The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power Season 2 is stuffed to the brim with battle scenes, frightening confrontations, betrayals, and new alliances. Yet the series, like another fantasy spinoff, House of the Dragon, cannot seem to conjure up or sustain a required spark to — dare we say it? — make us genuinely care enough for any of its characters. That is, unless you’re fine waiting for moments when characters like The Stranger, Nori, and Poppy arrive on the scene. The trio became instant fan favorites during the first season, and their story arcs don’t disappoint this time around.
And even that plot thread — the troika on a mission; is The Stranger Gandalf or not? — can’t keep the entire series glued together. Now that Prime Video has announced that five seasons are planned, this prequel series to J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, which takes place in Middle-earth thousands of years before our beloved Hobbits arrive, is going to need some wizardly magic if it intends to keep audiences engaged and invested for several more years.
Something Is Missing in Middle-earth
Season 2 isn’t short on action. As it was in J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, there’s plenty of it swirling around here, and you may need a notebook to keep track of everyone and everything occurring. A gaggle of characters move through predicaments here, while another set tries to survive over there. On and on it goes. But something is missing — a genuine heartfelt connection to what we’re watching.
Unlike The Lord of the Rings movies, which quickly get you emotionally connected to various characters and their storylines, this season never fully grabs you. It’s dazzling to the eyes. The production value is spectacular. But do we really care about the plot? We did in The Lord of the Rings. (It’s okay to admit if you weren’t too fond of the prequel films, which suffered from the same thing being addressed here. You’re not alone.)
Related: Rings Of Power Star Teases Galadriel & Sauron’s Season 2 Dynamic
Throughout this eight-episode season, though, you can also expect all the things you’ve come to appreciate about The Lord of the Rings franchise. An Elf rising to the occasion. Dwarves fighting to survive. Orcs wreaking havoc. The series’ second antagonist, Adar, leader of the Orcs in the beleaguered Middle-earth Southlands, is handled well. Sam Hazeldine takes over the role from Joseph Mawle, and that transition is handled smoothly without much fuss. Hazeldine adds a grittier edge to Adar, who wants to nurture his Orcan “children” into violent and obedient beasts. The actor rises to the occasion and, at times, the Orcan escapades are stunning to watch.
The Stranger, Sauron, and the Siege of Eregion Keep Season 2 Afloat
What else is good here? It is admittedly compelling to watch two sets of characters move through their endeavors this season. Of course, we have The Stranger, Nori, and Poppy (Daniel Weyman, Markella Kavenagh, and Megan Richards). The Harfoots’ journey through the unexplored lands of Rhûn and a teased subrace introduction (The Stoors) will immediately pique your interest, and how the series handles these treasured mountain-dwellers is intriguing.
The three characters are probably the most relatable and emotionally connected, which is nice in a show without many deep bonds (unless you count the Orcs’ allegiance to Adar, which is just purposely creepy). Our beloved Harfoots are helping their mysterious, giant companion find answers to who he is and what his destiny is in Middle-earth. Cherish an epic desert scene that finds these three in peril, as it is one of the most wonderfully shot and executed bits of the season. It also offers a few cliffhangers.
The other set of characters involve the shape-shifting Sauron (Jack Lowden and Charlie Vickers), who transforms before the eyes of master smith Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards), convincing him he’s an Elven ally. He’s not, of course, but watching Vickers and Edwards in these scenes offers a much-needed organically produced tension that the series could use more of. Sauron’s manipulation leads to a plot that will lay siege to the city of Eregion, an epic battle scene that has already been pumped up to be the series’ most elaborately produced. In fact, it took many months of filming to pull off. The result should satisfy fans.
Morfydd Clark Is Great but Galadriel Needs Work
Then there’s Galadriel (the excellent Morfydd Clark). The character didn’t receive a tsunami of love online last season, giving this fine actress and the character a kind of uphill battle here. It’s one thing that Galadriel wants to save face and make amends this season for having been duped by Sauron, it’s another thing having to watch the character and the actress in what tends to feel like a strained, confined role. It’s as if she’s saying, “See me, hear me, I’m here to help” — to both the show and the viewers.
The character’s pairing with Elrond (Robert Aramayo) doesn’t always hit its mark, but it’s an important part of the story, and we’ll watch it play out as Galadriel feverishly sets up to thwart Sauron’s sinister plans. And all that buzz about a mysterious connection between Galadriel and Sauron — watch that play out and judge for yourself.
Meanwhile, there are those iconic rings to contend with. At the end of the first season, we witnessed how Galadriel set out to create three rings (the ring of air, fire, and adamant) to join the three Elven rings. That boomerangs back this season, as Sauron has new plans of his own to assure his ultimate power. All that relates to the rings.
The case of the great Morfydd Clark and the weak Galadriel storyline feels like a microcosm for this show — so much impressive skill and value that never reaches its potential. Even though the series boasts exceptional production value, a fabulous posse of world-class actors, and real Tolkien-heads with creators Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne, it can’t seem to lift itself out of the mud. Whatever the case, moving forward, the show will have to get us more invested with everything going on, and perhaps rely more on Tolkien than the creators’ own machinations. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power hits Prime Video August 29. Watch it through the link below:
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