All in all, season 2 seems a tad better than season 1 in most departments, observes Namrata Thakker.
Going by the first three episodes of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power 2, it seems the makers have put in a lot more work to dish out a better season this time and they seem to have succeeded. To an extent.
Season 1 was a disappointment in the story department and character development.
Season 2 makes up for it along with some fantastic cinematography.
The first season ended with a big twist, with the makers revealing the true identity of Halbrand as Sauron (Charlie Vickers).
The second season revolves around Sauron, his quest for forging new rings in order to become the most powerful and rule the middle earth.
We see him shapeshifting and changing his identity from Halbrand to Annatar (Lord of Gifts) and gaining Celebrimbor's (Charles Edwards) trust without whom crafting new rings would be impossible.
On the other hand, there's Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) who ends up wearing one of the three rings of power made for the Elven kings by Celebrimbor.
Her good friend Elrond (Robert Aramayo) believes the rings must be destroyed for the sake of middle earth's survival but his efforts go in vain.
His friendship with Galadriel is tested whereas Sauron and Celebrimbor’s relationship is explored further.
Another interesting appearance is that of Damrod, a giant hill troll who is also against Sauron. Voiced by Benjamin Walker, his entry adds a bit of excitement to the story.
Of course, there's Stranger aka Gandalf who is still confused about his power and trying to figure out how to control his magic.
Helping him in his journey are Nori (Markella Kavenaugh) and Poppy (Megan Richards).
The two Harfoots add humour to the story and remind you of Frodo and Sam from LOTR.
The Dwarves have their own storyline unfolding which is engaging thanks to some in-depth writing and fine character development.
Having said that, season 2 has quite a few characters who aren't necessarily important but continue to be a part of the story, making the season dull at times.
The whole Dark Wizard plot could have been avoided as it hardly adds any intrigue value to the overall story.
Though Galadriel is one of the main characters, she doesn't really command your attention. At times, she's lost and bewildered which seems funny considering she's one of the bravest and wisest Elves.
Instead, it's Sauron and Elrond, who stand out in the first three episodes.
Sauron as Halbrand and then as Annatar is fascinating to watch.
Kudos to Charlie Vickers for playing this wicked and manipulative character with such ease.
Despite being the villain, he seems to be the hero of the story because you want to know more about him, his scheming ways, his ambition...
It wouldn't be surprising if the coming episodes belong to him.
All in all, season 2 seems a tad better than season 1 in most departments. I really hope this trend continues with coming episodes and seasons too.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power 2 streams on Amazon Prime Video with weekly episodes dropping every Thursday.
