The Lord of the Rings trilogy ended in 2003, immediately followed by The Hobbit series, its prequel, but the film and the subsequent book they’re based on have been one of the most influential series of modern times. This high fantasy series written by J. R. R. Tolkien dealt with themes like love, loss, fellowship, and war and was written after his harrowing experience during World War I.
The author, who is often considered the father of high-fantasy or modern fantasy novels, lost most of his classmates and friends during the war, and this experience led him to write about the horrors of war and their defeat at the hands of brotherhood and fraternal love. The Lord of the Rings trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson, also has its place in the cultural zeitgeist.
With a star-laden cast including Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Christopher Lee, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Andy Serkis and, Sean Bean; this series is talked about and analyzed to this day online, in schools and amongst friends.
Everyone has grown up with The Lord of The Rings and knows about Viggo Mortensen breaking his toe when he kicks the helmet in The Two Towers, after Aragon, Legolas, and Gimli find Merry and Pippin’s clothes and believe the pair are dead, in the much preferred the extended cut. It has become a popular sleepover activity: Watching The Lord of the Rings Extended Director’s Cut get the full experience.
Even Samwise Gamgee’s line “There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for” has found its way into the mainstream culture, being featured in motivational posts and Instagram captions throughout.
Even the following prequel, The Hobbit, similarly shot to fame. James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, and Luke Evans are among the ensemble cast members of the movie. A number of actors, including Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, and Andy Serkis, return from The Lord of the Rings. Manu Bennett, Sylvester McCoy, Mikael Persbrandt, Lawrence Makoare, and Stephen Fry all appear in the movies.
Also directed by Peter Jackson, the Hobbit follows the magical experience that is The Lord of the Rings. The Hobbit takes place sixty years before the start of The Lord of the Rings and follows Bilbo Baggins as he journeys to win back the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug along with eleven dwarves.
With the success and popularity of these two series, it is no wonder that after buying the rights for The Lord of The Rings franchise, Amazon immediately greenlit a multi-million dollar show set in the same universe. The show is not a continuation of The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies as per Amazon’s deal with the Tolkien Estate when they bought the rights.
However, watching the show’s cinematography, editing, visual design, and music, it’s clearly meant to evoke The Lord of the Rings as it is set in the same universe. Visually you are immediately transported to Middle Earth and can delight in its fantastical magic. All due respect is paid to the Tolkien Estate, with J. R. R. Tolkien’s grandson Simon Tolkien even being consulted on the development of the series.
The Rings of Power Episode 8 Spoilers
The Rings of Power Episode 8 is set in the aftermath of the Orcs vs. humans battle. This series, as a whole, follows the story of the heroes of the Second Age of Middle Earth, who were briefly mentioned in The Lord of the Rings. While there have been criticisms about the show’s pacing (and character design!), the show takes its time building a rich world befitting the lore for The Lord of the Rings.
Tolkein historians are torn about the non-canonical nature of the show, but this show brings a little bit for everyone. It takes great effort to introduce everyone to Middle Earth and familiarize the viewers with the conventions and quirks of high fantasy so that even beginners to the genre may enter this show blind and have an enjoyable viewing experience.
While The Lord of the Rings is set in an age of decline, The Rings of Power is set much earlier, bringing you into the age of glory. Middle Earth is intricate and wonderful even though the greatest Tolkein villain Sauron Abhorred, Dark Lord, Lord of Barad-dûr, Lord of Gifts, Lord of Mordor, Lord of the Earth, Lord of the Rings, reappears, threatening to cover the world in darkness.
He is intent on taking over Middle Earth and ruling it as a God-King. He hasn’t been revealed yet in the six episodes that have aired, but before the end of the series, fans have been promised a reveal of what Sauron will look like in The Rings of Power. This series follows the rise and fall of kingdoms and the adventures of improbable heroes. Yet through it, all runs the fabric of hope that remains a constant in any of Tolkien’s work.
With only eight episodes, The Rings of Power Episode 8 is set to be the season finale and will indeed be talked about with the same awe-inspiring reverence that The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit series inspire in its fans. The Rings of Power Episode 8 is also set to be the most-watched season finale on Amazon Prime.
The Rings of Power Episode 8 Release Date
While The Rings of Power Episode 7 is set to air on October 7, 2022, at midnight on Prime Video, Episode 8 will follow it the following week, airing on Prive Video on October 14, 2022.
The premier times of The Rings of Power Episode 8 in different time zones are as follows:
Pacific Daylight Time: 09:00 PM (October 13, 2022)
Central Daylight Time: 11.00 PM (October 13, 2022)
Eastern Daylight Time: 12.00 AM (October 14, 2022)
British Summer Time: 05:00 AM (October 14, 2022)
Indian Standard Time: 09:30 AM (October 14, 2022)
Singapore Standard Time: 12:00 PM (October 14, 2022)
Philippines Standard Time: 12:00 PM (October 14, 2022)
Japanese Standard Time: 01:00 PM (October 14, 2022)
Korean Standard Time: 01:00 PM (October 14, 2022)
Austalia Time: 03:00 PM (October 14, 2022)
The Rings of Power covers the forging of the Rings of Power from where the show gets its name, as well as the last alliance between man and elf. In the show, Morfydd Clark plays Galadriel, Joseph Mawle plays Adar, Robert Aramayo plays Elrond, Ismael Cruz Córdova plays Arondir, Lloyd Owen plays Elendil, Maxim Baldry plays Isildur, Charlie Vickers plays Halbrand, Daniel Weyman plays The Stranger,
and Cynthia Addai-Robinson plays Isildur (Queen Regent Miriel). The following characters travel with them: Benjamin Walker (High King Gil-galad), Charles Edwards (Celebrimbor), Markella Kavenagh (Nori), Owain Arthur (Prince Durin IV), Nazanin Boniadi (Bronwyn), Ema Horvath (Earien), Tyroe Muhafidin (Theo), and Sophia Nomvete (Princess Disa).
Where To Watch The Rings of Power Episode 8?
The Rings of Power Episode 8 will air exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. The cost in different locations are as follows:
Argentina 319 ARS
Philippines 149 PHP
India 179 INR
New Zealand 8 NZD
South Africa 79 ZAR
Australia 6.99 AUD
Japan 500 JPY
Brazil 14.90 BRL
USA 8.99 USD
UK 8.99 GBP
After Amazon bought the rights to The Lord of the Rings in November 2017 for US$250 million in November 2017, they made a five-season production commitment worth at least US$1 billion. If the show follows the projected timeline, it is expected to be the most expensive TV Show ever made. All this comes ahead in the season finale, which has the power to make or break the show, depending on if it satisfies its viewers or disappoints them.
At premiere ceremonies in August 2022, the first two episodes were screened in Los Angeles, Mexico City, Mumbai, New York City, and London. On August 31, they were also screened for free to fans in about 200 nations, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Argentina, Colombia, Australia, and New Zealand.
The final episode will be met with equal fanfare from both the production team and the fans. With J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay at the helm of the show, whatever happens in this blockbuster series finale, it’s sure to have the whole world abuzz with the latest developments in the infinite and unending Tolkein universe. There is a reason why this world captured the public imagination so thoroughly, after all!
