Rings of Power Season 2: The Series Makes This Big Change About the Nazgûl

Prime Video has accustomed us to re-appropriating the history of Middle-earth several times for the needs of its controversial series The Rings of Power. New example with this bold choice attempted by the showrunners with regard to the history of the Nazgûl.

The 9 rings of men by prime video

The end of season 2 of The Rings of Powerapproaching. Episode 8 expected this Thursday, October 3rd must conclude the narrative arc around the manipulation of Celebrimbor by Sauron. After discovering that he was being manipulated by Morgoth's disciple – in the guise of Annatar – the master blacksmith continues his creation of the 9 Rings of Men, the last to be forged (in the series) after the One Ring. Virtually reduced to a state of slavery, the Elf has no other option but to finish his task.

Earlier in the series, Sauron confided to the jeweler a fake container containing mithril so that he can continue his creation. Having failed to obtain the famous sesame from the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm, the evil being urgently decides to replace the material with his blood to deceive Celebrimbor. Indeed, the noose tightens around Sauron, who must ensure that the Rings of the 9 are absolutely forged before the Orcs led by Adar invade the city, and prevent Celebrimbor from realizing the deception (we recall that the lord of darkness used a spell to fool the Elf into believing that peace reigns over Ost-in-Edhil). At the end of episode 7, the Rings destined for the lords of Men are indeed forged with the black blood of Sauron.

Good idea, or an affront to the Lord of the Rings and Tolkien?

This causes a new discrepancy with the work of J.R.R. Tolkien. In the novelist and creator of The Lord of the Rings, the Rings of Men were among the first to be created, just like those of the Dwarves. On the other hand, they were neither created with corrupted blood nor mithril.The political context is also different. There is no Adar, and the siege of Eregion does not take place until Sauron, already in Mordor, and having already forged the One Ring in secret, discovers the existence of the Three Elven Rings. Thus, the Nine are forged about a century before the battle, which corresponds to the moment when Sauron seizes the Rings of Power.

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Since Amazon has chosen to re-appropriate the story surrounding the creation of the Rings of Men (as well as the material used, mithril – which did not fail to enrage the entire community of the Lord of the Rings), then why not go even further. The injected blood of Sauron is undoubtedly a way for Prime Video to explain why the nine Lords of Men were more corrupt than the Dwarves, before becoming the terrible Nazgûl. Concerning the Elves, their rings were forged before the arrival of Sauron in Eregion, who was unable to instill his malevolence there.

An interesting plot twist by showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay. Because Tolkien never specified what the Rings of the Nine were created with. What can protect against harsh criticism and outcry from Tolkien aficionados? While fans are opposed to Prime Video's change in the order in which the Rings were forged, they do support their bias.

“They do no harm and probably make it more digestible for a wider audience who aren't familiar with Tolkien's lore. It would be hard to explain to that audience why the rings have little to no impact on elves, some impact on dwarves, and a huge impact on humans. Why explain when you can just show?” one Redditor noted. Another opined:”Why didn't he use mithril: Perhaps this is a way of showing the viewer that Sauron puts his influence and power into the rings? We don't know that he didn't put some of his blood into the Elven and Dwarven rings. Perhaps he only put trace amounts and resorted to larger amounts of blood after failing to obtain more mithril, and this will be the later explanation of why only men turned into Nazgul.”

Prime Video therefore gives itself free rein to subsequently explain why the nine lords of Men become the Nazgûl, when the Dwarves resist Sauron's call, but develop an even greater greed for gold and power, which will cause their downfall. Tolkien based himself on the very nature of the races to explain their degree of corruption. The Dwarves are a strong and warlike race, while the race of Men is more docile and greedy. The series takes the opportunity to push the explanation by justifying why Men are further corrupted to the point of becoming specters by the black blood of Sauron. In doing so, it popularizes the story to a part of the public new to books.

For your part, what do you think of this narrative choice made by Amazon? Do not hesitate to give your opinion in the comments.