‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ Season 2 Review: An Epic Return to Middle-earth

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power makes its epic return to Prime Video with an all-new adventure, bringing one of the darkest periods of Middle-earth to life. After being discovered and cast out by Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), Sauron’s (Charlie Vickers) plans take form and a new power rises to threaten all of Middle-earth.

The Rings of Power Season 2 is filled with nail-biting action, deeper explorations of our characters, and fantasy adventure at the highest level. Excellent performances, stunning visuals, set designs, and immense scale make it the best fantasy series of the year.

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ Season 2 Wastes No Time

Building off of Season 1, The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power Season 2 ups the ante in almost every aspect, introducing us to new locations, new characters, bigger battles, and more dire stakes for everyone in Middle-earth. The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power Season 2 wastes no time bringing audiences right into the adventure. Sauron is on the move, and that tension is felt in every fiber of this show.

The action is turned up immensely, with almost every episode containing some fight or battle with beautifully executed and engaging fight sequences.  Season 2 improves on many things from its previous season, namely pacing. While we spend more time with some characters than others, the series balances its vast set of characters and locations well, serving this season’s main plot of Sauron’s rise and influence while laying the foundations for future seasons.

This season could have benefited from an additional two episodes to give other characters a bit more time, especially those returning from Season 1. While the series does well with its eight-episode structure, some characters and plot lines take priority over others and further time could have given more balance to the cast.

Being one of the most expensive television series ever made, it’s no surprise that the scope and scale of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 is astounding. The set design and visual effects are stunning, making the world of Middle-earth feel more immersive than ever before. From the deep stone caverns of Khazad-dǔm to the desert plains of Rhûn and the shores of the Grey Havens, each location is distinct and unique, creating a relationship not just with the characters of this series but with the world as well.

While the production of the series is excellent, the true beating heart of The Rings of Power is the score from Bear McCreary. McCreary’s themes are the foundation of every scene, being as subtle and intense as needed and bringing J.R.R. Tolkien’s world to life.

Sauron Takes Center Stage in Season 2

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 features incredible performances from both returning cast members and new characters. Morfydd Clark and Robert Aramayo return as Galadriel and Elrond, who give outstanding performances, along with Benjamin Walker, the High King Gil-galad, who exudes a kingly presence in every scene he graces.

Ismael Cruz Córdova shines again as Arondir and is one of my favorite parts of this show. Córdova is a true scene stealer and enhances the performances of all those around him. Another performance that needs to be highlighted is Sam Hazeldine as Adar, taking over the role from Joseph Mawle in Season 1. Hazeldine steps into the role effortlessly, bringing a presence and intensity to the character that wonderfully builds off the foundations of Mawle’s performance. 

While there are many other great performances, this season’s standouts are undoubtedly Charlie Vickers as Sauron/Annatar and Charles Edwards as Celebrimbor. Vickers is phenomenal, and his relationship with Edwards Celebrimbor drives the whole series. With Sauron taking his fair form of Annatar, Vickers adds many new layers to the Dark Lord’s character, giving him more complexity and depth, which makes him both terrifying and sympathetic. Edwards as Celebrimbor is a drastic change from his character in Season 1 as his relationship with Annatar grows. Edwards plays the opposite of Vickers’ Sauron beautifully and exposes the deepest parts of Celebrimbor in a powerful and haunting performance. 

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ Season 2 Is a Triumph for Fantasy Television

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 is an excellent change of pace from Season 1 and brings adventure back to Middle-earth. Adapting Tolkien’s Second Age, Rings of Power is successful in being able to provide high-action fantasy reminiscent of the Peter Jackson trilogy while exploring the deeper elements of Tolkien’s work.

The darker tone of this season amplifies everything as our heroes are tested to their limits, and the evil that we know is to come begins to manifest. The cast and showrunners seem to have found their footing, executing their vision and delivering an epic return to Middle-earth. 

The first three episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiere on Prime Video on August 29, with new episodes releasing every Thursday. Follow the Agents of Fandom socials for all the latest entertainment news and reviews.