The Rings of Power's Gandalf: A Bold Move or a Major Mishap?

Fans of The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) series have been in an uproar ever since the conclusion of "The Rings of Power," and rightfully so! Amazon has gotten its share of attention.

A Major Problem for The Rings of Power

For most fans of LOTR the newest show is a little too big, too soon, and possibly breaking a bit of what Tolkien established in a time before the series hit Max!

It seems like this show went on to bring back these special characters but they were always going to be a bit more difficult to reintroduce than say the characters of Galadriel or Elrond.

And a special point was that fans always loved seeing Ian McKellen in the role. The series added The Stranger into this epic setting. Who turned out to be a very familiar character - Gandalf. This was established in The Rings of Power's second season. To get there viewers went on a quest throughout the first season. However, the story of "The Stranger" got a bit crazy in season two, showing fans that Amazon may be bringing a really big risk!

Also Read: Mount Doom and Mordor: A History From the Second Age!

The New Gandalf

You know, there are so many reasons why the show seems to be going in the wrong direction, from what some hardcore LOTR fans believe! The whole twist, where they used a "follow your nose" moment, at the end of the season and a few hints! Then in the second season "The Stranger" was given his staff and then they decided it was time for "Gandalf. It just made the fans so frustrated, as they saw the actor that was supposed to play "The Stranger" in season two really couldn't get the whole thing to feel right.

Why are people so upset? Because for fans who grew up with those original LOTR movies they have these deeply rooted expectations and this just feels too out of character and out of the bounds of what Tolkien established.

Even those that didn't like the show had expectations for how things should be and they made it pretty clear this was too fast.

Also Read: The Rings of Power Season 2: Is The Stranger Gandalf?

The Rings of Power's Challenge:

Ian McKellen as Gandalf in the heat of battle in Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Image

This amazing series took on a tough feat by bringing to life the big story of how Sauron rose to power in the Second Age! But to add even more tension and uncertainty into the story they were always pushing to re-imagine some iconic characters, even re-cast the role of Elrond and Galadriel, a couple of memorable LOTR characters, however, what the creators may not have anticipated was how difficult this show would be as they were able to add in an incredibly iconic figure.

There is a lot to Tolkien that makes this story even more special! One is that Gandalf's presence only came into LOTR much later, and there are reasons for that.

This all goes back to an even deeper set of rules from Tolkien himself about where the magical, legendary figures known as "Istari", went to counter Sauron during that time!

A moment to take into consideration, if it wasn't a moment from a book! It would probably feel strange to fans.

You can't re-create that kind of dynamic with the story that already exists. That also creates a really tough dynamic. You could easily throw everything into a chaotic state. Even though Gandalf is not simply a wizard, this whole idea comes from something super powerful from Tolkien’s world called the "Maia. These entities are part of the lore from the show that's still in the hearts of LOTR fans.

This show will struggle, for fans, because they went too far as they decided to make this very drastic change to how the series should be written!

Also Read: The Rings of Power: Exploring Middle-earth's Second Age

How Can The Show Make it Work?

Daniel Weyman as the Stranger holding a staff and standing in front of fire in The Rings of Power. Image

With all the chaos around how this show went about changing so many events. It doesn't really seem like Amazon can undo this mistake! Some had an idea that perhaps they should have left things out altogether!

That may have been the easiest choice
It may not have made such a big difference in fan response.

A lot of fans are saying this wasn't a smart move. But it wasn't simply to make sure there were familiar faces to the series that made a difference, it really was about re-imagining "The Stranger".

It is an ongoing quest for these great storytellers who created a pretty unique moment for LOTR fans! And all of its memorable figures. They were always going to go a different direction but their creative freedom gave fans an element of uncertainty about how this character's story would unfold.

Also Read: The Rings of Power: The Stranger's Purpose, Tom Bombadil, and Sauron

Fans And Their Discontent

Gandalf and Saruman in The Lord of the Rings Image

It's hard for fans to ignore the mistakes in the narrative. To say it politely, it was not an impressive thing that happened!

To be fair to those who don't follow this incredible story. This really doesn't take away from The Rings of Power or its popularity, but, those fans who want the exact same level of magic and story from Tolkien's writings may not be as onboard.

This could change, it might not! For now, Amazon might be pushing against an uphill battle to win those hardcore fans back. There's a lot at stake as fans get their fix with all the great television. This certainly makes it tough! It’s possible that The Rings of Power might just be a good start. As long as the stories continue to be told, those who want to find new twists and turns could still be open. However, if "The Stranger" doesn’t seem to fit, fans will look for something more.

A new journey has been taken. But now fans are getting ready for an epic show! So what's next? There is going to be some time to find out as it seems this isn’t just about the LOTR story! It’s about The Rings of Power continuing its quest for the ultimate win in television. This show still might find success. However, the creators have a bit more work ahead of them.

input: