Summary
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 2 dropped its full trailer andI’m far more excited than I am concerned about the direction it will takeover its leading characters. Despite some less-than-Tolkienian elements inThe Rings of Powerseason 1, I was overjoyed to find an outlet for my lifelong Tolkien obsession beyond the Peter Jackson movies. Some elements of it made more sense than others, but I loved the bold approach it took in reimagining characters Tolkien painted in broad strokes. It looks like season 2 will continue this, with dramatic results.
I thoughtThe Rings of Power’sMithril retconleft something to be desired in terms of canonical compatibility, with the bulk of the show’s original material not bothering me. I enjoyed the way the show breathed new life around the explicit details J.R.R. Tolkien gave us. Of course, taking that route has naturally led to controversy, especially when it comes to the depictions of the relationship between Galadriel and Sauron. The show clearly intends to continue the drama revolving around the two in season 2, but I think I’ll be satisfied by what happens.
The Rings of Power’s Sauron & Galadriel Showdown Looks As Venomous As It Should
Sauron & Galadriel Will Be At Each Other’s Throats
Halbrand was one ofRings of Power’soriginal charactersand his development concerned me in certain ways, but I’m glad that he will end up fighting Galadriel in season 2. Halbrand was, of course, revealed to be Sauron. This made the charm of his Halbrand act throughout season 1 a difficult cinematic choice to measure. I loved the religious overtones of casting Sauron as the ultimate deceiver who deceived the audience along with Galadriel. However, I wondered if his portrayal was too sympathetic to communicate his significance fully. However, finallyfighting Galadriel will help communicate Sauron’s evil.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 2 comes out on June 24, 2025.
The full trailer drop ofThe Rings of Powerseason 2shows Galadriel fighting Sauron’s new form near the end, sword against crown - this sharp, pronged object is the crown that Adar stabbed Sauron with in his earlier betrayal.Morfydd Clark is giving an outstanding performancehere, which I never doubted she was capable of. Clark’s horrifying turn inSaint Maudpositions her perfectly to tackleRings of Powerseason 2’s horror angle. Galadriel fighting Sauron can redeem her liaison with evil as she got closer to Halbrand in season 1.
The Rings Of Power Season 2 Can Give Galadriel Back Her Power
Galadriel Has Been Making Grave Errors
The writing of Galadriel’s character took flack for Galadriel’s petulance and military oversights in season 1, butThe Rings of Powerseason 2 trailerproves thatGaladriel will end up in the right place by the end of season 2. Galadriel’s character was notoriously complex in Tolkien’s work, so the idea of her at one point seeming younger than she did in Peter Jackson’s movies didn’t bother me. I enjoyed the in-depth character study of Galadriel that examined her flaws and trauma, noting the parts of Tolkien’s work where this was highlighted.
However, I wondered about her journey in season 2. I thought that Galadriel’s arc in season 1 tied her moral ambiguity off nicely, leaving her to morally improve in season 2. I then realized thatGaladriel may negotiate with Adar in season 2and may face further moral tests. I love complicated Galadriel, buta villain arc is too far for this Tolkien fan. So I am relieved to witness that Galadriel is firmly on the side of light by the end ofThe Rings of Powerseason 2, with her sword against Sauron’s throat.
Season 2’s Trailer Makes Me Confident It Will Get Galadriel & Sauron’s Reunion Right
Charlie Vickers And Morfydd Clark Have It
Despite the controversialSauron-Galadriel romance tease ofRings of Powerseason 1, the season 2 trailer makes it clear thatwhatever ill-fated feelings were present between these two will culminate in enmity. Celeborn’s announced return forThe Rings of Poweralready declared a future end to any residual possibility of enduring Sauron-Galadriel intimacy. But their sword fight in the trailer brings their relationship all the venom it needs. I also think that Charlie Vickers and Morfydd Clark will bring all the emotion of the previous season to bear on their showdown, with Sauron’s canonical shapeshifting ability presenting a curveball.
Charlie Vickers' new look as Sauronmakes the situation all the more interesting. However, I am admittedly verging on desperate to see Galadriel’s face when she realizes that Halbrand turned into Annatar in an almost hilariously bizarre in-universe body horror twist. Not in my wildest imaginings wouldRings of Powergive us so many different versions of Sauron and subject Galadriel to at least two of them.The absurdity of this reunion is teased in Clark’s facial expressionsin the trailer. She’s grieving and furious and just as confused as me, by the looks of it.
Vickers' costume is somewhere in between totally unrecognizable and obviously just Halbrand.
I’m not sure if this fight scene marks this moment of revelation for Galadriel or not, but I am ready for the boiling hot tea to be spilled. If I wasn’t so provoked by this outrageous reunion, I might be more busy wondering how the show plans on explaining the logistics of this one. Vickers' costume is somewhere in between totally unrecognizable and obviously just Halbrand. Either way,I’m not surprised that the show is putting these two on their canonically venomous path- Vickers and Clark are too good for anything else inThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
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.
