The Rings of Power has had a unique challenge when it comes to adapting the Second Age of Middle-Earth: while there are plenty of goalposts and events to draw from in the Lord of the Rings source material, the story has plenty of room for expansion. And that's just what writer and executive producer Gennifer Hutchinson did when she and the rest of the production crew were crafting The Rings of Power.
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power features plenty of familiar faces (even if they aren't immediately recognizable) such as the Stranger who is probably Gandalf, Galadriel, and Elrond. Their characters are not yet who they become by the Third Age of Middle-Earth, being thousands of years younger, but the core of their characters is still present. The true challenge for the writers appeared to be the creation of new characters, such as Disa, who they wanted to feel as though they fit within the established world of Middle-Earth.
Hutchinson spoke directly to TheBestWarGames and talked directly about the writing process for The Rings of Power. She noted, "It's such a privilege to be able to bring new characters into this world. Really diving into the books and kind of immersing ourselves in that world and those characters and finding the feel of those worlds." She especially noted the creation of the Harfoots, stating that the writers took a cue from the Hobbits' deep friendships in The Lord of the Rings when creating the dynamics and relationships of the Harfoots like Nori and Poppy.
Hutchinson further stated that much of the Second Age involved unexplored territory that the writers could use when crafting their show. "Just asking ourselves these questions because we know where the world ends up in the Third Age. The Second Age has these signposts, but there's a lot that's not filled in. What would it look like in these spaces to the people who live here, and how can we enrich these worlds?" She explained that the writers looked at the source material that Tolkien crafted and established and worked from there to see what kind of characters would suit the world in the Second Age. They also worked to imagine what certain locations might be like in the past, such as Khazad-dum, which was at its height during this time.
The interview reveals how much care went into the development of The Rings of Power. It might've been easy for the writers to simply create new characters and call it a day, but they clearly spent time going over the source material and making sure that their new creations logically fit into a world that's been established for decades.
The writers also seem to have thought long about what previously-established characters would have been like in their youth. For instance, Galadriel's moral struggle reveals that her character has yet to become the wise, powerful woman that's seen in the Third Age. The experiences she will undergo in The Rings of Power will undoubtedly help shape her into who she is when the Fellowship of the Ring crosses her path.
The Rings of Power is available for streaming on Amazon Prime.
Source: TheBestWarGames