The Rings Of Power Season 2 review: A definite improvement from the first season

It isn't easy to match up to the popularity of Game Of Thrones and Amazon Prime Video set out to replicate the same success with its ambitious Lord Of The Rings: Rings Of Power in 2022, it faltered to a great extent primarily because the premise seems to be formulaic, episodes were long and it could not get rid of the baggage of Peter Jackson's hugely successful film franchise despite sourcing from JRR Tolkien's books. The good news is that the second season greatly uplifts the series, making it more immersive for the viewers with its dark, twisted, deeper narrative and characters.

If season 1 of The Rings of Power had Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) in search of Sauron, the second season would be about Sauron's reign after his true identity is revealed at the end of the of first season. The scale is larger in the second season and the stakes are higher as Sauron goes solo to take control and create upheaval in Middle-Earth.

Season 2 opens with a preludeof sorts where viewers are taken back in time to Second Age, where Sauron escapes a massacre led by Adar and the Orcs. We know that Sauron can take up any shape and form and from murky black water, Sauron transforms into the very human Helbrand (Charlie Vickers) and eventually rescues Galadriel from the stormy seas. With the prelude establishing how dubious and dangerous Sauron is, the season then goes on to narrate Sauron's ability to influence and seek out the rings that can destroy Middle-Earth and lead to utter darkness and doom.

The rings become the bone of contention between friends Galadriel and Elrond (Robert Aramayo). The high king of the Elves, Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker), has already reprimanded Galadriel for not being careful about Halbrand and his real identity. While Elrond now wants the rings to be destroyed since Sauron is out there seeking them, Galadriel disagrees and wants to use the rings to fight Sauron.

Meanwhile, Nori (Markella Kavenagh), Poppy (Megan Richards),and the Stranger (Daniel Weyman) continue their journey minus the rest of the Harfoot, and the Stranger's identity is only revealed near the end of the series. Their friendship and bond, however, is one of the brightest parts of The Rings Of Power. It was one of my favourite tracks in the first season and it remains so in the second season.

The anticipation is higher in the second season. While the initial episodes take time to establish the plot, the action and pace of the narrative pick up after the fourth episode, and you find yourself far more involved. The first season felt a bit of a drag, with each episode running over an hour. With characters more established, the second season, in a way, seems more engaging. It does take time to warm up though, much like the first season. Considering the show has multiple characters and plot lines, it takes a while to get used to the premise, even if you have followed the series from the first season.