Thoughts on The Rings Of Power Pilot Episode
Right off the bat, the analogy and parallels in The Rings of Power, to the theology and stories in the Bible had me really excited for this show. I watched the show because I'm a Lord of the Rings fan. I didn't expect to find a great discussion between good and evil sprinkled throughout the show. There is theology in here hidden in a high fantasy story.
It must be noted that there is a lot of hate for this show online. I'm not quite sure why though. Yeah there were some head-scratching moments, but none that were enough to deter me from finishing the whole season. My wife who is not a big Lord of the Rings fan like me, actually liked it and keeps asking when Season 2 is going to come out. So there's that.
Anyway, below are some of my thoughts and notes on the pilot episode. Maybe it will sway you one way or another to give the show a chance.
A ship does not look down, but looks up to the light that guides her. It is always fighting off the darkness from the water/sea that is wanting to pull her under.
~ Finrod
This reminds me of Bishop Barron saying that bodies of water are a symbol of danger, fear or darkness in the Bible.
The ship here represents us humans. Darkness and evil, represented by water/sea, is always trying to pull us under. And so we must look up to the source of light (God) to guide us and keep us afloat.
You can take this analogy even further. While I'm not a Bible scholar, I remember a few stories that shows God's mastery over bodies of water.
- In the start of the book of Genesis, in the story of creation, you read of God “hovering above the waters” after he created Heaven and Earth.
- In the book of Exodus, you read about Moses parting the red sea with God's help.
- In the Gospel stories, you read of Jesus walking on water.
All of these examples are meant to show that God is above darkness and evil. And that is why I find that quote about the ship looking up to the light that guides her, so satisfying.
The beginning of the story in The Rings of Power, is like the beginning of the story of man in the Bible. The Elves joyfully roamed their own version of paradise, just like how Adam and Eve were free to walk alongside God in Eden. However, corruption snaked its way in and the Elves fell, just like Adam and Eve fell when they ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
The discussion on good and evil in the pilot episode is so riveting.
Where there is love, it can never truly be dark.
~ Elrond
Since God is love, you can re-write the quote above to say, “Where there is God it can never truly be dark.” And that is such an apt analogy, because God is love, and God is light. And so where God is, darkness cannot prevail.
Tags: #TheRingsOfPower #LordOfTheRings #Theology #Christianity #TVShow