Five Major ‘The Rings of Power’ Plot Holes We Can’t Stop Thinking About
The Rings of Power Season One was decent, but it sure had some plot holes.
The Rings of Power Season One ended last year. It was a pretty decent show. It was big and beautiful and kind of messy at the same time. However, not all of it made sense. In fact, the show had quite a few plot holes.
The shadow of spoilers lies over all that follows – BEWARE.
5. Sauron on the Raft
One of the most important moments in the show is the meeting of Sauron and Galadriel on that raft in episode two. It’s a pretty major coincidence that these two would just… meet up there. We also never really get a good reason for Halbrand/Sauron being on the raft. I guess the implication is that Adar “killed” him at some point and he survived to flee and then get on the raft having… just given up? Where was he going? What was his plan? We never get any answer for this.
4. No Help for the Southlands is a Major Rings of Power Plot Holes
via Amazon
The Southlands/Mordor is a pretty large area of land. It’s implied that kind of well populated, at least well enough to have a secret king and need an Elven garrison. However, all we see of the Southlands is two villages and one watchtower with about four Elves in it.
When Adar and his Orcs start attacking places there doesn’t seem to be anywhere to go for help or ask to send aid. No other human villages or towns, no more Elf outposts. Just… nothing. We know Pelargir exists, but no one tries to go there for help. (And yeah, you can argue LoTR has had this issue before; Bree is the only human town West of the Misty Mountains we know about).
3. That Balrog
I dunno about you, but that Balrog didn’t really seem trapped at all. The leaf was able to fall all the way down to him. Why is he just hanging out there awake? Should he be busting out… now?
2. The Riders of the West
Another big The Rings of Power Season One plot hole is the Númenóreans arriving to save the day in episode six. How did they know exactly where to go? How did they know when to arrive and that they needed to hurry? I know Halbrand says in episode five that the Watchtower of Ostirith is where the Orcs seemed to be heading (though he points at the wrong part of the map when he says this). But the Númenóreans don’t go to the Watchtower, they go to the village.
Also when we see them they are galloping there. They are in a major rush – why? Unless they know the village is being attacked right now, why gallop there? It just doesn’t make sense. (Also they sailed up Anduin, unloaded, crossed Ithilien, and then over the Ephel Dúath mountains all in like one or two days??)
1. Gil-Galad’s Plan Is The Biggest Rings of Power Plot Hole
via Amazon
I think the biggest Rings of Power season one plot hole has got to be Gil-Galad‘s plan. Let’s talk about this plan. So the king finds out that the big tree is dying. Why? We don’t know – another plot hole I guess! If it dies, the Elves have to leave Middle Earth or die. He first tries to send Galadriel away to see if that will work. At the same time is he also looking for other options.
He hears that Khazad-dûm has been more active than normal. He puts this together with an old legend that no one really believes and concludes that the Dwarves have found Mithril and that this new metal no one has seen could save the Elves. He then orders Celebrimbor to build a big tower/forge with a timeline that can’t be met. The tower/forge has no purpose at this point.
Gil then sends Elrond to help build the tower, knowing that he will suggest using Dwarves to finish on time. He knows this will make Elrond go to Moria and somehow find out about Mithril. Once Elrond does, he will be able to use that in to get the metal and save the Elves. This plan is crazy. It makes zero sense and rests on top of assumptions. And yet it almost works perfectly, if only Durin III wasn’t so stubborn. Gosh, it’s dumb.
Let us know what plot holes you thought where the biggest, down in the comments!
