The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (S2 Ep5)
Rings are in this season and Middle Earth and they have Elves and Dwarves going crazy! This week Rings of Power took some big steps as the Rings started getting passed around and Sauron started sowing seeds of dissent in his new community.
I was surprised to see how fast it all went south. Almost as soon as these people put the rings on they started being corrupted. Not gonna lie I kinda see why some are arguing not to give them to the men. Celembrembor is starting to feel the stress as his lie expands and he further dives deeper into Sauron’s influence. By far this is the most compelling and interesting arc in the show and I enjoyed that this week’s episode spent so much time there. I’ve discussed at length how this show is filled with some pretty incompetent people but Sauron is not that. It reminds me of Palpatine’s levels of deception and manipulation during the Clone Wars. He doesn’t even have a side, even the armies of Mordor he is manipulating and using. He is fine with some figurehead leading them for now while he does his work. Reminds me of Palpatine and the Separatists’ who arguably were just as much victims of his as the Republic.
And then we head to Numenor, this arc is by far the weakest. It just feels so by the book and paint by numbers. It comes of as a Community Theatre version of Game of Thrones and even the things that are supposed to be twists you can see coming from a mile away. The bad guys I hate but not in a heel heat kind of way, in a “go home” heat kinda way. The scene at the shrine particular felt like they really thought they were cooking and it just lacked, as the kids today would say “sauce”. The main character also pulls just one of the dumbest decisions that leads to what’s supposed to be a big moment but it all just feels so avoidable the surprise doesn’t hit because you are thinking “yea of course that is what happened dummy”.
So some things to build on and one discovery in the Dwarves arc has potential, Sauron arc is where the strongest story is and they should be careful not to spend too much time away from it. It feels like things may be taking a leap here soon but as HotD showed, I am not falling for that again.
Observations
- Well, it didn’t take long for the dwarves to go crazy.
- Hey, I got this reference!
- Work husbands
- I may care about this story the least
- That lady is weak
- Imagine overthrowing a kingdom cause your brother died as a soldier in a war. Seems a tad bit excessive. But hey people mourn in their own way.
- Didn’t the Queen just tell him to stay fast and keep serving?
- O Captain my Captain
- Feel like that dude is doing his best Joffrey cosplay.
- This whole Numenor arc feels so paint by numbers.
- Yea, that glimpse of Sauron was dope. Again he’s the most interesting this in the show.
- Uh oh. She woke something up
- Well that’s a waste of money
- Yea that’s a lot of walking
- How much of this show will just be stupid people doing even stupider things slowly cause the rings?
- Yea we’ve done this thing with him and his dad like 50 times.
- So that was the Balrog
- Oh she dead
- Ok Saury it’s all unraveling a bit.
- This is kinda moving fast this wood in Sheep’s clothing storyline
- Well she ain’t dead but she ain’t safe.
- Just an ass for ass sake
- Great they’ll just have you killed now genius.
- Yea because of course that happened moron
- Some Palpatine levels of manipulation going on here.
- Oh those rings gonna be trash
- Finally someone isn’t an idiot.
- Orc Elf alliance incoming.
