Immersive and stunning. A long-awaited return to Middle Earth.

(spoilers ahead)

Well, the moment that many of us have been waiting for with hungry anticipation for well over a year at least, has finally happened. The Rings of Power has premiered on Amazon. Now, my first blog entry was to highlight my rules when it comes to film and TV show adaptations, but now let's talk about the show itself.

I suppose the first question that is most important to answer would be in regards to my general thoughts and reactions to it. In short, I finally feel I've returned to Middle Earth after so many years of waiting. Of all the fantasy worlds that one hopes to be immersed in, Middle Earth is by far the gold standard, as I've stated before. The fact that this show was able to embody such an intricate world at a level of detail and majesty that even avid fans such as myself felt as though we were finally returning, is nothing short of fine craftsmanship. While Peter Jackson films are truly what can be considered a masterpiece, the Rings of Power is no shortcoming. Yes, that was the short answer.

The long answer, well, buckle in.
There's going to be both a blessing and a maddening frustration to the fact that this show is depicted in the second age. I discussed this last time, that the second age is either a very good or a very poor time to be creating an adaptation for. And that's because there's simply not enough source material to be going line by line for an adaptation. However, I find this to be a good thing. Wheel of Time fans, for example, were so avid that they were expecting word-for-word recreations of their favorite scenes, characters, and moments. In reality, and for those of us that live in it, such things cannot be expected. But what of a world where the source material is generalized? Well, this is exactly where Rings of Power sought to delve. Because we know the key aspects and the key outcomes of the second age, the show has a firm planting and which directions to take their plot. This also gives them an opportunity to add original material and details that can't truly be contested because there's no source material to point at as proof of its illegitimacy. Again, this will have its pros and cons. For now, I think it is the most crucial and enjoyable aspect.

The first and most obvious compliment of the show is that it is visually stunning. This is important in a world such as Middle Earth, where there are distinct natural and developed features that are unique to this fantasy, which can be found nowhere else in all of literature or reality. The showrunners, director, and visual effects artists should be quite proud of what they created. But as you know, fair reader, it takes more than a pretty picture to intrigue an enthusiast. The brief glimpses of battle, orcs, and trolls were all so visually perfect that I felt like I was on the front lines of Helms Deep once more.

So what of the characters, the plot, and the things that actually matter? I for one, have few objections. The first character whom I was particularly worried about was Galadriel, because I worried they would nerf her either out of ignorance or to make things more daunting. After all, the lady of Lorien at the peak of her power would have changed the course of history had that always been her default. So I watched with some hesitation to see if she was depicted as an average elf, average being a very suggestive term in that case. What I can say is there has not been a clear demonstration of her strength, character, or anything else that would help me understand her full power in this adaptation. In all, we haven't seen any examples of elvin magic, but Galadriel should be a figure of power, even amongst her own people at a young age. The only elves in Middle Earth that were ever stronger than her were high kings that preceded Gil Gaald and died in the war against Morgoth in the First Age. In the Second Age, she is one of the least rivaled beings of power and answers to no one. To depict her as an average elf on a mission and trying to convince others to believe her is not doing such an epic figure justice. That being said, I have enjoyed the RoP character in all other respects, and again, we're only 2 episodes in. Perhaps this perspective will change.

There are added features that one can't help feel are a bit unnecessary. Though these features certainly don't bog down the show as a whole, it does make one a little hesitant. The forbidden romance between an elf and a human was actually done tastefully enough that there was no stumbling or awkward moments of cringing (like a certain romance between a dwarf and elf that shall remain unnamed). The features that I'm curious and hesitant about pertain to that of early hobbits. They seem to be the first addition of the show that I haven't made up my mind about yet. As lighthearted and carefree as they are, they do feel a bit more forced than the others, especially knowing that they play basically no role in the First and Second ages. Now, what I have to remind myself is that in the epic realm of Middle Earth, with all of its fanciful and fantastic creatures large and strong, it remains one of Tolkien's most important points that even the smallest of creatures can make a difference. With that in mind, I allow myself to be proud that hobbits once again are playing a role in a time where they were, quite frankly, glossed over in the history books. Middle Earth and Tolkien's worlds are, to the most avid fans of fantasy and his works, a place for all walks of life of every shape, size, and appearance.
Another aspect that I can't say I'm particularly deterred because of, but incredibly curious about, is meteor man. Now, meteor man is making an appearance very early on in the show and is also a character that has very little information provided in the original works, so I have no idea what to feel about him. Sauron has not yet made an appearance, but it has been the focus of the entire first two episodes. Meteor man, on the other hand, has been left completely to our anticipatory imaginations. I genuinely can't recall if he plays an intricate part in the outcomes of major events that take place in the Second Age, or if he was only mentioned as a passing legend. So, I must admit I cannot decide if he is a good, a bad, or an unnecessary addition to the show.

What am I most excited about? Well, if we're being honest, I am incredibly excited to see more of the dwarves. This is a realm and a people that Peter Jackson could only tease in The Hobbit trilogy. Never in Tolkien adaptations have we seen the dwarves at their prime. We come across them after their destruction in the Fellowship, and after their exile from the Lonely Mountain in the Hobbit. Now we enter a time where elves and dwarves are at the height of their influence, their power, and their prestige. We get to see a visually stunning realm of Khazad-dûm. I am incredibly excited to see not only the interactions between elves and dwarves that helped forge the rings of power themselves, but the events that led to the downfalls of so many dwarven societies, many of which forced them into their secluded and bitter nature that we encounter during the Lord of the Rings. It’s fascinating to me to now be in a time where the interactions between different races are relatively new and fresh. When we follow Frodo and the Fellowship all over Middle Earth, we're actually seeing them after multiple ages of history where these ancient races have been interacting for a time that we mere mortals cannot fathom. We know that elves and dwarves do not trust each other, and haven’t from the beginning, that much is made obvious. But what of a time when they are both young races in a world that only recently fought and won their freedom (for however short of time) from dark threats. Khazad-dûm’s prime was freshly after Morgoth was defeated, and that means the races themselves, for the first time in the existence of Middle Earth, find themselves without a common foe. They may not have had love between them before, but they did fight side by side. Now, with Morgoth’s defeat, they begin to look towards each other with hesitation about their differences. It’s only when true dark lords rise that these races stand with one another, and even then it’s a strain. We now have the opportunity to see these complex interactions in a time that is in a gray area between both war and peace. The show starts with Elrond serving as an emissary to Prince Duran, boasting of friendship between the two and yet teasing that trust between dwarves and elves should not be a thing that exists so early on. As we encounter the dwarf king in coming episodes I will be very curious to hear the reasoning why the dwarves refuse to cooperate with such important matters such as forging of the rings of power until persuaded to do so. It appears they are discussing mithril and seem worried how others will respond to its discovery. We all know the distrust is lifted for at least a short time. Calibrimbor, after all, is the elvin smith who forges, or at least helps forge, the doors of Durin, the very same that the Fellowship struggles momentarily at in the Fellowship of the Ring. We know that a collaboration between the elvin smith and the dwarven royals was something that existed and benefited both, but it didn’t last, nor did the dwarves’ prosperity. Now, a large aspect of elvish/dwarfish distrust is most likely to do with an incident that took place with the reclaiming of Silmarils between certain dwarven royals and a certain band of elves, but I'd like to think there's something a bit more complex than that. Either way I do hope the show gives us further insights. Let’s not forget our dear balrog, either. Sure, there are multiple balrogs in Middle Earth, but the appearance of Khazad-dûm and the teaser of the balrog is no coincidence in my mind. This may be the first time we’ve gotten to see dwarves at the height of their strength, but it may also be amongst the last times…

At the end of all of this, I have to admit my genuine excitement for the show. While many are going to criticize for the petty reasons that I've already highlighted in previous posts, there's no reason why true fans shouldn't be utterly excited to finally return to the fantasy world that we love so much. I wholeheartedly believe the Rings of Power has done Middle Earth the justice it deserves, and we can go into it with a sigh of relief knowing that our wait has not been a waste.