Lord Of The Rings Fans Can't Get Over This Detail In The Rings Of Power Trailer
Today, Amazon dropped the first full-length trailer for "The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power," the upcoming "Lord of the Rings"-inspired TV show based on J.R.R. Tolkien's Second Age. The trailer gives us the clearest sense yet of what the show is going to be about, as well as what it's going to look like.
That's important, because "Rings of Power" takes place between 3,000 and 6,500 years before the events of "Lord of the Rings." While some beings like the elves (like Galadriel) and the Istari (like Gandalf) do live that long, for the most part "Rings of Power" will need to introduce entirely new characters and creatures. On top of that, "Rings of Power" isn't directly affiliated with either Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" or "The Hobbit" trilogies. So, there has been no guarantee that "Rings of Power" would look anything like the familiar films.
But based on the new trailer, it looks like fans of Jackson's movies will find a lot to like with the new TV series. Here's what fans are saying about one big reveal from the new trailer.
Fans appreciate the return of Peter Jackson's Balrog design (although, it's not exactly like Peter Jackson's Balrog)
Lots of fans were quite taken with the appearance of a Balrog at the very end of the trailer. If you're not up on your Tolkien knowledge, the Balrogs are fiery "corrupted spirits" that are basically the Tolkien version of demons (via Tolkien Gateway). In "Fellowship of the Ring," Frodo (Elijah Wood) and the gang bump into a Balrog named Durin's Bane in the Mines of Moria.
Now, the new trailer has revealed that "Rings of Power" will include another Balrog. It's not Durin's Bane, but fans are happy that it resembles its design from "Fellowship of the Ring"
"Jackson-style Balrog. Neat," wrote Redditor u/psh454.
"This is so wild," wrote YouTuber Matthew Stewart. "They're obviously sticking to certain aesthetics of [Peter Jackson's] movies, (Balrog), and that pleases me due to things flowing well together cinematically. But I'm still cautiously optimistic. This trailer did a lot for my perception so far."
"That Balrog is 100% Peter Jackson's...wicked!" Tweeted @mikereginatorn.
However, not everyone agreed that it's the same exact Balrog. Many pointed out that, unlike Durin's Bane, the "Rings of Power" Balrog doesn't have wings. (Or at least its wings aren't visible).
Which one is more accurate to Tolkien's lore? Probably the wingless version. Tolkien's description of Durin's Bane says it has "wings of shadow," implying that its wings aren't physical. However, as with many things Tolkien-related, it's open to interpretation (via Tolkien Gateway).
Either way, fans will get to see more of the Balrog when "Rings of Power" premieres on September 2, 20222.