The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is back with a bang, dropping the first four episodes of season three in one fell swoop. This summary is therefore of the extra strong double-double type.
At the beginning, we spend a little time checking all the storylines, because there has been a five-year time jump since season two. It doesn’t take long, though, and most episodes move at full speed with family drama, political drama, wizarding drama, and all the mega-drama that Sauron is cooking up as he attempts to create his One Ring to rule them all.
We start with a “previously on” that highlights important characters and plot points to remember. Then we move on to “the war between the Elves and Sauron is in its fifth year”, as Galadriel’s narration over an animated map of Middle-earth catches us up with everything that has happened.
Sauron’s power intensified. His army of Orcs invaded almost everywhere. But he doesn’t have the three elven rings that protect Rivendell and Lindon. He does not have the seven dwarf rings, which are not used. He has the nine rings designed for men, as we saw in season two, although the two greatest kingdoms of men have yet to choose sides: the island of Númenor and the desert of Rhûn.
But Sauron – who, oops, killed Celebrimbor and the other elven smiths and destroyed their records in season two – hasn’t figured out how to create the One Ring that will rule them all. It’s not for lack of trying. In Barad-dûr, in the heart of Mordor, he keeps many Orcs on hand to test his efforts. None of them want to be the next guinea pig, and we understand why when the last “volunteer” puts the ring on their finger and immediately bursts into flames.
But it turns out that not all of these Orcs are disposable. Enter Marnûkh, who has a certain glint in his eye and promises Sauron that he will set out and discover the secret of the One Ring. If he can keep his promises, says the Dark Lord, he will not only be the Orc who won the war, but “the Orc who won all wars.”
We have barely established Rings of PowerToday, we have no reason to go back “thousands of years earlier” to the middle of the previous Middle-earth War. At a post-battle elven celebration, two incredibly handsome warriors meet, Hidden dragon crouching tigersword fight, dance and falling in love: Galadriel, whom we already know, and Celeborn (Jamie Campbell Bower).
The golden memory of their instant connection and desire to be together “forever” lingers in Galadriel’s mind, even on the battlefield of this latest conflict. Nearby is Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova), who is just as badass with a blade as he is with a bow and arrow. Yet the most important weapon they use is Galadriel’s ring, which helps her guess their next move.
But the ring also acts as a beacon for a particular breed of pest: the Nazgnagôl of Sauron, the recipients of the nine rings intended for men. At this stage as “servants of the Ring”, they still have their human forms, but their Ringwraith eras, when they become the macabre Nazgûl that we know. Fellowship of the Ringare getting closer.
Sauron wants the elven rings, but Galadriel’s ring in particular holds special significance because of the close bond they forged – before she realized his true identity – during seasons one and two.
This time, the pursuing Nazgnagôl is thwarted, but he is not worried, declaring: “The elven rings will not protect them much longer.”
This gives a lot of confidence in Sauron’s craft project, something the Dark Lord himself lacks at the moment. “Holding a hammer of Valinor cannot make you Celebrimbor,” a familiar voice tells him, and – hello – it’s Celebrimbor himself (Charles Edwards), poking Sauron’s conscience from behind the tomb. He is there to express Sauron’s private fears. Without knowing the secrets of the elven rings, he said, “You will never forge a ring that can master them… master her.” »
While they’re having this imaginary discussion and we realize that Rings of Power is definitely going to look into the bizarre Celeborn-Galadriel-Sauron love triangle in season three, we see that Sauron has kept Celebrimbor’s corpse mounted on the wall. No wonder he haunts her thoughts.
But Sauron has no time to mope any further, because the delegation from Rhûn has arrived. This is one of the areas of men who have so far remained neutral in the current war. They have come to Mordor to tell Sauron that their leader, the Dark Wizard (Ciarán Hinds), will pledge his support, but Sauron doesn’t want that. He wants Rhûn to reject the dark wizard and follow the Dark Lord instead. And he has the jewels to prove it, promising that one of the group will become one of his servants of the Ring. The key word here is “one,” and as he throws a dagger so his visitors can fight to the death for the privilege, he can’t help but smile with sick pleasure.
In the much quieter surroundings of Rivendell, the Elves return from battle. Galadriel watches as other families gather, including Arondir and his enormous dog. It’s a lonely moment for her, even as Elrond (Robert Aramayo) appears, eager for news. The news is not good: lots of casualties, and one of their allies has now become a Ring servant of Team Sauron.
Rivendell is safe and protected, but Galadriel cannot stand idly by and watch the rest of Middle-earth be taken over. She suggests that they call on Númenor for help, but Elrond thinks it is too dangerous to place one’s hopes in men, who are so easily influenced by evil. He dismisses his mention of his family history with the island kingdom, founded by his brother Elros. He won’t even entertain the idea of asking High King Gil-Galad (Benjamin Walker) to consider a new alliance with Númenor. Elrond doesn’t want to get involved.
But even though Galadriel doesn’t yet know that Sauron is working on the One Ring, she knows he won’t end her brutal reign of terror.
Unable to sleep after a nightmare of Sauron, she encounters an equally agitated Arondir. War takes a mental toll on everyone. He worries about Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin), the son of the human woman he loved (RIP, Bronwyn), having imagined seeing him earlier on the battlefield. He plans to travel to Pelargir, the ancient Númenorean colony in Middle-earth, to check on him.
But we’re going there first. The port is controlled by Kemen (Leon Wadham), the brave son of Númenor’s current ruler, Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle), who crossed the sea to raid the forests of Middle-earth to build ships for their fleet. A summons from Mordor arrives, but Kemen scoffs at it, and the idea of ”magic jewels”, and throws her to the ground. He is recovered by Theo, who is definitely looking for a way to free himself from his duty of felling trees.
Speaking of Mordor, a victor has emerged among the Rhûn contingent: Khamûl (Zubin Varla), who swears to “die for Sauron” but is corrected by the man himself: “You will.” live for him forever.
The next stop is Khazad-dûm, where Elrond receives a secret delivery of swords made by King Durin IV (Owain Arthur). The Dwarves haven’t declared themselves yet, but these two are old friends. Elrond informs him that Durin’s estranged brother is returning home with two wealthy dwarven lords, probably intending to challenge his claim to the throne.
Durin had planned the visit. He’s not worried. Inside the mountain, it’s happy chaos with his wife, Disa (Sophia Nomvete), and their teenage children. But some of the joy evaporates when we learn that brother Thráin (Eddie Marsan) has bypassed the official welcome ceremony and is already partying in the tavern.
There is a comical back and forth of messages until Durin offers beer for everyone. When Thráin finally makes his entrance, he bends the knee, but major tension is brewing. The dwarf lords, who paid huge tributes to Durin’s father when he was king, want the rings. Durin points out that the rings are tainted by Sauron’s involvement in their making and that he hid them for everyone’s safety.
Thráin supports him and they bond over the loss of their father. But there is something devious about Thraïn. In a brief moment alone with Disa, he calls her “Didi” and reminds her of an adventure in their past that she would rather forget. He then calls Durin to “run swords”, and the brothers launch into a physical fight interrupted by an unexpected arrival: Marnûkh. Even more unexpectedly, the Orc’s first sentence is: “I have knowledge that could save Middle-earth.”
In Lindon, Gil-Galad and Círdan (Ben Daniels), who both have rings, see the Orc in a shared vision and realize that he is important somehow, even if they don’t know exactly how. They know that most of the kingdoms of men have declared their loyalty to Sauron and that the Elves are running out of friends. Where will they turn? Maybe there is “another power”?
And finally, we see what Gandalf (Daniel Weyman) does, while Sauron gets the scoop from Khamûl. The black wizard is not the only wizard of Rhûn; there is an opposing force that is powered by “the Secret Fire” itself.
“I will deal with Gandalf myself,” Sauron muses as another group of men arrive in Mordor. He is surprised to learn that these are not men from Númenor; these are men interested in rising up against Númenor. We are not surprised to see Théo among their ranks. And since we saw what happened with the Rhûn contingent, we already know the fight to the death that is coming.
Episode 2
Finally, a glimpse of Númenor after all that was talked about in the first episode. Middle-earth is struggling, but the island kingdom is thriving, even though…
Gn entert
