The Epic Time Jump That Could Revolutionize Amazon's Lord of the Rings TV Show

Summary

While Season 1 condensed time for the sake of bringing important characters and plotlines together, a time skip would effectively address any pacing concerns and allow for a concentrated focus on the most significant events of the Second Age.

Tolkien's lore provides an easy solution for a time skip in Season 2 of The Rings of Power on Amazon. This allows for the characters, such as Elves and Numenoreans, who age slowly, to remain unchanged.

By introducing a time skip in the second season, it presents an opportunity to redeem the show after its controversial debut. The initial season, set thousands of years before The Lord of the Rings, showcased young Galadriel, a warrior, Elrond as a developing political figure, and nomadic proto-Hobbits living an agrarian existence. More importantly, it delved into the conflicts between Numenor and Middle-earth, the resurgence of Sauron, and the creation of the rings of power that will eventually be united by the One Ring.

Rings Of Power's S2 Stories Will Be Better With A Time Skip

To keep up with the numerous characters, plot threads, and key events, the series condensed centuries of history into a few episodes. By the conclusion of Season 1, the Dwarves were tricked into mining for mithril by the Elves, and Sauron, disguising himself as a King of the Southlands, finally revealed his true identity to Galadriel. In their efforts to halt the Orcs' expansion across the Southlands, hundreds of Men and Elves perished. Season 1 laid the groundwork for crucial Tolkien narratives that lead to highly-anticipated events shaping Middle-earth's history in the Second and Third Ages, but a time skip is necessary in Season 2 to simplify and enhance the narrative flow.

The first season of The Rings of Power already incorporated a time compression, and Season 2 will further enhance the storytelling with a significant time skip. The passage of time in the series is challenging to gauge, as decades pass in an instant for Middle-earth's longest-living inhabitants, such as the Elves and the Numenoreans. What unfolds in a few episodes actually spans hundreds of years as depicted in Tolkien's Silmarillion, which serves as a primary source of inspiration for the Amazon series.

To address various plot developments, Season 2 of The Rings of Power incorporates a time skip. This allows Sauron to establish his base of operations in Mordor, the Elves to focus on crafting and put Halbrand behind them, and Numenor to descend further into darkness. Additionally, the Southlanders require time to resettle, the Dwarves need to mine mithril and awaken the Balrog, and the Stranger, who has been limited in their actions, must still strive to reach Rhun.

A Rings Of Power Time Skip Would Solve A S1 Problem

The events of Season 1 in Tolkien's Second Age appear to unfold rapidly, creating a compressed timeline that may go unnoticed by casual fans. This era, spanning approximately 3,500 years, places the key events of The Rings of Power's first season in the middle. For instance, the series depicts Celebrimbor's deception by Sauron and the forging of the rings in 1500, simultaneously showcasing Elendil and Isildur's presence despite the 1500-year gap that should separate them.

Characters and events needed to be swiftly brought together in order to effectively narrate specific stories without making the series feel excessively long. By implementing a time skip, Numenor can be depicted as a fully-fledged military force (and even more malevolent), with Middle-earth already colonized, thus eliminating the need to dedicate precious time on establishing these plot elements. Additionally, a time skip offers a solution to certain pacing issues and enables the series to focus on the most pivotal events during the Second Age.

The Rings Of Power's Tolkien Lore Makes A Time Skip Easy

Fortunately, The Rings of Power's second season benefits from Tolkien's lore, allowing for a seamless time transition. With the Elves hardly aging at all, and the Numenoreans, Harfoots, and Dwarves aging slowly, it becomes plausible for the entire cast to maintain their appearance. The only potential character requiring recasting in Season 2 might be Theo; nevertheless, exploring his portrayal as a young adult could add an intriguing dimension to the series.

The Rings of Power compresses and reorganizes events to change the course of Numenor's transition into Middle-earth and reduce the lineage of its kings, while heightening the dramatic impact of Sauron's actions. From the start, it is important to establish the imminent threat of the Dark Lord's return, thereby emphasizing his manipulation of Middle-earth affairs. Notably, he focuses on forging the rings even before establishing Mordor, highlighting his cunning. Consequently, this could result in a significant time jump, causing the Second Age in the series to pass much more swiftly than Tolkien's version, spanning thousands of years.