“Rings of Power” takes place during Middle Earth’s Second Age. Because of its lengthy duration of 3,411 years, writers have decided to compress the events of the Second Age into a shorter, more emotionally invested timeline.
photo by @theringsofpoweramazon
Big names, big ambitions and an even bigger budget: “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” strives to revitalize its namesake while giving viewers a deeper understanding of Tolkien’s imaginative world. Focusing on an entirely different era, the show vastly differs from the original trilogy.
The new series takes place thousands of years before the events of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings.” Because of the vastly different time period, most of the central locations and characters from the original movies are not present in the new show. However, despite the large time gap between the content, the show still contains a few familiar names and faces.
“It’s cool to see some of the characters from the movies,” senior Peyton White said. “Especially getting to see Sauron in more scenes is exciting since he’s such a cool character. I just hope we’ll get to see him more in the future as he only had a few scenes in the movies.”
A recurring theme in the series is the war between light and dark. Two familiar characters, the elf Galadriel and the necromancer Sauron, drive the main conflict throughout the show. This dynamic is established as the main plot in a series full of side characters and stories. The first episode introduces Galadriel’s vow to track down and destroy Sauron.
“I love how the show immediately introduces the main conflict between good and evil,” White said. “It immediately gets you interested in the main character’s mission to find and kill Sauron. The opening scenes leave you wanting to see more of the unique action that this series can bring to the table.”
“The Rings of Power” covers four main storylines, each with a relatively unique focus. Each of these separate tales re-introduces the four main races known to Middle Earth. Plots are driven by dwarves, elves, humans and hobbits, all with a common sense of hidden danger.
“I enjoy seeing the world of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ adapted into the modern screen,” senior Seth Smith said. “There aren’t too many worlds that have this much detail and story behind them. The show really helps to flesh out the already popular lore that comes with ‘The Lord of the Rings.’”
Considering viewer’s expectations, producers made sure not to hold back on expenses. With a five-season commitment already made by Jeff Bezos, the show was approved with a substantial budget of $1 billion for its production. This large dedication of funds immediately gave the series the title of “most expensive show ever produced.”
“I will say, even though the show is newer, I still like the effects from the movies much more,” Smith said. “Something about them just feels more real.”