The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power introduces us to a completely different Isildur. He is quite different from the one in the movies. The young, good-hearted Isildur in the series is far from the war-hardened king he later becomes. This contrast makes us question the eventual mistake that Isildur makes with the ring. He had the chance to destroy the ring in the fire of Mount Doom.
Yet he chose not to. He keeps the ring to himself, which sets him on the path of destruction and eventual death. The ring eventually falls into the hands of Gollum. However, Isildur in the series is a gentle soldier with a rebellious spirit. The kindness in the young Isildur's character is so defining that it is hard to believe that he eventually makes the mistake of keeping the ring.
Isildur in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
The version of Isildur in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is naive. He is also aimless. He often finds it difficult to understand which path he is to follow. He struggles under the wrath of his strict father. However, the aspect that shines bright in the younger version of Isildur is his kindness. He tries his best to help others.

This can be seen at the end of the first season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. At the first season's end, we see him get buried under the rubble while trying to help others. The show’s version of Isildur is a sympathetic and good-hearted person. Hence, it is truly hard to believe that he is the same man who later gives in to the Ring’s corrupting influence.
Isildur is known to refuse Elrond’s words to destroy the ring. After defeating Sauron, Isildur takes on his ring, which sets him on the path of destruction. His decision leads him to his death, and the One Ring eventually falls into the hands of Smeagol. His mistake is the core of the story, depicting that the ring’s evil influence remains throughout.
Isildur in the series is yet to become the man who makes the grave mistake. He is flawed yet has a good heart. He is just a young boy trying to live up to his father’s expectations. This makes many viewers believe that he is too kind to choose to keep the ring to himself.
However, it must be remembered that this is a prequel to the events of the movies; hence, he still has much growing up to do. The corruption of the ring is the central aspect of the movie franchise. Its powers can even corrupt the hearts of the noblest.

Isildur’s kindness in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is a setup for his eventual downfall. The show is about his journey to become a tragic figure who gets consumed by the powers of the ring. It is truly a fascinating journey to see how Isildur transforms.
This side of Isildur makes his future mistake even more poignant. The show's depiction of a kind-hearted Isildur makes his future mistake all the more devastating. The fact that Isildur believed that he would be able to control the power of the ring became his fatal mistake.
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