Rings of Power season 2 annihilated me

Warning: Spoilers ahead! If you haven’t seen all episodes of Rings of Powerseasons one and two, you may want to stop reading now—unless you’re ready to spare yourself some emotional anguish.

Each episode left me with a deep sense of hopelessness. The good characters are relentlessly downtrodden, while the villains triumph, mutilate, and kill without reprieve.

Season one filled me with hope, especially towards the end, when it became clear that the falling star was most likely Gandalf. However, season two has left me with little desire to continue watching. For context, I’ve rewatched season one numerous times while doing crochet, but I haven’t been able to bring myself to revisit the final episode of season two even once.

I despise all the villains, of course, with Sauron being pure malevolence. But to me, the most detestable character by far is Kemen. I endured his scenes the first time, but if I ever rewatch season two, I will unapologetically fast-forward through every moment he’s on screen.

Kemen’s despicable nature was cemented for me when he set that ship on fire. Isildur should have let him perish in the flames of the boat he tried to sabotage. Kemen is the ultimate sycophant, completely obsessed with Eärien, who, frankly, is equally repugnant. I loathe their presence. In comparison, even the new ruler of Númenor doesn’t provoke as much disdain. Pharazôn, at least, comes across as a typical opportunist, seeking power like any tyrant. But Kemen and Eärien’s smarmy attitudes truly make my skin crawl. Every time their faces appear, I feel a surge of anger, knowing they’ll soon engage in something sinister or cowardly. I wasn’t surprised when Kemen stabbed Valandil in the back—literally. I have this sinking feeling they’ll keep these two characters around indefinitely, simply to irritate us.

Now, I’m rewatching episode 8 of season two. This time, I’m focusing on Adar—transformed back into his strikingly handsome elven form. Let’s be honest, the new actor playing Adar is hot. The interrogation scenes between Adar and Galadriel have been… distracting, to say the least. Perhaps I’ve read one too many dark fantasy romances (fans self).

One of the more satisfying scenes was when Elrond kissed Galadriel—not romantically, but as he slipped her a pin to help her escape the chains Adar had placed on her. The look on her face was priceless.

And now, let’s talk about Celebrimbor. We all knew his torment and death at Sauron’s hands were inevitable, but it was still heartbreaking to watch. At least he got in some poignant final words, prophesying that the rings would be Sauron’s undoing and that one would ultimately lead to his downfall. But who was The One? Was it Frodo or Gollum?

Even Adar’s death was made somewhat tragic, as we saw Galadriel verbally align herself with him to take down Sauron. Adar was especially vile in season one, but they managed to evoke a bit of sympathy for him by the end.

Of course, we also glimpse the early stages of Rivendell’s creation—such a beautiful and hopeful setting. But how long can that hope last? I’d love to see Rivendell’s development in season three.

On a lighter note, I did some research on the actor who plays Gil-galad and discovered he started his career as a stand-up comedian and musician. Plus, he’s American! I’m delighted to see American actors convincingly doing British accents in this show. The behind-the-scenes episodes are fun, though overly polished compared to more candid interviews or Instagram posts from the actors.

The elves, predictably, are all stunning, while the orcs are suitably grotesque. And I must mention Elrond’s hair—it’s magnificent, possibly the best in the entire series. His hair just gets more impressive with each episode.

So Poppy and Nori leave to walk with the stoors, but they can’t be gone from all seasons going forward, you must have harfoots or hobbits. Hobbits are where Tolkien began.

And of course when the stoors Nobody and the Gund say thank you to the Grand Elf, Gandalf gets his name from them. 🥹

Yes, I’m emotionally invested in this show—perhaps too much. It stirs me deeply, despite the frustrations. I can’t bring myself to truly hate it. Tolkien’s world, crafted from his life’s work, is a masterpiece. I’m grateful for the modern writers who continue to bring it to life with such incredible productions, extracting such imaginative scenes from Tolkien’s extensive writings.