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[SPOILER]The tragic ending shouldn’t mean the end of the Orcs story in “Rings of Power.”

[SPOILER]The tragic ending shouldn’t mean the end of the Orcs story in “Rings of Power.”

Editor’s Note: This article contains spoilers from the second season finale of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power tells a complex story. With characters spread across Middle-earth, there is more than enough to fill the episodes, and even the loss of several characters in the season two finale won’t change that. But just because some characters aren’t coming back doesn’t mean the plot they built should go away. The best example is Adar (Sam Hazeldine), whose perspective gave The Rings of Power a unique perspective on the orcs. Of all the different species in Middle-earth, the orcs are the least popular. Always serve a villain, They seem like mindless war machines that can do no good. However, The Rings of Power has taken a different approach through Adar.




Adar refers to himself as their father and cares for the orcs in a way that makes them human. This allows the series to expand in a new direction, but Adar’s death in Season 2 threatens to spell the end of that storyline. When the orcs turn against him, they join Sauron (Charlie Vickers) and become the villains fans expect them to be. But if The Rings of Power develops the orcs and their story further, Things could get even more intriguing if they serve Sauron. The truth is that orcs don’t have many options. The elves are not eager to befriend them, the men do not trust them, and even the dwarves are quick to choose their old rivals (the elves) over them. Show the orcs that they are not inherently wrong, The Rings of Power makes the conflict over Middle-earth less cut and dry. Sure, Sauron is the Dark Lord, but not everyone who fights for him is evil, and that’s worth exploring.



“The Rings of Power” makes orcs more than they seem

The Rings of Power takes a rare, compassionate look at the orcs. In Season 1, the orcs terrorize the Southlands. However, they do not seek to awaken the evil forces of the world. Instead, it’s Adar He leads the charge to create a safe place for the orcs to live. Throughout the series, Adar represents her. As one of the elves tormented by Morgoth and turned into the first orcs, Adar is the perfect insight into this storyline. His past makes him empathetic even when he fights against the heroes, and this trait is passed on to his so-called children, the Orcs.


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The writers knew what our hearts wanted.

So often the orcs are seen as nothing more than an all-powerful army that wants to destroy the light, but not in The Rings of Power. The series allows them to be more nuanced by giving them human traits and showing the society in which they live. Her relationship with Adar shows that her loyalty is a choice. They follow him because he generally wants the best for them. When Sauron should have become their leader, they aided in killing Adar and served Adar instead. Throughout the series, they expressed their worries and fears to Adar, sought solutions and understanding, and demonstrated that they can think for themselves. The Rings of Power even shows their family structure by showing baby orcs in the background. This creates a much more comprehensive representation of the orcs, which is refreshing.


Adar’s death threatens the orcs’ plot

The end of season two spells trouble for the orcs as Adar is no longer there to shed light on their struggles. The loss of their mouthpiece is a blow, especially since his relationship with them has done so much for the orcs, but how it happens leaves them in an even worse situation. As well The Rings of Power As the battles of the orcs moved to the forefront of the series, there is an abrupt change. Their story culminates in the series finale when they make an important decision: who to serve. As the season progresses, and especially in the penultimate episode, the orcs lose trust in Adar. Once a caring father, Adar’s main goal is to kill Sauroneven the lives of orcs.


The episode devotes additional attention to the orc Glûg (Robert Strange), who goes to Adar several times because he is worried about the orcs and suggests they retreat, but each time Adar doesn’t seem to care. His callousness drives Glûg away and into the arms of another character who needs an army and is willing to manipulate his way into it. The orcs go to Sauron to help them with Adar and he does. Because Adar angered the orcs by sacrificing the lives of his children and ignoring their concerns, they turned against him. By murdering their father through repeated stabbings, Julius Caesar-style, the orcs make a bad decision. In his goal to free Middle-earth from Sauron, Adar was on his way to allying himself with Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), meaning that the orcs almost joined the heroes in a sense. Instead, They cement their place by joining Sauron’s cause. Although their self-interest is understandable, voluntarily joining Sauron is a major step backwards in their humanizing story.


The Rings of Power would benefit from continuing the story of the orcs

Glûg (Robert Strange) and Sauron (Charlie Vickers) look down in the second season finale of The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power
Image via Prime Video

Naturally, The finale shows that they are worse off under Sauron than under Adaras Sauron murders Glûg for expressing his opinion. Even though the orcs trusted the wrong man, they are fighting harder than ever. Even though he lost sight of it towards the end, Adar cared for the orcs in a way that Sauron never would, which made this storyline even more relevant. The Orcs’ storyline could get even more interesting as the series progresses, as they come to regret their decision to side with Sauron. After Adar is killed by their own hands, they no longer have anyone to turn to for help, meaning they must now fend for themselves.


Just because Adar is no longer there to provide her voice, her story shouldn’t end. The orcs are now linked to the series’ main antagonist, but they aren’t necessarily evil. Sauron’s mistreatment can make them even more human. The Rings of Power would be wise to continue exploring the plight of the orcs while they serve Sauronas this would make the story more complex and increase Sauron’s villainy. Making the orcs more understandable would also differentiate them from other adaptations of this world. Even without Adar, the story of the orcs could develop in a fascinating direction if The Rings of Power allows it.

You can watch both seasons of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Prime Video in the US


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