Oh boy, this may just rival HBO’s Game Of Thrones.
Ever since a Hobbit made his way from a hole in the ground, through the Misty Mountains and deep into the searing fire of Mount Doom, the world has been waiting for Middle-earth to return in all its glory. Amazon’s ‘Lord Of The Rings’ television series may overtake Peter Jackson’s, ‘The Hobbit’ film series as the next best thing to the original trilogy. There has been widespread speculation on whether the television series would feature familiar faces, explore familiar story lines and delve deeper into Tolkien’s Middle-earth lore.
It seems fans of the franchise have been given an answer. It only ‘took’ a few years—fools. Yet, we have something to work from. The synopsis has been confirmed to take place during the second age of Middle-earth’s timeline, and we couldn’t be more excited. Some heavy s*** goes down for all in Middle-earth during the second age. Placed shortly after the fall of Morgoth, an evil dark lord who many consider to be worse than Sauron, leaves everyone in a very dark place. It’s here Sauron emerges from the shadows to continue the despicable work of his fallen master. During this time Dwarves are heavily populating Middle-earth, which may answer the question, why they weren’t prevalent in the original trilogy series. The second age really serves as Sauron’s making. His evolution from slave of Morgoth to the dark and evil conqueror we all know him to be.
The second age also tells the story of the fashioning of the rings of power. A serious plot with ‘as we know’ dire consequences. Once again, Sauron is very much front and centre, not yet the terrible eye made of flame and darkness. He is still very much a physical character. Perhaps the reason Amazon is delving into the second age is to give Sauron a more physical presence so audiences can see the real threat he had become before he was forced to take shape as a wondering eye. Tolkien’s Middle-earth lore is vast and thick. The original series created by Peter Jackson is a mere drop in the ocean compared to the rest of Middle- earth’s timeline and tales.
When releasing information about the synopsis Amazon had this to say, Amazon Studios’ forthcoming series brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history.
This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings’, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness.
Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters – both familiar and new as – they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
We simply cannot wait for this series, it will either make or break the franchise’s already amazing run, as we know there are many Lord Of The Rings fans out there ready for the next adventure. Here’s hoping it is one worth taking.
