TV Review | The Lord of the Rings: The Rings Of Power Season 2

“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is easily the best series of the year. Season 2 is bigger and darker, raising the stakes to new heights with one of the most epic battles of television. The series continues to feature breathtaking visuals and an amazing cast.”

After two years of waiting, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power finally returns to Prime Video. The second season premieres August 29 with the first three episodes. The remaining episodes will release weekly every Thursday with the season finale on October 3.

DARKNESS SPREADS ACROSS MIDDLE-EARTH

(L-R): Charlie Vickers as Annatar and Charles Edwards as Celebrimbor in *The Rings of Power*. Courtesy of Prime Video

Season 1 was about Galadriel while season 2 is very much about Sauron and the Rings. This one is obviously a lot darker as Sauron is further playing his mind games to take control of Middle-earth. It is a time of uncertainty where everything only holds by a single thread. All the storylines introduced in the first season are expanded and affected by Sauron’s mind games who is now presenting himself as Annatar. Even though, there are different separate storylines, everything is connected.

What I love about season 1 is that it took its time to introduce the characters and lay out the story. It is a series with five seasons planned, ideally, so there is no need to rush things. Season 2 continues that while picking up the pace as the audience now knows what is going on. This season has the right pace for the growing darkness that spreads across Middle-earth. It spreads at a steady pace.

Númenor faces its own decay with a disputed crown, the dwarves of Khazad-dûm have their own problems, the elves are trying to stop Sauron and Adar’s orcs and the Stranger travels across Rhûn in search of answers. With 8 episodes of one hour, there is plenty of time for each storyline to progress in a meaningful way. It is not easy to juggle with so many characters but The Rings of Power does it brilliantly without forgetting anyone. However, it is disappointing Galadriel is sidelined a bit for two episodes. After all, she is the best character of the series and one of my two favourites of this universe.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST BATTLES ON TELEVISION

Robert Aramayo as Elrond in *The Rings of Power*. Courtesy of Prime Video

The second season features one of the biggest battles ever seen on television. And it is not an understatement. In fact, this battle doesn’t last just one episode, it’s more than that. The epicness and scale of this one is something you usually see in films. It is mind-blowing to think that you can now see something like this in a TV series. Throughout these episodes, you will be on the edge of your seat the whole time. This battle is of great intensity. As someone who is a huge fan of Tolkien’s universe, I have always wanted to see more battles with the elves as they are my favourite faction. This series is giving me exactly this. It showcases the elves in all their glory. Each character has their own moment to shine during the fight.

This battle is not the only action sequences of this season. There are quite a few other great action scenes. But, it is clear that the highlights of this season are Elrond in this battle and Galadriel duelling Sauron. It is a duel to remember. This duel is to Fantasy what the duels of the Prequels are to Star Wars.

This series excels on every level. It delivers both captivating story and epic action. Undoubtedly, this is easily the best series of the year. There is nothing else that reaches its level. Season 1 was amazing but season 2 is even bigger and better. This is how you raise the stakes. Considering this is only the second season, it is just a taste of what to expect from future seasons. The bar is pretty high now but it is only going to get higher.

THE ELVEN CAST

Morfydd Clark as Galadriel in *The Rings of Power*. Courtesy of Prime Video

Furthermore, Morfydd Clark continues to excel as Galadriel. She understands the character and masterfully brings her to life. She is as much Galadriel as Cate Blanchett was in the films. This is without any doubt perfect casting. It’s a shame she wasn’t nominated at the Emmys for the first season, so it is my hope that she will be for this one. However, during the first season, I wasn’t exactly sold on Robert Aramayo as Elrond. He has proven me wrong this time. In fact, he is better in the role, bringing more depth and nuance to his performance.

Benjamin Walker remains an imposing presence that commands respect as the High King Gil-Galad. He really is the right actor for this role. Plus, he gets to do more this time including singing and fighting! Seeing Gil-Galad fight and not just for a second is a “pinch me” moment! In addition, Charles Edwards is a lot more present this season. He gets to further explore the torments of Celebrimbor. There is an evolution of his performance throughout the episodes as his character changes. Then, Ben Daniels joins the cast as Círdan, the famous bearded elf. He gracefully portrays the wisdom and kindness of the character. I sure hope to see him more in future seasons.

THE VILLAINS

Charlie Vickers as Annatar in *The Rings of Power*. Courtesy of Prime Video

Now that the audience knows Charlie Vickers plays Sauron, he is able to go further with his performance. It’s even more mind games with Sauron’s Annatar persona. Charlie is deliciously evil in this role. He can go from being falsely gentle to having an outburst of anger in just a few seconds. His evil smiles will send shivers down your spine. Besides, Sam Hazeldine replaces Joseph Mawle as Adar. Rather than trying to imitate Mawle’s performance, Sam does his own thing while still staying line with what Mawle had done with the character.

IN THE WORLD OF WIZARDS

(L-R): Rory Kinnear as Tom Bombadil and Daniel Weyman as The Stranger in *The Rings of Power*. Courtesy of Prime Video

Daniel Weyman continues to shine as the Stranger, this wizard who looks for who he is. He displays true kindness in his performance which is why his character is so loveable. Furthermore, Ciarán Hinds joins the world of wizards as the mysterious Dark Wizard. Hinds in Middle-earth just feels right especially for this role. Tom Bombadil finally makes his on-screen debut after being cut from Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Rory Kinnear beautifully captures what this character is all about. He delivers a whimsical performance.

THE BEAUTY OF MIDDLE-EARTH

(L-R): Robert Aramayo as Elrond and Morfydd Clark as Galadriel in *The Rings of Power*. Courtesy of Prime Video

Undoubtedly, this series continues to be a visual wonder. Númenor, Eregion, Lindon, Khazad-dûm … it all looks surreal. I had missed seeing Middle-earth on my television. It’s absolutely breathtaking to see these places come to life. Season 2 revisits several places from the first season while also expanding what we see of Middle-earth. Rhûn is among the new places we see in season 2. It really looks different from what we have seen before. Like every other places in Middle-earth, it has its own distinct look. The attention to details, the colour palette, the architecture, everything is carefully crafted and faithful to what you imagine while reading the books. No other series do it like The Rings of Power does it. It is truly the most beautiful series ever made. After all, it is the most expensive one, so it makes sense why it is able to make such achievements.

COSTUMES AND CREATURES

Moreover, an impressive work has been done on the costumes whether it is something as simple as Tom Bombadil’s costume or something more sophisticated like elven armours. Speaking of that, this season showcases different styles and colours of elven armours depending on the region they come from. The elven culture is so rich that it is important that each kingdom has its own visual identity in terms of armours. Each style of armour bears the elegance of the elves while still being different. The costume designing team has definitely upped its game.

New creatures are also introduced like Damrod, the Hill-troll. He is very different from the Snow-troll seen in season 1. This one is bred for war. He is taller and more menacing. But more importantly, the Barrow-Wights finally make their first on-screen appearance. They are terrifying as they should be!

SOUNDTRACK

(L-R): Lloyd Owen as Elendil and Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Queen Regent Míriel in *The Rings of Power*. Courtesy of Prime Video.

Finally, Bear McCreary returns for the soundtrack. He expands on what he did with season 1. His score feels in harmony with Middle-earth. Indeed, it captures the magic and wonder of this universe. The use of vocalists in some tracks is essential in creating this musical score. It adds to the greatness of Middle-earth. McCreary also delivers during the battles with some epic tracks. And yes, Galadriel’s theme is once again used. It’s undoubtedly the best character theme of this series. It is as majestic as she is. The series still uses Howard Shore’s main title. It gives me chills every single time. Even though McCreary’s work is wonderful, Shore remains the master of Middle-earth.

On top of that, there are also more songs this season during the credits and within the episodes. Songs are an intricate part of this universe. Each of these new songs are a perfect for the moment they are used. The two highlights for me are Golden Leaves, an elven song performed by the High King himself Benjamin Walker. It’s at the same time melodious and peaceful while holding a certain melancholy that is typical from elven songs. The second highlight is Old Tom Bombadil performed by Daniel Weyman and Rory Kinnear. It’s a heartwarming ballad.

VERDICT

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is easily the best series of the year. Season 2 is bigger and darker, raising the stakes to new heights with one of the most epic battles of television. The series continues to feature breathtaking visuals and an amazing cast. Morfydd Clark excels as Galadriel, this is perfect casting, while Charlie Vickers is deliciously evil as Sauron.