Amazon’s The Rings of Power will be making its second season debut today, and fans and critics alike are holding their breath. It’s still early to make any verdict on whether this new season will manage to silence the naysayers or if we’re in for another round of heated debates that plagued its predecessor.
The first season of The Rings of Power was, to put it mildly, a battleground. From lore purists to diversity critics, the series faced a barrage of complaints that threatened to overshadow its epic scale and marketing ambition. As Season 2 premieres after a two-year break, these ghosts still linger, and it’s hard to see them being exorcised any time soon.
Why Did Tolkien Fans Hate Season 1?
One of the biggest bones of contention is the show’s treatment of Tolkien’s carefully crafted lore. Time compression, reimagined origins for iconic elements like Mithril and Mount Doom, and the controversial portrayal of Sauron left many fans feeling like they were watching fan fiction rather than an adaptation. Unless Season 2 takes a hard turn towards the source material, these valid criticisms will likely endure.
While a considerable number of fans celebrated the show’s diverse casting as a breath of fresh air, others decried it as “woke” pandering. This heated discussion is far from over, and Season 2 will likely face continued scrutiny over its casting choices.
Adding to this, Season 1 was often criticized for its sluggish pacing, with early episodes dragging and later ones rushing to catch up. At one point, we see Númenóreans in ships at sea, and in the very next scene, they’re charging towards the orcs in the Southlands (Varys must have sent them his GOT Season 8 Tardis). If Season 2 doesn’t find its rhythm early on, viewers who’ve stuck with the show will find it hard to keep defending it.
Can The Ring of Powers Redeem Itself?
Proponents of the show have argued that Season 1 was largely focused on establishing a solid foundation for the story. With the world-building heavy lifting done in Season 1, they argue that the second season has the opportunity to dive deeper into character arcs and complex plot lines without getting bogged down in exposition.
While there might be some truth to this, the major issue has always been that The Rings of Power fails horribly at execution. The story being told here is worth telling, but not in the direction the showrunners have chosen to do it. Retconning beloved characters and downplaying criticisms of dialogue and pacing from longtime fans of the lore is simply unwise.
Whether Season 2 will silence its critics or fan the flames of controversy remains to be seen. What’s certain is that it will continue the passionate discussions about adaptation, representation, and the nature of fantasy storytelling. We will certainly give it a fair chance to prove itself, but we’re not going to harbor any hopes for a redemption arc. At least not going by what we’ve seen from the trailers.
The Rings of Power Season 2 will air on Prime Video from August 29 to October 8.
