The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is finally building up its marketing hype, with newly-released posters providing a sneak peek at the key characters of the show. While the posters show off much of the fancy clothing and weaponry, more importantly, they address one of The Lord of the Rings' biggest flaws: its lack of women characters and overall diversity.
Author J.R.R. Tolkien wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings in the first half of the 1900s and was heavily inspired by old north-western culture. Because of this, the vast majority of his characters were white males, including the entirety of the Fellowship and the Company of Thorin Oakenshield. While fans want adaptations to stick to Tolkien's vision, most will agree that nothing is lost by making the world of Middle-earth more inclusive.
The Lord of the Rings features some great female characters, which could definitely be seen as progressive for the time. Galadriel was one of the most powerful beings on Middle-earth, surpassing nearly all Elves with her knowledge and power. And there's Eowyn, who snuck into the male armies and battled against the Witch-king. As the wraith proclaimed, "No living man may hinder me," Eowyn removed her helmet and declared, "You look upon a woman!" stabbing him through the head as a final blow.
However, a common complaint is that these female characters are few and far between, with males taking up almost every important role. And the same goes for Black characters, with all of the main races having fair skin. But luckily, Middle-earth seems to be moving away from this idea, as the recent promotional material for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power reveals a wide range of diverse main characters.
23 character posters have appeared on the show's social media, all focusing on different characters' hands and weapons. While none of the actors' faces are shown, the hands show off varying skin tones and female characters, and judging by their designs, they range from peasants to royalty. Providing a satisfying mix of genders and ethnicities within Middle-earth has been a long time coming, and it adds a breath of fresh air to the franchise.
Given that these characters received their own posters, it seems a safe bet that most of them will play a prominent role throughout The Rings of Power. And with the plot not sticking to a particular storyline, there are a plethora of interesting female characters that could be taken from pieces of Middle-earth's lore.
As the Lord of the Rings fanbase is ever-growing and incredibly passionate, it'll be pleasant to see it embrace the importance of inclusivity and finally spotlight those who usually lack representation, all while returning to a world loved by many.