The Rings of Power Season 2 – Differences Between Show and Lore

While The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two was undeniably awesome, it wasn’t always entirely true to its source material. While it did keep to the spirit of Tolkien’s work, it steered from course in many ways. Let’s look at some of the ways the show both stayed true to the lore and also veered off course in season two.

Warning: spoilers for anyone who hasn’t finished the season yet.

Difference #1: Sauron was overpowered

Power works differently in Tolkien’s world than it does in most other fantasy stories. Often, the greatest power is that which gives you dominion over others. Saruman’s voice, for example, is a great example of a “super power” that’s more great in its strategic ability than outright force.

To that end, Sauron felt a bit overpowered in this season. While I liked the bit where Sauron used his powers to trick and trap Celebrimbor into thinking all was right and dandy in the world while in reality his city was on the brink of ruin, other things felt off. The best example of this is when Sauron was able to blatantly mind control the elves told to apprehend him at that pivotal moment in the story.

Despite being surrounded, the elves were absolutely powerless against Sauron who simply magics them to kill each other.

Why is this a problem?

Sauron being able to do this causes some discrepencies with the show and isn’t necessarily true to the lore. While he does have astounding powers of disception, disception and mind control are two seperate (if related) things. Ultimately, Sauron is seeking to enhance his own power to control others with the rings he is creating. But if he’s so powerful he can straight up force high elves (beings not too much lower on the food chain than he is himself) to kill each other, why does he even need the rings?

The main arguement for why this makes sense – and possibly what the show creators were going for – is that he had gained so much power over their will during his time as Annatar that he had unusually strong power over them.

He even says something to that affect when he tells the Elven Smith that he isn’t the only one who has allowed himself to fall under his power.

While not antithetical to the lore, this power seems a little unlikely.

Difference #2 – Elrond and Galadriel’s relationship

Things get pretty heated between Elrond and Galadriel during one scene in the show, making us wonder – do they have a thing? Well, in the lore they don’t. In fact, Galadriel’s daughter is Elrond’s wife (things work differently when you’re immortal). That being said, it sort of works within the confines of the show’s universe. I’ll give them a pass for this one.

Difference #3 – Celebrimbor’s torture is much longer

This is one of the changes the movie makes that I think is really smart. In Tolkien’s lore, Celebrimbor is captured by Sauron and tortured for two excruciating years before finally dying. I was really worried where the show might take us given that fact, and was therefore relieved when they gave us a relatively tame St. Sebastianesque arrow shooting scene instead.

Celebrimbor hits on some key themes to the story during this scene before his death and certainly makes up for his silliness in being duped by Sauron.

Difference #4 – The Balrog’s beast-like appearance

This might surprise you a bit, especially if you were fans of Peter Jackson’s films, but the Balrog is pretty grosley innacurate in both the movies and the show. The real Balrogs were actually similar creatures to Sauron although undoubtedly less powerful. They would have looked like people for the most part, although sinister ones. Peter Jackson probably make the Balrog look like a huge horrendous monster to emphasize it’s power in a visual way.

Difference #5 – Time

The events in The Rings of Power seem to happen much more quickly than they likely would have in the lore. For example, the fall of Numenor seems to happen very quickly whereas in the lore it takes several generations.

This makes sense though – if you are going to tell a good story, you can’t take forever doing it. The creative license the show takes with time enhances the storytelling, making it pretty thrilling to watch all the way through!

Difference # 6 – Tom Bombadil

Apart from these major differences, the show does have some delightful similarities that even the Peter Jackson films didn’t manage.

Fan favorite Tom Bombadil was brought into the story and played a major role as a mentor to Gandalf. While this isn’t in the lore, it is concievable. Gandalf is friends with Tom which means they must have met at some time. Overall, however, Bombadil seems much too involved in having a direct impact on the happenings of Middle Earth. In the books, Bombadil is wholly uninvolved save allowing safe harbor for Gandalf and his friends in a limited capacity.

The idea that Bombadil would be somehow part of the resistance agains Sauron is quite unlikely.