The Rings of Power can’t simply expect its narrative to rope in audiences as Peter Jackson’s cinematic trilogy did all those years ago. For one thing, Sauron has yet to create the titular rings, and without the One Ring to give the protagonists a sense of urgency, it’s hard to determine if even the showrunners know where they’re going with this. Perhaps that’s why the show mainly draws on mystery to keep fans intrigued. Questions about who Sauron is, who the Stranger is, and who this new Orc-commander Adar might turn out to be from Tolkien’s extensive legendarium.
That last one, in particular, has given Lord of the Rings fans a lot to talk about, but the show’s prosthetics designer has confirmed that Adar is indeed an Elf. But besides the piling mound of enigmas, fans seem to be growing more and more appreciative of the Amazon adaptation as the show continues its run. Here’s your daily roundup of all things Rings of Power!
‘Rings of Power’ fans heap praise on the show’s amazing visuals
Say what you will about The Rings of Power and the way it supposedly fumbled the established canon and delivered a subpar narrative, but the show still boasts some of the most amazing visuals we’ve seen in television, perhaps even cinema. From the way Galadriel and Miriel experienced those visions of doom for Númenor via the Palantir, to the Orcs all being designed with unique prosthetics, fans have been heaping praise on the production team. Not that we expected anything less of a $1 billion live-action series, but the result is still aesthetically jaw-dropping to behold.
The head of prosthetics explains Adar’s deliberate ‘elfness’
There’s something about Adar in The Rings of Power that immediately reminds you of an Elf, even before seeing those pointy ears and confirming his race for yourself. The mysterious villain and commander of the Orcs in the Southlands made his debut in the latest episode 4, but there’s much we don’t know about his origins yet. For instance, why does he appear to be an Orc sympathizer?
Of course, that might be putting it lightly, because the dude was literally crying over a dead Orc. (Not that we have anything against Orcs, mind you, but it’s not every day where you see a sight like that in Middle-earth.) According to one of the production heads, that “elfness” was a deliberate highlight, so could it be hinting at his identity?
The fandom wants Arondir and Bronwyn to seal the deal already
Look, we know this is Middle-earth, and barring the absolute catastrophe of characterization and storytelling misfire that was the dynamic between Kili and Tauriel in The Hobbit trilogy, people don’t really express romantic feelings toward one another, let alone consummate their love onscreen. That being said, it’s been four episodes already, and the two star-crossed lovers, Arondir and Bronwyn, have gone without so much as a kiss. The fandom is now saying: Enough is enough, get on with it!
That’s all there is for now but come back for more tomorrow as we go through another Rings of Power roundup.