Listen, if there’s one lesson we can all learn from Rings of Power and the Lord of the Rings movies it’s that no one should have those rings. However, they still get made in the prequel series that's airing on the 2024 TV schedule, and as the films show us, there’s no way to avoid being corrupted by the power. So, when Leon Wadham -- who plays Kemen in the series -- spoke about why men should never get their hands on the jewelry, I couldn’t help but think back on recently rewatching the movies and a big reason why he’s 100% correct.
Leon Wadham Explains Why Kemen And Men Shouldn’t Get The Rings
When I interviewed the cast of Rings of Power, I asked them which LOTR character they’d act like if they personally got a ring. Almost all of them said they’d be like Gollum, and notably, no one said they’d be able to throw it into Mount Doom. Quite literally, it’s basically impossible to not be corrupted by the ring, even if you’re the purest of souls.
Meanwhile, ScreenRant asked Leon Wadham, who plays Kemen, the son of Númenor’s current king Pharazôn, how his character would react if he ended up with one of the nine. In response, he immediately explained why that’s a terrible idea, saying:
I feel like things are going so badly already, don't give Kemen a ring. That will be a disaster. Celebrimbor says earlier this season when the idea of giving rings to men is even raised by Sauron that that would be a terrible idea. And I think watching what's happening in Númenor this season, there's no doubt as to what he means. If we're already in this shape without them, where will we be when they arrive?
He’s right, Kemen’s actions have been abysmal, and he’s not even under the influence of the ring.
-- Be warned, we’re talking Season 2 spoilers from here on out, if you aren’t caught up, you can stream the show with an Amazon Prime subscription. --
While there’s no question that Kemen and his father were power-hungry and bad before Episode 5, it became inarguable that Kemen was a villain when Wadham’s character killed Valandil. To make matters even worse, when I asked the actor about how this moment would impact Kemen, he explained that as long as he’s not punished for his actions, he’ll “read that as a reward.”
So, yeah, definitely don’t give him a ring. However, Wadham also mentioned that really no one in Númenor should get a ring, and as the LOTR movies prove, he’s right.
The Films, Specifically Fellowship Of The Ring, Prove That Point Clearly Through An Important Rings Of Power Connection
Now, obviously, the Lord of the Rings films show that even the purest of souls, like Frodo, can be corrupted by the ring. However, the first film also gives us a little Númenor/Gondor history lesson that specifically proves Wadham’s point about men and those cursed rings.
I recently rewatched Fellowship of the Ring for the first time since watching Rings of Power, and learning about Aragorn’s lineage, and his relation to Isildur was something that really sunk in this time.
I’ve come to love Isildur on Rings of Power, and he’s such a pure and heroic figure. However, Fellowship shows us that when he comes into possession of the One Ring, he can’t throw it into Mount Doom. That disastrous choice is what makes it so Sauron can live on for so long. It also shows that even the strongest of men can’t do good with the rings, no matter how hard they try – and that’s true for dwarves and elves too.
So, overall, Wadham’s comments are corroborated by the LOTR films and the comments Celebrimbor makes about the power being too much for men…especially men like Kemen and Pharazôn.
