Episode 206 | The Rings of Power Season Two Breakdown & Reaction
Episode 206 | The Rings of Power Season Two Breakdown & Reaction
In this episode, we visit nearly all of our storylines except for Isildur and Theo in Pelargir. I wonder what they’re up to?
Elves and Orcs Prepare for Battle
The episode opens as Arondir races through the forest, where he stumbles upon deserting orc soldiers. After a brief fight, Arondir kills the orcs and discovers they hold a map of Eregion.
Choices in Rhûn: Nori, Poppy, the Stranger, and Bombadil
In Rhûn, the Stranger is troubled by visions of Nori in peril. He is distracted from his “destiny” as described by Bombadil, feeling as if Nori urgently needs him to find her.
While still in the house of Tom Bombadil, the Stranger has an interesting conversation with Tom Bombadil about “mastering” the Secret Fire. I thought this dialogue was interesting because in The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf refers to himself as the servant of the Secret Fire, not its master, so I assume there will be some lessons learned along the way for him in this series.
Stranger: “How do I learn to master its power?”
Bombadil: “What does the secret fire need with you as its master?”
Bombadil explains that the Stranger must not fail the trial that is before him now, and that he must follow Tom Bombadil who will show him what he must do. Tom brings the Stranger out to the desert to find his staff, where there is a valley filled with tons and tons of seemingly dead or dead-ish trees with all sorts of branches for the taking. Apparently this is the place to go for wizards to claim their staff.
The Stranger is distracted because he fears for Nori; Bombadil responds, “Many that die deserve life, some that live deserve death. Who are you to give it to them?” I hate that they are retconning this line to be wisdom learned from Bombadil. I have always believed that it was wisdom that he learned from Nienna. Bombadil then explains “Sauron rises in the West, the Dark Wizard in the East. Every soul in Middle-earth is in peril. Will you abandon them to their doom?” He presents the Stranger with a choice, essentially, to choose between finding Nori or his “destiny”.
Meanwhile, in the Stoor camp, Nori is discussing the Harfoot way of migration with Gundabel as it stands in contrast to the consistency of the Stoors’ way of life. Poppy and Merimac are completely smitten with each other and kiss in a cute scene. Later, Nori is considering turning herself in but she discusses with Poppy how important the Stranger is. So they decide to fight against the Dark Wizard’s forces.
In Númenor
Elendil is tried for incitement of violence and high treason before Pharazôn and the Kingsmen. He is threatened with a sentence of death, but then offered freedom if he were to recant his crimes and beliefs. Elendil will not renounce Míriel as Númenor’s true ruler. Belzegar suggests they try Elendil using an old method that the Faithful used, saying, “Perhaps we should let the Valar decide his fate. If the Faithful want to live by the old traditions, they ought to die by them as well.”
This scene is extremely reminiscent of the scene in Game of Thrones in which Ned Stark is killed as his daughters watch, though thankfully it ends less bloodily. Kemen continues to act like a brat, clearly following a King Joffrey character arc.
Elendil is thrown into prison, where he is visited first by Earien who begs him to swear fealty to Pharazôn. This scene was quite moving. Earien asks her father to swallow his pride, to which he responds, “If after all this, all you see is pride then there are no words left for us to speak.” Because she feared Elendil would not heed her counsel, she brings in Míriel who also tries to persuade him to bow to Pharazôn.
Míriel: “If Númenor is to endure, it needs men like you. Men who will champion all that is precious, men of faith.
Elendil: “Faith is not faith if it is not lived. And in my heart, I know you are this kingdom’s true heir. I cannot deny that knowledge. Were I to do so, I would cease to be the man you wish to save.”
Elendil; “I would rather die with a heart that is whole than live with one broken by cowardice.”
Míriel: “What of my heart?”
Elendil: “If it is the will of the Valar that my life be spared, then it will be.”
Míriel: “What if it isn’t?”
Elendil: “The Sea is always right.”
The Sea Trial
Elendil is then brought out to the coast for his Sea Trial. Pharazôn asks him,“Do you forsake all earthly authority and accept the judgment of the Valar?” to which he responds that he does. Before he can be taken into the water, Míriel arrives and offers to endure the Sea Trial in his stead. Elendil is distraught but Míriel insists. In a sweet moment, Míriel says “Namarië” to Elendil. She also says, “It must be me who takes the first step.”
Míriel is led into the water to await the Sea Wyrm, which drags her deep into the ocean. The Wyrm roars at her but then delivers her back to the surface, pretty quickly, where she is declared innocent and the crowd names her Tar-Míriel, Queen of the Sea. Pharazôn is unsettled by this ordeal and returns to the Palantir, where he is given a vision: Magma (Mount Doom); the eye of Sauron; Halbrand turning and looking back at him in the forge.
Orc Camp: Galadriel and Adar
We return to the orc camp where Adar has set out a beautiful Beauty and the Beast Dinner for himself and Galadriel. They discuss Sauron’s manipulation techniques and seem to have a bonding moment of sorts over it, however short lived.
Adar: “During my brief time in your capture, you seemed intent on finding Sauron, one might even say consumed by it the way one always is once he has wormed his way inside your mind.”
Galadriel: “You know nothing of my mind. You yielded to him, I resisted.”
Adar: “For a while, perhaps. But sooner or later he sees you. Not just who you are, but who you wish to be. HIs eye bores a hole and the rest of him slithers in. For a while, he even makes you believe that his power has become yours. Irresistible power that makes every desire’s fulfillment seem inevitable…”
Galadriel admits that Sauron promised her an army; to Adar, Sauron promised children.
Galadriel: “Then it would seem he gave us both what we desired.”
Adar: “You see? It is not his lies which must be extinguished. It is him.”
Adar proposes that they fight together to destroy Sauron. He brings forth the crown of Morgoth, explaining that Sauron re-fired the crown of Morgoth to fit himself. Adar hopes that the power of the Elven rings alongside Morgoth’s crown can perhaps destroy Sauron forever, lamenting that “the Deceiver believes he is still beyond my grasp.” Adar convinces Galadriel to divulge that Halbrand is Sauron, along with the location of her ring.
“The fate of that city now rests on your ability to put aside your pride.” - Adar
Galadriel confesses to Adar that Halbrand is Sauron and that he is in Eregion to craft Rings to dominate her kind, and all of Middle-earth. Galadriel tells Adar that Elrond has her Ring and that he is hastening to Eregion. Galadriel agrees that they work together to fight against Sauron, but Adar pushes back (despite this being his idea).
Adar: “And what then? I meant, what then for the Uruk? Will your high king permit us to return home in peace, or will he proceed with his plans to invade Mordor?”
Adar tells Galadriel that she has unwittingly revealed everything he had hoped and more, she pleads with Adar not to destroy Eregion but he orders her to be held.
Annatar and Celebrimbor: Eregion
The Rings are not cooperating and Celebrimbor continues his descent into madness. Mirdania acts on behalf of all of the smiths when she expresses her concern for Celebrimbor’s well-being, but is cast aside — in this, she becomes even more vulnerable to Annatar’s manipulations.
“Until the Nine are complete, nothing else matters.” - Celebrimbor
Annatar assumes control of all administrative matters of Eregion while Celebrimbor is consumed by his work. The people of Eregion are concerned because several of their servants went missing, and only one was returned - dead, with a message inscribed in his flesh. The carving says, “Where is he?” Annatar bids Mirdania to keep it a secret.
“He’s not himself, Mirdania. For now all we can do is leave him in solitude. Give him time and pray that he finishes this work before it finishes him.”
The Siege of Eregion Begins
Panic overcomes Eregion as they realize they are under siege. Celebrimbor seems to be realizing something is wrong; he hears the “siege-alarm” ringing, but is confronted by Annatar before he can look into it.
Annatar: “I assure you, I have the affairs of the city well in hand.”
Celebrimbor: “I shall decide that for myself.”
Annatar: “You belong in here, my friend.”
Annatar: “Leave this tower now, and when the men of Middle-earth fall, I swear to you, every soul in the seen or unseen world will know that it was you who was the architect of their demise. We still have nine Rings to forge.”
Celebrimbor’s Vision, Sauron’s Illusion
Sauron creates a vision for Celebrimbor to be immersed in when he leaves the forge of a peaceful and Edenic Eregion. This is like his version of when he took Galadriel back to Valinor.
“For centuries, I sought to craft objects of great power. But I failed. The truth of it is, I came to Eregion not because the Valar needed you but because I did.” - Annatar
Annatar presents a small container of “mithril” to Celebrimbor along with the hammer of Fëanor, encouraging him to return to his work.
“We are close now, Celebrimbor, so close to achieving what we set out to do. I give you my oath, upon my immortal being, when the history of this age is written the Silmarils - well - they will merit little more than a whisper. But your Rings, the Rings of Power, they will be deemed the most precious creations in all Middle-earth. Do not turn back now at the very moment your boots are kissing the threshold.” - Annatar
Celebrimbor returns to the forge and the vision is ended, replaced by the reality of the city under siege. Annatar observes the fear and chaos while smirking evilly. He stands upon one of the towers and outstretches his arms, though I’m not sure what he is doing with that. The first catapults are released and thus the fall of Eregion begins.
Madness in Khazad-dûm
The dwarves are mining overtime and laying giant piles of gold before the King’s feet. Essentially he is suffering from Dragon Sickness due to the Ring. Annatar has arrived in Khazad-dûm to plead with the Dwarves for more mithril. His request is denied by Durin III and he leaves Khazad-dûm. Annatar either foresees or summons the Balrog before leaving.
“The whole world’s gone mad, my son. But it is to us to grip it by the throat.” - Durin III
Durin III has been driven mad by the Ring, and his son pleads with him to remove it. Ultimately, he refuses and hits his son. Taking counsel with Disa, who says that the King is not himself and is putting all of the dwarves in peril. Durin IV cries and says he doesn’t want to usurp his father or betray him, but Disa argues that he will destroy their entire mountain if he is not stopped.
“I look at him and in his eyes, I still see my father. Lost and far away, yes, but he’s still in there.” - Durin IV
Episode Six Thoughts
The emotional dialogue between Elendil and Míriel while he is in prison ending with the cheesy line, “The Sea is always right” was a rough moment for me. It was so close! And yet! This keeps happening!
The Sea Trial lasting approximately thirty seconds was another example of all the stakes in this season feeling too low. Anyone who is familiar with the Second Age knows the eventual fates of both Elendil and Míriel, but at the same time I don’t feel the risk was presented as very high for those who weren’t aware either.
The highlights of the season continue to be the dwarves, Eregion, and Adar’s storyline.
