The following contains spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 1, Episode 3 "Adar," now streaming on Prime Video.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is re-inventing many of the iconic people and locations of Middle-earth. While Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films are considered to be near-perfect, The Rings of Power is making a compelling case for change. The Orcs in the original LOTR trilogy were amazing -- but the Prime Video series' Orcs are even better. They're scarier, more organized and more dedicated to their service of the Dark Lord. This redevelopment of the Orcs is a sign of great things to come for the series.
The Orcs were previously shown as mindless but terrifying creatures, ready to do anything for Sauron and the other dark forces of Middle-earth. They couldn't move in daylight and were constantly fighting among each other, but the sheer amount of Orcs made them incredibly dangerous. The Orcs in The Rings of Power are meaner and less grizzled than in The Lord of the Rings. Having a new perspective on the Orcs is another reason the show is everything fans could ask for.
The first time Orcs were seen in The Rings of Power, it was terrifying. Bronwyn was trapped in her house with her son Theo while an Orc was sniffing around, looking for them. The scene came alive like a horror movie with the tension rapidly building until Bronwyn and Theo literally fought off the Orc. The attack established how scary these Orcs are. They can move anywhere in the Southlands through their tunnels, allowing them to appear without notice. They are apex predators and The Rings of Power has made it clear that they won't be easily stopped.
The fact that these Orcs have been able to enslave a significant amount of Elves is no small feat either. The Elves may be incredibly disliked, but they are warriors and skilled fighters, and the Orcs were able to bring them to heel. The head Orc of this prison camp even played cruel games with the Elves -- offering them water, then slitting one's throat just for fun. While they have always been looking to torture and maim, the ease with which it is done in The Rings of Power is stunning.
The series' visual design of the Orcs is also striking. Each Orc looks unique, like they belong to battalions or certain groups. Using rags to protect themselves from the sun and being covered in bone armor shows their innovation and willingness to endure anything. The Orcs also have their own country, free of interference from Elves and Men. The establishment of Mordor allows the Orcs to grow in both numbers and power. And because Orcs have been gone from Middle-earth for years, other races are more frightened of them, which in turn makes them scarier to the audience.
The Lord of the Rings films created some spectacular Orcs with interesting visuals and deadly weapons. The Rings of Power has delivered even better Orcs by making them scarier and more organized. The fear is palpable when the Orcs enter a scene, they are vicious and willing to kill simply to prove a point or for their own entertainment. Having Orcs with more personality transforms them from mindless grunts into true villains in their own right.
New episodes of The Rings of Power stream on Fridays on Prime Video.