Because of their fast reproduction rate and loyalty to Sauron, orcs can be used en masse as dependable soldiers and workers. However, being that The Rings of Power will focus on Sauron before he officially becomes the Dark Lord that he is in The Lord of the Rings, orcs will not yet be utilized in the same capacity. With that said, The Rings of Power has the unique opportunity to develop orc lore and make them more interesting. Seeing the orcs during a different Middle-earth Age fleshes out their history. Plus, with them being at a different point in their evolution, orcs can villainize characters in a new way in The Rings of Power.
Executive producer Lindsey Weber explained why The Rings of Powers’ orcs look different, stating that the orcs are “part of a wilder, more raw, Second Age, Middle-earth” who are “not yet organized into armies.” Looking at the prequel show’s orcs, their tattered, jagged armor achieves this more wild and raw orc persona for this time period, creating some designs that stand out as a result. Furthermore, while Weber claims that the orcs aren’t yet in armies, The Rings of Power images still show them banded together in well-sized groups. Considering that Sauron won’t have as big of an influence over orcs as he does in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, they’ll be more likely to act on their own volition against characters. Therefore, they could potentially be more cunning and threatening – which would make these designs even more interesting, as they may reflect individual characteristics in the orcs themselves more.
Along with other LOTR changes in The Rings of Power, a newer vision for the orcs would be good for the franchise. Tolkien expressed plenty about orc history in his numerous Middle-earth works, but there’s no telling how faithful The Rings of Power will be to original sources when revitalizing them. Of course, this isn’t to say that The Rings of Power won’t respect Tolkien’s work. However, orcs definitely carry unseen potential in the franchise. For example, while the orcs in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies were undoubtedly menacing villains, they were still pawns of Sauron who were at their most dangerous and threatening when they acted together in massive, ravaging armies. Seeing how effectively terrorizing the orcs can be in smaller numbers pre-Sauron carries new possibilities for The Rings of Power.
So long as Rings of Power avoids Game of Thrones’ mistake and maintains its character development, there should be plenty of promise for the show. Seeing the kind of direction that the orcs are already going down, The Rings of Power is wisely recognizing the strengths it has as a prequel show. The Lord of the Rings is a beloved franchise with its material being produced for over half a century, so any new works being made need to be approached with a sense of reverence. With that said, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power can still honor the franchise while breathing new life into it – as evidence by the great orc designs shown so far.
News
Star Wars: The Acolyte Gives Reylo Fans The Romance They Always Wanted
The Osha and Qimir romance in the Disney+ series fills a gap left by Kylo Ren and Rey The Star Wars fandom is a fraught, fervent place. In the modern age, online communities rallying around franchises are often composed of numerous splinter…
Concord’s Biggest Fans Talk About Loving A Game Everyone Else Loved To Hate
When they learned that Concord would be shutting down in as little as 72 hours, some of its biggest fans rushed to immortalize their time with the embattled Sony exclusive in a way only PlayStation players can: by earning a Platinum Trophy. The…
The Star Wars Fandom’s Biggest Problem Has Nothing To Do With Disney
The problems within the Star Wars fandom go far beyond mere criticism of Disney’s output. There’s no denying that Star Wars has, to a certain extent, faltered since Disney first took the reins in 2012. Though some of Disney’s earliest Star Wars productions, like Star Wars Rebels (which premiered…
Three Weeks Later, The Acolyte’s Cancelation Triggers A Surprising Civil War In The Star Wars Fandom
The Acolyte may have been canceled, but the Star Wars fandom is still divided over the show – and now the controversy has erupted into a full-on social media civil war. Helmed by showrunner Leslye Headland, The Acolyte swiftly proved to be one of the…
Disney Remake Trailer Hits A Milestone With One Million Dislikes
Sometimes, movie audiences feel that Hollywood should leave well enough alone. That seems to be the current sentiment among the millions of viewers who have streamed the trailer for Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White, set for release in 2025….
A ‘Star Wars: Revan’ Movie Starring Brie Larson as a Female Revan?! We Have Checked What Is Fact and What Is Not!
The Star Wars universe is one of the largest fictional universes in existence. George Lucas’ original movie idea has since expanded and become a vast universe with thousands, if not millions, of stories. Aside from the main movies, series such as The Mandalorian and The…
End of content
No more pages to load