For all its sweeping action, The Rings of Power often reads like a romantic costume drama. Amazon’s Lord of the Rings prequel is all about Sauron’s rise to power — but it’s hard to ignore the undercurrent of romantic angst in the villain’s nefarious crusade.
Take Sauron’s (Charlie Vickers) arc in Season 1, as the disillusioned, darkly charming Halbrand. The Dark Lord managed to befriend Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and stoke some scintillating chemistry in the process. But when he revealed his true form, their bond was immediately fractured. The Rings of Power Season 2 depicts that fallout with all the anguish of a bad breakup.
