Before The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power debuted on Amazon Prime last week, anticipation had been building for years. The fantasy worlds J.R.R. Tolkien created have captivated generations with timeless themes that evoke deep emotion. Naturally, strong reactions to the show were to be expected. But Rings of Power is neither a disaster nor extremely woke, as some claim.
There’s a tendency for conservatives, myself included, to label someone or something as “woke.” After all, we’re inundated with examples of cultural rot, in which traditional values, gender roles, and even entertainment are co-opted by leftists. It’s an exhausting era. It doesn’t help that simple criticism or disagreement can result in being labeled “racist” or “bigot.” So many words have lost their meaning. For that reason alone, it’s important to clarify what is encroaching leftism and what is not.
As a Tolkien fan, I am more than pleasantly surprised by Rings of Power. Viewers are only two episodes in, but there is little reason to be concerned about disrespecting canon. There is even less truth to any claims of wokeness on the screen. Like most beloved stories that are turned into movies or shows, Rings of Power is not perfect. But this doesn’t mean it’s nonstop wokeness on display.
To be sure, Rings of Power takes liberties. Show creators are quite obviously making things up to add structure to the story. But it’s reasonable, even-handed, and tasteful. So it’s concerning to see complaints about including black or Latino actors in the roles of Disa the dwarf or Arondir the elf. It’s also concerning when the strong, feisty Galadriel is deemed to be “woke” simply based on her desire to fight and willingness to lead. There are actual culture wars worth fighting and societal battles that should be won. Rings of Power is not the hill to die on.
It’s easy to see why conservatives are so willing to place Rings of Power in a critical spotlight. Tolkien’s works represent traditional values in a way that so much modern entertainment does not. Tolkien is deeply revered on the Right, and of the many shows and movies on streaming services, there are few that represent the sentiments of conservative viewers. At the same time, it’s more important to treat other human beings well than it is to replicate a work of fiction exactly. Ismael Cruz Cordova, who plays Arondir the elf, reportedly received tons of race-related ridicule for simply being cast. If we’re talking about timeless themes of good versus evil, racism falls into the latter.
It doesn’t reflect well on people if they bristle so loudly at skin color or strong women. It doesn’t teach our children anything of value to scoff at these things. For too long, conservatives have fought back against baseless claims of racism or bigotry. For the record, viewers are neither racists nor bigots for not enjoying Rings of Power. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But conservatives don’t gain any cultural ground by loudly expressing annoyance at factors that aren’t that big of a deal. That energy is better spent on real-life problems, of which there are many.
It remains to be seen what the rest of Rings of Power will be like. That reactions to the show have already become so polarized shows how intense our culture war has grown. It’s easy to overlook substance in favor of fights that only exist on social media. Viewers may not love what they see on Rings of Power, but that doesn’t mean it’s woke. If anything, conservatives should work at saving the overused term for examples that warrant it. Contrary to popular belief, Amazon’s Rings of Power just doesn’t qualify.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
