As a long-time fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic saga, I must say that this week’s episode was a rollercoaster ride filled with intrigue, betrayal, and unexpected twists. The events unfolding in Middle Earth are becoming increasingly tense, mirroring the turmoil that seems to have seeped into every corner of this once peaceful realm.
In the early scenes of episode 5 from the second season, we find a compelling setup as the camera glides over the grand Khazad-dûm landscape. A transition reveals the Ring of Power destined for Durin III, enlarging it in the foreground. This seemingly insignificant item appears to be the master of all that follows. Though it may seem unbelievable, this notion soon becomes reality. In a conversation with his son regarding their excavation efforts due to Mount Doom’s collapse, Durin III accurately pinpoints where they must dig. Despite being a “foundation wall,” this is the exact location, and if necessary, he vows to dig them out himself! Though it may seem irrational, he’s proven correct. “Here,” he declares, “we invite the light!” Most are filled with enthusiasm, but Disa’s expression reveals some hesitation about embracing this sudden turn of events.
Currently, both the dwarves and elves appear content. In Eregion, Celebrimbor is overseeing a joint meeting between dwarves and elves to usher in a new era of collaboration. Yet, even here, discord is hinted at. While Celebrimbor delivers his speech, Sauron (also known as Annatar) expresses dissent subtly. He wishes for Celebrimbor to create rings of power for men, but desires Celebrimbor to believe it’s his own idea. However, Celebrimbor is wise to this scheme. Sauron isn’t deterred by the refusal, though. He needs nine trustworthy men to bear these rings and fulfill their potential, a task Sauron finds disappointing in humanity. Sauron encounters resistance but he’s persistent. As he departs, he warns Celebrimbor that he will create the rings himself if necessary.
In arguing for the gift of power rings to mankind, Sauron highlights Numenor’s potential despite its occasional turmoil. At present, however, things are far from smooth in Numenor. Following the endorsement of a Great Eagle, Pharazôn, accompanied by Kemen, inspects his new realm. With anti-elf sentiments in his heart, Pharazôn doubts that merely seizing the scepter of Numenor will suffice for him. Kemen voices doubt, but Pharazôn is skilled at controlling his son, even if it means being ruthless. He hints to Kemen that his mother once foretold a dire fate for him, yet refuses to reveal the specifics until he completes the task assigned by Pharazôn.
Miriel and Elendil disagree with Pharazôn’s leadership, and they each have personal concerns. Elendil is worried about a vision he had from the palantír, which showed him departing to an unknown place. This contrasts with the ominous visions Miriel used to have, which she believes were influenced by Pharazôn’s rise to power. So, it seems like the coup might not have been such a negative event after all. Before parting, Miriel assures Elendil she won’t interfere with recent events. As for the palantír, it’s revealed later that Pharazôn is still using it, so its impact on the situation remains uncertain.
Despite the difficulty, when Elendil encounters Valandil, he discovers that Miriel’s loyalists have lost their positions. Worse still, his daughter Eärien is responsible for this action. The situation becomes even more fraught when Kemen reminds everyone that Elendil is no longer a captain. His previous followers are reluctant to accept this change, regardless of who might command them, suggesting that not all are in agreement with the New Pharazôn Order of Numenor.
In ancient Eregion, Celebrimbor pens a missive to the high king, claiming the forges have ceased operation. This statement, however, is false, leaving the king uncertain. He faces a dilemma: either investigate Galadriel’s suspicions, which align with the prophetic visions from his ring (which we know are indeed accurate), or launch a full-scale assault against Adar in Mordor, a peril they acknowledge as genuine.
Disa was worried about Durin III’s actions for several reasons. When left alone with Durin IV, she had the opportunity to voice her concerns. To her, Durin III’s approach of directly locating mining sites instead of subtly listening to the mountain for guidance seemed like an unfair advantage or even cheating. Furthermore, she questioned whether he was accumulating too much power, fearing that such power might lead to corruption.
If Durin the Third is aware of this situation, he appears unconcerned. He has summoned leaders from the six other dwarf kingdoms to inform them that they, too, could experience the advantages of the rings of power. However, there’s a condition hidden within, and although the scene shifts before revealing the specifics, it soon becomes evident that Durin III is not his usual self. In fact, he aims to carry out tasks similar to his old self by easing some mining restrictions he had established long ago, regardless of the potential repercussions. It’s apparent that the ring has a significant impact on him, both figuratively and possibly physically. When he fails to locate it, Durin III becomes frantic before being reminded that he had removed it.
Couldn’t Durin III’s son warn about this predicament? He bursts in with news that the sound Disa perceived is from an unnamed menace, and mining will become a significant issue for Khazad-dûm. It seems like he’s offering wise counsel that Durin III won’t heed. As for Durin III, there’s much gold and Disa lacks knowledge, in his opinion. To make things more complicated, Durin III later praises his son and reinstates him as prince. However, the gesture doesn’t sway nor move Durin IV, who later vows to Disa that he’ll never wear one of those rings.
As Disa plays Cassandra in Khazad-dûm, it appears that Celebrimbor takes on the role of Cassandra in Eregion. Sauron continues to craft the rings without him, but encounters difficulties, which Mirdania uncovers when one of the experimental rings transports her to a gloomy, misty realm where she witnesses a vision of a towering figure with flaming skin. Instead of gloating, Celebrimbor can’t resist giving advice on their mistakes and how to correct them. However, he is interrupted by Durin IV, who expresses worries about the last batch of rings that Celebrimbor produced. Here, we discover the condition: Durin III will share the rings with others, but only if the other dwarven lords relinquish half their earnings to him. This, his son informs Celebrimbor, is out of the ordinary for Durin III.
It seems there’s some issue here. Could it be that the ring is faulty? However, Celebrimbor argues that such a thing is impossible. In response, Durin IV proposes another theory: Perhaps the one calling himself Annatar is the culprit. Meanwhile, Sauron attempts to undermine Celebrimbor’s abilities, complimenting Mirdania on her hair and hinting subtly that her boss might not be as skilled as before. Later, Sauron plans to manipulate Celebrimbor further, claiming that they both are responsible for the problems in the dwarven rings by misleading the High King about the number of rings to be made and continuing the forging process instead.
According to Sauron, the only course of action is to approach the High King and confess, but Celebrimbor claims he cannot do so. In essence, Sauron warns him that continuing down this path will lead them further into danger. Typically, when someone suggests venturing “deeper into danger,” it’s a sign to reconsider your actions. However, it appears that Celebrimbor is unwilling or unable to heed this advice. Instead, he tries to shift the blame for the dwarven rings’ imperfections and proposes a solution that might seem far-fetched: crafting exceptionally well-made rings for men to rectify the mistakes made with the dwarven rings. Does this sound like a good plan?
As events unfold, Kemen persists in his villainous actions by interrupting Elendil and others during their solemn ceremony at a sacred site. Kemen informs them that the shrine must be demolished to make room for a new aqueduct. He then escalates the tension, challenging Elendil by saying, “How does it feel to have a daughter who’s embarrassed of you?” Despite almost reacting, Elendil tries to deescalate the situation by offering to escort the priest and a priceless artifact off the premises. However, Kemen discards the artifact, causing it to shatter on impact. The conflict escalates, culminating in Valandil’s death at Kemen’s hands, Elendil’s arrest for inciting “rebellion,” and himself being placed in chains.
As the story reaches its end, ominous events are accumulating rapidly. Elrond manages to flee and inform the High King about the approaching orcs towards Eregion. However, despite the High King acknowledging that “Sauron may be behind all this” (accurate), he has chosen to confront Adar first (mistake). The strategy carries an additional challenge, and it’s unclear if this will benefit the elves or Adar and his orcs in the long run: Adar has captured Galadriel as a prisoner. Intriguingly, Adar proposes a third option, which he finds hard to believe but cannot easily ignore: Could the elves and orcs join forces against Sauron since both hate him? It’s an absurd idea that might just work! Or at least, Galadriel seems to be contemplating it cautiously.
It seems that Middle Earth is filled with tension now, doesn’t it? Places that once seemed peaceful are experiencing unrest everywhere. Disregarding the characters’ peculiar talent to travel at varying speeds — Elrond takes an entire episode to reach the high king while the distance between Eregion and Khazad-dûm appears insignificant — this episode is filled with tension, yet it also highlights a problem with this season: Certain parts of Middle Earth are more captivating than others. To be specific, the power struggle in Numenor hasn’t really grabbed our attention. The overtly villainous actions from Kemen and Eärien make their storyline seem simplistic, and neither Elendil nor Miriel have had the opportunity to grow as characters. However, there are still three episodes left, so things might change in that regard. For now, the other events remain quite intense, even with Galadriel playing a smaller role in this episode.
Mithril Links
Could it be plausible that we include Elendil and Miriel among the potential romantic couples emerging in this season, given their frequent significant looks and physical interactions, which could be seen as intense flirtation or a passionate connection in this particular show?
• Do we know what a tuning crystal does?
In this new chapter, Celebrimbor seems to have strayed into the realm of being overly prideful and unwittingly working for Sauron, but in this particular storyline, he appears more like a naive pawn rather than a strong character.
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2024-09-12 17:54