New Rings of Power Preview BREAKDOWN

The newest look at Rings of Power season 2 just dropped in the form of a feature in Empire magazine. Today, we’ll take a look at the new images, some key quotes in the article, and catch up on some of the previous reveals over the previous weeks.
Magazine scans courtesy of ‪@TheOneRingNet‬
00:00-00:22 Intro
00:22-03:47 Barrow-wights
03:47-07:57 Sauron
07:57-09:16 Numenor
09:16-12:01 Elrond
12:01-15:19 Galadriel
15:19-17:03 Hill-troll
17:03-18:50 Adar
18:50-21:33 Durin & Disa
21:33-22:26 The Stranger
22:26-24:36 Arondir, Isildur, & Estrid
24:36-26:30 Outro
#ringsofpower #lordoftherings #lotr

[@veronicadavanzo2064]

Love how you just walked away from the Harfoot discussion. Hopefully they are minimized.

[@Enerdhil]

Maybe they got lost and then got eaten by Shelob.🕷️

[@The_Thinker24]

@@Enerdhil 🤞

[@JohnPeacekeeper]

I'm still hoping that the Istari is Saruman and we gradually see why he began to despise Hobbits Gentle reminder that he and Gandalf both have been keeping tabs on the Shire

[@rubyvanventures]

Yes, I laughed out loud at Matt's sudden narrative halt.

[@The_Cyberz]

The Harfoots remind me of the trolls from Frozen.

[@madworldproductions855]

Lmao I laughed so hard with the harfoot bit

[@JIMvc2]

Same 😂🤣

[@innocentBystander19]

Michael Scott: “No doubt about it, I am ready to get hurt again.”

[@DaTux91]

The timing of that little pause after "Nori the Harfoot" 😂 Perfect.

[@CraftyCoba0408]

immediately ran to the comments to see if anyone noticed...was not disappointed!!

[@poilagratter2417]

When?

[@milkompoukalo]

@@poilagratter2417 24:29 here!

[@poilagratter2417]

@@milkompoukalo Thx!

[@aaron_22766]

“Isildur is kinda behind schedule on the offspring department” 😂

[@TheJeh1]

The charity of your analysis -- pointing out the good without flattery, and pointing out the bad without hatred -- is exactly what Tolkien would have wanted. Well done.

[@nodarkthings]

Tolkien would have wanted his work left alone by this corrupt profiteering corporation

[@johngerardi6270]

“And the final picture we have from the Empire article is of Nori the Harfoot. *Pause* But what do you all think about…” Thank you for spending the correct amount of time discussing that character.

[@rothbardfreedom]

"correct amount of time discussing that entire race." (No racism intended though, they are just a sh*tty race... ok, I think I can't make it sound right)

[@jamesrichardson4988]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@Ragar-ey5bl]

@@johngerardi6270 Nori and Poppy are good characters.

[@LionHrodgari]

@@Ragar-ey5bl I liked the harfoot story more than anything else in the show but maybe thats because the rest of the show was bad enough to make the harfoot-part likeable in comparison

[@innocentBystander19]

The pause is what killed me! Definitely intentional. So funny.

[@LaJokanan]

I remember a line Tom Bombadil says when he's raking over the Barrow's treasures under the sun, something like "Fair was she who long ago wore this on her shoulder". It's never mentioned in the films, of course, so it's a blurry old memory now, but it was so brief and so wistfully sad that it stuck with me for 40-odd years. I think it was a brooch, and Bombadil took it to give to Goldberry.

[@rikk319]

Yes...I feel like Tolkien probably had an entire story in his mind about that Arnorian noblewoman, but never got to writing it down. One can only imagine themselves what that would have entailed.

[@exterminatuss4380]

I read this part yesterday and yes you're right. "He chose for himself from the pile a brooch set with blue stones, many-shaded like flax-flowers or the wings of blue butterflies. He looked long at it, as if stirred by some memory, shaking his head, and saying at last: 'Here is a pretty toy for Tom and for his lady! Fair was she who long ago wore this on her shoulder. Goldberry shall wear it now, and we will not forget her!'

[@Jacobnotlit_RL]

Bro knew what he was doing with that pause after “nori the harfoot” 😂😂😂

[@EnygmaRecords]

Best I can say is *fingers crossed*...

[@MrPopo-nn7kp]

Cant believe anyone would consider watching after the first few eps of the first season.

[@chadstearman]

@@MrPopo-nn7kpBecause it was thoroughly enjoyable. Was it perfect? Nope. But it was entertaining! Lighten up and enjoy it!

[@kevinmoore4845]

I'm also trying not to nitpick. As for Sauron vs Anatar, I am hoping that they mimic Quantum Leap. Each time Scott Bacula looked into a mirror, his appearance was what others saw him as, not what he actually looked like. It is my hope that they do the same thing in the show.

[@J0HNJ0RDAN]

Been a Tolkien fan since I read the Hobbit in the 5th grade way back in 1995... and I like the show. Do I love it? No. Can I enjoy it and allow it to stir my passion for the Legendarium? Yes! I'm gonna sit here like Stryder at The Prancing Pony and watch this all go down.

[@ConchienceClothing]

As the smokes his pipe with the light glimmer just show his eyes lol

[@cbrettb]

Nori the “harfoot”… long pause…. DYING 😂😂😂😂😂

[@DrewbattleTheGreat]

Putting a mustache on halbrand so celembrimbor won’t know it’s him. No one will notice 😂

[@Enerdhil]

🥸

[@DrewbattleTheGreat]

@@Enerdhil 🥸 hey celembribor I’m not Sauron can we make more rings. I swear I’m not Sauron 🥸

[@Enerdhil]

@@DrewbattleTheGreat 😂🤣😆 You write better lines than Payne and McKay.😂

[@Ragar-ey5bl]

Just wait and see how it is explained. Celebrimbor doesn't know that Halbrand was Sauron.

[@isaacm2374]

It's not hard to imagine that just because we see Halbrand in his similar appearance that celembrimbor might be seeing a different version or person.

[@anthonykent00]

If the series can do a 180° that would be very impressive. Based on what we saw in S01, I'm not hopeful, but I will give it a chance.

[@persephone9360]

I realize a lot of folks dislike the...liberties...taken with the source material thus far, but these images mostly look pretty sweet tbh. Looking forward to s2

[@BlackPanthro321]

The way the Elves look on this show just don't do it for me. However, Charlie's Annatar is a step in the right direction.

[@BigdogGaming-sm3lj]

I agree with you on the look of the elves. I was very excited when i heard that a Lord of the rings TV show was being made. I heard about the budget it was going to get. I was so happy that Peter Jackson was suppose to be involved. I was expecting a look and feel of those Peter Jackson movies. Also i was happy to see the same tone and style of character writing of his movies in that TV show. Unfortunately when i saw that Jackson was no longer apart of this production. And the showrunners was from bad robot.My hype level went down dramatically. Because all i could see was JJ Abrams and the destruction of Star wars and Star Trek. Being a optimistic i was still willing to give this show a four episode chance. I was let down so bad i stop watching after episode 4. My biggest problem was the elves.The race of the actors playing the elves was never my problem. Elves don't have short hair. Nor do they have punchable faces. In old school star trek. We've seen many different actors of different races play Vulcans. Yet all of the Vulcans looked and feel the same . It did not matter that the actual actor was from a different race. The Vulcans character on those shows looked and feel like Vulcans. I did not get this on this show. Spock and tovak was two Vulcans from two different star trek shows and timelines. Yet both felt the same. We knew that they was from the same species without being told. That really bugged me watching rings of power. I love this channel. It has very good Tolkien content. Hopefully season two will learn from its many mistakes from season one. I will give season two the same four episode chance.

[@tevildo45]

I’ve never felt like anyone has got the elves right

[@JohnPeacekeeper]

To be fair, Annatar is supposed to be the most beautiful of the Elves as a disguise

[@BigdogGaming-sm3lj]

@@JohnPeacekeeper I always got that image of him. He was describe as being incredibly stunning in the most beautiful way. There are some men who is so manly that other men are just attracted to his manly energy. This is the way i always seen annatar but in a male elvish way. But this show seems like they did not want to go in that direction. There was nothing stunning about none of the elves in season one. Hopefully they will get annatar right in tone and feel in season two .

[@sectureverothoughtcriminal7734]

Never mind the dwarves...females without beards, black dwarves..etc etc...

[@Caerulean]

9:42 - Sharp enough to puncture the hull of an empire-class Fire Nation battleship, leaving thousands to drown at sea? Wait, wrong univers-

[@SaraBearRawr0312]

"uh...I gotta go"

[@agentspaniel4428]

@@Caerulean that's a good one

[@JustInTimeWorlds]

That Galadriel knows she messed up supports my theory that they were trying for an arrogance to humility internal story arc with her. Not saying they pulled it off, but they tried. Season 2 will be very interesting from that perspective.

[@Ragar-ey5bl]

Exactly 👍🏼

[@superalex126]

I hated that people were so quick to say her character was ruined, instead of her character growing and changing over seasons and becoming the Galadrial we know and love.

[@JustInTimeWorlds]

@@superalex126 I actually made a video on her storyline, what I think they did right and where I think they missed the bus. Because I do think they had a purpose with her, the execution just needed work.

[@agentspaniel4428]

​@@JustInTimeWorldstrying to turn a static character into a dynamic one is not easy

[@JustInTimeWorlds]

@@agentspaniel4428 💯 and internal story arcs like that with no power growth is hella hard.

[@michaelwilliams949]

Gotta say I hope they make the scene for the Fall of Nùmenor super long like 20+ minutes. So the episode begins with them landing in Valinor and then ends with Elendil and his sons seeing and feeling the affects of the catastrophe. I was reading it in the Fall of Nùmenor book and it deserves an entire episode just because of how vast it is with the changing of the world and Sauron and how basically everyone experiences the devastation of it. That would be arguably the most vital episode to character arcs.

[@dwighteful6]

this writing makes zero sense. why introduce annatar at this point? the only reason halbrand exists is to try and make the show more "interesting". The people who know the backstory of annatar in canon just want to see in on screen, everyone else has no idea about what happens so why introduce halbrand anyways? the three elven rings were forged after the orthers, and without the direct help of sauron only the knowledge, which is why the elves dont fall under his dominion, and yet now they have annatar com ein to make the rest? the list goes on and on

[@bangarangjack]

"Nori the harfoot" *dramatic pause* was all that needed to be said lol

[@ImmersiveReactions]

I had a comment but a firework just hit my house and I forgot what I was going to say

[@randomthings1293]

"You see those elves from Eregion? They got curved swords. Curved. Swords."

[@ellingtonGaming]

the armor for Elrond is gorgeous, the helmet looks a bit off though (looks too big for him) lol edit: lol i typed this about 2 min before you said the exact same thing hahahah great minds think alike

[@aapelikahkonen]

Gotta disagree here. Most of the other helmets are comically small. The helmet of Elendil for instance would be a dreadful experience in battle, as it clearly leaves almost no room for padding. Not to mention the constant expose-your-neck thing that this show does…

[@juliapineau6286]

Hi Matt, some insight into the sea-shells around Tar Palantir's tomb: these have an old (even pre-medieval) origin that Tolkien would have know of (though he doesn't use it in his work) and the show-runners may have known of: they were often ritually placed in and on tombs of loved ones by Ancient Greeks, Romans and early christians as signs of eternal life and its cyclical nature (symbolised by helicoidal spiral of the land snail shells) but also of something left behind after death (with the sea-snail's mother of pearl symbolising the perfection of the soul which remains after the body's decay). This custom was especially present in the Mediterranean. I can't really see on the image too well, but if these are Murex shells they also symbolise prestige and wealth as they produced the tyrian purple which became part of royal and imperial privilege in regards to clothing (the reason why purple remains the colour most associated with royalty and magic btw).

[@pierrepaul591]

I haven't seen Amazon promoting any of this like they first did. Says a lot.

[@normanbarrettwiik2068]

Another interesting detail I noticed about the map in the image with Galadriel is that it appears to depict the canon-described extent of the forests in Eriador during the SA. By the time of LotR only the Old Forest and Fangorn remain.

[@zackf3688]

I imagine that Sauron must have also learned from Celebrimbor and hated him for it.

[@DavidPrice-ml2zv]

After Season 1, the show runners said they didn’t do the Annatar story because readers of the source material would know who Annatar was. It seemed the most ridiculous reason, but now they’re doing it in season 2….why the U-turn? Making it up as they go along? Or actually listening to the backlash? 🤔

[@Arabong168]

I still don't understand what the point of Helbrand was if they were going to introduce Anatar anyways... It totally killed the mystery of Anatar while adding nothing of value

[@dougmphilly]

i agree here. sauron's manipulative and deceit is his calling card. but this makes the elves the answer of "fool me once, shame on you. but fppl me twice, then shame on me."

[@sauron5666]

I am happy we get Annatar on screen for first time. But "delay" is because Annatar doesn't appear in lotr books. Tolkien Estate was late to wake up and give Rights to it.

[@dougmphilly]

@@sauron5666 so the estate relented?

[@sauron5666]

@@dougmphilly they don't sell rights for anything than lotr and hobbit but Amazon got small bits like: using Annatar name, passages about Blue wizards and some 1st Age references to Morgoth and Ungoliant. I bet they wanted even more money for it. Remeber every comes and go around the money.

[@PseudoNym100]

​@@sauron5666I think they can use blue wizards because they are mentioned in the books.

[@JrrrNikolaus]

I think Season 2 will have a lot more of what people were expecting from season 1. I must be one of the few who is interested in what happens with Nori and the Harfoots I guess.

[@JoshuaLivie]

I loved Nori!

[@S.allamerican]

I disagree with you on Sauron on season one. I think he was being manipulative from the get go. He was playing Galadriel and the others the whole time.

[@PseudoNym100]

I agree with this. People pretend to be repentant as a form of manipulation all the time.

[@DarkSide_Gaming21338]

So question how did he manipulate her when he was being honest from the get go? He told her that he wasn’t the king and found the symbol on a dead man which was true, he told her that he didn’t want to go back to middle earth and she basically forced him. He basically told her hey I’m not who you think I am or what you want me to be but she didn’t listen…

[@PseudoNym100]

@@DarkSide_Gaming21338 you don't manipulate just with lies and deceit. You exploit your victim's weakness and he apparently knows what makes Galadriel tick.

[@DarkSide_Gaming21338]

@@PseudoNym100 that’s true but the issue is we don’t see it we see her trying to say hey you need to come with me and take your place as king of the south lands (even though he told her that he wasn’t the king). He made it clear that he didn’t want to go and he made that known many times. If anything I’d say she manipulated him but not taking no for an answer and guilt tripping him into going. Otherwise he just kinda did his own thing on Numenor and didn’t show any intention or want to go back to middle earth.

[@PseudoNym100]

@@DarkSide_Gaming21338 some of the greatest manipulations are when you get to have the other person do what you want when they think it's under their own volition. He knows Galadriel will keep pushing him to do the things she already encouraged him to do. So he can easily say I don't want that, I don't want that, and then he goes with her and all the time she's thinking it's because she pushed him and not because it was his plan all along. You say he didn't want to leave numenor but why did he pick those flights and steal that Smithy crest? He knows he'd get caught. And in the fights his pride showed through via his brutality. Sauron really is a master of manipulation and the writers did a good job with that part by having it be so subtle instead of overt.

[@danielsilva-duarte571]

Oh, the barrow-wights look like me before morning's first coffee.😂 Seriously, Beör used to tell Finrod about "the darkness" back in Eriador, before his people went to Beleriand. Could they be?

[@mrs.manrique7411]

@@danielsilva-duarte571 they could certainly be part of it!

[@Patrick-qed]

Edit: Finrod.

[@Nopquar]

I really hope the Wights we see are like a test trial of that concept by Sauron and they don’t go to the Barrow Downs with them.

[@RaveYoda]

Troll nipples and harfoot dodges, your deadpan humor is on point. XD

[@lomiification]

The casting for all the elves kinda sucks, or maybe the directing? All the elves feel like they're small, rather than the greatest of the greats. All of the main elves I think should feel like they're always front and center to the shot, rather than under or around the shot. Miriel feels more like an elf than any of the elves

[@colcommissar23]

Tolkien portrayed the elves as beautiful, epic, powerful, but often melancholic. ROP portrays them as mortal, ugly, and petty. I wonder if they even knew that Elves aren't supposed to die of old age. Who the heck decided to cast Celebrimbor as an older middle-aged guy? Maybe Cirdan would look like that but not Celebrimbor.

[@Nathaniel_Scott]

Very well said. In particular Gil Galad and Celebrimbor have been my biggest dislike in the first season, the casting, acting, writing and character look/design for both of them has been very poor.

[@christiancividino455]

@@Nathaniel_ScottGil-galad looks very similar to Mark Ferguson and neither look old. Celebrimbor yeah he’s not the best casting.

[@crabberdabberye]

@@colcommissar23Oh buddy. Have you read the Silmarillion lmao? Elves are SO PETTY. They are extremely flawed people who make mistakes like anyone else. They are not perfect goody too shoes. Feanor almost kills his brother because he wasn’t daddy’s favourite anymore. Another one betrays and has his entire people killed in Gondolin because he is an incel and a girl didn’t like him back.

[@colcommissar23]

@@crabberdabberye yes one of the themes of the first age was the arrogance and hubris of some of the elves of that time. The Noldor especially. However after the disastrous war against Morgoth followed the war of wrath that actually destroyed Beleriand the remaining Noldor seem to have toned the kinslaying down a bit. Amazon's series is "based off" of the second age. The second age also saw the Noldor experience great hardship as well as the destruction of Eregion. Noldor of the second age would have probably learned some humility by the second age.

[@kosefix]

Don't have high hopes, but really appreciate your positivity. You never know.

[@develhuntr75]

Season 2 is shaping up to be great! The teaser was better than I expected and the promo images we've been getting have been stellar imo

[@deanzaZZR]

This is the Tolkien channel that was always doing positive spin. It paid off in all the new subscribers.

[@tevildo45]

@deanzaZZR Doesn’t make sense everyone knows toxic rage bait gets more views. If you leaned into that you would get way more subscribers

[@deanzaZZR]

@@tevildo45 There was too much competition for the rage bait audience to make a lot of money out of it. Some people actually enjoyed season one, amazing but true.

[@nodarkthings]

​@@deanzaZZRhe either doesn't understand who Tolkien was or was paid well to promote this vile insult

[@itsatrap1017]

I still think Celebrimbor was miscast. He’s first and foremost a blacksmith, so I think a comparison to Hephaestus was vital. When his body is defiled and hung like a battle flag, it would be more devastating if it was a strong male corpse on display.

[@JoshuaLivie]

This is actually getting me interested in season 2. Thanks for the video!

[@Rebecca_DC0]

I wanted to say thank you for being critical without devolving into a tantrum. The majority of the internet would do well to take that particular page out of your book. I really enjoyed S1 (including the Harfoots, but the end of the vid still got a chuckle from me), and while I don't think it was perfect that doesn't make me any less excited for S2. Hopefully it can keep the good parts of S1 while bringing in things that a larger part of the fan base will enjoy. 🤞🏻

[@ryankwon8785]

Considering how old the troll looks, I think he and Adar were war veteran comrades of sorts during the First Age.

[@mokarokas-1727]

Are trolls immortal..?

[@ryankwon8785]

@@mokarokas-1727 No. I just presume they age really slowly.

[@LowCMusiq]

Your critiques are EXTREMELY cordial.

[@Lambertus09]

Which is extremely refreshing

[@Malforian]

Charles Edwards is a great actor! im glad he's showing that off in the show

[@Dannywise527]

Honestly, i can't wait for this show to begin. Thanks for the Update @Nerd of the Rings. I really love the way they are really sticking to the story Arc in the Books, with slight Deviations.I really love J.R.R, Tolkien Works. The man's imagination is really and Inspiration to me.

[@ImmersiveReactions]

Would they give the Rings to Durin and ask him to give them to his people. He later then gives them to different Dwarf houses?

[@Bishopbosco]

Possibly, though they may just be simplifying the Dwarven Lore to fit the accelerated timeline.

[@Lambertus09]

Maybe there’s a gathering of Dwarves on Kazad Dum

The way you showed the Harfoot and left a second of silence right after it... You rule them all and in the darkness bind them, dude 😂

[@h7oda793]

Hopefully they not gonna nerf the wights and make anyone able to kill them without magic. They nerfed the hell out of most characters specially Sauron when they should have made him the one who caused mount Doom to erupt

[@tebbix]

I just wish Celebrimbor looked young, nothing wrong with Charles acting, it is just the age.

[@VoiceoftheRings]

I loved the Review Matt! I agree with your thoughts on it. :)

[@jamespickles8952]

19:50 I think this shot is related to the one we saw of durin's father holding his axe in front of a pile of gold

[@HaydenHunt_13]

I didn’t realize that pharazon has 9 guild crests in that scene when the king dies….foreshadowing him becoming the witch king???? Possibility

[@tevildo45]

Best Tolkien channel out there

[@robertjrmatt1223]

That’s just like the undead dragon prest of Skyrim

[@TheTableOfDurin]

Maybe Khamûl could have something todo with the Barrow-Wights. Since they seemed dressed like the easterlings with their red clothes

[@princeleefelix]

headcanoning that the troll's nipple piercing is a troll cultural symbol of something. because trolls are trolls but i love making up lore for things

[@blakerackley8874]

Charles Edwards was very memorable in The Terror(even though he was given such an insignificant end). I was glad to see they cast him in this role, and, having played Shadows of Mordor, I feel his portrayal is a more accurate representation of what Celebrimbor would look like.

[@grum7140]

The Terror is fantastic!! And I agree, he nailed his role in that show

[@JoshuaLivie]

I think his Celebrimbor is perfect.

[@logan3093]

Look, the show is far from perfect. But the fact more people are getting exposed to lotr, and we get to see people make art inspired by the books i love is enough for me to watch it. Even if they might take too many liberties imo. I understand why people dont like it, but they should be able to respect those that do. And vice versa.

[@logan3093]

@Enerdhil agreed, and it doesn't need to turn into a argument on the internet spreading divisions in the fan base. God knows enough other fanbases are divided.

[@Enerdhil]

You can try to watch Season 1. You can quit anytime you want to.😁👍🏻

[@Enerdhil]

​@@logan3093 Yes. Actually, I do not like the series, but I think everyone has a right to their own opinion. I find that I can have rational discussions with fans of the series. Often I disagree with them, but I totally understand where they are coming from.

[@logan3093]

@Enerdhil I can really respect that. I went into season one, was let down, but my sister who was just getting into middle earth really enjoyed the show, and she has read the hobbit, for context she never reads, and she's only 9. Why my parents let a 9 year old watch rings of power, idk. But she likes it, and she's the biggest middle earth fan that I know knows all the valar by name, can name most characters from the silmarillion, I can't do that. I doubt she would've gone on her middle earth journey if not for her stumbling across the show. Regardless of its quality in my own opinion.

[@logan3093]

@Enerdhil also, sorry to ramble lmao.

[@nicholasmaione5694]

I heard from another channel that Gandalf had been to middle earth before and that is how Cirdan knew him and knew to give him his ring of power. It was also said the wizards had more power that they wielded during their first visit which is why when they arrived a second time they were supposed to guide the free people and not lead them and their powers were more limited

[@Wiseguy1138]

I hope some day you’ll come up to Ottawa Canada for our Comic Con! We definitely never get enough LOTR representation here and I’d love to pick up some swag!

[@GKTorn.]

How freaking great is it that so many of us love what Tolkien made from his head tho?It's just amazing, beautiful, and heartbreaking ❤️ Such fantastic channel

[@boat1280]

Agreed. And I love that nerd of the rings is critical/honest but respectful instead of how vitriolic and over the top angry most KZbinrs are. One of my fav channels

[@dberg18211]

I wish I didn’t have such high hopes for this show..such a disappointment 😢

[@ShaDoW-uc7bn]

It just feels like the showrunners are total amateurs, but with an insanely large budged, with talented design artists and so on. They want to have a piece of everything in the show, which only makes the pacing and focus of the show feel totally off and weird. Instead of following the timeline laid out by Tolkien, they want to do everything at once, whilst simultaneously introducing new and unnecessary plots, while also contradicting the lore in a lot of places (healing powers of mithril, origin of mithril, Mordor being created with the turn of a key, Galadriel's random punishment to go the West, and subsequent swim and Numenor visit, and the forging of the rings (!), just to name a few). They also desperately want to include as much of Peter Jacksons trilogy as possible, as to lure in as much fans of those films as possible (hobbits, Gandalf, the Balrog etc.), which just breaks the timeline even further. Leaving the original characters aside, most of the canonical characters have been treated poorly. The biggest upset is of course Galadriel and Sauron, but also Celebrimbor and Miriel. The actor choices of these characters are also very questionable. I don't know what will happen in season 2. It seems like they have listened to some extent, but I doubt they are going to be able to save much. I mean, the first season is still there, they can't just ignore what happened can they? Most characters are still there, and their actions still dictate what will happen. Sure, they might introduce more canonical events, and some visuals look great, but how are they ever going to solve the entire forging of the rings plot after what happened in season 1?...

[@PseudoNym100]

I get it. As a Tolkien fan it's hard to understand a lot of the decisions by the writers and show runners. But just a few things I'll point out: yes, they've messed with the timeline of some events. But the second age is like a dozen bullet points in story arcs - it's not very fleshed out and takes place over what, 3000 or 4000 years? They had to compress some things. I'm not a big fan of the powers of mithryl as expressed in the series but the fact is that the elves' fate are tied to the fate and condition of the world. They had the need to express this visually since it's not a book story. So you tie the fate of the elves and the cure of the elves with something tangible. I'm not saying this is great or even the right way to go about it, just why I think they did what they did. Galadriel was punished for insubordination. A big no no for a soldier. Since they don't execute elves and everyone knows that Galadriel is powerful they set up a banishment so she couldn't interfere and press her will into the elves while there existed a high king of the Noldor. But I don't think they explained about the elves and going west well enough to incorporate it like they did into the story. The forging of the rings was definitely rushed. I don't think the world was showing very much decay by the time the elven rings were forged in the series, as in they had time to be creating other lesser rings first. They could've probably ended the first season with one lesser ring of power being created that shows hey, we are early in the story and don't need all the reveals to be out now. The good news about the rings being forged is that the part that matters the most is that Sauron makes the one ring after the other rings are finished. I mean it's like a 300 year gap between the elven rings and the one ring being forged. And again, we have a compressed timeline so the elves need to have had (or make it feel like) ample time with their rings before Sauron creates the one ring. I think they still have room to improve on what was done and that there's still time to have it make more sense in terms of storytelling. Telling a story by writing and by a live action are verrrry different. Books read like how the author wants. Films and series have to find ways to represent the art of the author in a very different medium. That's why many book to movie/series don't always work well. It's difficult to transform written expression into a visual story.

[@ShaDoW-uc7bn]

@@PseudoNym100 I understand the need to compress the timeline, but it still doesn’t justify the fact that they messed up the forging of the rings. To solve the time compression, I think I would have done it completely differently. Instead of a “Rings of Power” series, I would have something like “Chronicles of the Second Age”, (or something more catchy lol), where I would have split the series up into several parts focusing on different major events of the second age. So that each season is hundreds of years apart. I think it would fit the source material much better. Of course, I would only do it if i had the rights to the Silmarilion and the rest of the books. If not, stay away lol.

[@PseudoNym100]

@@ShaDoW-uc7bn I hear you. I'd be lying if I said I was good with everything in the show. I have to watch it more with the mentality that's it's a story inspired by the second age rather than it being stories of the second age. My Tolkien side doesn't particularly appreciate it, but my easy to entertain side is okay with it. Lol.

[@thomasberg77]

Completely agree with everything

[@jamespickles8952]

I think what they could do about the dwarven rings is that durin will summon the council of dwarves and annatar and celebrimbor will be present(or just annatar) and annatar will present the rings to the dwarves in a gesture of peace from the elves. Also in the book celebrimbors motivation for making more rings is that annatar convinces him that he could make middle earth just as great or even better than valinor.

[@Jayjay-qe6um]

When do they going to introduced Cirdan the Shipwright?

[@robertabblebaum7813]

He's supposed to be in this season. I believe he's been cast.

[@danielsingeorzan2808]

whoever he is I only hope he gets a white hair and beard - he is the only known elf who has these, so Amazon, better not mess this up again, like the female dwarves

[@TheGirlWhoStoleAStar]

Its really hard for me to even want to try again with this show. I really just dislike how they handled season 1 and addressed peoples dislikes.

[@staffo_xci8155]

I have a feeling you will watch season two, considering you are watching a 26 minute video breaking down a few photos of it …

[@TheGirlWhoStoleAStar]

@@staffo_xci8155 That doesn't mean anything. I've barely kept up with news on it. I just watch other stuff.

[@staffo_xci8155]

@@TheGirlWhoStoleAStar 🤷‍♂️ just saying, seems so much hate towards the show but people spend a lot of time watching content related to it.

[@Kynokefalos]

​@@staffo_xci8155 People likes to whining about something just to be the focus of attention.

[@TheGirlWhoStoleAStar]

​​​@@staffo_xci8155 I don't want this show to do bad. I didn't wish anything ill on it. I love everything Tolkien. If this show pulled itself up and did better than season 1 I wouldn't be upset. I don't know why you assume I'm like a hardcore hater of the show, I just said I was disappointed in season 1. It's just hard for me to get back into it. This is like the first video I even watched about it. What are you on about?

[@WhoIsCalli]

Thanks for this Matt

[@Neero_90]

tbh i think the original adar actor was really good, idk why hes not playing adar in s2

[@iainballas]

I must be one of only three people on planet earth who doesn't hate the harfoots XD I mean, I see why people do. But I am enjoying the proto-hobbits a bit. Though I'd prefer an entire separate story. Hobbits: The Great Migration? A one or two season show about early halflings moving to the shire area would be fun.

[@JoshuaLivie]

Love the harfoots!

[@michaelborio956]

Expectations can't be any lower for season two!

[@ZeepDr]

LOL at the end. All of this was great. Worth watching all the way through to be totally validated about my own lack of excitement about the harfoot storyline was just *chefs kiss*

[@Dr_Cole]

Fantastic, deep, and balanced review! I felt like you covered everything available as well as the various theories on where the show may take us based on the images provided. I also appreciated how you incorporated the Barrow Wites within the current story, addressing their likely geographical derivation. Finally, despite most of the Tolkien video bloggers hating the show thus far, I appreciated your continued effort to be fair and even teach Calabrimbor a way to enhance the 3 Elven RoP (without actually knowing they were made yet).

[@kosarnikcheh172]

Really like your break down , comments and notes 💞

[@RazorFang18]

I'm still upset we don't have the long-haired elves Elrond and Celebrimbor, but if we understand that the third age is like an apocalypse of Middle Earth, it makes more sense that they would have longer hair than in the First Age.

[@darkherumor]

I think that Celembrimbor and anyone in the show won't actually see Anathar as we see him. For us to follow, and be immersed, we still see Halbrand's face. But character in the show would actually only see some illusions, appealing to their beliefs. this would be a nice Sauron trick and display of his actual powers

[@Astrobrewster]

I suppose lots of people have noticed this - the Stranger looks based on Catweazle. Now that he can talk, I’d like him to say ‘May hap’ just once

[@PriscilaTV1]

Moyfydd´s Galadrial already looks mellowed in this pictures...I simply love Morfydd´s face expressions. Beautiful, tortured. LOVE IT!

[@mokarokas-1727]

wut She has two facial expressions in the show: smug and annoyed.

[@JoshuaLivie]

She is great.

[@Rauruatreides]

Basically, I like a lot of these images. Some ideas are interesting as well, with bringing in Annatar (even if that was delayed for no good reason) and such. I'm just not nearly as hyped for this season as I was last time

[@mrs.manrique7411]

@@Rauruatreides I think getting non-reading audiences to understand how “good” Sauron was was a good enough reason for the show runners to do the mystery box. 💕

[@j-dmachado4349]

I my goodness, that cut away from Nori’s photo killed me 😂 One thing I’m super excited about? More tracks from Bear McCreary! ❤

[@jazzyoe24]

I think Annatar's reveal and work with Celebrimbor will all be unveiled as a series of flashbacks, pre Galadriel and Celebrimbor's meeting of Halbrand. Halbrand probably already has the 7 and the 9 in his pouch as they were made previously in his Annatar guise. This would mean the rings were made in canonical order. Moving to the present, Annatar then returns to Eregion after dissapearing for a while while as Halbrand, and after the three Elven rings were created. He would gift the nine and the seven, perform some more manipulation of people and things around him before he is discovered leading the the sacking of Eregion. This would be great and would fix many inconsistencies with parts of the plot. Also, the barrow wights being in Rhun, where I expect Tom Bombadil to first encounter them. I want Tom Bombadil to give the stranger his blue cloak and hat to reveal him as one of the Blue Wizards.

[@exploremoreoutdoors]

The actor who plays Nori is great and I really don't mind the character at all. Don't beat it down too much just because the Harfoots are unnecessary in the show. I can't wait for season 2.

[@cyclingnerddelux698]

It's not that they are unnecessary, it's because they are evil.

[@anni.68]

@@cyclingnerddelux698 It seems that many people did not get that the Harfoots had to leave behind their dead. Members of the tribe who died because of bees, wolves or were killed in a landslide. They were left behind _after_ they had died. That's a completely different matter than Harfoots being banished for endangering the group. And the only one constantly talking about banishment this is Malva.

[@JoshuaLivie]

She was great!

[@Halafas]

Sounds fantastic tbh. Getting into the Annatar-Celebrimbor stuff is everything I've ever wanted.

[@dylanflowers8116]

Some are saying the wizard could be saruman because he has some conflict with good and evil and is heading to rhun which is where he had spent some time

[@Theorak]

The only thing that threw me off was talking so early about the war of the last alliance, really this should happen in two seasons from now. But I'm glad they are not opening more mysteries and go onto showing canon events and meetings. This cast is strong, it can do so much better if they just get to be in the right time and place. Happy to see Hazeldeen now with full Adar makeup, I think he will do fine.

[@anni.68]

The Battle of the Last Alliance will be season 5. Season 2 is about the battle for Eregion.

[@glockparaastra]

I'm already looking forward to your in depth season review once S2 is over!

[@tidalsteel]

the barrow-wights 🔥🔥🔥

[@Cloofinder]

Elronds armour looks great. Its like the armour he wore in the war of the last alliance.

[@SophieBlack]

Is it me or does it look like they've given Disa facial hair in the latest photo? It could just be the lighting, but if it's the former then that's another way the showrunners have listened to the fans ahead of making series 2.

[@anni.68]

In his last writings about beards he did not include Dwarf women in his list of people who had a beard, only male Dwarves (The Nature of Middle-earth, chapter "Beards")

[@JulioLenin88]

I love how you give your honest, mature and objective opinion instead of following the current trend of hating everything and nick picking just for the sake of increasing your views. Like what Star Wars Theory used to be before his fall to the dark side. That's why I follow and respect you. I hope you continue like this for many more years.

[@ConchienceClothing]

I don’t agree with your take on Star Wars Theory, he has put in enough time and effort to grow the largest channel in the world and is genuinely disappointed in the show as is wi the millions and millions of other Star Wars fans for their poor writing choices and sketchy acting

[@Don9872]

“Before his fall to the darkside” 😂 so because someone dislikes bad shows that you like they’re evil? Displaying your own dark side here I’m afraid.

[@andreasrset289]

Criticising a show means you've "fallen to the dark side" ? mindless consumer lmao

[@themoonman-4]

Pretty neat

[@ralphdamiani1976]

That Harfoot bit was hilarious!

[@PseudoNym100]

The lack of light. Isn't it possible Shelob infiltrates Moria? I think I saw somewhere (maybe this channel even) that Shelob will be in season 2.

[@k.m.mahmoud5283]

I enjoy this show. I had zero expectations and just enjoyed the show.

[@acrustykrab]

Eh it's easy to just empty expectations and brain to consume and enjoy any show. It's also OK to have an opinion that's not totally 100% positive on stuff. I mean, people actually sat on their couches and enjoyed Bing Bang Theory.

[@caolanod2261]

Same. I consider myself a Tolkien fan, first reading Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales in the 1980's in my teens, and love seeing my favourite fantasy realm come to live. The rivet counters can get triggered if they want. I just enjoy seeing the show.

[@tevildo45]

@caolanod2261 Rivet counters haha I’m stealing that

[@ReactionsWithTeefoooo]

Lucky…. Wish that was me

[@caolanod2261]

@@tevildo45 I learned this term in model railroading. There's haters there too who don't consider "real modelling" if your creation isn't EXACTLY like it is in real life. If the actual engine had 35 rivets holding the side of the cab on, then your model should also have 35. if not, it's trash and you're not a real modeller. 🙄😆 wankers.

[@snowy5628]

I'm really looking forward to season 2, I enjoyed season 1, it could have been better yes but I still enjoyed it none the less. I think most of the people calling it a dumpster fire never actually watched it.

[@moondogg_monte]

😂 A Dumpster Fire would come up with a more original story than these writers.

[@snowy5628]

Edgy ​@@moondogg_monte

[@Don9872]

It was a dumpster fire though… I enjoyed it anyway.

[@JesterfaceBassplayer]

Curved blades works really well visually for the elves, and there had to be a transition if they intend to match PJ's movies. However, I really enjoy the more early medieval English aesthetic of Tolkien's legendarium, and I really want to see elves with axes as described in The Silmarillion. Also - yes! The sizing of Elrond's armor was something I instantly noticed personally! Hopefully it looks better fitted from other angles.

[@mrs.manrique7411]

@@JesterfaceBassplayer hey, axes can be curved, too! 😆 I wanna see it, likewise.

[@mythal0620]

Very well done!

[@pippinisawesome52]

I’m so happy you stay so kind even in your critiques. It’s so refreshing. I liked season one and I’m ready to see what they do with season 2!

[@stevegrieb6596]

Given that Saruman was the first and the most powerful of the Istari it would make sense that the Stranger is Saruman and not Gandalf.

[@AsimovVibes]

Yes I agree Saruman is a better candidate than Gandalf, lore wise. Even better are the blue wizards who were written as arriving in ME in 2nd age around the time of the forging of the One Ring. Personally I think the Stranger is Morinehtar, which means Darkness Slayer, and the other wizard he's supposedly to meet in the east will be the other blue wizard Rómestámo, which means East Helper.

[@mokarokas-1727]

What would make less sense is that the actor is clearly meant to play "young Gandalf", word-for-word quotes from Gandalf and all, and it ending up just being a misdirect for no reason.

[@deadpoolregeneratedegenera1683]

"And the final picture we have from the Empire article is of Nori the Harfoot. But what do you all think of the new images... (goes on to not talk about Nori)" That was unironically funny to me. 🤣

[@ABxx2011]

The writing wasn't great, some of the characters were interesting, some not, but it's fun for me just to hear names and see places from Tolkien's world, and also it's the most beautiful looking show I've ever seen, I would watch it just for that.

[@dldavi]

Wigs! The wigs are concerning. Hell,honestly everything is concerning, but mostly the wigs.

[@danielnilsson9835]

Do they wear wigs?

[@RoxAnna417]

@@danielnilsson9835will you wear wigs?

[@RoxAnna417]

Ven will you vear wigs? 😂