As one of the most invested original series in history, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (hereinafter referred to as "The Rings of Power") undoubtedly carries Amazon's huge expectations. The show tries to forge a new path after the deep-rooted "Lord of the Rings" movie trilogy. The first season, which started in 2022, did it to some extent. The series showcases gorgeous visual effects, realistic set design, and complex story framing. At the end of the season, the hidden identity of the "Demon King" Sauron surprised the audience. Entering the second season, the series is still full of expectations from all parties, and the characterization of Sauron has also made the series more affirmed. At present, the second season of Rotten Tomatoes has a freshness of 85%, and the evaluation is better than the first season, which was mired in controversy at the beginning of the broadcast.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 poster
The second season of The Rings of Power revolves around Sauron, who was banished by Galadriel, lost his army and allies, and was left to his own place in Eregian. At the same time, he secretly plotted to create the Ring of Power. Sauron's return is not a traditional dark lord, but Charlie Vickers' character · Sauron infuses the character with a sly charm that makes people disgusted by his insidiousness but drawn to his complex and changeable personality. Obviously, in the second season, the shadow of Sauron has loomed over almost all other characters. For example, Celebrin was lured by Sauron to forge the Ring of Power. But in the play, what the audience sees is not a simple routine of the evil villain using dark forces to manipulate the naïve craftsman, but through the psychological tactics used by Sauron, and the use of the information gap between the two sides, to guide Celebrimbo step by step to make a decision. Sauron was not a ruler who used violence alone, he was more like a clever chess player, skillfully laying out and paving the way for his rule. J· J.D. · Paine Payne) and Patrick McKay · as writers for the second season of The Rings of Power. The two have revealed in previous interviews that they hope to highlight Sauron's ingenuity and cunning through this subtle method, and only in this way will he become the mastermind behind all the turmoil in Middle-earth in the future, which will be more convincing. But Sauron is not invulnerable, and the audience can feel that Sauron is not omnipotent, and even vulnerable at some point. The complexity of this character is not just how cunning he is, but how he will fail.
A still from the second season of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power".
Despite the success of Sauron's characterization, the overall narrative of the second season is still unsatisfactory. Especially in the plot without Sauron's direct influence, the appeal of the plot is greatly reduced. The relationship between the dwarves and the elves, the power struggle of Númenor, and the division of the human kingdom are only superficially explained, lacking sufficient depth and development. Viewers will certainly expect these threads to unfold in subsequent seasons, but at least in the second season, they serve as a backdrop rather than the core of the plot. All of the above makes the second season of "The Rings of Power" quite criticized in terms of rhythm. In contrast, although the first season also had some problems with the rhythm, at least the plot revolved around Sauron's identity. Although the second season deepened the portrayal of Sauron's character, the rest of the story line was fragmented, making it difficult for the audience to find emotional support points, and it was difficult for them to resonate emotionally with other characters. This is also a key reason why the series has so much potential, but in the end it does not reach the height of the Lord of the Rings film series.
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