Trings of power season two ends not only with storm clouds raging across almost every horizon of Middle-earth but also with the deaths of several major characters—some of whom are towering figures from the story of JRR Tolkien Lord of the Rings legend. JD Payne And Patrick McKay, the hosts of Amazon’s Expensive and Expansive series spoke to Vanity fair about some of the most provocative episodes.
In the finale, which just aired on Prime Video, the rings were forged but their creator was killed. And a familiar fire demon was unleashed, while the dwarf king paid with his life for digging too deep and being greedy. (There are other details to be discussed once the specific spoiler embargo is lifted Thursday morning.)
Here’s how it all went down — along with what the showrunners consider their biggest controversies. Major spoilers ahead…
Celebrimbor’s bad ending
Vanity Fair: The final episode tells of the completion of the rings that Sauron will use to control Middle-earth, and also tells of the death of their creator, the elven smith Celebrimbor. Can you explain the meaning of his last words to Sauron?
J.D. Payne: The two Charlies have been absolutely crushing it all season but especially in the final scene. Charles Edwards [who plays Celebrimbor] vulnerable and you feel sorry for him but there’s also something winning about it. He’s the victim and he’s being tortured and killed, but then he’s also able to stand up in this final moment. Celebrimbor said, “No, you are their prisoner, Sauron—Lord of the Rings.” And you just watch for a while like Charlie Vickers [as Sauron] replied that and a tear fell down his face. Then the Orcs come in and he goes through this transformation and is now ready to start manipulating again, all in that one shot. Both are firing on all cylinders.
To use that phrase, “Lord of the Rings,” seems like a pivotal moment. It is presented as a curse rather than an honor.
Payne: That’s what Annatar [the elven disguise Sauron adopts] initially captivated Celebrimbor. He said, “You, Celebrimbor will be the Lord of the Rings. You will forever overshadow Fëanor [the even more ancient elven creator of mystical objects]and that will be the celebrated achievement of the age.” And at last Celebrimbor could say, “No, it wasn’t me, it was you, Sauron—Lord of the Rings. By the way, you don’t want become Lord of the Rings because they will only master you.”
Patrick McKay: The two poles of that story are, “You are the Lord of the Rings!” “ARE NOT, you are Lord of the Rings!” It has a changed meaning, right? The first time it was an honorary title bestowed, the second time it was like a death sentence. This is what this season is all about. The fate of the world is being decided by two people in a room.
How did he come up with the idea that the power of the rings actually makes you a prisoner?
McKay: I think Sauron is a slave to his own ambition. Celebrimbor knew that Sauron’s will was tied to the rings and that happens to all of us in certain ways, right? If we are workaholics, we think that work gives us the ability to go out and control the world but no, we are actually slaves to work. We are slaves to what drives us. Sauron was so driven that Celebrimbor knew he would never be able to escape it. He said, “I foresee the end. One ring alone will lead to your complete ruin”, that is what has been proven. Sauron eventually poured so much of himself into these works that his existence became linked to them. When Frodo and Gollum entangle each other and send the ring into the lava, it do destroy Sauron. Celebrimbor could see it prophetically.
Is it because when creating them, Celebrimbor also lost his way?
McKay: Well, worse than that, the darkness had enveloped him and almost destroyed him. Celebrimbor more than anyone understood the evil power of those rings. That is the modus operandi by which Sauron is doing things. “Evil will destroy itself,” I think he was telling him.
