Rings of Power returns for season two in less than seven days.

Let's talk about Rings of Power which is returning next week on Amazon.

I watched the first season, and I enjoyed it quite a bit, and this is despite things like Galadriel having physical invincibility and for diversity to be injected into a story that (for the most part) has no diversity in it at all. None of these things bothered me, and I eagerly consumed the episodes and the songs, and by season's end I wanted more. Fantasy shows and movies like Rings of Power are a great way to pretend that we don't actually live in a world where everyday human beings are actually cruel and even revel in their cruelty to others. We don't like that part, and we try to hide it. But sometimes we cannot deny this thing, because it is at the core of what it means to be human. People (including our "leaders) want to remind us to be "better than." Better than what, exactly? I got no answers.

Well this next week, I get my wish because Rings of Power is returning with more beautiful episodes, and it's my guess that the story is building toward the war of the elves with Sauron. There are also (probably) some real world parallels to this particular tale. As powerful and wonderful as the elf civilization was, this evil literally came out from underneath their noses and just kind of blossomed in a devastating way. You can see what I mean, right? If not, that's okay...I'll move on.

There is one frustrating thing about Rings of Power that I don't like, and that is its online community. It's next to impossible to have a discussion about the show because the weirdest nerds alive decided years before it came out that they'd hate it no matter what. It's a good show with its problems, but a nuanced take like this is next to impossible online. I sum up nearly all of the grievances I've seen as, "preconceived notions of what the show would be like did not meet expectations." Part of the problem is that Tolkien has become a sacred thing to many people. But why do humans keep putting things on a pedestal? Why has Tolkien become sacred. The truth is that he's a long dead author who made his family rich and who was as flawed as all people are in what they like and what they hate.

However...and here's the weird thing...I bet a lot of nerds who hated the show will tune in for season 2. Now, think about that for a moment. People who hated the show will probably "hate watch" the show so that they can continue to be mad about it. That's gotta be weird, right? I mean...what kind of person would do that?

Maybe you have some answers for me. But if not (and if you're reading my words) will you let me know if you're excited for season 2? Or are you going to pass?