This Amazon Prime Video series, set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, explores the forging of the Great Rings, the rise of Sauron, and the epic tales of Númenor.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Review) is an Amazon Prime Video series that delves into the rich history of Middle-earth, specifically during its Second Age. This era, thousands of years before the familiar events of "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings," is a time of both great beauty and burgeoning darkness. The show faithfully explores key narratives from J.R.R. Tolkien's appendices and other writings, bringing to life a period largely unseen on screen before.

The series chronicles the pivotal forging of the Great (Review) Rings, powerful magical artifacts central to Tolkien's mythology. It depicts how the Dark Lord Sauron, in a fair disguise as Annatar, manipulated the Elven smiths of Eregion, led by Celebrimbor, into crafting these rings. His ultimate aim was to secretly forge the One Ring in Mount Doom, imbued with his own power, to dominate all others and enslave the free peoples of Middle-earth. The show also dramatically portrays the rise of Sauron, from a cunning deceiver to a formidable dark lord establishing his power base in Mordor.

Furthermore, the series provides a grand exploration of Númenor, the legendary island kingdom of Men. This advanced civilization, a reward to men who fought against the first Dark Lord Morgoth, eventually faces its own tragic downfall, influenced by Sauron's insidious machinations and the Númenóreans' growing desire for immortality. The intricate politics and internal conflicts within Númenor, including the growing divide between those loyal to the Valar and those swayed by Sauron, form a significant part of the unfolding drama.