Rings Of Power Season 2 Tease Makes Me Even Happier That Amazon Made This Villain Change
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has teased a unique new character for season 2, and this makes me even more excited that the show has taken a fresh approach to its villains. Of course, the Prime Video series has faced a lot of backlash for its various changes to the way J.R.R. Tolkien (or Peter Jackson) typically did things. However, some changes, especially those including character perspectives that Lord of the Rings fans have never gotten before, can be highly valuable to the overarching story. In the case of Rings of Power season 2, this will be reflected in the opposing army.
There’s a big battle on the way in The Rings of Power season 2, confirmed to be the siege of Eregion. This is a significant canon event of the Second Age of Middle-earth, though it has primarily only been recounted through the history-book-like Silmarillion. Rings of Power has the rare opportunity to dive into this battle from the personal perspectives of the characters who witnessed it. While those like Elrond, Gil-galad, and Galadriel are a given, Rings of Power has also set itself up to provide audiences with a sympathetic look at the villains’ perspectives.
Adar Allows Us To Get Up Close & Personal With Sauron’s Army
Adar is an original character in Prime Video’s The Rings of Power, which means his general existence has been divisive. I can empathize with those who are frustrated when screen adaptations add characters that the author had never seen fit to include, but in the case of Adar, I think he brings something very valuable to the Prime Video series. He is revealed to be an early Orc—one of the Elves twisted by the Dark Lord Morgoth into something new. While this makes him evil in general, Adar is also sympathetic, which adds an engaging twist to the enemy army.
Shows like Games of Thrones have proven how much more engaging war scenes are when audiences are invested in characters on both sides.
Adar will lead the siege of Eregion in The Rings of Power season 2, with his army of Orc children behind him. This means that rather than seeing a nameless army of monsters attacking the Elven city, we will get up close and personal with the villainous hosts. Ultimately, this will allow the battle to be more immersive overall. Shows like Games of Thrones have proven how much more engaging war scenes are when audiences are invested in characters on both sides. Rings of Power has adopted this, with Sauron, Adar, and other teased Rings of Power villains being fully fleshed-out characters in their own right.
Damrod “Eater Of Dragon Bones” Will Be More Than Just Canon Fodder
Rings of Power has teased another villain added to the mix in season 2, who should again provide us with a unique new perspective. Damrod, “Eater of Dragon Bones,” is a Hill Troll who joins Adar’s army. Showrunner Patrick McKay says that Damrod was inspired by “Mike Ehrmantraut in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul,” referencing his strength and how he movies. Such a description implies that the Hill Troll will be unlike the mindless monsters used in other Lord of the Rings adaptations. This time around, the creature will be more like a legitimate character.
Looking at Damrod’s teased character, I predict the continuation of an idea suggested by The Rings of Power season 1—Sauron might see creatures like Orcs and Trolls as little more than cannon fodder, but there is more to them than that. Adar aimed to give Orcs a safe home in the Prime Video series’ first installment, which means there will have to be some motivation behind his leading them into battle in Sauron’s name. Characters like Damrod will need individual motivations as well, and this should ultimately result in an even more rounded story.
How Adar & Sauron’s Perspectives Uniquely Benefit The Rings Of Power
Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings books are told predominantly through the Hobbits’ perspectives, which makes Sauron a sort of invisible, looming force. Similarly, The Silmarillion is meant to be a found manuscript written from the perspective of the Elves, so there is never much personal account from the villains. This is why The Rings of Power is so unique. Tales of the Second Age are being told from multiple angles, with even the villains getting some POV moments that allow for further depth in the plot.
Rings of Power’s version of Sauron is a fully fleshed-out, almost tangible character. The series has the opportunity to show moments and villainous thought processes that were only implied or speculated by Tolkien. Then, added characters like Adar allow Prime Video to pull back the curtain on the inner workings of Sauron’s armies, ensuring that we, as the audience, can fully understand why they are marching, to begin with. While I understand why such creative liberties would make people uncomfortable, I have a hard time seeing this as anything but a benefit to The Rings of Power.
