As the story goes, the Rings of Power in Lord of the Rings, were gifted to three elves, seven dwarves and nine men, and they are seen as a powerful relic that people seek. However, they are actually more of a curse, and Sauron has forged the One Ring to Rule Them All, which makes it so he can control others. Basically, what I’m saying is they’re not good, and we should be scared of them in Season 2 of Rings of Power. Now, one of the show’s stars has opened up about the jewelry's overwhelming power, comparing it to “nuclear technology,” and while it’s a wild comparison, it actually makes total sense.
Benjamin Walker, who plays High King Gil-galad, got real about just how bad this jewelry is. Opening up to TV Line about the new season of Rings of Power, the actor made a wild modern comparison regarding the rings, saying:
The idea is that we basically discovered nuclear technology, and we [must] ask ourselves, ‘Are we going to use it for good or are we going to blow up the planet?’
Much like nuclear weapons, these rings feel like they ensure mutually assured destruction. They are some of the most powerful objects in this world, and they are the cause of major, major peril in Lord of the Rings and its various other stories. We’ve seen Frodo struggle with the power, and don’t even get me started on Gollum…and those are just two examples.
This power causes nothing but trouble, even when characters have the jewelry for good reasons. So, as the Season 2 trailer for Rings of Power has shown, along with Sauron, these precious pieces are one of this year’s big bads.
Now that we know Sauron’s identity, we’re going to see him working to forge the rest of the rings, and I have a feeling that nothing good can come of it.
As you know if you’ve studied history or seen Oppenheimer, the development of the nuclear bomb caused significantly more harm than good, and it totally changed the world when it comes to the kinds of destruction mankind can cause. To that point, Sophia Nomvete, who plays Princess Disa, shared her take on the power these rings possess, and how they’re impacting Khazad-dûm:
It is The Rings of Power, and now the rings have been forged. They’re causing mayhem. They appear to be the solution to the problem, but they’re causing more problems than they are solutions. So, it’s us just trying to navigate hope versus what is the cost? What is the cause and effect of these special rings?
So, is this comparison to nuclear technology clicking for you? Because it clicked for me. We’re about to see these characters corrupted by power and fighting over something that could cause all of their demise.
As Walker continued to talk about the upcoming season of this Lord of the Rings prequel, he noted that his character will be ready for battle when the time comes. As he said, this power is something that will cause major conflict:
If you know the books, he’s a peacetime consigliere until he’s not. When peace breaks down, you’re going to have to go out there and kick some butt.
As expected, when Rings of Power returns on the 2024 TV schedule, we’ll be seeing these rings and the negative effect they have on Middle-earth. Like nuclear technology, they have destructive implications on the universe as a whole, and I think we’re about to witness our heroes facing lots of morally complex situations as they figure out what to do with the rings’ powers.
To find out how these rings impact the folks of Middle-earth, you’ll be able to stream Season 2 of Rings of Power with a Prime Video subscription starting August 29.
