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‘The Rings of Power’ Season 3 First Reactions Crown Charlie Vickers’ Sauron as the Show’s Secret Weapon

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After 2 seasons of slow-burning setup, Prime Video’s Middle-earth epic is finally heading into its darkest chapter. ‘The Rings of Power’ Season 3 arrives on November 11, and the early buzz suggests the long wait since the Season 2 finale in October 2024 may have been worth it.

The new season takes a bold leap forward. It picks up 5 years after the fall of Eregion, at the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron, with the Dark Lord’s armies of orcs and Easterlings having conquered much of Middle-earth while the elves hold on thanks to the power of their rings.

Now the first reactions are in, and they’re overwhelmingly positive. Select critics have seen the first 2 episodes ahead of the premiere, with many hailing this as the show’s best season yet.

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Critic Chris Killian joined the chorus, saying that without spoiling anything, the first 2 episodes are bangers and the series keeps getting better as it goes on. He singled out Charlie Vickers as a highlight, praising how thoroughly the actor radiates evil as Sauron.

He’s far from alone. GamesRadar+’s Fay Watson described the premiere episode as epic in every sense, adding that its scale and stakes already have her wondering whether this could be the strongest season so far.

Across the reactions, Sauron, Adam Young’s Marnûkh, and the increased scale have emerged as particular standouts. Critics also noted that the season gets off to an exciting start right away, addressing the slower pacing that many earlier reviews criticized.

That tracks with what Prime Video has been teasing. The season’s official description says the Dark Lord seeks to craft the One Ring to win the war, bind all peoples to his will, and at last rule Middle-earth, and the trailer released on October 21 shows Vickers’ Sauron wearing the One Ring.

The footage also teases a clash with the Balrog and the Dark Lord sending Ringwraiths into war. It’s a far cry from Season 2, which focused on Sauron corrupting Eregion from within.

Co-showrunner Patrick McKay has described Season 3 as a soft reboot, thanks to its time jump and the decision to drop viewers straight into the action. He and co-showrunner J.D. Payne have cited shows like ‘Battlestar Galactica’ and ‘Halt and Catch Fire’ as inspiration for that kind of fresh start.

The season also brings new faces into the fold. ‘Stranger Things’ star Jamie Campbell Bower joins as Celeborn, Galadriel’s husband, and the teaser introduces characters including Khamûl, Anárion, Thrain and Marnûkh.

Fans have already embraced Bower’s casting. After a recent trailer offered a closer look at him, commenters called him the perfect Celeborn, while the footage hinted at intriguing dynamics between Celeborn, Galadriel and Sauron.

The 8-episode season kicks off with a 4-episode drop on November 11, followed by 2 episodes on November 18 and the final 2 on November 25. Filming wrapped back in December 2025, and the series streams exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories.

Amazon says the show has drawn more than 185 million viewers overall and remains one of its biggest drivers of new Prime Video sign-ups. Still, the streamer hasn’t yet renewed the series for Season 4, which puts extra pressure on this run to deliver.

The timing also gives ‘The Rings of Power’ the franchise spotlight before ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’ arrives in theaters on December 17, 2027. If early reactions hold, Sauron’s moment may finally have arrived.

What are you most excited to see in The Rings of Power Season 3?

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