One story from Prime Video’s The Rings of Power is reminiscent of classic Lord of the Rings book moments, serving as a reminder of one thing Return of the King’s ending left out. Continuing where season 1 left off, debates have raged on regarding whether the prequel series is faithful to J.R.R. Tolkien’s account of Middle-earth’s Second Age. Sure, the series takes its creative liberties, but there are notable efforts to embrace the prolific author’s writing, some of which contrast the way Peter Jackson’s movies established Tolkien’s world in the vernacular.

Peter Jackson’s original trilogy are the best Lord of the Rings films, and are widely considered to be some of the greatest book adaptations of all time. Still, there are plenty of storylines from Tolkien’s novels that were left out, especially regarding the end of The Return of the King. The movie famously has several endings, but it pales in comparison to the falling action of the book, where the One Ring is destroyed with roughly 40% of the story still to go. Among these abandoned moments exists plenty of material for The Rings of Power to mine.

The Rings Of Power’s Berek Story Is How Lord Of The Rings Should’ve Handled Bill The Pony

ROP Season 2 Explores The Camaraderie Between Rider & Steed

 

The Rings of Power season 2, episode 3, features Isildur in the aftermath of season 1’s climactic battle. As Elendil and the forces of Numenor leave the shores of Middle-earth, they struggle to contain Isildur’s loyal horse, Berek, who strives to return to his rider. For a significant portion of the episode, audiences are following Berek as the steed attempts to find Isildur in the woods, eventually reuniting with him. Despite occurring at a vastly different point in the Lord of the Rings timeline, this parallels Samwise Gamgee’s relationship with Bill the Pony.

Sam’s desire to see Bill again and their eventual reunion was left out of Peter Jackson’s adaptation.

Often thought of as the unofficial 10th member of the Fellowship, Bill the Pony sets out with the group from Rivendell. In Peter Jackson’s movies, Bill travels with the Fellowship to the entrance to Moria, where Sam is forced to send him home. In The Return of the King, Sam reunites with Bill on his return home from Mordor, resulting in some of the sweetest moments in the final volume. Given that the film only had a certain amount of time, Sam’s desire to see Bill again and their eventual reunion was left out of Peter Jackson’s adaptation.

Berek & Isildur’s Bond In The Rings Of Power Is Faithful To Tolkien’s Lord Of The Rings

Fellowship Stretches Beyond Species In Tolkien’s World

The fact that Isildur would risk his life to save Berek speaks to the good faith of the world J.R.R. Tolkien created, where the bonds of fellowship outweigh the fear and selfishness of humankind. The Return of the King spends time showing Sam and Bill’s reunion because Bill is as much a survivor of the War of the Ring as he is. Just so, Isildur and Berek forged a bond in their travels and in battle, just as any human companions would. Rings of Power incorporates an essential element of Tolkien’s text about the strength of fellowships formed in wartime.