The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power Season 2 review: Steps up its game but still falls short

The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power Season 2

After the first season of LOTR: The Rings of Power, all of us agreed that JRR Tolkein’s source material deserves better. A better plot, a more formidable Sauron and characters worth rooting for. To that end, the second season of Rings of Power is certainly a step-up from the lackluster first season which took world building so seriously that it forgot to deliver an engaging plot. Galadriel (played by an earnest, yet ineffective Morfydd Clark) cut a pathetic figure as she was taken for a ride by Dark Lord Sauron posing as the human Halbrand (Charlie Vickers).

#NotMyGaladriel was a common sentiment among LOTR stans. Season 2 has Galadriel get some of her mojo back (the keyword being ‘some’). The scale of the show is larger than ever, but this time, there is a plot that matches up to the scenic beauty and the majestic shots of erupting volcanoes and scenic Lindon. The 3 rings which were forged by the dwarves (with the help of the sorcerer) create a rift between Galadriel and Elrond (Robert Aramayo), as the former possesses one of those rings.

Rings of Power Season 2: Plot

The second season opens with a prelude dating back to the Second Age. Adar (Joseph Mawle) uses the anti-Suaron sentiment among the Orcs to his advantage. He stabs Sauron with the crown, and organizes a rebellion among the Orcs to overthrow the Dark Lord.

Sauron, still alive, uses Black water and Black Speech to take a human form of Halrand. The action shifts to the present-day where Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker) takes Galadriel to task for not being careful with Sauron's sinister ways.

Meanwhile, the Stranger (Daniel Weyman) continues his journey with Nori (Markella Kavenagh) and Poppy (Megan Richards) by his side. The rest of the Harfoots are done away with (thank god!) Meanwhile at Khazad-dum, Durin IV (Owain Arthur) is still bitter about his father disowning him in the last season. His partner Disa (Sophia Nomvete) is just the spunky, audacious woman you’d want to root for.

Rings of Power Season 2: Writing And Direction

If the first season of Rings of Power was like a stationary lake which barely moved forward in terms of plot, the second season is like a stream of water which moves, except it has no ebbs and flows. There are little-to-no shocking twists, nothing that keeps you on the edge of your seat, in a “I-can’t-wait-to-see” what happens next.

In fact, you cruise through the eight episodes hoping there comes a point where you are absolutely hooked. The first three episodes, much like the first season, are spent on built up. From the fourth episode onwards, action picks up. No Spoilers but there may or may not be more Rings in the making.

Rings of Power Season 2: Performances

In a surprising turn of events, Galadriel joins forces with a man who has a common enemy. The two rally their forces to defeat Sauron. The eight episodes, five of which are due for an episodic release over the coming weeks, show how Sauron wrecks havoc across Middle Earth.

One of the criticisms of the first season was Sauron being merely an entity that exists in the backdrop. In season 2, we see this evil take various forms—human, non-human and as eerir Black Water which swallows everything that comes its way. The entity is more formidable, yes but still not ruthless enough. Galadriel redeems herself towards the end of the season in a duel (the glimpse of which we saw in the trailer). The redemption is much-needed, even if comes too late (and overdrawn telepathic battles between her and Sauron).

Rings of Power Season 2: What Works, What Doesn’t

Sauron has lost his army. He shifts gears and pretends to be an Elf in order to sabotage their army, as they are attacked by Adar’s arcs. Majestic battle sequences play out in the last two episodes of the season—think flying balls of fire, explosions and on-ground battle between Orcs and the elves.

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What works well for this season is cohesive storylines which, unlike the first season, have a purpose and culminate in a meaningful way. What doesn't work is that it offers characters which aren't really worth rooting for. For some reason, the stakes don't feel high enough.

The season ends with a shocking death. After two long seasons of struggling with his identity, the Stranger finally lets us know who he is and in a true-blue middle-aged fantasy fashion, there's also incest scenes. If you are an LOTR nerd, rest assured, you must watch this season purely because it is a much-needed step-up from the first.

Star rating: 3 / 5 stars

The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power season 2 is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video.