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The Lord Of The Rings is one of fantasy’s most venerable franchises. J.R.R. Tolkien’s series of books revolutionized the genre, becoming the main building block of the genre from the time of their publication to the present. Peter Jackson’s movies brought the story to an entirely new generation of fans, making the story even more iconic than before.
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With Amazon’s upcoming series set in the Second Age of Middle-Earth, fans not well versed in Tolkien lore are going to see Middle-Earth like they never have before. There are over three thousand years of stories to follow in the Second Age, making it fertile ground for a show.
10 Some First Age Flashbacks Would Explain The Lore Better
While the Second Age is rife with potential, not setting the show in the First Age is a missed opportunity. Told in the book The Silmarillion, the First Age laid out the origins of Middle Earth and the war against darkness, introducing characters and concepts that would resonate throughout Tolkien’s work.
The events of the First Age inform those of the Second, so seeing the origin of the Elves, Sauron and his master Morgoth Bauglir, and the origins of dragons, Orcs, Balrogs, and more would only enrich the show and give viewers a greater appreciation for just how rich the world of Middle-Earth really is.
9 Spending Time With The Dwarves Would Flesh Out Them Out Better
One of the biggest travesties of Jackson’s LOTR films was the reduction of Gimli to comic relief. In the books, Gimli was a proud Dwarf warrior and the movies were quite disrespectful to the character. The Hobbit movies made Dwarves look better but their mixed reception hurts the way people view the Dwarves.
The show can change that by focusing on one of the seven Dwarven houses as they establish their new kingdoms, maybe even showing the House of Durin excavating deeper into Moria and cementing their power over their fellow Dwarves.
8 The Establishment Of Numenor Would Show The Ancient History Of Aragorn’s People
Aragorn, Boromir, Faramir, and many people of Gondor are descended from the survivors of Numenor, the lost kingdom of Men in the Western Seas. Established by the Valar, the gods of Middle-Earth, for the three houses of Edain who fought alongside the Elves in the First Age, Numenor was one of the greatest Mannish kingdoms of Middle-Earth.
The Land of the Star is fertile ground for stories, showing what the pinnacle of human society in Middle-Earth was like. Its saga is long and bittersweet but rife with potential for stories.
7 The Return Of The Numenoreans To Middle-Earth Had Grave Consequences
In the year 600 of the Second Age, the ships of the Numenoreans came back to Middle-Earth, bringing gifts and wisdom to Men and friendship for the Elves. This is a plotline that is absolutely crucial to the Second Age’s development and one the show most definitely cannot miss.
The Numenoreans set up garrisons in Middle-Earth, helping to hold back the creatures of Sauron and battling against corrupted Men. There’s a lot of places this can go as well, following Numenoreans fighting for good or those who were corrupted by Sauron, who would come to be known as Black Numenoreans.
6 The Corruption Of The Nazgul Would Make for Great Stories
Sauron made Nine Rings for Men, giving them to powerful lords. The Rings corrupted these lords, turning them into the Ringwraiths, Sauron’s most powerful servants. Following this storyline would be a wonderful use of the show’s time.
Seeing these mighty lords begin with the best of intentions and then fall to the power of Sauron one by one would make for compelling watching and give viewers a new appreciation for Tolkien’s lore. The corruption of good is a core concept of his writing and this plot would show that.
5 Galadriel’s Life During The Second Age Is Full Of Potential
There are only a few characters that audiences know in the Second Age and one of them is Galadriel. Galadriel is one of the most interesting characters in Tolkien’s Legendarium. She’s one of the most powerful Elves, having lived through just about the entirety of the First Age, surviving the terrible wars of the time.
She’s also the most powerful and wise Elf in Middle-Earth. As one of the few survivors of the war against Morgoth, her life in the Second Age would be intriguing to follow. Her and her husband Celeborn were very important Elves and their deeds need expanding on.
4 A Younger Elrond Would Be Amazing To Follow
Elrond was born at the end of the First Age. His parents, Earendil and Elwing, were instrumental to the ending of the conflict with Morgoth and left him forever to reside in the sky as a star. He and his brother Elros were half-Elven and given a choice between the two kindreds. Elrond chose the immortality of Elves while Elros chose Men, becoming the first king of Numenor and leaving his brother forever.
Elrond’s life in the Second Age was a lonely one and spending time with him, getting into his head as he develops into one of Middle-Earth’s wisest sages and skilled warriors would be a great way to use the show’s time.
3 Not Following Sauron Through The Second Age Would Be A Travesty
The Second Age is when Sauron stepped out of Morgoth’s shadow to become the new Dark Lord. From fooling Celembribor in Lindon and forging the Rings of Power, destroying the Elven kingdom there, to establishing Mordor and bringing the horrors of Morgoth together to his manipulation of the Numenoreans, Sauron is essential to the story of the Second Age.
Basically, not following Sauron through the Second Age would be a massive mistake. His actions throughout the Age are some of the most important in the series, completely changing Middle-Earth and planting the seeds of what’s to come.
2 Tolkien Fans Are Starved For Gil-Galad Content
Gil-Galad was the High King of the Noldor throughout the Second Age, leading the most powerful kindred of Elves. Born towards the end of the First Age, he kept his people together through that Age’s tumultuous end and helped them to establish new kingdoms in the new lands left after the War of Wrath.
Not much is known about Gil-Galad and while many Tolkien purists will turn up their nose at learning about him through a show and not Tolkien’s own writings, not all fans are as snooty. Learning about Gil-Galad and seeing him weather the trials of the Second Age would be great.
1 The Downfall Of Numenor Shows The End Of The Greatest Kingdom Of Men
Numenor, like many kingdoms, ossified over the years with its kings and nobles becoming jealous of the immortality of Elves and their power. Eventually, Ar-Pharazon The Golden defeated Sauron and took him hostage but began to listen to his manipulative whisperings. This would lead the Numenoreans to divorce themselves from the Valar and begin worshiping the darkness.
Eventually, Ar-Pharazon would try to invade Aman, the land of the Valar, in an attempt to wrest immortality from them. This would result in the Valar giving up their power over Middle-Earth to their creator, Eru Illuvatar, who destroyed Numenor and removed Aman from the world. It’s an important tale about jealousy and hubris, which are some of the most important themes that Tolkien laced throughout his work.
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