"Rings of Power" Brings the Power to Screens Across America
“The Lord of the Rings” prequel has beautiful visuals and a promising story despite having audiences divided.
By Saya Fujii
“The Lord of the Rings” prequel has beautiful visuals and a promising story despite having audiences divided.
By Saya Fujii
After “The Hobbit,” another “The Lord of the Rings” prequel wasn’t necessary, was it? It probably wasn’t, but “The Rings of Power” is a good enough show that it doesn’t matter. “Rings” is off to a very promising start with an intriguing cast of characters, although this sentiment is not shared with some fans of the original series.
As someone who barely has any knowledge of the original story, I had no idea what to expect besides being confused at every turn. Fortunately, I was able to follow the plot line quite well and it succeeded in capturing my interest for a world that had been created far earlier. These new episodes secure my confidence that this series will provide a good foundation for a new generation of “The Lord of the Rings” fans.
This Amazon Prime Video original centers on Galadriel from the original series, who is played by Morfydd Clark here after being portrayed by Cate Blanchett in the films. She is on a vengeful quest to destroy Sauron, the killer of her dear brother. We are also introduced to a few other side stories including the Harfoots, a group of hobbits, and the abandoned elf Arondir.
Galadriel is portrayed as a very strong and determined protagonist which is a very recognizable trait among main characters, but is always a welcome one. The show mainly sticks to telling her tale, but the other storylines, which also include Elrond, another returning character from the films, will most likely collide into one story by the end of the show, perhaps in the finale episode. Through beautiful visuals and a magical feel, “The Rings of Power” combines the very different elements of revenge, friendship, and battle to create a show with a lot of potential.
Lucas Saenz, 11, considers himself a huge “Lord of the Rings” fan and his reaction to the show was very positive.
“(The plot was set up well) because they gave a lot of back history to the elves and Middle-earth and they also put the first three episodes to build character development, which later these characters will come together to fight the orcs and Sauron,” said Saenz.
Because I’m not at all familiar with the “Lord of the Rings” world, the little references probably slipped right past me as well as the big reveals, like when they visit a new part of Middle-earth. However, I was still able to enjoy it because of the great characters and the fantastical sense of wonder that has been brought back for fans of magical worlds. The unexpected humor is also an added plus, among other factors.
The show’s staff mostly brings new names to the table. The writing staff does not include Peter Jackson, who created the iconic movies. However, one familiar name is Howard Shore, who has returned to score the theme song after his beloved music from “The Hobbit” movies. Most of the names were new, something that probably contributed to this series feeling a little like a standalone. These facts didn’t change my opinion on the show; I really enjoyed it for its own elements that weren’t attached to the original.
“The quality of these new episodes were really good in my opinion,” Saenz says. “I see it as a good addition to the prequels.”
The first seven episodes of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” are streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
As someone who barely has any knowledge of the original story, I had no idea what to expect besides being confused at every turn. Fortunately, I was able to follow the plot line quite well and it succeeded in capturing my interest for a world that had been created far earlier. These new episodes secure my confidence that this series will provide a good foundation for a new generation of “The Lord of the Rings” fans.
This Amazon Prime Video original centers on Galadriel from the original series, who is played by Morfydd Clark here after being portrayed by Cate Blanchett in the films. She is on a vengeful quest to destroy Sauron, the killer of her dear brother. We are also introduced to a few other side stories including the Harfoots, a group of hobbits, and the abandoned elf Arondir.
Galadriel is portrayed as a very strong and determined protagonist which is a very recognizable trait among main characters, but is always a welcome one. The show mainly sticks to telling her tale, but the other storylines, which also include Elrond, another returning character from the films, will most likely collide into one story by the end of the show, perhaps in the finale episode. Through beautiful visuals and a magical feel, “The Rings of Power” combines the very different elements of revenge, friendship, and battle to create a show with a lot of potential.
Lucas Saenz, 11, considers himself a huge “Lord of the Rings” fan and his reaction to the show was very positive.
“(The plot was set up well) because they gave a lot of back history to the elves and Middle-earth and they also put the first three episodes to build character development, which later these characters will come together to fight the orcs and Sauron,” said Saenz.
Because I’m not at all familiar with the “Lord of the Rings” world, the little references probably slipped right past me as well as the big reveals, like when they visit a new part of Middle-earth. However, I was still able to enjoy it because of the great characters and the fantastical sense of wonder that has been brought back for fans of magical worlds. The unexpected humor is also an added plus, among other factors.
The show’s staff mostly brings new names to the table. The writing staff does not include Peter Jackson, who created the iconic movies. However, one familiar name is Howard Shore, who has returned to score the theme song after his beloved music from “The Hobbit” movies. Most of the names were new, something that probably contributed to this series feeling a little like a standalone. These facts didn’t change my opinion on the show; I really enjoyed it for its own elements that weren’t attached to the original.
“The quality of these new episodes were really good in my opinion,” Saenz says. “I see it as a good addition to the prequels.”
The first seven episodes of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” are streaming on Amazon Prime Video.