Already, it seems like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is going to go down as one of the most controversial television shows in history. Most of the fandom doesn’t even want to admit that the series might have something decent to offer in the way of adaptations, while the rest are too busy arguing about what maketh a good TV show anyway, and whether Middle-earth could compete with George R.R. Martin’s Westeros, now represented through House of the Dragon. With the entire Tolkien community bickering about one thing or another, here are the most important tidings from the land of Arda in the last day or so.
You can rate The Rings of Power again, but Big Brother (aka Jeff Bezos) is watching you
Amazon turning off the ratings for The Rings of Power to avoid review bombing was a bit of a knee-jerk reaction that ended up blowing in the company’s face. If anything, it convinced more people that maybe some of the most ardent haters have had it right all along, though who knows how far-reaching that sentiment is?
The good news is the company has finally re-enabled ratings for the show on their official website, and as of now, the adaptation retains a score of 3.7 out of 5, with only 23% of the reviews giving it a one star. Not too shabby, right? Except, a lot of us had expected more of a live-action adaptation that succeeded Peter Jackson’s cinematic masterpiece.
‘LOTR’ fans rejoice at the series getting this subtle detail right
Even so much as suggest that you’re going to deviate from a great work of art and its fandom will never let you hear the end of it, but show that you have a keen eye for detail, and they’re ready to let bygones be bygones. That’s what happened with The Rings of Power after the premiere of this last episode — which not only improved on plot and pacing but also featured a scene that every Tolkien veteran enjoyed. It involved a certain Elven ranger called Arondir crying over the fact that he has to cut down a tree, which, if we’re being honest, is the most Tolkien thing we’ve ever heard. The professor would be proud.
Why did the Free Peoples have so much trouble with Sauron when they defeated his more powerful master Morgoth?
Since The Rings of Power takes viewers deeper into Tolkien lore than many ever dared venture on our own, a lot of fans are confused about Morgoth, the dark lord who is supposedly even more powerful than Sauron. And if the Elves somehow managed to defeat him, how could Sauron even pose a threat to them? Well, the short answer to that very important question is that the Valar, the creator’s greatest angels, helped the Elves and the Men in the war against Morgoth.
But if you’re interested in the longer version of that explainer, and maybe learn more about the history of Middle-earth while you’re at it, then check out this intensely lore-heavy Reddit thread that’s been gaining a lot of traction.
Come back tomorrow for more tidbits on Middle-earth as you wait for the fourth Rings of Power episode, slated for release on Friday.