Expectations were high for The Rings of Power Season 2, with promises of intense drama, darker storytelling, and a Sauron more cunning than ever—likened to iconic antiheroes like Walter White from Breaking Bad. However, seven episodes in, many fans feel the show hasn’t quite lived up to these lofty promises. While some standout moments have appeared, including an impactful death in the Battle of Eregion, the series continues to tread lightly when it comes to graphic violence.
A Toned-Down Tragedy in Episode 7
The seventh episode of the season revolves around the storyline of the Elven-smith Celebrimbor (played by Charles Edwards), who falls under the manipulative influence of Sauron, disguised as Annatar. Distracted by his ambition to craft the nine rings for men, Celebrimbor becomes oblivious to the chaos and bloodshed raging in Eregion.
In a shocking scene, his assistant Mirdania (Amelia Kenworthy) becomes the unwitting victim of his confusion. After a heated confrontation, Celebrimbor unintentionally pushes her off the city walls, sending her plummeting to the ground below. The moment of impact is grim, but the worst comes when an Orc moves in, axe raised, to finish the job. The camera cuts away, leaving viewers to imagine the brutal end that unfolds off-screen. Originally, this scene was supposed to be much gorier, offering a shocking display of violence that was ultimately deemed too extreme for the series’ audience.
The Scene That Could Have Been: Orc Brutality Dialed Back
In an interview with SlashFilm, Vic Armstrong, the second unit director for The Rings of Power, revealed that the original intention was to make Mirdania’s death much more horrifying. Armstrong described a graphic sequence where the Orc would savagely hack at her body, then lift her severed arm and drink her blood. The scene was meant to push the boundaries of what the show had previously portrayed, introducing a level of gore that might have seemed out of place for the generally restrained tone of the series.
“Charlotte [Brändström], the director, asked me to go all out with something truly horrific,” Armstrong shared. “So, we filmed the fall in detail—Mirdania hitting the ground—and then showed the Orc slicing her up. At one point, the Orc holds up her shoulder and arm and starts drinking the blood. But they thought it was a bit too much, which I don’t quite get, of course [laughs].”
Keeping the Show’s Tone in Check
While The Rings of Power doesn’t shy away from violence entirely, the show has generally kept its brutality within certain limits. Battles happen, characters get hurt, but rarely does the series indulge in gratuitous gore or extended scenes of torture. The original cut of Mirdania’s death would have significantly altered the tone of the show, pushing it toward a more mature rating and potentially alienating some viewers who appreciate its current approach.
Balancing Darkness and Audience Expectations
There’s an ongoing challenge in adapting Tolkien’s world for the screen. The story’s epic battles and dark moments must resonate with a modern audience while staying true to the essence of Middle-earth, which is not about horror but heroism and hope amid darkness. Even though the toned-down version of Mirdania’s demise still carried emotional weight, the cut footage suggests the show’s creators occasionally struggle with how far they can push the envelope.
For fans who crave a more unfiltered depiction of Middle-earth’s brutality, the decision to scale back the original scene might seem like a missed opportunity to add depth to the story’s stakes. Yet, for a series that continues to appeal to a broad audience, maintaining a careful balance between darkness and accessibility remains crucial. Whether future episodes will explore grittier themes without compromising the show’s tone remains to be seen.
