The trailer for Amazon Prime's The Lord of the Rings has been an extremely popular franchise since the original books were released in the 1950s. Needless to say, a series like this will be facing a lot of scrutiny from viewers young and old.
Redditors have been combing through the trailer frame by frame and using what they have seen to make some predictions about what viewers can expect in the show. Between characters fans have long waited to meet, and techniques and visual effects that producers will choose to use, there are exciting predictions Redditors have made about the newest Tolkien adaptation.
The Show Will Follow Each Ring
Between the title of the new series and the characters that will be featured, fans have deduced that the series will likely follow each of the rings made by the elven-smiths under Sauron's instruction. This would allow the series to span across many locations and focus on all of Middle-earth's races.
Redditor Bosht has predicted as much and is not a big fan of the idea. "They can milk it for 10 seasons and create endless drama," they said, believing that the creators will greatly embellish the story for the sake of more views. Ultimately, learning more about each ring and seeing their journey across Middle-earth could be very interesting but it all just depends on how the writers decide to go about it.
Gil-galad Will Be Featured
The trailer shows a regal elf with long hair and garbed in gold. Redditors like Renoops believe that this could be no one but Gil-galad, who was the high king of the elves during the second age. Since this is when the new show is to be set, Gil-galad's character is an important one that simply cannot be left out.
As described in Tolkien's books, Gil-galad never trusted Sauron when he was disguised as a beautiful being named Annatar. He sent him away, leading Annatar to look for allegiance elsewhere. Gil-galad also ed the elves and men for The War of the Last Alliance. While he died in the battle, he is the one who left the elven rings Vilya and Narya to Elrond (his herald) and Círdan (his lieutenant). This makes Gil-galad's role in the new series basically unavoidable.
The Music May Not Be By Howard Shore
Howard Shore is the composer responsible for the music in the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, as well as The Hobbit trilogy. The songs have become a staple of the series, with few fans able to imagine a world where these epic songs don't accompany their favorite heroes.
Redditor Imladris18 noticed something concerning about the music in the trailer as it does not sound like Howard Shore. Prime announced that Shore would be a part of the project, but the music in the trailer has Redditors predicting that this may not mean that the soundtrack of the new series will sound familiar.
Hobbits Will Be Different Than Viewers Are Used To
One of the biggest reveals from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Superbowl trailer was the existence of halflings in the series. Hobbits are one of the most important races in the salvation of Middle-earth, but as Rings of Power explores the second age fans may see a version of the hobbits that they are not used to.
During the second age, hobbits were not settled in the Shire. Instead, their nomadic ancestors were starting to migrate across middle earth, where they would eventually find their way to Frodo's home. In The Rings of Power, these proto-hobbits are called Harfoots and based on the trailer, they have a strong sense of adventure. Redditor Na-cohomologist predicts that these Harfoots will "be missing pocket handkerchiefs and mathoms and birthdays and all the cultural stuff" from the trilogy.
More Traveling Over Gorgeous Landscapes
Another staple of the original series is the beautiful landscapes that the heroes travel endlessly across. Combine this with the crescendoing music of Howard Shore, and you have a Lord of the Rings movie.
Renoops feels optimistic after watching the trailer, and predicts that this new series will utilize amazing scenery to bring fans back home to their favorite fantasy world. This along with the many characters of varying races, fans should have an opportunity to see corners of Middle-earth that they have never seen before, and splendor at the beauty of a version of this universe that has yet to be depicted on screen.
Part Of The Story Will Take Place In Númenor
One of the breathtaking scenes featured in the trailer is a very Middle-earth-looking city on the water's edge. Redditors like kerouacrimbaud feel that this can be no other than the port city on the island of Númenor.
Númenor is an island that lies between Middle-earth and the Undying Lands. It was the Kingdom of the Dúnedain, Aragorn's ancestors, and it no longer exists in the third age when the trilogy takes place but is discussed in the books often. This has Redditors excited, predicting that Númenor will be a central location for the series.
The Series Episodes Won't Appear As Smooth As The Trailer
One common complaint in response to the trailer is that the scenes looked too polished in comparison to the aesthetic viewers have grown used to in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. While this series is obviously going to be udated technology in comparison to the older adaptations, fans are still hoping for a familiar feel to the films that they love.
Redditor Philthehippy predicts that fans will still get what they want, however. "Amazon trailers tend to look very clean and the finished product can still look grittier," they said. The series is far from complete, with episodes not set to premiere until September 2022, so there is a good chance that the gritty aesthetic fans love will still be included in the finished product.
Tom Bombadil or Olórin Will Make An Appearance
One of the biggest mysteries of the trailer is the large hand that the Harfoot Hobbit is seen grabbing at the end. Many fans have been speculating as to who this hand could belong to. A popular opinion is Sauron, however, during this time, Sauron should be taking the form of the regal Annatar, and the shown hand is worn and dirty.
Gandalf, one of the most powerful heroes, takes when he first comes to Middle-earth. It would be exciting for viewers to see Gandalf in this way, and it would also make sense considering his love of the halfling folk.
The Series Will Be Independent of Tolkien's Works
Perhaps the biggest debate about the series is whether it will hold true to Tolkien's original works. Between The Rings of Power images released on Vanity Fair's Twitter and the trailer, fans can already see a number of ways that the show's creators have diverted from the source material.
Redditor Philthehippy predicts that "this is not going to be the tales that Tolkien told of the 2nd Age." That being said, they feel that if viewers can separate the series from the source, they will enjoy it all the same. Similarly, when The Lord of the Rings movies were first released, many Tolkien fans were upset by how much the writers had changed. Now, however, the movie trilogies are regarded as completely cannon.
The First Season Will End With Sauron's Betrayal
Longtime book fans know about the facts that lead to the creation of the Rings of Power. Tolkien describes how Sauron takes the form of a beautiful being named Annatar and gains the trust of the elven-smiths. He then helps them create the rings of power, while secretly forging The One Ring to control the others. While elves like Gil-galad never trusted Annatar, others did wholeheartedly, making his deceit all the worse.
Redditor Msaadah1223 predicts that much of the show's first season will be spent with Annatar scheming behind the character's backs, while the audience watches in frustration, aware of his true intentions. By the end of the season, Annatar's deceit will be found out, much to the surprise of the characters. This would lead well into season 2, with audiences excited to see Annatar emerge as Sauron in his full evil glory.