The months leading up to the premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power have been full of backlash for Amazon and the show’s crew. Most of the criticism seems to be leveled towards the mere attempt by the streaming company to adapt the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, and the two-episode debut hasn’t been able to alleviate the whirlwind of hate to any meaningful degree, even if most critics happen to be of the opinion that Amazon has managed to hit the ground running.
The skepticism runs so deep within the online fandom that many are inclined to believe Amazon has paid everyone off rather than admit the ambitious adaptation might have some merit, after all.
How about comparing Amazon and its boss Jeff Bezos to the Dark Lord himself? Haven’t heard that one before.
If you thought Star Wars fans were entitled, wait until you see how some people refer to Tolkien and his legendarium.
The current mood in the community might intimidate new fans who are only getting into the story with The Rings of Power. Sure, many veterans might find some of the lore deviations heresy, but is it such a terrible thing to introduce newer generations of people to the beauty of Tolkien’s creation? I don’t suppose even the author himself would’ve appreciated this level of gatekeeping if he were still around.
Such is the fate of any fandom that gets too big for any sense of unanimity. Whether we’re talking about space wizards waving laser swords around or divine spirits roaming a fictional land of song and beauty, some things never change, do they?
