The 'Rings of Power' director found inspiration in gemstones, capoeira and armadillos

[Editor's Note: The following article contains spoilers for "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" Episode 4, "The Great Wave".]< /p>

"The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" is the product of an endless supply of resources. For all its grandeur, detail, and physical craftsmanship, there's one thing the show had early in its run that's almost always much harder to pin down: timing.

Take the most recent episode of the series, which finds Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) in a verbal confrontation with Queen Regent Miriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson). With fierce conviction, Galadriel proclaims, "There is a storm within me that has carried me to this island for a reason, and it will not be quelled by you, Regent." A hard cut for her to be placed in a Númenórean holding cell. Against the backdrop of a real and growing threat, "Rings of Power" still finds room for a well-placed comedic beat.

Director Wayne Che Yip, who helmed episodes 3 and 4 and will have directed half of the opening season once it's over, said the moment - executed as planned - was a key part of capturing source material.

“That moment in itself was something that J.D. [Payne] and Patrick [McKay] had written very early on in the script. They have real passion and a real command of language and beats,” Yip said. What was important to us was making sure there were opportunities to undercut things with a bit of humor or levity that didn't get out of your hand and feel like a jarring change in tone. important and I felt like it was on Tolkien's mind."

Blending these emotional beats and finding lighter moments in the dark is something Yip has excelled at in his past television work. Series like "Utopia," "Misfits," and "Hunters" all demanded a deep understanding of where to embrace brutality and when to let life's absurdities have their moment. For a group facing the dangers of migrating to a new homeland, the Harfoots represent one of the best examples of a dash of the former and many of the latter in the world of the "Rings of Power". One of the most impressive visual achievements of the first half of the season is the Harfoot camouflage, where the whole community can take cover and blend in with their surroundings at all times.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power"

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