The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power put out a spectacular episode, but one questionable moment will make this a harder fact to recognize. Everything has been boiling down to these final two episodes of season 2, in which the Siege of Eregion finally breaks out in full force. It’s a chance for Prime Video to prove that this is a Lord of the Rings adaptation worth its salt, and it has so far followed through. Rings of Power season 2, episode 7, was full of action, surprises, and dazzling performances, but a single change to canon could overshadow much of this.

The second-to-last episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power sees Celebrimbor’s illusion world finally begin to crumble, forcing the Lord of Eregion to confront the dark truth of his city. The Orcs have arrived in full force and have gone as far as damming the river to give themselves access to Eregion’s walls. Gil-galad and Elrond arrive in a blaze of glory, but Galadriel, being a prisoner of Adar, puts a halt to their charge. Then, of course, there is Sauron, whose deceptions and manipulations push audiences’ experience to the limit in Rings of Power‘s most powerful episode yet.

The Rings Of Power Season 2, Episode 7 Is The Show’s Best Yet

Amazon Delivered On All Its Promises For A Lord Of The Rings TV Show

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2, episode 7 finally delivers everything audiences have hoped for since Amazon announced its Lord of the Rings TV show. The opening scene continues the breathtaking Middle-earth sceneries that the series is already known for, but this time around, the beautiful view from Celebrimbor’s forge is used to create contrast with the horrible truth of Eregion’s fate. Charles Edwards’ performance as the Lord of Eregion really goes full throttle in this episode as well. The Elf is realizing the extent of Annatar’s deception, resulting in an emotional mix of cognitive dissonance and painful clarity.

Charlie Vickers also gives his best in this Rings of Power episode. Annatar’s calm mask is slowly replaced with Sauron’s rage, and this is communicated through the subtlest change in Vickers’ expressions. This makes moments like Mirdania’s death (played by Amelia Kenworthy) all the more shocking and impactful—further contributing to the hopelessness of Celebrimbor’s situation. Of course, the intensity of it all is wrenched up all the more by the Orcs’ preparation for battle, with the Siege of Eregion itself being the standout feature of Rings of Power season 2, episode 7.

The Siege Of Eregion Lives Up To The High Expectations

An Hour-Long Lord Of The Rings Battle Is A Dream Come True

The Lord of the Rings is known for its epic fantasy battles, and such scenes in Peter Jackson’s movies set the bar extremely high. Rings of Power‘s TV format set the series up for success in this way since Prime Video had the opportunity to create hours-long battle scenes that can capture every intense detail. Since the Siege of Eregion has already been teased as a two-episode event, expectations were heightened for this iconic Second-Age moment. Thankfully, Rings of Power season 2, episode 7, didn’t disappoint. These scenes felt like the battles directed by Jackson but full of even more action.

Robert Aramayo’s Elrond, Ismael Cruz Córdova’s Arondir, and Benjamin Walker’s Gil-galad really stood out here. We already knew that Arondir was great with a bow, but seeing the wood elf fight side by side with the regally armored High King Gil-galad was a thrilling treat. This was also the first we really saw Aramayo’s Elrond in full action, and combining this with his constant anxiety (perfectly reflected on the actor’s face) really ramped up the intensity. The fantasy-violence flavor was enhanced by the muddy Orcs and the devastating destruction of the hill troll Damrod—it was everything we could want from a Lord of the Rings battle.

Elrond Kissing Galadriel Is An Odd Change To Lord Of The Rings Canon

Prime Video Knew What It Was Doing With This Rings Of Power Scene

Between the psychological warfare with Sauron and Celebrimbor and the fantasy action of Eregion’s devastating battle, this episode felt like enough to silence the Rings of Power naysayers for good. Unfortunately, a single scene is likely to cause an explosion of controversy and complaints. Elrond and Galadriel shared a kiss in season 2, episode 7, as the former made efforts to free the latter from Adar’s custody. Since there was never a romance between these two in Lord of the Rings canon, this rather tender and passionate moment was a significant surprise.

Regardless of whether the kiss is romantic or simply a trick, the drama is more soap opera than fantasy action.

The performances from Aramayo​​​​​​​ and Morfydd Clark were, again, stellar in this scene. An immense variety of emotions can be seen on their faces in a short amount of time, and Elrond’s heroism as he attempts to save his friend is deeply memorable. However, Prime Video knew precisely what it was doing with this kiss, and it’s a bit frustrating that such a standout episode will be overshadowed by the aggressive change to how people have previously understood the dynamic between these characters. Regardless of whether the kiss is romantic or simply a trick, the drama is more soap opera than fantasy action.

The Rings Of Power’s Kiss Scene Highlights The Show’s Biggest Problem

Not Every Change Is Bad, But Is Rings Of Power Taking Things Too Far?

Custom image by SR staff

Change is unavoidable when it comes to a book-to-screen adaptation—especially one like Rings of Power, which is based on Tolkien’s textbook-like works. It’s necessary for Prime Video to add more detail, characters, and context that wouldn’t have been a part of the source material, but the most simple changes have caused backlash among a specific community of Tolkien enthusiasts. Everything from the race and appearance of certain actors to the inclusion of original or Third-Age characters has been a topic of controversy. While Rings of Power can’t avoid this, it certainly doesn’t have to make it even worse.

While no publicity is bad publicity, it’s frustrating that some of the greatest moments Rings of Power has to offer struggle to stand out compared to the more blatant changes to Tolkien’s story.

Changes to canon in the Lord of the Rings TV show have ranged from artistic and creative to needless and confusing. This has certainly kept the debate between audiences going strong, to the point that some additions, like Galadriel and Elrond’s kiss, could almost be akin to rage bait. While no publicity is bad publicity, it’s frustrating that some of the greatest moments Rings of Power has to offer struggle to stand out compared to the more blatant changes to Tolkien’s story. Hopefully, as these exceptional fantasy moments continue, some of the controversy can fade away—but that will only happen if Prime Video lets it.