The plot thickens on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. In “The Great Wave” Elrond (Robert Aramayo) uncovers a secret, Arondir (Ismael Cruz Cordova) is given an ultimatum and Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) tests the Queen Regent Míriel’s (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) patience.
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WHO’S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD ELF
Galadriel’s arrival stirred up fears in the kingdom of Númenor. Queen Regent Míriel has nightmares about a giant wave destroying the city. The guy that Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) beat up last week is in the town square, stirring up more animosity towards elves and the Queen Regent. Chancellor Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle) interrupts to deliver what sounds more like a campaign speech than a speech in support of the Queen Regent.
Eärien (Ema Horvath) meets a nice boy, Kemen (Leon Wadham) as her brother, Isildur (Maxim Baldry) is dismissed from the cadet program. He heard a voice call out to him on the sea and purposefully messed up. Unfortunately, his friends were also dismissed and now they hate him.
Galadriel tries her best to convince Míriel to join her fight. Míriel is eager to get rid of Galadriel. Even after she hears that Halbrand is the king of the Southlands, Míriel still shows no interest in helping anyone. Galadriel insults the people of Númenor and demands to see the King. Míriel responds by throwing the elf into a cell next to Halbrand. He’s very amused by the whole thing.
Later that night, Halbrand tells Galadriel to identify what the Queen fears the most and use it. Galadriel escapes the prison and climbs the King’s tower. When she gets inside, Míriel is waiting for her.
THE GREAT WAVE
Míriel tells Galadriel that her father believed they should renew relations with the elves. He believed they provoked the Valar and must repent. The people of Númenor rebelled and Míriel was named Queen Regent. One night, her father showed her a Palantir that was passed to him and with it a secret. Míriel tells Galadriel to put her hand on the Palantir and see what that secret is.
Galadriel sees a great wave destroy Númenor. Míriel says Galadriel’s arrival signaled the vision to come true. That’s why she must go. The Valar gave them the isle on virtue and they can take it away. Galadriel says that virtue was loyalty to the elves. Míriel says her father believed that and it almost destroyed them.
Galadriel pleads with Míriel to join her quest to face the evil in the south. She says Míriel’s decision is based on fear. She knows what it’s like to be the only one who sees and knows. They don’t have to bear that burden alone. She asks that Númenor fight with the elves once more. Míriel declines.
ADAR
Arondir comes face to face with Adar (Joseph Mawle), or Father in Elvish. Adar is an elf, corrupted by Morgoth. Adar says Arondir has been told many lies. To untangle all the lies would require the creation of a new world. But that’s something only the gods can do. And he is no god, yet. Adar instructs Arondir to go back to the watchtower and deliver a message.
Bronwyn (Nazanin Boniadi) manages the watchtower and finds there is not a lot of food for everyone. Several villages made their way to the tower for safety. Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin) suggests they go back to their village to get whatever food they can find. Bronwyn says no. They will forage the hills first. Theo says there’s not much game to hunt in the hills. Bronwyn won’t risk losing anyone by going back to the village.
Theo and his friend Rowan (Ian Blackburn) go back anyway. They find lots of food and lots of dead livestock. Rowan wheels a barrow, thinking it’s enough for now. Theo wants to see what’s left in the tavern, but Rowan won’t go in there. Smart boy. A dark cloud appears over the village and Rowan runs away with the barrow.
TRAPPED IN DARKNESS
Theo quickly runs into trouble when he finds an orc inside the tavern. The orc tries to kill Theo, forcing the kid to pull out the dark hilt. The orc recognizes the hilt and demands that Theo give it up.Theo uses the hilt to get away from the orc, but the orc alerts the other orcs and a search for the boy begins. Theo hides in a well until he can sneak out.
The hunters came back with very little food. Theo was right about the game being scarce. Rowen arrives at the tower with food, causing a frenzy. Bronwyn asks about Theo and Rowan though the kid was right behind him.
Theo is able to get out of the well and tries his best to stay out of sight. An orc finds him though and chases him through the village. The orc captures Theo and is about to kill him when someone stabs him from behind. Arondir saves Theo.
Arondir and Theo run through the woods to escape the orcs. They run into Bronwyn who helps an injured Theo to a clearing in the woods. Just as the orcs get to the clearing, the sun comes up, forcing the orcs back into the darkness.
THE SECRETS OF DWARVES
Elrond and Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) are overseeing the construction of the tower. Celebrimbor seems disturbed by something. He tells Elrond that Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur) is avoiding him or he’s hiding something.
Elrond travels to Khazadun to talk to Durin. Durin isn’t home when he gets there and Princess Disa (Sophia Nomvete) says she doesn’t know where he is. Elrond suspects that Disa is covering for Durin. She has answers for everything and reminds Elrond that he’s an outsider.
Later, Disa tells Durin that Elrond is suspicious. He’s happy that Disa was able to cover for him and says they are making progress in the old mine. Elrond is nowhere near them, but he can see them from where he is. He can see them talking and makes out that Durin is in the old mine.
Elrond finds that old mine and Durin is not happy to see him down there. He accuses Elrond of trying to take “it” for himself. Elrond doesn’t know what Durin is talking about. He says he’s only concerned for their friendship and the secrets that hurt their relationship.
DIGGING TOO DEEP
Robert Aramayo (Elrond), Owain Arthur (Prince Durin IV). CR: Ben Rothstein/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios
Durin swears Elrond to secrecy before telling that they found a new ore. It’s stronger, lighter, harder, and maybe dearer than gold. It glows from within the stone. It’s mithril and it’s dangerous to mine. King Durin II (Peter Mullan) restricted the mining of the ore in the name of caution. He shows Elrond a small sample of the ore and Elrond is entranced by it. Durin questions why Elrond came to visit. Elrond insists that he came only to see his friend. He hands the mithril back to Durin, but Durin tells him to keep it as a token of their friendship.
The ground rumbles and they hear dwarves screaming. The mine starts to cave in and Durin runs to help his brothers. Elrond tries to stop him as the ground continues to shake.
Disa sings a song of prayer for those who were in the collapsed mine. Elrond watches with great interest. Disa is grateful to Elrond’s presence. If he had not come, Durin might have perished in the mine. Durin returns and says they pulled out the last miner. All of the miners survived the collapse.
FATHERS AND SONS
Durin is angry with his father for closing the mine. Elrond tries to cool his temper by telling him about his father. The Valar held him in high regard and gave him the honor of carrying the evening star across the sky. Before when Elrond looks at that star, he wonders if his father is proud or disappointed in him. Now he would welcome either just to have another conversation with his father. He tells Durin to not waste the time he has with his own father.
Durin goes to his father to apologize for putting their people in danger. The King says there’s nothing to forgive. He’s just happy that he’s alive. Durin informs the king that Elrond invited him to Lindon. The king tells Durin to go and find out what the elves are really up to.
TURN OF THE TIDE
Bronwyn thanks Arondir for saving Theo. He delivers Adar’s message to her. The people at the tower will live if they forsake all claims to the land and swear fealty to him. Or he will kill them all.
Waldreg (Geoff Morrell) gives Theo a drink. He knows Theo took the hilt from his barn. He has the same mark on his arm that Theo has. Waldreg says the hilt isn’t a sword. It’s a power fashioned for their ancestors by the master’s own hand. Sauron will return. Waldreg says the signs are in the sky. And they have to be ready. He tells Theo to save his strength. Meanwhile, an orc reports to Adar that they found it. It’s in the tower.
Galadriel gets on the boat that will take her to the ship for Middle Earth. Elendil (Lloyd Owen) tells her to go in peace. The Queen watches her leave until Pharazôn tells her that the people are waiting for her. She is going to announce that the elf is gone. They turn to leave, but stop when the wind picks up. They see the leaves of the White Tree falling around them. The Queen walks back to the dock. Elendil looks shocked.
The queen addresses her people, telling them that the leaves of the white tree represent the tears of the Valar. It’s a reminder that they are always watching. There comes a time when men must decide who they will be. That time has come. She won’t put anyone in danger that she wouldn’t face herself. The Queen announces that she will personally escort Galadriel back to Middle Earth.
Galadriel stands next to the Queen. Míriel says they will stand together against the growing evil in the Southlands. Pharazôn announces to the people that the ships will sail in ten days. Elendil puts out a call to the public to sail with the Queen to protect her. Isildur and his friends are the first to volunteer.
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Watch the first two episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Amazon Prime
News Editor, Senior Contributor, and Press Editor. Coordinate breaking news, trailers and press releases. I also contribute reviews, recaps and interviews. Creator of the Indigenerd Wire, a column dedicated to the Indigenous creatives in pop culture.
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