When Sarah J. Mass creates a love interest for her protagonist, she doesn’t mess around, andA Court of Thorns and Rosesis no exception. The main character and narrator of the first three books, Feyre Archeron undergoes a huge transformation throughout the series that partially results in her switching romantic partners. The shift fromFeyre’s relationship with Tamlinto her relationship with Rhysand makes the story only more dynamic and exciting. Yet while this may work in the books,Hulu’s TVA Court of Thorns and Rosesadaptationmight face some challenges surrounding this beloved character.
Rhysand “Rhys” completely alters the direction of the story, which ultimately helped him become one of the most beloved characters Maas has ever written. WhileRhys is noticeably the most interesting and complex character by the time ofA Court of Mist and Fury,his presence in the books can come across as overpowering, which is at times unavoidable given how vital he is to Feyre’s arc. Yet because Rhys isn’t even the main character of the series, the Hulu show might need to tone down his character, which could prove to be a contentious change among die-hard fans.
The Court Of Thorns & Roses Show Must Avoid Rhysand Overshadowing Other Characters
The ACOTAR Series Relies On Various Characters To Tell The Story
Rhys' popularity skyrocketed in the second book when he transformed from a solely dark, enigmatic persona into an ideal mate and husband for Feyre. Some of Rhys' allure can be attributed to the juxtaposition between how evil he seems inA Court of Thorns and Rosescompared to how lovable he is inA Court of Mist and Fury. Aside from Rhys' redemption arc, he begins to dominate the narrative of the books for another reason: the narrator is biased. Naturally,as Feyre falls in love with Rhysand, her narration becomes very centered around him.
The themes of this series push the importance of a found family, acceptance, and loyalty, all of which will be difficult to show if characters like Cassian, Azriel, and Nesta aren’t awarded the proper screen time.
It’s crucial that theA Court Of Thorns and Rosesshow gets ahead of this Rhys problem before he starts to overshadow supporting characters on-screen, too. The themes of this series push the importance of a found family, acceptance, and loyalty; all of which will be difficult to show if characters like Cassian, Azriel, and Nesta aren’t awarded the proper screen time. Just because Rhys generates intrigue for the story, it doesn’t mean his journey should be more important than any of the other characters.The longevity of Hulu’sACOTARshowwill improve if every main character is developed equally.
Hulu’s ACOTAR Adaptation Can Learn From Rhysand’s Book Story To Solve This Problem
Rhys Is So Intriguing Because When He’s Not Always Around In ACOTAR
To understand why Rhys' presence alone can throw off the dynamic of the entire show, it’s important to remember what was so special about him in the first place.Rhys is the firstACOTARcharacter whose intentions aren’t clear from the start; combined with his complex backstory, it makes sense that he stands out compared to more predictable characters like Tamlin or Feyre. Ensuring that all the characters seem interesting, multiplying the success of Rhys' book character by making him and others intriguing on-screen so he isn’t the only one who’s captivating through absence, would make the story even more impactful.
The Court Of Thorns & Roses Show Needs To Include 2 Characters The Books Don’t (To Make Their Ending Matter)
These two characters need to be included in the A Court Of Thorns & Roses show to make their endings matter, something the books failed to do.
The Hulu show could focus more on making all the characters complicated by masking their true intentions. Fleshing out the other characters and gradually revealing their innermost turmoil would draw viewers to each of them, maybe even developing new favorite characters. This strategy has already worked well in the series, as Nesta became an instant favorite once she was actually given the proper opportunities to grow.
Meanwhile, it would also be very interesting to see Tamlin’s red flags appear sooner and more clearly than they do in the books to prompt viewers to think about that arc.
Toning Down Rhysand’s Character In A Court Of Thorns & Roses Could Be Controversial
While Less Rhys In The ACOTAR Show Wouldn’t Be Popular, It May Be For The Best
If Hulu can tamper down the Rhys hype, and focus on better distributing the screen time among all the main characters, it would help extend the reach of the story in the long run. There will likely be pushback from those who only care about Rhys' story; simply because he is such a beloved character,there will be pressure on Hulu to put him front and center of the upcoming TV series. While this may be true, a lot of Rhys' appeal is in his mysterious persona, so revealing too much about him too early could actually be a detriment to his popularity.
Hulu’s Court Of Thorns & Roses Show Already Has 1 Huge Advantage Over The Books
Hulu’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series has an edge over Sarah J. Maas' books, using the full series to foreshadow key character arcs early on.
To keep theA Court of Thorns and Rosesshow grounded in its strengths, Hulu will need to properly dive into plotlines surrounding other characters beyond Rhys. Yes, Rhys and Feyre’s relationship adds a lot to the story and does tend to dominatetheACOTARtimeline, but it will be boring if it’s the only focus. Rhys is meant to be a piece of the world that helps to tell the entire story, not the main focus; Hulu should ensure that he isn’t stealing the spotlight and distracting from the true themes and messages Maas intended to share.
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Based on theA Court of Thorns and Rosesfantasy novel series, A Court of Thorns and Roses is a television adaptation that follows Feyre Archeron, a young woman dragged into the world of faeries after slaying one of their kind. The series will follow her journey through the lands of Prythian and her relationship with one of its lords, Tamlin.
