ll address how weird and illogical it was that Eregion was isolated for so long in this season in the Elrond section.
2. Adar and the Orc Lives Matter Movement
Good
This is my favorite part of the whole series, and it’s a pity it seems to have been cut off so early (assuming the series goes on for 4+ seasons)
This is the only time I’ll venture into Tolkien’s original intent and writing, but as far as I recall, he had antipathy for industrialization and environmental destruction, represented specifically with Isengard in the main story and to a lesser extent Mordor. Tolkien grew up through the end of the Second Industrial Revolution where the landscape of Britain vastly changed. He also obviously experienced horror first hand in World War I; where the introduction of machines changed warfare at the cost of millions of lives. His love of nature and peace were shattered by industry and war and he wrote about that in his stories.
What I love about this show is that it has updated that opinion with a modern twist, what I’ve been calling Orc Lives Matter. Almost a century after JRR Tolkien was creating these stories, we have a greater appreciation for the workers of Industry. Whether or not you agree with Industrialism, we have more sympathy for the actual individuals who were exploited in factories, working difficult jobs for little pay. I see the orcs in Rings of Power as a manifestation of this change of perspective from Tolkien’s original intent. And it’s for the best.
We see the first female orcs and baby / families. We see their concern for their community and funeral rites being performed. While they may be fueling the war machine, they have real feelings and concerns, and at the end of the day, they are (very angrily) just fighting for a home they can call their own and be safe in (it does require some terraforming, but honestly there weren’t that many people living in the area). The problem isn’t with the orcs / workers, but the leaders / elite who manipulate them. They feed their insecurities, harness their anger and distrust to make them bloodthirsty and evil.
The Good
The Orc Lives Matter Movement fully changes the way we view this entire race. In Peter Jackson’s adaptations of the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit, Orcs are just an endless bloodthirsty and mindless horde that our heros just have to hack down. Good v. evil. Easy enough. In Rings of Power, they are an oppressed people. They long for a home. It shifts the elves to often feel more like an Aryan elite race with no sympathy, while the orcs are more accepting and just looking for a place in the world.
When Adar puts on Nenya (Galadriel’s ring) and realizes he has gone too far and re-promises peace (even though this is sort of what he promised Galadriel earlier, and she didn’t accept then). They could have focused on this more, but Adar’s plot was just the most impactful and interesting.
The Bad
I was expecting a clear moment where Sauron coerces or enchants the Orc army, instead they sort of walk up to Annadar (after brutally murdering every elf they see on sight), and ask if he’s Sauron, and seem to willingly join him mid-battle. Which seems crazy… I will say that when they all start chanting Lord Sauron, it did feel like they were brainwashed, they were never so coordinated before. Still it was a missed opportunity to end the Orc Lives Matter movement with a tragedy of following the wrong leader. Also this moment would allow us to be more okay with the endless slaughtering of orcs in the coming seasons / original movies.
The death of Glûg (the orc lieutenant) was incredibly disappointing. As the only named representative of the orcs, he should have had his own doomed revelation. While Adar got his (as mentioned above) Glûg is simply killed off like all orcs have been killed off. Buthe deserves more! He has expressed concern for safety for his kind and he has a partner and child! #JusticeForGlug He deserves at least a simple moment of how he realizes his anger with Adar was simply a difference in opinion and strategy, not in objective, and he was wrong to lash out and join Sauron.
3. Durin’s Daddy Issues
Good
The Good
Owain Arthur (Prince Durin), Sophia Nomvete (Disa), and Peter Mullan (King Durin) are some of the best actors in the show. I have almost no notes here, I just thoroughly enjoyed all of the Dwarven / Khazad-Dum plotlines.
The Bad
I just want more! The swapping of how Prince Durin wanted to mine more, then him swapping stances with his father is a bit weird. And I would have liked more positivity with their relationship in Season 1, but it was a sweet ending for King Durin (both visually, plot-wise, and emotionally)
4. Anti-Jewelry Lobbyist Elrond
Bad
The Good
Robert Aramayo has been playing Elrond well and earned solid points this season. Really doing the minority voice of reason opinion well. He looks good fighting and talking.
The ending at the new city development location for Rivendell was cool, and the music finally swelled and was pretty epic…
The Bad
This plotline really suffers from a lack of logic and travel speed. They seem to just move slower than everyone and their travel directions and speeds just ignore all logic that the other plotlines have established. e.g. They have to deal with a seemingly ridiculous collapsed bridge that seems to cause a huge detour, but yet when Elrond needs to get to Kazad-Dum, it’s easy and fine.
That collapsed bridge detour to deal with some Barrow Wights was almost entirely pointless and had no impact on the story.
The general lack of urgency when it’s clear Celebrimbor and Eregion are compromised is ridiculous. Characters are traveling all over, but they can’t seem to get into contact with Eregion… and even when they do, they know it’s a ruse and they just don’t do anything about it.
I looked up maps and it just didn’t make sense. That collapsed bridge over an insane chasm just is so random. Why wouldn’t the elves have more ways to connect their cities together? This could be explained away if they just cut to Sauron creating an illusion of chasm / collapsed bridge to force the party to detour.
Stopping mid epic cavalry charge is insane. Just edit this scene; have the parlay negotiation first, then do the cavalry charge second. It makes more sense and you get to keep the visuals without the impossible logistics of stopping a cavalry charge 10 feet from the enemy.
How is Arondir still alive?
The ending rallying cry for the elves was preceded by a line that the survivors were broken in body and spirit and then they proceeded to show that, but Gil-Gahad lifts his sword in the light and everyone is absolutely amped. They didn’t hear his speech, they’re way too far away. He should have given a rousing speech to his people, and then they rally. This didn’t make any sense.
5. Galadriel and Her Hunt For The Red Sauron
Bad
The Good
Less of Galadriel and less of Galadriel in slo-mo.
Morfydd Clark does a good job continuing to be our lead heroine.
Her escaping the camp prison was a very cool scene.
The Bad
This just feels tired after focusing on it for season 1 for so long. She’s just not that into you Sauron, get over it.
Also it seemed odd that she didn’t get on board with Adar, since, as he’s pitched multiple times, they really are on the same side with the same goal.
Why was the tunnel that she was escaping the city in, fully covered by orcs, and if so, why didn’t they use it to sneak into the city instead of break down the wall?
Umm… the fall? I get she is immortal / had the ring (nearby?), but this doesn’t make any sense. She fell… really far.
6. Make Numenor Great Again
Good
The Good
The descent of a society from stability to fearmongering based on selfish greed for power. There are some great (relatable) themes as the Numenorians embrace a radical populist in the wake of a botched ill-thought out military operation. The silent majority getting simply out-yelled and maneuvered by the well-coordinated, efficient, and ruthless usurpers is a lesson we can all take to heart.
The Kristallnacht-esque purge of the Faithful was quite poignant.
One of the best scenes here was Elendil dealing with his lost converted daughter and his sailors and soldiers supporting him. It has Gladiator energy and it should have been harnessed more and longer.
Earien, Elendil’s daughter, heartbroken by the loss of her brother and her misguided feelings of loss being harnessed by the fascist coup.
Kraken Worm Monster.
Pharazon stealing the Great Eagle’s support is objectively hilarious. Belzagar is a hilarious hype man, and worthy of being any top House of Cards-esque poltiical aide. His awkward deliveries of… “it’s legal” and “[shrug] she’s innocent” are amazing.
Elendil. The basic simple hero that us simple boys who like fantasy stories gravitate towards. He really elevated himself here and it was great. Can’t wait for him to rally the Faithful and the other cities of Numenor to foment insurrection (looking forward to seeing who plays his other son Anarion).
The Bad
I would have liked a longer and more in depth depiction of the unraveling of society and politicking. A better exploration of the religion, political parties, economics, etc. would have been great to get a better sense of what’s happening and why.
Being isolated on this faraway island doesn’t help this plot, but the lack of interaction with the rest of the storylines makes it feel like it should just be a single standalone episode or its own spin off show.
7. The Men of the South
Bad
The Good
Isildur is just a horse-boy and he loves Berek.
The Bad
There’s like a hundred people, who cares?
And there is seemingly no real difference between the “wildmen” and the Southerners, other than the “wildmen” are a little dirtier and more accepting of other races. Though this is seemingly solved off screen, wildmen and Southerners are just now called “Low Men” and all kinda live together at the whim of the Numenorians?
Estrid is really random, and she sorta tries to leave with Isildur, but then doesn’t get to, and she then remains with her betrothed, who seems like a generally good guy, and he even seems to be okay with her trying to leave him… even after he started building them a home. It seems like it would have been easier if they just kissed, and then she says that she belongs there with her betrothed, and that’s that. No need to do a brief impact-less 1 minute scene where Isildur tries to take her away.
The Ents felt really forced, so did that spider nest…
Theo is a boring character to follow. Now that his mother is dead, we too (like Arondir), don’t really care to have a relationship with him.
8. Gandalf and the Harfoots
Bad
The Good
I like the attempt to bring the Harfoots to intercut the “larger stakes” of the rest of the plotlines. It has serious vibes of Lord of the Rings, and it’s nice to just get some walking and talking, some philosophical reflection, and Middle-Earth vibes.
A briefly fun interaction between the dark wizard and Gandalf.
The Bad
Way too much lore here to be such a different pace and setting from the rest of the show.
Tom, Rhun, Harfoots, Stoors, and the Dark Wizard are just a whole other thing and they’re not getting enough attention / balance.
I don’t understand either of the Dark Wizard’s crews. The ladies from season 1 or the masked men from season 2. Either way, they basically are just featured extras, they have no backstory or purpose other than to be minions? They look too interesting to be just minions!
Heck I don’t understand the dark wizard. What’s the point of barely introducing him?
Where is Nori going? Just around the corner? Why are Gandalf and her splitting up? Didn’t seem to make a lot of sense. Especially when she could have just gone with the Stoors. Sort felt like a cop out just to get Gandalf back with Tom. Nori could easily have joined in on Gandalf and Tom’s hedgehog tea time. Make it a light hearted fun trio.
Anyway, voila, those are just one man’s thoughts.
Good night.