Tolkien’s legacy tarnished, fans say with Rings of Power

Where is a place where Elves and Dwarves plot against each other, revolutions are happening, and the ultimate battle between good and evil is constantly going on? Why, Middle Earth, of course. With Amazon Prime’s new season of The Rings of Power, comes new controversies from fans and Tolkien die-hard fans.

The first season was a hit with critics and was one of the most-watched shows Prime ever released. However, with Tolkien fans, there was controversy from the start. Rings of Power didn’t follow any of Tolkien’s work. It was the same world, with the same characters, but it was under the influence of the writers.

Viewers thought the characters were written poorly, with the main character, Galadriel, being the most unlikeable character in the show. Her role in the books and Peter Jackson’s rendition of the films were wildly different. She served more as a leader and was willing to help Frodo and the fellowship. So fans were upset to see her serving a different role. But the show is also set 3,000 years before Fellowship of the Ring.

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Another controversy with season 1, was the introduction of black characters. Tolkien based his writing on the kingdoms of medieval Europe. One character that Tolkien fans were furious about was the Dwarven princess Disa (played by Sophia Nomvete). Dwarves in the original books, regardless of gender, all had beards, and die-hard fans were mad that Disa didn’t follow the texts.

Fans were hungry for more with the second season released last Thursday, the 29th. Season two is now the subject of controversy, with the introduction of Orc families and an Orc mother and baby. This is the first time anything related to Middle Earth has tried to humanize Orcs. Tolkien originally made Orcs goblin-like creatures, who were explicitly created to want war.

Season 2 is here, bringing the same world and different stories. With the second half of season 2 on its way, will it leave fans excited for more, or will it bring disappointment and controversy again?