‘The Rings of Power’ season 2 returns stronger and thrives in Sauron the Deceiver’s darkness
4/5 rings for Sauron's outfits!
After a wait of two years, The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 is here. And despite the presence of a number of great elves, like Galadriel and Elrond, and three elven rings of power, it’s about to get real dark, courtesy Sauron the Deceiver. And that’s the best thing about it.
The Rings of Power takes us through the Second Age of Tolkien’s Middle-earth, but it compresses and moulds the 3500-year timeline to tell the same story in a more effective way. For all the Tolkien fans who’ve criticized the series for messing with the timeline, this second season should convince you why it was necessary to have these stories that are supposed to be set thousands of years apart converge. The jeopardy closing in from all sides lends a sense of urgency to Sauron’s evil machinations and makes every step in the wrong direction feel ten times worse.
Season 2 picks up where we left off in season 1, after the forging of the three elven rings, and follows Sauron’s (Charlie Vickers) path through Adar’s (Sam Hazeldine) Mordor to Eregion, as he looks to forge more rings of power now that he knows he’ll need the dwarven mithril and elven smith Celebrimbor’s (Charles Edwards) help to forge them. Interwoven are the stories of Galadriel’s (Morfydd Clark) efforts to put things right, Elrond’s (Robert Aramayo) distrust of her and the rings, and High King Gil-Galad’s (Benjamin Walker) struggle to keep it all together. There’s also unrest at Khazad-dûm, which ties it closely to Sauron’s plan, and political turmoil stirring in Númenor for the scepter, after her king died in season 1, and Queen Regent Míriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) lost her eyesight and a large chunk of her army in the Southlands.
The season culminates in an epic battle that shares some of the spirit of the epic battle scenes from the LOTR movies and is 10/10, no notes!
The Rings of Power season 2 is a dark, twisted, Sauron deception show through and through
Season 2 gives us the origin story of Halbrand/Sauron, and what happened between him and Adar as he tried to claim the crown after the fall of their big boss, the Dark Lord Morgoth. And you can see how this moment has definitively shaped his psyche over the course of the episode, and how every decision he takes hence sets him on the course to the Sauron we know and hate. As early as episode 1, Sauron begins spinning his web of deceit, and if you’ve been paying attention, you know exactly how he entraps his targets—by offering them something that they need, that is intended to help them achieve greatness, do good, save lives, or prevent the incoming darkness from spreading. And then, he twists it to serve his own dark purpose.
All this we know because it is exactly how the One Ring worked in The Lord of The Rings movies. But there’s some brilliant writing at work in season 2 that actually shows us the intricate ways in which Sauron’s malice that he poured into the One Ring would work if he himself was wielding it. He uses his words and plays mind games like gaslighting to get his ways. The Rings of Power season 2 is strongest when it shows Sauron at work, delicately influencing the paths of characters, especially the elven smith and Lord of Eregion, Celebrimbor.
What’s interestingly embedded here is that Sauron’s designs aren’t absolute; he’s also improvising and picking up on the weaknesses of each race as he goes about. He’s learning. But heartless Sauron is not, and I love that those behind the show have chosen to show that duality of him when he is hurting characters he wanted as collaborators, not enemies.
Sauron takes the fair form of Annatar, the Lord of Gifts, an envoy of the Valar to get Celebrimbor on board with forging the rings to help the peoples of Middle-earth. Sauron and Celebrimbor’s relationship follows the trajectory of two lovers in a toxic, abusive relationship, and Charlie Vickers as Annatar is incredible in playing this complex character, only faintly letting his Sauron peek through in pivotal moments. But it is Charles Edwards as Celebrimbor who shines like a Silmaril in his performance, blinding you to everything else that’s in the frame, particularly as the season approaches its finale.
The Rings of Power season 2 is grander and more surefooted than season 1
The Rings of Power definitely returns stronger, darker, and more intentional in season 2, as if it has found its sea legs and is sure where to go. Thankfully, the mystery box setup is gone. This is the season we start to get answers, like who the Stranger really is, and it’s a beautiful moment that makes such a long journey of buildup worth it. There was no better way to have done this. I was curious how the show would take on Tom Bombadil, possibly the weirdest, most fascinating of Tolkien’s characters, and I’m happy to report that it doesn’t disappoint!
The writing is able to convey much of the depth, complexity, and emotion that might’ve felt missing from season 1. And even the naysayers cannot deny that the show undoubtedly has a strong grasp on the powers of good and evil, dark and light, and above all, hope, and how they play into Tolkien’s ethos. The conversations between Elrond and Círdan (an effective Ben Daniels), the relationship between Elrond and Galadriel, and how both these characters are slowly but surely on the journey to become the wiser, calmer, humbler versions we know from LOTR books and movies is an interesting one to follow.
The Rings of Power season 2 still struggles with a weaker first half
However, for all its triumphs, The Rings of Power does relapse into some of its season 1 weaknesses, which seem unavoidable for the path it is taking with its timeline. Because it is introducing these multiple storylines, there are some characters that don’t quite have much to do in their subplots except for a few pivotal scenes, and they tend to distract the show from its path.
You mostly just want to see Sauron with Celebrimbor and the Noldor elves figure out his deception. The other two storylines that really moved me were the two fathers—Adar (Sam Hazeldine effortlessly slips into Joseph Mawle’s boots, and is one of my favourite characters) with his tragic love for his doomed Uruk children (the orcs), and King Durin III (Peter Mullen) with his son Prince Durin (Owain Arthur) and his wife Princess Disa (Sophia Nomvete). Watch out for Khazad-dûm; it’s glorious, spectacular, and heartbreaking this season!
These are such immersive storylines that anything that takes away from them feels like slowing down the pace, especially character arcs like Elendil’s (Lloyd Owen), Isildur’s, and Theo’s, that are still too nascent and don’t have much to do. The first half of the season then feels weaker compared to its powerful and unrelenting second half, which focuses more on Eregion.
Nevertheless, this doesn’t take away from the fact this is a great cast of new and returning actors that delivers strong performances, with everything from their appearances to their dialects on point, for which credit must also go to the scores of people working behind the scenes to make it happen. I love the tiny details embedded in the production design of the show, from Celebrimbor’s workshop to the Stoors’ precursor of hobbit homes, and the costumes of the people of Númenor. The orc makeup remains my favorite, even as I wish we got more of Damrod!
There’s plenty of lore embedded in the dialogues, fan service, and nods to Peter Jackson’s movies in the dialogue and staging that I actually love because it flows organically! Galadriel fans will not be disappointed, nor will Elrond fans who are thrilled to see him all armored up and ready for battle. And all of it is tied in perfectly by some spectacular visuals and Bear McCreary’s beautiful score. (I’ve been singing “Golden Leaves” and listening to the whole album on repeat, but “Nampat” is still my favorite!) Keep a sharp eye out for the changed opening credits, too!
All in all, The Rings of Power season 2 scales up in every way to a stronger season that really understands the spirit of Tolkien’s works, and the darkness in the hearts of all people, as well as the malice of the lord of the rings who plans to exploit it. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 premieres its first three episodes on August 29, 2024, with the remaining five episodes dropping weekly.
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