One would presume to think that a show titled Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, that centered around the Rings of Power, would actually get something right about the Rings of Power and the upheaval in Middle-earth that centered around them. However, The Rings of Power is plagued with a plethora of issues. From its poor writing, to miscasting of characters, to ignoring J.R.R. Tolkien’s canon, and more, one would think that the show could at least get the Rings of power right. Right? Sadly, despite the show’s $1 billion budget, it doesn’t get much right when it comes to the crafting of the Rings of Power and the events surrounding them.
And it all starts with THE poem.
Tolkien fans all know the ring verse poem telling us how many were for elven kings, the dwarves, and men. But most don’t seem to realize that the poem is not about the order of the rings crafted or that the rings were crafted for different races and how many went to each race. In fact, it is a poem similar to that of children’s songs like “London Bridge Is Falling Down” and “Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush,” both which have dark origins and meanings to their lyrics. So, too, does the ring verse which Tolkien described as an “ancient rhyme” that is talking about the distribution of the Rings of Power after the fall of Eregion and not the order of their forging. For, if you read the books, the elves were not crafting the rings for other races.
But solely for themselves.
When it comes to the crafting order of the rings there is only one thing Tolkien tells us definitively. That the “three rings for elven kings under the sky” were forged last. This is according to Appendix B’s timeline of the Second Age in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King that simply states,
“1500 The Elven-smiths instructed by Sauron reach the height of their skill. They begin the forging of the Rings of Power.
1590 The Three Rings are completed in Eregion
1600 Sauron forges the One Ring in Orodruin. He completes the Barad-dur. Celebrimbor perceives the designs of Sauron.”
According to this brief bit of information, the Three Rings were the last to be forged and followed by the creation of the One Ring. Granted, there is not a lot of information to go on when it comes to the Second Age in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit books for which Amazon has the rights to. Yet, The Rings of Power showrunners made the decision to completely ignore Tolkien’s timeline of events.
But if the timeline in the LOTR books is not enough to convince you, then go read The Silmarillion and the chapter titled “Of The Rings Of Power And The Third Age, which supports this information and confirms that Celebrimbor created them alone when his mastery of the craft was at its greatest,”
“Now these were the Three that had last been made, and they possessed the greatest powers. Narya, Nenya, and Vilya…therefore the Three remained unsullied, for they were forged by Celebrimbor alone, and the hand of Sauron had never touched them; yet they also were subject to the One.”
We know that the Three were taken from Eregion after Sauron attacked, for the elves had perceived his desires, and what he truly was, after he forged and put on the One Ring.
But in Amazon’s The Rings of Power, the Three Rings were forged first, when Celebrimbor was just learning to craft these rings, while the attack and fall of Eregion happens before the forging of the One Ring. This corruption of the timeline creates all kinds of problems, not just for the following events, but mostly for the character of Sauron.
At least TROP kept the character of Celebrimbor even though the character was completely miscast. So that’s something for “sticking to canon.”
Then we have TROP showing that the rings were also being forged for other races despite the fact that elves didn’t forge the Rings of Power for other races, but solely for themselves. While the timeline in RoTK doesn’t give any hint of this, the aforementioned chapter of The Silmarillion tells us not only when the Rings of Power were distributed, but who handed them out,
“From that time war never ceased between Sauron and the Elves; and Eregion was laid waste, and Celebrimbor slain, and the doors of Moria were shut…But Sauron gathered into his hands all the remaining Rings of Power; and he dealt them out to the other people’s of Middle-earth, hoping thus to bring under his sway all those that desired secret power beyond the measure of their kind.”
From there it talks about Sauron giving seven rings to the Dwarves and nine to Men and explains why the rings didn’t affect the Dwarves in the same way it affected men. But for Amazon’s The Rings of Power, the show doesn’t only get the crafting order and the timing of the distribution of rings wrong, but also changes the intent of the elves as well to a major degree.
Obviously, the show tried to touch upon the elves intent but provided an incorrect and laughable impetus in the form of a tree shedding a leaf in Lindon, Gil-galad picking it up, turning it over, and revealing a black goo coursing through the fallen leaf. Similar to Sauron’s blood or his black goo form, so feel free draw whatever conclusions you want from that. But, with the black goo added, it is a potentially hamfisted way to show what drives the elves to look for ways to push back the effects of time. Not to mention the lazy approach the writers for The Rings of Power took when it comes to the events in Eregion.
Sauron, who desired to bring the Elves under his control the most for he believed the Firstborn to possess the greater power. So he changed into a fair form and called himself Annatar, the Lord of Gifts, and attempted to infiltrate the various realms so that he could manipulate the elves for his end goal. He failed to convince Gil-galad and Elrond but found a reception in Eregion despite being unable to convince Galadriel herself who was ever suspicious (unlike what TROP shows). But it is the lies Sauron spoke where we see how he knew what the weakness of the elves, more specifically the Noldor who dwelt in Eregion, were,
“Alas, for the weakness of the great! For a mighty king is Gil-galad, and wise in all lore is Master Elrond, and yet they will not aid me in my labours. Can it be that they do not desire to see other lands become as blissful as their own? But wherefore should Middle-earth remain ever desolate and dark, whereas the Elves could make it as fair as Eressëa, nay even as Valinor? And since you have not returned thither, as you might, I perceive that you love this Middle-earth, as do I. Is it not then our task to labour together for its enrichment, and for the raising of all the Elven-kindreds that wander here untaught to the height of that power and knowledge which those have who are beyond the Sea?”
Sauron’s words are brilliant, manipulative, and displays his cunning by showing his knowledge of what truly matters to the elves of Middle-earth. But his words are specifically tailored to the Noldor. Similar to how a pick-up artist is able to craft their words and approach to the opposite gender in order to improve their chances of extracting sex from the object of their desire. It doesn’t work on everyone but, eventually, someone falls for it. As we see here with Sauron who couldn’t convince Gil-galad, Elrond, and Galadriel. But, eventually, he convinced Celebrimbor and the Gwaith-i-Mírdain, a group of elven elven master craftsmen, who lived in Ost-in-Edhil.
The Noldor who lived in Eregion still yearned, like many elves who came back to Middle-earth, for the bliss of Valinor and, more specifically for the Noldor, their continued desire to improve the skill and subtlety of their creations. And so they crafted many rings both lesser and greater, but never gave any out to the other races. We know this because, once Sauron forged the One Ring and placed it on his finger, the Elves knew immediately and took quick action,
“But the Elves were not so lightly to be caught. As soon as Sauron set the One Ring upon his finger they were aware of him; and they knew him, and perceived that he would be master of them, and of all that they wrought. Then in anger and fear they took off their rings.”
That final sentence informs readers that only Elves were wearing those rings and that they had no intention of sharing it with other races. Not humans and dwarves for, if they had been given any rings, the Elves would have warned them. Instead, it took Sauron attacking Eregion to recover the rings, except the Three, and it was Sauron who gave the Seven and the Nine to dwarves and men.
And through the One Ring he extended his will,
“And all those rings that he governed he perverted, the more easily since he had a part in their making, and they were accursed, and they betrayed in the end all those that used them.”
What is interesting is that, even though Sauron helped the Gwaith-i-Mírdain with creating the Rings of Power over a period of around 90 years, he still needed to reclaim the rings and use his means to further corrupt them before handing the rings to the other races. Not only that, but Sauron had underestimated the elves in his grandiose plan to ensnare them and the rest of Middle-earth. That his pride led to his failure upon wearing the One Ring and being discovered immediately by the elves.
Which is the reason why he then attacks Eregion. Otherwise, if it had worked, then he would have corrupted the elves without them ever knowing and have no need to attack Eregion.
Suffice to say, Tolkien’s versions of events are far more intricate and thought out compared to the haphazard writing of The Rings of Power. For in TROP, we see Sauron manipulating Celebrimbor’s mind with illusions and tricking the smith into using his “blood” in the forging of the Rings of Power. That Sauron doesn’t attack Eregion himself, but that he “tricks” the non-canonical Adar and his orcs to attack so that, one can assume, Sauron can claim Feanor’s hammer.
While the addition of Feanor’s hammer in the show was cool for lore reasons, that is negated because the most likely reason for why it was in the show, in the first place, was to provide a reason for Sauron to attack Eregion. Because, for some reason, he will need to use the hammer to help him forge the One Ring.
Which makes Feanor’s hammer a potential deus ex machina for Celebrimbor being able to craft the greatest and most powerful rings first, only to then struggle with creating the others, is truly baffling. And, in turn, allow Sauron to finally craft the One Ring. Which is baffling to think about because the writing doesn’t make any sense here. Especially for Sauron who was a Maia but, more importantly, an apprentice of Aulë the Smith.
It is a rather weird direction that the writers have taken with the forging of the rings for it undermines Tolkien’s Sauron, and his abilities and cunning, for a Sauron who relies on cheap tricks, gimmicks, and tactics. This is weird and causes confusion with regards to the skills and competency of Celebrimbor. The master smith who had to be reminded about alloys. Just like it is weird that the elves in TROP want to craft rings for dwarves and men even though that doesn’t advance their desire to recreate Valinor. Or that the Noldor’s pride and desires are swept under the rug as the reason for the rings being created for the show’s manufactured existential elven crisis about the world decaying. In turn, Sauron trying to convince the elves that rings should be made and given to the other races doesn’t make any sense or fit the desires and goals of the Gwaith-i-Mírdain or, more broadly, the elves in general.
It suits Sauron’s purposes, but that is not a detail he would willingly tell Tolkien’s elves. But he would tell it to TROP’s more stupid elves.
Meanwhile, Tolkien gave us a far more interesting version of events that makes sense. But one of the more interesting aspects for Sauron and the fall of Eregion was denied to Tolkien fans in favor of the Faulkiens who love to ship characters.
Yes, Galadriel and Sauron.
TROP shipped Galadriel and Sauron for their modern-day “romance” storytelling that has no merit, makes no sense, and spits on Tolkien’s characters. In the books, as stated before, Galadriel didn’t fall for Annatar’s lies and manipulation, which forced Sauron to work in secret with Celebrimbor and the Gwaith-i-Mírdain. In fact, we get a Game of Thrones arc in Ost-in-Edhil for Sauron’s influence grew great enough to convince the Gwaith-i-Mírdain to revolt which resulted in Galadriel, along with her daughter Celebrian, leaving Eregion, passing through Moria to Lorinand, where she came to rule and set up to defend against Sauron.
“So great became his (Sauron) hold on the Mirdain that at length he persuaded them to revolt against Galadriel and Celeborn and to seize power in Eregion…
-Unfinished Tales”
Meanwhile Celeborn, her husband, stayed at Ost-in-Edhil, but was ignored by Celebrimbor.
Celeborn, who fought Sauron’s forces who attacked Eregion in order to gather all of the Rings of Power for himself. Celeborn who, with Elrond, led the survivors to Imladris while Galadriel, with her daughter Celebrian, were safe and sound in Lorien (check out our editorial about the Season 2 finale and our version of what could have happened with a showdown between Celebron and Sauron).
Talk about a Game of Thrones plotline that existed before there was a Game of Thrones series. You have a powerful enemy working in secret under Galadriel’s nose who then convinces the people of Eregion to revolt and drive Galadriel out. Not just people, but Celebrimbor himself. Imagine the lies and manipulation Sauron would have used. Perhaps following a scene where, like his grandfather Feanor, asks Galadriel for a strand of her hair with Sauron witnessing that exchange and using it to turn the smith against the Lady. That Galadriel, rather than resisting or fighting back, remembers what happened with the Kinslaying at Alqualondë and chooses to just leave. Then there would have been a disagreement between Galadriel and Celeborn about why he refuses to go with her.
But that was all traded for a modern-day fling between the Lady and the Dark Lord and a cheap kiss with her future son-in-law.
Not to mention that TROP’s girlboss Galadriel encountered her greatest weakness which immediately turned her into a damsel-in-distress and the main reason for the fall of Eregion. Think about it. Galadriel is used as a hostage which stopped the elven cavalry charge, and then is used to draw the cavalry into the woods where they would be less effective. Not to mention the impact of Celebrimbor’s death is undermined because Galadriel decides to hand over the Nine to the orcs to save herself and some elves.
Such a great, well-written character TROP’s Galadriel is.
Suffice to say, by ignoring Tolkien’s versions of events, viewers have been given an inferior fanfic replete with plot holes and inconsistencies. The One Ring’s forging is now undermined and even negated for it is no longer the pivotal event as to why Sauron attacks Eregion, killing Celebrimbor and claiming the Rings of Power in the process. That the realization and horror of the Elves is no longer a thing that needs to be shown when he puts on the One Ring.
In fact, why would any elves put on a ring when it is now known that Annatar is Sauron. Unless the writers stupidly decide that Galadriel will be braindead enough to not tell anyone this fact again? Or why would the other dwarven rulers accept the rings if told about King Durin III and how it affected him? Better yet, how could Celebrimbor have finished forging the rings if his workshop had been damaged and he was working within an illusion? How would the Three be susceptible to the One Ring if Celebrimbor made them first before learning and working with Sauron to create the other rings?
To the last question, one could assume that Sauron corrupted them when, as Halbrand, he touched and held the mithril ore used to create the Three. Thus, making the Three susceptible to the One when it is eventually forged, yet ignoring Tolkien who said that “…the hand of Sauron had never touched them…”
These are all valid questions that point to the inherent issues created by the incompetence of the show’s writers.
Of course, the Faulkiens will continue to hide behind the fact that “Amazon doesn’t have the rights to The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, etc.” As if that makes the utter disregard for canon and themes a valid one for the creation of Amazon’s The Rings of Power. Because, then the question is, why create a show set in the Second Age where you can’t create an adaptation of Tolkien’s work? Because Amazon didn’t create an adaptation, they created a horrendously-written fanfic.
And, one of the cringiest things from The Rings of Power’s Faulkiens, is them telling Tolkien fans that they need to “suck it up” because this is all we are going to get in terms of seeing anything made regarding the Second Age. Let alone the First Age. That there won’t be an adaptation of The Silmarillion made until the copyright license runs out in 2024 because the Tolkien family still owns the film rights to the book.
Imagine that! Accept mediocrity because that is all you will get!
Well, Tolkien fans don’t like mediocrity. Neither does the general audience and it shows in the ever-declining viewership numbers for The Rings of Power Season 2. But it is truly damning of a corporate-grown fanbase for a show that ignores Tolkien in favor of “modern ideas” and “modernity.” The Tolkien fandom did just fine without the Peter Jackson movies and the animated films. They had great artists such as John Howe, Alan Lee, and Ted Nasmith to bring Tolkien’s world to visual life. We had Symphony No. 1 The Lord of the Rings composed by Johan de Meij to move us. We have Tolkien’s work.
We can live without the works of usurpers and pretenders.
Author’s Note: Support this site by donating via Paypal or even checking out our merchandise on RedBubble where you can find designs that cater to writers and readers. Money donated and raised goes into paying for this website and equipment.
