The following contains spoilers for season 1 ofThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 1already included plenty of twists and turns, considering its status as a prequel to the originalLord of the Ringsstories. Much of that was due to the excellent character portrayals of figures classic and fresh to the world of Middle-earth. Now, at least one of the old favorites will head in some new directions for season 2.
After the big twist revealing that Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) was Sauron all along, questions immediately began swirling around the character’s impact onLord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 2. One particular theory, for example, questioned whetherSauron would be played by a different actorgoing forward. However, there are other curiosities at play here. Namely, some may wonder what Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) will do with the newly-forged Rings of Power that Halbrand had a hand in creating.
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According to the actress, the powerful elven warrior may have a surprisingly pragmatic view on the matter. Speaking at a For Your Consideration event in Los Angeles (as reported byDeadline), Clark revealed some interesting new tidbits regarding Galadriel for the upcoming season. “She’s about to have a life-changing thing happen to her,” Clark said. “She’s about to become acquainted with Nenya, her ring. It’s really exciting to see how the magic creeps in.” That’s right. Galadriel will be wearing one of the rings in season 2. This could have some notable implications for how the character is dealing with Halbrand’s betrayal.
This could also further make her question her loyalties and view of the world, especially considering howGaladriel didn’t tell the others Halbrand’s secret. On the other hand, maybe she wants to move beyond that part of the story as quickly as possible. At the same event, Peter Mullan (King Durin III) teased something more. “There are more rings; the show is calledThe Rings of Power,” he revealed. “Maybe I’ll be getting a new necklace, who knows?” This presence of more rings in season 2 could mean many things, up to and including the idea that perhaps Galadriel thinks the forging of new rings might lessen the taint now hovering over the original 3. Or maybe she’ll have no part in creating them, with other races like the dwarves taking the initiative, as implied by the actor behind King Durin revealing this detail.
While many have criticized the series thus far, it’s difficult to deny thatThe Rings of Power’s female characters succeed where the original books and movies fail. That includes Galadriel, whose story throughout season 1 was one of the more engaging plots for viewers. So knowing that she will continue to be a prominent force in the show will surely keep many audience members coming back.
Unfortunately, its debatable quality has also helped some bad-faith viewers feel empowered to slingracist backlash at several actors fromThe Rings of Power. Many seem to think they can blame the show’s shortcomings on its diversity, which has never been true in any situation. So here’s hoping season 2 gets enough of a glow-up to stop even those hurtful fans in their tracks. Even if it doesn’t, that sort of response is never justified.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 1 is available on Amazon Prime Video.
