TThe age of prequels, where every reasonably interesting character gets a spin-off series. Only a few have made it (Star Wars’ Andor, House of the Dragon Season 1) and even fewer have lived up to the source material (Better call Saul).
The Rings of Power has been hit worse than most, it is expected to equal Peter Jackson The Lord of the Rings Trilogy – anything else would be Tolkienian blasphemy. Many found the first season unconvincing, as it introduced interesting characters and vividly portrayed the Second Age of Middle Earth, but overextended itself in trying to connect the disparate worlds of Númenor, Khazad-dûm and Lindon. However, when Halbrand revealed himself as Sauron in the finale, there was a sense of clarity; the series could move forward without having to keep its secrets to itself.
Season two picks up on this. The first half-hour salvo is a bold origin story for Sauron. He is murdered by his captain Adar and melts into a dark ooze that slithers through the mountains looking for something to feed him. There are echoes of Gollum’s desperate scenes at the beginning of Jackson’s The Return of the Kingand creates a surprisingly good comparison between the two addicts. Showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay almost make you feel sorry for the deceitful Dark Lord.
The reintroduction of Middle Earth speaks to the season’s ambitions, as does the fact that familiar characters like Galadriel and Elrond are absent from the episodes, giving others plenty of time in the spotlight. Celebrimbor, the elven master blacksmith, quickly becomes the series’ ostensible protagonist when Sauron, in the guise of Annatar, gets him to forge rings (and yes, there are plenty more rings this season). Meanwhile, the half-elf and half-orc Adar gets enough screen time to become a sympathetic villain, with one of his orc lieutenants enjoying his own little arc.
It is a novelistic approach to storytelling, similar to TheWireand trusts the viewer to follow threads that are left loose for hours, only to be re-spun when necessary. Unfortunately, there are some downsides: the civil war that threatens Númenor gets too little attention, seemingly saved for another season. And the episodes without the dwarves – the highlight of the series – feel lighter without them. The dwarves’ journey also feels left behind at times, although Daniel Weyman’s scenes with the mysterious wizard Tom Bombadil are, for lack of a better word, magical. Yet Middle-earth is more alive than ever; dwarf markets and orc children hint at a world beyond the screen, while the number of wonderfully realized creatures shows how much fun can be had in Tolkien’s world.
The action culminates in an epic battle told over two episodes, and is balanced by excellent character work (and surprise deaths). Those who complained that in House of the Dragon‘s second work will inspire, as The Rings of Power refuses to let up. In fact, the second season is better than the first, sharpening the narrative and taking confident steps forward as the writers continue to tell this sprawling story. Let’s just hope the series doesn’t go in circles like The Hobbits.
The second season of “The Rings Of Power” will release three episodes tomorrow (August 29) on Prime Video – the episodes will then be released weekly
