This is a shocking writeup, of a kind with all the “keep your politics out of my Star Trek” stuff. I mean…
It’s one thing to know that the elves freely used Sauron’s Rings of Power when they didn’t know who created them, but after a whole scene about how they’re the tools of the enemy, watching the elves put the rings on anyway felt ridiculous, a sudden introduction of ends justifying means that was simply foreign to Tolkien’s world by clear design.
My brother in Ilúvatar, the entire reason they give Frodo the One Ring in the first place is they held a whole summit to decide if they try to use it or destroy it and the only reason they don’t use it is Elrond tells them it won’t work because it’s Sauron’s. And even then Gloin has this whole thing where they try to figure out if they can find the rest of the rings and they go over them one by one to see if there are any available to use.
And then Frodo refuses to destroy the ring anyway and they only save the world because Gollum kept enough teeth in working order.
Hell, Elrond explicitly says nothing is black and white in the process of explaining this to everybody:
And that is another reason why the Ring should be destroyed: as long as it is in the world it will be a danger even to the Wise. For nothing is evil in the beginning. Even Sauron was not so. I fear to take the Ring to hide it. I will not take the Ring to wield it.’
FWIW, I thought the first season of RoP was… fine? It’s a weird adaptation to attempt, but in the vast, sad landscape of derivative LotR work it’s far from the worst. I’d watch it over the Hobbit movies any day, honestly. I haven’t started the second season, but I will definitely get around to it at some point, and it’s entirely possible I will feel it misses the moral core of Tolkien’s work… but I’d certainly not express it in the terms presented in this article.
The quality issues of “Rings of Power” aside, for anyone who believes that Tolkien’s works don’t include moral grayness, there is only one response: Fëanor.
No need to go even that far, Tom Bombadil is as morally gray or neutral as a character can be.
He doesn’t care about right or wrong, he’s just having good time banging his beautiful wife and singing songs about her
I like how at the Council of Elrond, someone suggests entrusting the One Ring to Tom Bombadil, because he could be trusted to misuse it and Elrond is like “nah, that’s the problem — he’s so disinclined to its power that he’d use it as a paperweight and misplace it or something”
Fwiw, I see Jack Black and Renee Elise Goldsberry for these roles.
How is qualified again, “fiercest soul to have ever lived in Arda”, or something along those lines?
The way I interprete Tolkien, I think he meant Fëanor as an example how even the best among the best can be corrupted by their hatred. He does not mince words in regards to Fëanor’s positive attributes after all.
For Fëanor was made the mightiest in all parts of body and mind: in valour, in endurance, in beauty, in understanding, in skill, in strength and subtlety alike: of all the Children of Ilúvatar, and a bright flame was in him.
Thank you for the quote!
Rings of Power is introducing an entire series to a society that doesn’t need it: another half-assed fanfic of Tolkein-ish tropes slathered in bland gravy and twice as boring.
This comment is boring.
Hey, you’re right! No idea why you even posted such a wispy fart of a comment, but good job?
I don’t know. I sorta loved the show. It was mysterious and fantastical. Sure, I could see it being a bit slow, but I enjoyed it thoroughly. The pacing didn’t feel rushed, and I felt like the character development was well done. Not every show needs to be action-packed.
Haven’t made it through S2 yet.
Is s2 out? I enjoyed the first season too.
This has ruined ALL of Disney’s live action remakes, and many of its latest animated projects for me as well.
Just make a villain a villain. Every villain doesn’t have to be a misunderstood genius. Give me more Ursula and Malificent (OG). The Malificent film was a great one-off, but it taught all the wrong lessons to the suits, and now we get “relatable” villains only. Classic, straight up mean bitch super witch Malificent is no more. She originally cursed that girl over not being invited guys. Malificent was the ultimate hater.
Now they’d wanna give Jafar a miniseries about how he’s only greedy and betraying the Sultan cause he saw the plight of the poor or something. And don’t get me started on the way they are ruining Scar in the unnecessary Mufasa film… Ugh.
