Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Rings of Power season 2.
The Rings of Powerseason 2 took a long-standingGame of Thronestrick and repeated it, proving it to be as effective as always. As ofThe Rings of Powerseason 2’s ending, the comparisons between the Prime Video show andGame of Thronesare more apt than ever. Both exist within a high fantasy world and push the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of TV.The Rings of Power’s expansive castmirrors that ofGame of Thrones, while the CGI elements utilized in both give them unrivaled cinematic value.
The Rings of Powerseason 2 furthered this even more than season 1, sporting more impressive visuals than anything else on TV.The Rings of Powerseason 3will undoubtedly push the boundaries even more so, continuing the comparisons toGame of Thronesas the former looks to solidify itself as a cultural footnote of fantasy TV like the latter. Interestingly, one element of Prime Video’s show - specificallyThe Rings of Power’s Siege of Eregion- copied a storytelling trick fromGame of Thrones, not only giving more credence to the comparisons but also proving this very trick still works.
The Rings Of Power Season 2’s Ending Followed The Classic Game Of Thrones Format
The Penultimate & Finale Episode Format Is As Impactful As Ever
The storytelling trick in question is using the penultimate episode of a season as a major action set piece. For six seasons - discounting seasons 7 and 8, both of which had fewer episodes -Game of Thronesutilized this technique to the point where audiences were equally dreading and anticipating the penultimate episode of each installment of the show. After these giant spectacle-based episodes,Game of Throneswould use the season finale to wrap up major plot points and character arcs all while teasing upcoming seasons.
“The Rains of Castamere”
Robb and Catelyn Stark are killed in The Red Wedding.
“The Watchers on the Wall”
Season 5
“The Dance of Dragons”
Daenerys is attacked by the Sons of the Harpy and rides Drogon for the first time.
Season 6
“Battle of the Bastards”
Jon Snow lays siege to Winterfell in order to retrieve it from Ramsay Bolton.
InThe Rings of Powerseason 2, this trick is emulated. The penultimate episode of the show centers entirely around the Siege of Eregion; Adar and his orcs attack the elven city to kill Sauron who is manipulating Celebrimbor into crafting more of the titularRings of Power fromLord of the Rings. Elrond, Galadriel, Gil-galad, and Arondir then lead a defense of Eregion, resulting in a massive, action-packed episode that depicts a battle on a scale unlike anything else on TV, similar to whatGame of Thronesused to do.
Having The Siege Of Eregion As The Rings Of Power Season 2’s Penultimate Episode Worked
The Final Two Episodes Of The Rings Of Power Season 2 Are The Best Of The Show’s Entire Run
Overall,The Rings of Powerseason 2 copyingGame of Thrones’trick worked without fault. The penultimate episode focusing on the Siege of Eregion allowedThe Rings of Powerto flex its muscles regarding its scale. From the fantastic CGI landscapes to the thousands of extras dressed in fantastic prosthetic makeup as orcs or on horses in the awe-inspiring elven cavalry charge,the Siege of Eregion is perhaps the biggest battle ever shown on the small screen. This continued into Elrond, Arondir, and Gil-galad’s last stand against Damrod, Adar, and the orcs, making for a truly epic penultimate showing.
Not only did this allow season 2, episode 7 to work, but it gave episode 8 the space to focus on tying up season-long plot points. After such a focus was placed on Eregion in the episode prior, the finale could focus on wrapping up Galadriel’s confrontation with Sauron, the dwarven Balrog storyline in Khazad-dûm, Celebrimbor’s death, the Rhûn storyline involvingThe Stranger’s reveal as Gandalfand so on. Each of these storylines was wrapped up nicely forThe Rings of Powerseason 3 to continue them, thanks largely in part to the penultimate episode’s Siege of Eregion.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Cast
Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the epic events leading up to the stories in J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novels. The series chronicles the creation of legendary characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the fate of Middle-earth.
