The first four episodes of Season Three of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power are available to watch now exclusively on Amazon Prime. Episodes 5 & 6 will be available to stream on November 18th, while the final two episodes of the season will be released on November 25th.
Synopsis
Five years have passed since the fall of Eregion. Sauron’s armies have marched across the whole of the world, conquering all in their path. Only a few isolated pockets stand between the Dark Lord and total victory – Khazad-dûm, where the Dwarves are now sealed deep within their mountain halls, and the elven realms of Lindon and Rivendell. The Dark Lord toils day and night, obsessed with harnessing a power that will bring the last of his enemies to their knees: One Ring to rule them all… Now, all the free peoples of Middle-earth – Dwarves, Elves, Men, and Wizards alike – must find a way to come together, in a race against time to prevent Sauron from achieving his goal of utter domination of all life…
Review
Five years have passed in Middle Earth and Sauron’s grip is tightening. The forging of the One Ring is near but it won’t be so easily crafted. Pockets of rebellion across land and sea gradually begin to fear the looming shadow of Sauron and his dark forces amassing in Mordor. Slowly but surely, alliances are formed and all eyes are set on how to prevent Sauron’s victory.
To fully appreciate the fresh direction season three is taking, Prime Video released 4 episodes for fans and audiences alike to enjoy. With such huge distances to travel and multiple pieces moving slowly on the board, a 4 episode premiere truly allows you to absorb the immense scale of this third season. As a lover of both season one and two, season three comes charging in like a wild Mûmakil in the best way possible. It hits hard and jumps straight into the beating heart of Middle Earth,
While not too heavy on the action, although there are some absolutely delicious battles, this first half of the season sets the stage perfectly for so many exciting developments. From the revolution in Númenor, the forming of the Nazgul, to the resurgence of Galadriel’s long-lost husband Celeborn, there are so many intricate cogs in this giant machine and each receives a moment in the spotlight across the 4 episodes and even with 4 more episodes left, you can see the pieces coming together. What’s so rewarding about this particular season so far is that it let’s you solve the puzzles. There are multiple moments that seem quite important yet also rather insignificant and as you continue… It clicks. Storytelling like that acknowledges that the audience don’t need to be told. A simple focus on some chess pieces might seem completely unrelated, but perhaps there’s a reason for it.
Filled with beautiful visuals, a sweeping score from Bear Mcreary, and surprises at every corner, this season returns with a revitalised vigor that’ll have fans gripped to their chairs and curious skeptics tuning in as if Sauron commanded them himself. It is wildly impressive and such a dramatic improvement in terms of pacing and thrills. There may not be battles as big as Helms Deep, but each episode is so thoroughly engaging. You’re desperate to see what everyone is up to, where it leads, and who’s next… This is not a forgiving season at all.
This season feels like the darkest season we’ve had. It revels in Sauron’s endeavour to forge the One Ring and celebrates the darker elements of Middle Earth. The Harfoods were very much the hope and light of the previous seasons, but this third one really enjoys playing with Sauron’s victory since we all know it is inevitable. Of course, obstacles are going to get in his way but it’s almost as though they’re irrelevant. His path is set and whatever challenge lands at his feet, he can devilishly manipulate it in his favor- his biggest toys being both Theo and Celeborn. Enormous props to Charlie Vickers who embodies the true spirit of Sauron whilst also building on his character and filling those gaps. He’s a character completely void of a soul, but he is an absolute expert in mimicking the most fundamental human traits in order to lure his prey into his trap.
The only real negative, which Game of Thrones struggled with towards the end actually, is that because there are so many different narratives transpiring simultaneously, the show has to basically speed things up so the size of Middle Earth feels somewhat dimished because characters are darting here there and everywhere. It doesn’t detract anything from the core narrative, and it certainly doesn’t disrupt the immersion, but it was somewhat noticeable after the first two episodes.
Verdict
It is a glowing return to Middle Earth. Of course, we are only half way there, but the build up has been immense. The various strands develop beautifully without neglecting one another and each story is so rich that an hour episode suddenly flies by. Thank the Valar for the four episode launch. If this season can keep the momentum going as well as it has been, then we are truly in for something special.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
