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The Lord of the Rings : The Rings of Powerseason 2’spenultimate episode follow Adar ( Sam Hazeldine ) andElrond ( Robert Aramayo)as they and their respective Elven and Orc U. S. Army conform to in conflict outside the bulwark of the Elvish realm of Eregion . The battle itself , known canonically as the Siege of Eregion , guide up the majority of the episode ’s runtime , and for good reason . It already ranks high as one of the most impressive megahit conflict sequences that has ever been bestow to life on television receiver .
The beleaguering takes place almost entirely at dark , but you ’re still able to perceive and understand everything that befall throughout it . That ’s a will to the workplace of manager Charlotte Brändström and cinematographer Alex Disenhof , the latter of whom confess in an interview withColliderthat he was disquieted about how visually legible the fight would turn out . “ As [ a ] cinematographer , I think , some of the shivery thing you may read on a varlet are like , ‘ A moony dark , ' ” Disenhof admitted .
Ross Ferguson / Prime Video
television receiver viewers have , of course , experienced the unique thwarting of not really being able-bodied to see what ’s happening in a cock-a-hoop , epical fantasy struggle . One ofGame of Thronesseason 8’smost infamous episode , The Long Night , washeavily criticizedin 2019 for leaning so hard into dim , “ realistic ” lighting that induce most viewers to have a hard metre making out what was occur on a moment - to - moment basis .
In lodge to avoid making the same mistake asThe Long Night , Disenhof rely on one specific aspect ofThe Rings of Power‘s climactic siege — namely , the giant ball of fire that Adar and his Orc army endlessly establish at Eregion . “ We let that be our guide , ” Disenhof revealed . “ I was able to habituate material fervor , and fake fire that we alight with lighter , as our key for a lot of the conniption . ”
Disenhof used the set piece ’s fiery trebucket and plosion to illumine every aspect of it , include the performances given by its actors . “ We had this experience where I could say , if a graphic symbol , Elrond , say , falls down , and I could say , ‘ Well , you know what , I really want to see his face here . Hey , Special Effects Department , can you light a fire 6 feet from his head ? Or however close you may get it safely ? , ’ and apply that and see it in camera , ” Disenhof recalled . “ It keeps the frame alive . ”
The resulting battle is one that — whether you loveThe Rings of Poweror not — feels like it was made with its audience ’s needs in creative thinker . If onlyGame of Throneshad made greater use of its available dragonfire when it had the chance .
TheLord of the Rings : The Rings of Powerseason 2 finale premieres on Prime Video on Thursday , October 3 .
