The Lord of the Rings community of fans was balanced in perfect peace as many daydreamed about the Shire and Gandalf the Grey. But with Amazon’s Power of the Rings around the corner, everything has changed for the worst.
Related: ‘Toxic Tolkien Takes’ Engulf ‘Lord of the Rings’ Due to Amazon’s ‘Rings of Power’
Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power is only four months away, and every Tolkien fan is on edge about how Middle Earth will be portrayed. Though we won’t be seeing Aragon, Frodo Baggins, or Gandalf, Amazon is changing two iconic characters for their streaming series.
Related: “Does Not Look Like Lord of the Rings,” Fans Slam Amazon’s “Garbage” Series Update
Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power just blew up the internet with exclusive photos of their brand new cast of Middle Earth characters. Set in the Second Age of Middle Earth, but author J.R.R. Tolkien and his fantastical world of legendary hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), Bilbo Baggins (Sir Ian Holm), Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin), Merry Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan), Pippen Took (Billy Boyd), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), Gandalf the White (Sir Ian McKellan), Saruman (Sir Christopher Lee), Gollum (Andy Serkis), and more won’t appear in Rings of Power.
Nonetheless, dark lord Sauron, Mount Doom, and the One Ring (the Ring of Power) will be at the forefront of Amazon’s reported 500 million dollar series.
Things have changed for the worst among the Middle Earth fanbase, as Mordor-like toxicity has tainted the pure love of Tolkien’s work ahead of Rings of Power, changing everything about pre-existing Lord of the Rings media.
“ComicTok” legend @hzjoetv makes an incredibly insightful and sadly accurate observation about the current Rings fanbase:
The most toxic fan base is the Lord of the Rings fan base
The most toxic fan base is the Lord of the Rings fan base
— Joe (@hzjoetv) May 19, 2022
Joe wisely continues:
If you’re denying go look at the rings of power comments
If you’re denying go look at the rings of power comments
— Joe (@hzjoetv) May 19, 2022
Joe is entirely correct; The Lord of the Rings community has taken a drastic downward fall in love and respect for fellow fans and boasting excitement for upcoming projects.
With the world of Middle Earth penned by author J.R.R. Tolkien changing for good with Amazon’s divisive and controversial Rings of Power streaming series, fans are shining light on the changing reality of their Rings community:
It’s mostly due to the fact they’re not going off the literal source material, they’re mad that galadriel is climbing mountains and fighting with swords when she never does any of that. I personally don’t mind I’d like to know more of celebrimbors story and how the rings are made
It’s mostly due to the fact they’re not going off the literal source material, they’re mad that galadriel is climbing mountains and fighting with swords when she never does any of that. I personally don’t mind I’d like to know more of celebrimbors story and how the rings are made
— wolfpromis (@wolfpromis) May 19, 2022
Another Rings fan points out:
Chair of the Tolkien Society shills Rings of Power while outright stating it is not consistent with Tolkien’s values
Chair of the Tolkien Society shills Rings of Power while outright stating it is not consistent with Tolkien’s values pic.twitter.com/USrXzpodbJ
— Manlet Thorin (@ManletThorin) May 11, 2022
One fan states:
I have Tolkien’s books and Jackson’s films. I neither wanted nor asked for more Lord of the Rings content. The existence of this Rings of Power show is completely irrelevant to me. For all intents and purposes, it might as well not even exist for all the attention I will give it.
I have Tolkien’s books and Jackson’s films. I neither wanted nor asked for more Lord of the Rings content. The existence of this Rings of Power show is completely irrelevant to me. For all intents and purposes, it might as well not even exist for all the attention I will give it.
— Green Lantern Corpse (@Capt_Jordan2814) May 14, 2022
With Amazon consuming more of the rights to Tolkien’s beloved work, such as The Hobbit and more, Peter Jackson’s award-winning Rings trilogy and Hobbit trilogy is set to become the “Original Trilogy” era of Lord of the Rings, with Amazon’s Rings of Power transforming into the new “Sequel Trilogy” that’s primarily disowned by fans.
More about The Rings of Power
Taking place in the episodic Second Age of Middle Earth, Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power chronicles the construction of the One Ring worn by dark lord Sauron under Mount Doom:
Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne in the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
Related: Quentin Tarantino Almost Directed ‘Lord of the Rings,’ Ruined Tolkien’s Work
The near $1 billion series is set to focus on the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, the historic alliance between Elves and Men (that transcended the entire franchise), the island of Númenor/Westernesse, as well as a look into Khazad‐dûm/Moria before the dwarven kingdom fell to hoards of goblins and the deadly Balrog/Durin’s Bane.
However, unfortunately, you won’t be seeing any of the legendary hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), Bilbo Baggins (Sir Ian Holm), Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin), Merry Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan), Pippen Took (Billy Boyd), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), Gandalf the White (Sir Ian McKellen), Saruman (Sir Christopher Lee), Gollum (Andy Serkis), and more in Rings of Power.
Sauron is set to have a massive role in The Rings of Power. Still, the series features a relatively unknown cast of lead and supporting actors that are set to play some of the most formative names in Elrond (Robert Aramayo), Lady Galadriel of Lothlórien (Morfydd Clark), and Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur), replacing Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving.
New characters like Dwarven Princess Disa (Sophia Nomvete), silvan elf Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova), and Cole (Maxim Baldry) have been created specifically for the series (seen below).
Showrunner Patrick McKay and writer JD Payne pen the tentative series with directors JA Bayona and Wayne Che Yip leading the Rings show set to debut on September 2, 2022.
Do you think Tolkien’s work has been tainted? Comment below!