The second season of “The Rings of Power” is an epic story of hubris and downfall

The Dark Lord rises and Middle Earth is in danger. Here is our review of Season 2 of Prime Videos The Rings of Power.

The Rings of Power was a tragic story from the beginning. Tolkien fans and fans of Peter Jackson's films know this. Well, good triumphs in the end, but Middle Earth had to go through a lot of darkness before it could enjoy light.

That's what Season 2 is about: Sauron making his move, everyone else desperately trying to hunt him down, and then of course there's the Stranger and Nori on their own quest. All in all, it's an epic and heartbreaking journey with a few oddities here and there.

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The Rings of Power Season 2 review: Heartbreaking, nerve-wracking and sometimes head-scratching

Sauron (Charlie Vickers) is back, and no one is more angry than Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), who was betrayed by the man she once knew as Halfrand. The revelation that Sauron has returned sends the elves into turmoil, and Elrond (Robert Aramayo) is incredibly suspicious, especially because of the rings that Galadriel swears can help turn the tide.

Meanwhile, in the realm of the Dwarves, Durin (Owain Arthur) refuses to reconcile with his father as the kingdom of Khazad-dûm falls into a time of despair. In another part of Middle Earth, Nori and the Stranger try to find answers about the Stranger's origins and past, but also have to deal with mysterious dark forces that want to stop the Stranger for some reason.

But the focus of this season is Sauron doing what he does best: deceiving. And boy, does he live up to his name as the great deceiver.

Hubris, greed and magicians

I spent a lot of time watching this season screaming at my screen because I was angry at how easily everyone seemed to fall into Sauron's trap. The overarching theme of this entire season is hubris. The elves are convinced they can handle the rings, the dwarves' inner conflict is driven by greed, and even Numenor, the once shining city of men, is on a downward spiral.

The acting goes a long way in selling the series. Clark, Aramayo and Charles Edwards, who play Galadriel, Elrond and Celebrimbor, are the standout characters as the central story arc of the season rests on their shoulders. Galadriel's pride is wounded and she must deal with the guilt of having befriended the very person she was so doggedly trying to hunt down. On top of that, her friendship with Elrond is tested and Elrond himself is forced to do things he is uncomfortable with as he wrestles with his loyalties and principles.

The slower part of the series is the same as last season. The Stranger and Nori's journey, while a little more exciting thanks to the arrival of Ciarán Hinds' Dark Wizard and the iconic Tom Bombadil, played by Rory Kinnear, is still slow here. The resolution at the end of the season isn't all that satisfying either, although it was quite heartwarming.

The Lord of the Rings

The entire season hinges on one person: Sauron. Thankfully, Charlie Vickers plays the Dark Lord very well. It's odd to see Sauron as a man when in the films he's only ever been… well, one eye. But Vickers, now unfettered from dressing up as a half-rim unlike in Season 1, has free rein to play Sauron in his menacing and scheming ruthlessness, which he succeeds spectacularly. To put it simply, you'll love to hate him, although there are certainly a number of other characters this season that will evoke the same feeling.

The Tolkien “dilemma”

As entertaining as this season is, the writers decided to do a few odd things that got me wondering. Unfortunately, I can't go into detail without giving anything away, but the beginning of the first episode and the development of a relationship between two characters struck me as odd.

I'm not the biggest Tolkien nerd. I don't have even an iota of Stephen Colbert's knowledge. But if these things seem odd to me, I'd wager that to Tolkien purists they would be at least even stranger, and at best frustrating.

For this reason, I can't help but wonder what JD Payne and Patrick McKay's intention is towards diehard Tolkienists, most of whom have criticized the show for straying from the source material. Will they simply ignore the criticism? The show is still entertaining for non-Tolkienists and casual fans who aren't too well versed in the world, but are they choosing to alienate those who have loved these books for so long?

Before the sun rises

Season 2 of The Rings of Power is epic, but it's the intricacies of the story and characters, especially Sauron, that make it so special. It's a devastating look at how Middle Earth almost inadvertently welcomed Sauron back. But hey, darkness is always at the dawn. Those not so well versed in the world of Tolkien will have a lot of fun, but I expect those who are will have a thing or two to say about it.

The first three episodes of The Rings of Power Season 2 is now streaming on Prime Video