Legend of Earthsea swaps the largely nonwhite cast of Le Guin’s original novels for a nearly all-white ensemble, bucking the source’s intent. However, it still leans on surface-level diversity with some token representation, and themes feel watered down in favor of contemporary identity politics. Character depth and mythic nuance are sacrificed for a more generic fantasy template.

The show downplays traditional family, masculinity, and the spiritual undertones present in Le Guin’s work. Religion and mentorship are mostly sidelined, and classic cultural elements are stripped of complexity or moral ambiguity, a clear shift to make things more “palatable” to modern sensibilities.

There’s little room for alternative viewpoints in the series. Dissenting voices, traditional frameworks, and nuanced villains aren't given depth, instead replaced with flat villains and predictable messages. It’s not as overwhelmingly one-note as later fantasy adaptations, but the signals are all there.