The Rings of Poweris obviously going to have a lot in common with The Lord of the Rings, but season 2 is directly copying The Two Towers — and it isn’t even trying to hide it. The Rings of Power season 2 is approaching its final episodes, and it has set the stage for a bombshell ending, much like that of season 1. Sauron has successfully set his plans in motion throughout the Amazon show’s sophomore season, and it looks like the Siege of Eregion will be the focus of its last two installments.
Several of The Rings of Power season 2’s storylines are converging in Eregion, but the Stranger and Nori have yet to join the main plot. Nori and Poppy remain with the Stoors, while the Stranger is staying with Tom Bombadil. The wizard finds himself at a crossroads in The Rings of Power season 2, episode 6, with Tom telling him that he must choose between returning to the Harfoots and learning to use his powers. Emphasizing the importance of the latter, Tom warns the Stranger of the looming threats in Middle-earth. And it all feels very reminiscent of The Two Towers.
Tom Bombadil Reveals The Rings Of Power Season 2’s Similarities To The Two Towers
The Main Threats Are Sauron In The West & A Dark Wizard In The East
During his conversation with Daniel Weyman’s Stranger, Tom Bombadil notes that “Sauron rises in the west,” while there’s a “Dark Wizard in the east.“This setup sounds a lot like that of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, which sees Sauron operating out of Mordor as Saruman gains power in Isengard. It’s no surprise that Sauron is the main antagonist of both The Rings of Power and The Lord of the Rings, as J.R.R. Tolkien’s villain rises in both the Second Age and the Third Age of Middle-earth.
The addition of Rhûn’s Dark Wizard, however, makes The Rings of Power season 2 feel a lot more like The Two Towers structurally. It’s interesting that the Amazon series would go for the same sort of secondary villain. And given how little we know about the new Dark Wizard, it’s possible he could even be a younger version of Saruman. If this theory proves true, it would really drive home the similarities between season 2 and The Two Towers. The villain setup isn’t the only way Amazon’s series is mirroring The Lord of the Rings, either.
Other Ways The Rings Of Power Mirrors The Two Towers In Season 2
This Outing Has A Lot In Common With The Second Lord Of The Rings Installment
The Rings of Power season 2 isn’t just similar to The Two Towers in terms of its villain setup. In fact, the latest outing features numerous storylines that mirror those in the Lord of the Rings’ second installment. Nori and Poppy find themselves crossing a wasteland in the latest episodes, and their journey feels similar to that of Frodo and Sam in The Two Towers. The Lord of the Rings’ palantír also plays a role in season 2’s Númenor narrative, giving the characters visions, much like the one in LOTR does when Saruman and Pippin come into contact with it.
The Rings of Power’s second season is also poised to have an epic ending, just like The Two Towers, as both titles build towards a big siege battle. The Amazon show is concluding its second outing with the Siege of Eregion, which will see the Elvish stronghold falling — just as Sauron plans. The ending of The Two Towers features the Battle of Helm’s Deep, which sees Saruman’s army laying siege to the iconic fortress. Even King Durin III’s corruption feels reminiscent of Theoden’s possession in The Two Towers.
Isn’t The Rings Of Power Repeating The Lord Of The Rings Kind Of The Point?
Amazon Is Getting The Franchise It Wanted
It might seem strange that The Rings of Power is repeating so many narratives from The Lord of the Rings, but that is kind of the point of the Amazon show. Amazon wanted to recapture the magic of The Lord of the Rings, and that’s what its Tolkien adaptation is doing. It makes sense that the series features so much of the author’s iconic lore, and it’s also unsurprising that it hits on similar plot points. History has a habit of repeating itself, even in Tolkien’s Middle-earth.
New episodes of The Rings of Power season 2 debut on Prime Video on Thursdays at 3 a.m. ET.
We may see more connections between The Rings of Power season 2 and The Two Towers before the final two episodes are through. And we may get references to The Return of the King in future seasons, especially as we approach Sauron’s inevitable downfall. There’s plenty of potential for The Rings of Power to mirror Frodo’s story as it continues, especially with so much of the Second Age directly contributing to what unfolds in the Third.
