With two episodes of Amazon Prime’s The Rings of Power officially under our belts, fans of the growing franchise have plenty to talk about ⏤ and talk is certainly swirling as every aspect of the episodes gets thoroughly dissected by the show’s fans and detractors alike. It’s sparked some instant viral moments as celebs beef over their takeaways and the topic of race inevitably worms its way in, but it’s also inspiring some fresh theories.
Racist Rings of Power viewers seek validation in Tolkien
The inclusion of characters of color in Prime’s Lord of the Rings series was an instant, and predictable, subject of backlash as racist viewers decried the show for daring to include diversity in its fantasy setting. The conversation leaned on the man behind the hotly-debated world, J.R.R. Tolkien, and his thoughts on race ⏤ which aren’t overly clear. His thoughts on allegories, however, very much are, and he’d prefer that you take him at face value.
Whoopi Goldberg slams critics of diversity in fantasy
In response to the mounting backlash against the casting of diverse characters in Rings of Power and House of the Dragon, the legend that is Whoopi Goldberg recently slammed critics for their racist takes. From The View’s Hot Topics table, Goldberg pointed out that, in a fantasy setting, there’s no requirement of historical accuracy. Dragons and Hobbits are very much fake, “but there are critics who are saying they were ‘too woke’ by adding, yes, diverse characters. Are you telling me black people can’t be fake people too?”
She makes a great point.
Elon Musk and Neil Gaiman exchange barbs over The Rings of Power
Among the detractors to Amazon’s latest foray into Middle-earth was Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and a constant source of online shenanigans. In the wake of his recent attempt to purchase Twitter, Musk once again went viral after he claimed that “Tolkien is turning in his grave.” In response, The Sandman author Neil Gaiman flawlessly trounced Musk, proclaiming that “Elon Musk doesn’t come to me for advice on how to fail to buy Twitter, and I don’t go to him for film, TV or literature criticism.” Musk has yet to respond to Gaiman’s slam-dunk, and if he’s wise, he never will.
A Rings of Power moment sparks theories about an age-old mystery
Not all of the response to Rings of Power involves criticism, thankfully. While some viewers are taking to social media to ruin everyone else’s enjoyment, many fans are instead taking the time to reexamine and dissect the first two episodes of Prime’s series. One fan thinks they may have found the answer to the Hobbits’ stellar resistance to Sauron’s power. They believe that the Stranger and Sauron are one and the same, and that his pact with Nori sets the stage for his ultimate undoing. Considering the many looming questions still to be answered in Rings of Power, however, it’s far too early to say.