'The Rgs of Power' Tells a Love Story We Never See on TV</tle><meta name="tle" ntent="'The Rgs of Power' Tells a Love Story We Never See on TV" /><meta name="scriptn" ntent="Amazon's 'Lord of the Rgs' seri has been cricized for queerbag, but what's wrong wh celebratg male iendships and platonic love?" /><meta name="keywords" ntent /><meta property="og:type" ntent="webse" /><meta name="theme-lor" ntent="#000000" /><lk href="/_assets/sign-tokens/menshealth/static/imag/" rel="in" /><meta property="og:se_name" ntent="Men's Health" /><meta name="fb:app_id" ntent="128455567236258" property="fb:app_id" /><meta name="article:publisher" ntent=" property="article:publisher" /><meta name="twter:se" ntent="@MensHealthMag" /><meta name="google-se-verifitn" ntent="KD2AYNrwYjrNCwZthxgElsAAkSgJhWPxx3FkmjgfPt0" /><meta property="og:tle" ntent="'The Rgs of Power' Tells the Kd of Love Story We Never See on TV" /><meta property="og:scriptn" ntent="Amazon's 'Lord of the Rgs' seri has been cricized for queerbag. 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data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" class="e9l0kn00 css-10e6ywj e1c1bym14"><span emProp="name">Entertament</span></a><meta emProp="posn" ntent="1" /></li><style data-emotn="css huh8md">{display:none;}{paddg:0.25rem;ntent:">";}</style><li emProp="emListElement" emSpe emType=" class="css-huh8md e9l0kn01"><a emProp="em" href="/entertament/a41410584/the-rgs-of-power-elrond-dur-male-iendship/" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Breadcmbs" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="The Rgs of Power Tells the Kd of Love Story We Never See on TV" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" class="e9l0kn00 css-10e6ywj e1c1bym14"><span emProp="name">The Rgs of Power Tells the Kd of Love Story We Never See on TV</span></a><meta emProp="posn" ntent="2" /></li></ol></nav><style data-emotn="css sgwfvb">{font-fay:GraphikConnsed,GraphikConnsed-fallback,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:normal;grid-lumn:1/-1;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;marg-top:0.9375rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:3rem;le-height:1.1;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:2.625rem;le-height:1.1;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:3.75rem;le-height:1.1;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{font-size:3.75rem;le-height:1.1;}} em, i{paddg-right:0.3125rem;}</style><h1 class="css-sgwfvb exadjwu10"><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p0"></span><em>The Rgs of Power</em> Tells the Kd of Love Story We Never See on TV<span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p1"></span></h1><style data-emotn="css gpc83z">{lor:#595959;font-fay:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:normal;marg-bottom:0.625rem;marg-top:0.625rem;text-align:center;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.125rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.125rem;le-height:1.2;}} a{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-ratn-lor:her;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;lor:her;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;} a:hover{lor:#d2232e;text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;}</style><div class="css-gpc83z exadjwu8"><p>Amazon's 'Lord of the Rgs' seri has been cricized for queerbag. Maybe we jt don't regnize a healthy male iendship when we see .</p></div><style data-emotn="css 61aae5">{lor:#6F6F6F;display:le;font-fay:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;letter-spacg:0.03rem;marg-bottom:0.625rem;paddg-right:0.3125rem;text-transform:upperse;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.71434rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.72308rem;le-height:1.2;}} span{le-height:1.6;}</style><div class="css-61aae5 exadjwu7"><style data-emotn="css l61bhe">{lor:#6F6F6F;display:le;font-fay:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;font-style:normal;font-weight:bold;letter-spacg:0.03rem;paddg-right:0.3125rem;text-transform:upperse;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.71434rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.72308rem;le-height:1.2;}}</style><addrs class="css-l61bhe ehvvd9m2"><style data-emotn="css 1rxc7sd">{lor:#6F6F6F;display:le;font-fay:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;letter-spacg:0.03rem;paddg-right:0.3125rem;text-transform:upperse;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.71434rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.72308rem;le-height:1.2;}}</style><span class="css-1rxc7sd ehvvd9m1"><style data-emotn="css 1sa04t">{borr-radi:50%;vertil-align:middle;marg-right:0.3125rem;object-f:ver;}</style><img src="" alt="Headshot of Philip Ellis" tle="Headshot of Philip Ellis" width="40" height="40" dg="async" fetchPrry="high" class=" css-1sa04t ehvvd9m0" />By <style data-emotn="css 1nlla76">{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-ratn-lor:her;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;lor:her;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;}{lor:#d2232e;text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;}</style><a href="/thor/222571/philip-ellis/" class="css-1nlla76 e1c1bym14">Philip Ellis</a></span><style data-emotn="css w0ebia">{display:le-block;text-transform:upperse;marg-left:0.625rem;}</style><time class="css-w0ebia exadjwu6">Published: Oct 19, 2022</time></addrs></div><style data-emotn="css wkpw2c">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-flex-directn:lumn;-ms-flex-directn:lumn;flex-directn:lumn;-webk-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webk-jtify-ntent:center;jtify-ntent:center;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;}</style><div class="no-prt css-wkpw2c exadjwu15"><style data-emotn="css 1hpjtwr">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;posn:relative;marg-top:0.9375rem;}</style><div class="ntent-hear-actns css-1hpjtwr exadjwu14"><style data-emotn="css 563p4t">{-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;background-lor:#d2232e;borr:th solid #d2232e;borr-radi:0;lor:#ffffff;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-flex-directn:row;-ms-flex-directn:row;flex-directn:row;font-fay:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;-webk-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webk-jtify-ntent:center;jtify-ntent:center;marg-bottom:0rem;marg-top:0rem;paddg:0.625rem;-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;text-transform:upperse;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;width:to;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.9375rem;le-height:1.3;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.875rem;le-height:1.3;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:0.9375rem;le-height:1.3;}}{marg-left:1rem;}{background-lor:#ffffff;lor:#d2232e;cursor:poter;borr:th solid #595959;} svg{fill:#d2232e;} svg>path{fill:#d2232e;} svg>path{fill:#ffffff;}</style><button data-tooltip-id="article-hear-save" class="ntentSaveButton css-563p4t e12nq69g1"><style data-emotn="css 1hnn6">{width:1rem;height:1rem;marg-right:0.625rem;} path{fill:#ffffff;} path{fill:#d2232e;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out 0s;transn:all 0.3s ease--out 0s;}</style><svg xmlns=" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 48 62" class="css-1hnn6 e10k4xbi2"><path fill="#000" fill-le="evenodd" d="M24 46.52 48 61V0H0v61.44l24-14.92ZM5.67 50.9 24 39.5l18.33 11.4V5.7H5.67v45.2Z" clip-le="evenodd"></path></svg>Save Article</button><style data-emotn="css 1w6cje5">{width:160px;text-align:left;lor:#595959;font-fay:Inter,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:0.70284rem;le-height:1.1;font-weight:normal;letter-spacg:0.045rem;text-transform:none;}</style></div></div></div></div></hear><style data-emotn="css k008qs">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;}</style><div class="css-k008qs ewisyje0"><style data-emotn="css 7ce51e">{marg-bottom:0.9375rem;posn:relative;}@media(max-width: 64rem){{max-width:lc(100vw - 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50vw);}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{marg:to;}}</style><div class="ntent-lead-image css-sm2oir e5f9kgu2"><style data-emotn="css eag3eq">{posn:relative;height:to;}</style><div class="css-eag3eq e5f9kgu1"><style data-emotn="css 335qep">{posn:relative;width:100%;height:100%;object-f:ver;vertil-align:top;}</style><img fetchPrry="high" alt="dur, elrond, lord of the rgs, the rgs of power" tle="dur, elrond, lord of the rgs, the rgs of power" width="2000" height="1000" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-335qep exi4f7p0" /></div></div></div><style data-emotn="css z6i669">{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-size:1.1875rem;le-height:1.6;paddg-left:0rem;paddg-right:0rem;posn:relative;}@media(m-width: 48rem){{paddg-left:3.5rem;paddg-right:3.5rem;}}@media(m-width: 48rem) and (max-width: 61.25rem){{max-width:45.25rem;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;}}@media(m-width: 61.25rem){{paddg-left:0rem;paddg-right:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem) and (max-width: 100rem){{paddg-left:0rem;paddg-right:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{paddg-left:0rem;paddg-right:0rem;}} em{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-style:alic;} strong{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-weight:bold;}{clear:both;ntent:" ";display:block;font-size:0.7rem;le-height:1.5rem;height:0rem;visibily:hidn;}</style><div class="article-body-ntent article-body standard-body-ntent css-z6i669 ewisyje7"><style data-emotn="css 18vfmjb">{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-size:1.1875rem;le-height:1.6;} em{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-style:alic;} strong{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-weight:bold;}</style><p data-no-id="0" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Amazon Prime's <em><style data-emotn="css 38knzi">{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.125rem;text-ratn-lor:#d2232e;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;lor:her;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;}{lor:#000;text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;background-lor:#F3B032;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;}</style><a href=" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="The Rgs of Power" class="body-lk css-38knzi et3p2gv0">The Rgs of Power</a></em>, s lavish prequel to <em>The Lord of the Rgs</em> <a href=" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="based on ancillary works by J.R.R. Tolkien" class="body-lk css-38knzi et3p2gv0">based on ancillary works by J.R.R. Tolkien</a>, jt end s first season on several enormo cliffhangers, wh Hot Sron gearg up to enact some dastardly plan the newly tablished Mordor, leavg everyone else Middle-Earth basilly cryg, shakg, and throwg up about . </p><p data-no-id="1" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">While the seri certaly didn't skimp on spectacle, has faced some legimate cricisms regardg s pacg: the storytellg moved at a glacial pace for several episos, and the actual rgs of power for which the show is named only make an appearance the fal 20 sends of the season fale. </p><p data-no-id="2" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"><a href=" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="The show has also been acced by some viewers for queerbag" class="body-lk css-38knzi et3p2gv0">The show has also been acced by some viewers for queerbag</a>, a term which scrib wrg or actg that hts at a gay relatnship whout ever makg the effort to directly al wh LGBTQ+ ntent or them. Given how historilly unrreprented queer people have been pop culture (and how sperate the dienc are to see themselv reflected media), this n be a real problem. In terms of <em>The Rgs of Power</em>, this crique centered on the elf Elrond and the dwarf Dur, whose iendship occupi the majory of the narrative's emotnal real tate. </p><p data-no-id="4" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">This feels like is by sign: the wrers of <em>The Rgs of Power </em>seem far ls terted flhg out the star-crossed relatnship between Arondir and Bronwyn (a th retread of <em>LOTR</em>'s Aragorn and Arwen) than they are explorg the pths and nuanc of Elrond and Dur's iendship, which is lan wh affectnate banter but eventually leads to some movg, character-driven scen which propel the plot forward. It is Dur's love for his iend which him to fy his father and ntue diggg for the mhril ore which will rtore the valy of the elv—and his gift of mhril to Elrond dovetails directly wh the creatn of the tular rgs.</p><style data-emotn="css 1736von">{--data-embed-display:flex;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;clear:both;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}@media(m-width: 20rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 75rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}} a span{right:1rem;} img{width:to;height:85vh;} a{display:-webk-le-box;display:-webk-le-flex;display:-ms-le-flexbox;display:le-flex;posn:var(--posn, relative);} img:not(.ewcw41w1){display:block;width:100%;height:to;-webk-align-self:flex-start;-ms-flex-em-align:flex-start;align-self:flex-start;}</style><div size="medium" data-embed="body-image" data-no-id="5" class="align-center size-medium embed css-1736von e1xqj1sx4"><style data-emotn="css uwraif">{width:100%;display:-webk-le-box;display:-webk-le-flex;display:-ms-le-flexbox;display:le-flex;-webk-flex-directn:lumn;-ms-flex-directn:lumn;flex-directn:lumn;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;-webk-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webk-jtify-ntent:center;jtify-ntent:center;}</style><div class="css-uwraif e1xqj1sx3"><img alt="lord of the rgs, the rgs of power, dur, elrond" tle="lord of the rgs, the rgs of power, dur, elrond" loadg="lazy" width="1600" height="900" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-0 exi4f7p0" /><style data-emotn="css swqnqv">@media(m-width: 20rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 75rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}</style><div class="css-swqnqv e1xqj1sx2"><style data-emotn="css 1am3yn9">{paddg-left:0rem;le-height:1;}</style><figptn class="css-1am3yn9 enfs9c50"><style data-emotn="css 11z3u4d">{lor:#6F6F6F;font-fay:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;letter-spacg:0.03rem;paddg-right:0.3125rem;text-transform:upperse;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.71434rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.72308rem;le-height:1.2;}}</style><span class="css-11z3u4d e6iqd1">Amazon Prime</span></figptn></div></div></div><p data-no-id="6" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">I've enjoyed the jok about Elrond and Dur beg squabblg ex-boyiends as much as everyone else, largely bee their scen crackle wh genue warmth and humor, while so much of the rt of the seri suffers om a po-faced serns. (Serly, Arondir and Galadriel nnot seem to tch a break their rpective storyl.)</p><p data-no-id="7" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">But do that make gay?</p><p data-no-id="8" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">I'm personally very faiar wh the practice of shippg characters who are nonilly not together, and of seekg out queer unrton when the actual text leav me wantg more. And far be for me to tell people what they should or shouldn't take away om a piece of art. But I would argue that one reason people watchg <em>The Rgs of Power</em> were so quick to latch onto the ia of homoerotic subtext between Elrond and Dur is that we are still as a culture largely unacctomed to seeg ep, emotnally meangful iendships between men beg picted as such. </p><p data-no-id="9" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Y, Elrond and Dur uld be lovers, possibly even a throuple wh the genero and fun-lovg Disa (who would absolutely be the top that scenar, but I digrs). It's jt as likely, however, and maybe jt as narratively satisfyg, for the two men to be such ar, lifelong iends that their bond is s own unique love story. We first get a ht at the real pth of feelg their scen together when Dur angrily adms he rents Elrond for stayg away so long, for missg his weddg and the birth of his children. Later, Elrond is so eager to prove himself worthy of Dur's tst that he threatens his own posn wh elven society by refg to break the promise he ma to the dwarven prce.</p><style data-emotn="css 1543wkl">{background-lor:#efeb;borr-left:thick solid black;lor:#000;font-fay:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;marg:0.625rem 0 0;paddg-bottom:0.9375rem;paddg-left:1.25rem;paddg-top:0.9375rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.125rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.125rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:1.25rem;le-height:1.4;}} b, strong{font-fay:her;font-weight:bold;} em, i{font-fay:her;font-style:alic;}</style><blockquote data-no-id="10" class="body-blockquote css-1543wkl et3p2gv0">"I swore an oath to Dur. To some, that may now hold ltle weight. But my teem, is by such thgs our very souls are bound." — Elrond</blockquote><p data-no-id="11" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">The are juicy emotnal stak wh real plot ramifitns, and mak me cur as to why there aren't more stori out there about platonic love. Bee the grand scheme of <em>my </em>life, the most signifint and transformative relatnships I've ever had have not been romantic nature. I would hazard that I am not alone this.</p><p data-no-id="12" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Of urse, you n't talk about iendship and homoerotic subtext Tolkien's ouevre whout acknowledgg Frodo Baggs and Samwise Gamgee. The reluctant hero and his fltlsly loyal pann provi the emotnal backbone that centers the <em>Lord of the Rgs </em>trilogy, both on the page and the screen. That this pairg would go on to bee the subject of so much fanfictn and queer projectn is hardly a surprise. In fact, as Molly Ostertag wrote a Polygon say entled <em><a href=" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="Queer readgs of Lord of the Rgs are not accints" class="body-lk css-38knzi et3p2gv0">Queer readgs of Lord of the Rgs are not accints</a></em>, was evable:</p><p data-no-id="13" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">"Queer people have always existed. The words for have changed, will always change, but our hearts are the same. When we look at history, we mt follow breadcmbs to fd ourselv. And like many of , Sam Gamgee is obssed wh stori. He’s always notg that he and Frodo are a great tale, and wonrg whether will be happy or sad. When he thks he will die to fend Frodo’s body, he wonrs if there will be songs wrten about this last act of lovg fiance. He wonrs, like so many others, if this love will be remembered."</p><p data-no-id="14" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Each time I rewatch the films, I crge at the mockery wh which Sam is troduced <em>The Fellowship of the Rg</em>, only to tear up by the time he steps forward <em>Return of the Kg </em><em></em>and rri his iend who n no longer walk. It is a selfls act of love, and one which fully supports the popular queer readg of the text which poss that Frodo and Sam's nnectn is as romantic as is platonic. </p><div size="medium" data-embed="body-image" data-no-id="15" class="align-center size-medium embed css-1736von e1xqj1sx4"><div class="css-uwraif e1xqj1sx3"><img alt="sam, odo, lord of the rgs, elijah wood, sean ast" tle="sam, odo, lord of the rgs, elijah wood, sean ast" loadg="lazy" width="1200" height="632" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-0 exi4f7p0" /><div class="css-swqnqv e1xqj1sx2"><figptn class="css-1am3yn9 enfs9c50"><span class="css-11z3u4d e6iqd2">New Le Cema</span></figptn></div></div></div><p data-no-id="16" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">But such displays of loyalty and, y, love, are everywhere <em>The Lord of the Rgs</em>. Every time I revis the movie trilogy, I am stck anew by the immediate mararie between the ne men the fellowship (technilly only <em>two</em> men, joed by an elf, a dwarf, a wizard, and four hobbs, but aga I digrs); the brotherly bonds that are formed wh such speed and strength that is genuely guttg when their group is separated at the end of the first film. And all of that mak perfect sense when you nsir the historil ntext of the source material.</p><p data-no-id="17" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Tolkien wrote <em>The Lord of the Rgs</em> between 1937 and 1949, and the text is heavily rmed by his own experienc the First. The horrors of war are ont and center thematilly, but so too is the importance of the emotnal ti that keep gog when the world is, both lerally and figuratively, fallg apart around . When Frodo tells Sam "I am glad you are wh me, here at the end of all thgs," they uld well be the words of one soldier to another the trench.</p><p data-no-id="18" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">In <em>The Rgs of Power</em>, bonds of iendship are shown to be life-changg. Nori's nnectn to the Stranger leads her to ever greater acts of boldns and bravery. Isildur, a key figure Tolkien lore, would not make the choic he do whout both the support and chidg of his peers. And then there are Dur and Elrond, who stay te to each other above all else, even if means each betrayg their own kg. </p><p data-no-id="19" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0"> Whether or not Elrond and Dur's bond is revealed to have a romantic or sexual element future seasons, or is simply that of two ri-or-die bti, will stand out as the most emotnally engagg aspect of the show s radil pictn of lovg, non-toxic masculy—not to mentn this eratn's most succsful distillatn of Tolkien's worldview.</p><p data-no-id="20" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Maybe the real rgs of power were the iends we ma along the way.</p><style data-emotn="css 1v2eakg">{marg-bottom:0.9375rem;posn:relative;}{marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}@media(m-width: 48rem){{width:90%;}}{marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:95%;}@media(m-width: 30rem){{width:75%;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{width:65%;}}</style><div data-no-id="21" data-teractive="VioPlayer-1" class="embed aspect-rat-16x9 css-1v2eakg e3dq3y0"><style data-emotn="css 1ui7hop">{marg-bottom:0.9375rem;--aspect-rat:56.25%;}</style><div class="__rp-ntaer css-1ui7hop e6l0f0"><style data-emotn="css 1yu8e3d">{marg-bottom:0.9375rem;width:100%;height:100%;} .__rp-ntaer{height:to;}</style><div data-embed="embed-vio" class="vio-player css-1yu8e3d e1ou1fny0"><style data-emotn="css 1uds6oo">{height:100%;width:100%;posn:relative;}</style><div class="css-1uds6oo e1f7ylgd6"><style data-emotn="css 1iiivv4">{background-lor:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);borr:.1875rem solid whe;borr-radi:50%;lor:#fff;cursor:poter;height:3.75rem;left:50%;posn:absolute;top:50%;-webk-transform:translate(-50%,-50%);-moz-transform:translate(-50%,-50%);-ms-transform:translate(-50%,-50%);transform:translate(-50%,-50%);-webk-transn:all 0.4s;transn:all 0.4s;width:3.75rem;z-x:1;}.e1f7ylgd6:hover {background-lor:rgba(33, 150, 245, 0.8);lor:#ffffff;}@media(m-width: 48rem){{height:5.625rem;width:5.625rem;borr:.28125rem solid whe;}}</style><button aria-label="Play Vio" class="css-1iiivv4 e1f7ylgd1"><style data-emotn="css 1lhf7lq">{fill:#ffffff;height:1.4rem;vertil-align:middle;width:1.45rem;}@media(m-width: 48rem){{width:2.3125rem;height:3rem;}}</style><svg xmlns=" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" style="fill: var(--primary, #000);" role="img" tle="Play" class="css-1lhf7lq e1f7ylgd2"><tle>play in

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