In a new interview with Collider's Carly Lane, showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne weighed in on whether they'd considered bringing the two together ahead of the season finale. Payne said they had debated it, explaining "There was one moment earlier on in the story process where Sauron was going to come to Adar’s camp when Galadriel was a prisoner there." McKay then chimed in, drawing a comparison to another well-loved, long-running franchise to explain why they chose to leave it for the finale:
"In the early writing stages, we wondered if there was another… But I think very quickly it felt like, “No, no, no.” We looked at sequels we admire. That's what you do. And one of the things we really thought about tonally is
Empire Strikes Back,
and that whole movie is about Luke and Vader coming back together on a collision course. But if they collided early, it would rob some of the power of that final meeting. So, I think in the end we felt like, for that and many other reasons having to do character and proximity, they were going to be ready only then."
Morfydd Clark and Charlie Vickers Are Also Glad There Wasn't an Earlier Scene Between Them
In a separate interview with Clark and Vickers, Lane revealed what the showrunners had told her about a possible earlier moment between Galadriel and Sauron, something Vickers hadn't even known about. When asked if they had hoped for an earlier reunion, Clark agreed with the showrunner's decision to delay it, saying:
"No, I liked that it was teased out because for Galadriel, there was a time when she wouldn't have been able to face him, and by the time she actually does, she has been empowered by seeing how dreadful he is. So, I feel quite grateful that she didn't see him before then because she was much more ready. It was really exciting because they've just been obsessing over each other this whole time, and so it means that when they do fight and meet each other, they are weirdly aligned in the desire for this confrontation."
"Each with their own intention. I agree with that. I think it adds more weight to the ending. If they were just hanging out all the time, it removes the epicness of the final confrontation."
The first two seasons of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power are streaming now on Prime Video. Stay tuned at Collider for more from Lane's conversations with the cast and crew.
Epic drama set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings' follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth.
Release Date September 1, 2022
CastMorfydd Clark , Charlie Vickers , Charles Edwards , Markella Kavenagh , Daniel Weyman , Ismael Cruz Cordova , Megan Richards , Robert Aramayo , Robert Strange , Cynthia Addai-Robinson , Lloyd Owen , Owain Arthur , Tyroe Muhafidin , Alex Tarrant , Benjamin Walker , Trystan Gravelle , Maxim Baldry , Sophia Nomvete , Ema Horvath , Nazanin Boniadi , Geoff Morrell , Peter Mullan , Sara Zwangobani , Lenny Henry , Leon Wadham , Dylan Smith , Thusitha Jayasundera , Maxine Cunliffe , Anthony Crum , Beau Cassidy , Joseph Mawle , Peter Tait , Sam Hazeldine , Bridie Sisson , Jed Brophy , Ciarán Hinds , Amelia Kenworthy , Kevin Eldon
Main Genre Fantasy
Seasons 3
Character(s) Galadriel , Halbrand , Lord Celebrimbor , Nori Brandyfoot , The Stranger , Arondir , Poppy Proudfellow , Elrond , Glûg , Queen Regent Míriel , Captain Elendil , Prince Durin IV , Theo , Valandil , High King Gil-galad , Pharazôn , Isildur , Princess Disa , Eärien , Bronwyn , Waldreg , King Durin III , Marigold Brandyfoot , Sadoc Burrows , Kemen , Largo Brandyfoot , Malva , Vilma , Ontamo , Dilly Brandyfoot , Adar , Tredwill , The Dweller , Vrath , Dark Wizard , Mirdania , Narvi
Story By Patrick McKay, John D. Payne
Writers Patrick McKay , John D. Payne , J.R.R. Tolkien , Justin Doble , Jason Cahill , Gennifer Hutchison , Stephany Folsom , Nicholas Adams
Network Amazon Prime Video
Franchise(s) The Lord of the Rings
Showrunner John D. Payne , Patrick McKay , Louise Hooper , Charlotte Brändström , Wayne Yip
Image via Amazon Prime Video
English (US) ·