The Rings of Poweris obviously going to have a lot in common withThe Lord of the Rings,butseason 2 is directly copyingThe Two Towers— and it isn’t even trying to hide it.The Rings of Powerseason 2is approaching its final episodes, and it has set the stage for a bombshell ending, much like that of season 1.Sauron has successfully set his plansin motion throughout the Amazon show’s sophomore season, and it looks like the Siege of Eregion will be the focus of its last two installments.
Several ofThe Rings of Power season 2’s storylines are converging in Eregion, but the Stranger and Nori have yet to join the main plot. Nori and Poppy remain with the Stoors, while the Stranger is staying with Tom Bombadil. The wizard finds himself at a crossroads inThe Rings of Powerseason 2, episode 6, with Tom telling him that he must choose between returning to the Harfoots and learning to use his powers. Emphasizing the importance of the latter,Tom warns the Stranger of the looming threats in Middle-earth. And it all feels very reminiscent ofThe Two Towers.
Tom Bombadil Reveals The Rings Of Power Season 2’s Similarities To The Two Towers
The Main Threats Are Sauron In The West & A Dark Wizard In The East
During his conversation with Daniel Weyman’s Stranger,Tom Bombadil notes that “Sauron rises in the west,” while there’s a"Dark Wizard in the east.“This setup sounds a lot like that ofThe Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, which sees Sauron operating out of Mordor as Saruman gains power in Isengard. It’s no surprise that Sauron is the main antagonist of bothThe Rings of PowerandThe Lord of the Rings,as J.R.R. Tolkien’s villain rises in both the Second Age and the Third Age of Middle-earth.
The addition of Rhûn’s Dark Wizard makesThe Rings of Powerseason 2 feel a lot more likeThe Two Towersstructurally.
The addition ofRhûn’s Dark Wizard, however, makesThe Rings of Powerseason 2 feel a lot more likeThe Two Towersstructurally. It’s interesting that the Amazon series would go for the same sort of secondary villain. And given how little we know about the new Dark Wizard,it’s possible he could even be a younger version of Saruman. If this theory proves true, it would really drive home the similarities between season 2 andThe Two Towers.The villain setup isn’t the only way Amazon’s series is mirroringThe Lord of the Rings,either.
Other Ways The Rings Of Power Mirrors The Two Towers In Season 2
This Outing Has A Lot In Common With The Second Lord Of The Rings Installment
The Rings of Powerseason 2 isn’t just similar toThe Two Towersin terms of its villain setup. In fact,the latest outing features numerous storylines that mirror those in theLord of the Rings’second installment. Nori and Poppy find themselves crossing a wasteland in the latest episodes, and their journey feels similar to that of Frodo and Sam inThe Two Towers.The Lord of the Rings’palantíralso plays a role in season 2’s Númenor narrative, giving the characters visions, much like the one inLOTRdoes when Saruman and Pippin come into contact with it.
I Can’t Tell If The Rings Of Power Wants Me To Hate Orcs Or Feel Sorry For Them
The Rings of Power season 2 takes an unclear stance on Orcs, flip-flopping between sympathizing with them and portraying them as irredeemable.
The Rings of Power’ssecond season is also poised to have an epic ending, just likeThe Two Towers, as both titles build towards a big siege battle. The Amazon show is concluding its second outing with the Siege of Eregion, which will see the Elvish stronghold falling — just as Sauron plans. Theending ofThe Two Towersfeatures the Battle of Helm’s Deep, which sees Saruman’s army laying siege to the iconic fortress. Even King Durin III’s corruption feels reminiscent of Theoden’s possession inThe Two Towers.
Isn’t The Rings Of Power Repeating The Lord Of The Rings Kind Of The Point?
Amazon Is Getting The Franchise It Wanted
It might seem strange thatThe Rings of Poweris repeating so many narratives fromThe Lord of the Rings, butthat is kind of the point of the Amazon show. Amazon wanted to recapture the magic ofThe Lord of the Rings,and that’s what its Tolkien adaptation is doing. It makes sense that the series features so much of the author’s iconic lore, and it’s also unsurprising that it hits on similar plot points. History has a habit of repeating itself, even in Tolkien’s Middle-earth.
New episodes ofThe Rings of Powerseason 2 debut on Prime Video on Thursdays at 3 a.m. ET.
We may see more connections betweenThe Rings of Powerseason 2 andThe Two Towersbefore the final two episodes are through. And we may get references toThe Return of the Kingin future seasons, especially as we approach Sauron’s inevitable downfall. There’s plenty of potential forThe Rings of Powerto mirror Frodo’s story as it continues, especially with so much of the Second Age directly contributing to what unfolds in the Third.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Cast
Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the epic events leading up to the stories in J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novels. The series chronicles the creation of legendary characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the fate of Middle-earth.
