Overall, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 was an improvement on season 1, but there were some ways this second installment fell short. The Prime Video Lord of the Rings prequel series has been the subject of controversy ever since it was announced, with critical audiences siting a variety of reasons that it doesn't meet the standard of Tolkien's legacy. Still, Rings of Power has, in all, been hugely beneficial for Amazon, and season 2 solidified the TV show's future. Of course, there are a few lessons Prime Video can learn before approaching season 3.
Many of the valid criticisms of Rings of Power season 1 revolved around the pacing, character development, and divergences from Tolkien canon. Prime Video seems to have taken this into account in season 2 since this installment was a vast improvement on all these fronts. Rings of Power season 2 was full of great content, with a fast-paced story that held the audience's attention from episode to episode. Now, showrunners have the job of reflecting on what went better in Rings of Power season 2 and what didn't quite stack up to season 1, allowing the series to, hopefully, perfect its formula going forward.
9 The Rings Of Power Season 2 Sidelined Some Major Characters
Rings Of Power Needs To Restore Its Balance
Rings of Power season 1 introduced a great many characters and balanced the story well between them. This allowed audiences to get to know the players in fairly equal proportions. Galadriel, Halbrand, Nori, the Stranger, Isildur, Elendil, Arondir, Bronwyn, and more all had a chance to be at center stage, and though this vast number of characters contributed to the slower pace of Rings of Power season 1, these episodes effectively made audiences care about the characters.
In an effort to increase pacing, Rings of Power season 2 backed off on some characters. The episode focused predominantly on Sauron's efforts with Celebrimbor, Nori and the Stranger's adventures in Rhûn, Elendil and Miriel's troubles in Numenor, and Durin's conflict with his father in Khazad-dûm—areas where action was at its peak. Unfortunately, this meant there was little room for characters like Isildur to make an impact. He had some development in Middle-earth, but his story was comparatively forgettable.
8 The Rings Of Power Doubled Down On Galadriel Being Fooled By Villains In Season 2
Galadriel Was Fooled Yet Again
Galadriel was a somewhat infuriating character in Rings of Power season 1. Her reckless focus on finding Sauron meant that she gave almost no thought to the well-being of others, which is rather uncharacteristic of the Galadriel audiences are familiar with in The Lord of the Rings. Of course, this very quality allowed Galadriel to be so easily fooled by Sauron. She had fallen right into his deceptions and made it all worse by keeping the mistake to herself.
It was hoped that Rings of Power season 2 would see a significant change for Galadriel since she would be the wearer of the Elvish Ring of Power, Nenya.
It was hoped that Rings of Power season 2 would see a significant change for Galadriel since she would be the wearer of the Elvish Ring of Power, Nenya. While this was the case to an extent (Galadriel was no longer so aggressively eager to achieve her own goals, be damned to everyone else), she still played into the hands of villains. Galadriel attempting to team up with Adar, only to be betrayed, was a frustrating repeat of her Rings of Power season 1 arch that contradicted her own development.
7 The Rings Of Power Needlessly Kept The Stranger Mystery Going In Season 2
The Mysteries In Rings Of Power Season 2 Didn't Serve A Purpose
The Rings of Power season 1 depended heavily on the mystery box trope, with a handful of characters whose true identities were kept a secret. This was done to keep audiences guessing who Sauron would be, with the Stranger being a prime candidate. Of course, it was instead revealed that Halbrand was Sauron and that signs surrounding Nori's Stranger were red herrings. It was then heavily implied that the Stranger was Gandalf.
Going into Rings of Power season 2, it was all but guaranteed that the Stranger was Gandalf, but this wasn't officially confirmed until the finale episode. This was a bit frustrating since the mystery no longer served a purpose. The Stranger was used in Rings of Power season 1 as a distraction from Halbrand's identity. Still, season 2 did away with any reasonable explanation for why this character's true identity couldn't be confirmed.
6 Rings Of Power Season 2 Doubled Down On Its Sympathetic Orcs
The Orcs Suddenly Didn't Want To Fight In Rings OF Power Season 2
Rings of Power season 1 took a new approach to Orcs. They were still vicious monsters, but it felt as if Prime Video was trying to plant some sympathy for Orcs through Adar. Still, this installment didn't take this sympathy too far. It was understandable that Adar would care about the well-being of the Orcs, but he and his "children" were still evil and only worthy of marginal sympathetic consideration.
Rings of Power season 2, on the other hand, took the sympathetic angle of the Orcs a little too far. This has nothing to do with these episodes featuring Orc families and babies—Tolkien canon dictates that Orcs reproduced in the same way as Elves and Men. The problem came when Adar's chief Orc became hurt that his "father" was sending him to battle because he thought the Moriondor "loved" him. They had already come that far and had stuck by Adar's cause for war—why would an Orc suddenly be so sentimental about battle? This idea took Rings of Power season 1's initial concept a little too far.
5 The Rings Of Power Season 2 Didn't Acknowledge Missing Characters
Celeborn Was Completely Ignored In Rings Of Power Season 2
There was a notably absent character in Rings of Power season 1 that went unacknowledged a little too long for comfort. However, he was finally mentioned before the season's ending. Galadriel explained that her husband, Celeborn, had been killed prior to the Second Age, and this was a rather surprising change since it was never a feature of Tolkien's works. Still, the series at least had an explanation, and it could be assumed that Celeborn's true fate would be revealed soon.
Though showrunners have confirmed that Celeborn will return, it's frustrating that season 2 wouldn't provide any reassurance of this.
Unfortunately, Rings of Power season 2 came and went without any mention of Celeborn. Though showrunners have confirmed that Celeborn will return, it's frustrating that season 2 wouldn't provide any reassurance of this. It feels as if Rings of Power has avoided mentioning this character so that audiences aren't distracted from Galadriel's chemistry with Sauron, and that's an uncomfortable reason. If Prime Video wants to change Celeborn's story, then there should at least be hints and tidbits dropped in each season to add interest to this new mystery.
4 The Rings Of Power Ignored The Expansiveness Of Middle-earth In Season 2
Middle-earth Travel Is A Little Too Easy
One of the criticisms of Rings of Power season 1 was the way that it seemed to ignore just how large Middle-earth is. Characters seemed to appear at points on the continent that should have taken them weeks to travel to. A prime example is the arrival of the Númenóreans in the Southlands after their ships arrived on Middle-earth's Western coast.
Rings of Power season 2 took this even further. Characters are constantly traveling around, but there is no time allotted for their extensive travels. While Sauron traveling from Mordor to Eregion could feasibly be explained by his powers, the Elves easily traversing between kingdoms (unless it's dictated by the plot that they face an obstacle) was made to seem a little too easy. This negatively impacts the immersiveness of this massive fantasy world. After all, the challenges of traveling across Middle-earth are a key factor in The Lord of the Rings.
3 The Rings Of Power Season 2 Neglected Its Character Relationships
The Work Done In Rings Of Power Season 1 Didn't Come To Much In This Regard
Rings of Power season 1 established a lot of great friendships and relationships. The romance between Arondir and Bronwyn was an important feature since this was the obligatory human-elf romance that Tolkien often included in his works. The friendship between Elrond and Durin IV was another fun relationship and was an easy high point of the Prime Video series' freshman season.
Unfortunately, Rings of Powerason 2 let us down in this regard. Nazanin Boniadi, who played Bronwyn in season 1, did not return for this second installment, so her character was somewhat unceremoniously killed off. Though showrunners were limited in how they could handle this departure, a recasting might have been a better choice since the romance established in Rings of Power season 1 would have been paid off. To make matters worse, the friendship between Elrond and Durin IV hardly had any time in the sun in Rings of Power season 2.
2 The Rings Of Power Season 2 Worked A Little Too Hard To Incorporate LOTR
Some Of These Features Just Didn't Belong
Rings of Power season 1 features a handful of Lord of the Rings characters, but the series still didn't quite mesh with the world and story audiences know and love. Galadriel and Elrond were so different from their Third-Age counterparts that it was hard to see them as the same characters, and the general mood of Middle-earth was significantly different. This was an area in which it was hoped Rings of Power season 2 would improve.
To an extent, Rings of Power season 2 did feel like more of a Lord of the Rings series, but the showrunners might have tried a little too hard this time around. Galadriel and Elrond were far more balanced with their Third Age selves, but there were other features that had no business existing in the Second Age. Tom Bombadil's presence in Rhûn was shakily explained, and Gandalf's presence in Middle-earth being confirmed means Rigns of Power truly is ignoring his canon arrival. Additionally, things like the Barrow-downs wouldn't have been where they were featured in the Second Age. It all felt a bit too much like pandering.
1 The Rings Of Power Season 2 Doubled Down On The Condensed Timeline
The Events Of Rings Of Power Season 2 Were Even More Condensed
Another common criticism of Rings of Power season 1 was the condensed timeline. The Prime Video series zipped through thousands of years of lore, but this was, admittedly, impossible to avoid in this freshman installment. The episodes were already accused of being slow, and it would have been far worse if the events of the Second Age were mapped out in all their 3,441-year glory. However, with the exposition out of the way, Rings of Power season 2 should have been able to restore at least pieces of Lord of the Rings' timeline.
Instead, Rings of Power season 2 doubled down on condensing the timeline. Sauron should have spent about 300 years in Eregion in canon, so it's understandable that Rings of Power couldn't take this angle on screen. However, the mere weeks he spent there took things a bit far. The series made no effort to imply that more time was passing in-world, which could have further emphasized the relationship Sauron and Celebrimbor were developing. Hopefully, Rings of Power season 3 will find a better balance between accelerating the timeline when needed and honoring longer periods when possible.
Rings of Power
season 3 is confirmed, though a release window has not yet been revealed.
Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the epic events leading up to the stories in J.R.R. Tolkien's classic novels. The series chronicles the creation of legendary characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the fate of Middle-earth.
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