Adar
The third episode of The Rings of Power begins with Arondir being brought before an orc legion. He’s chained up along with a bunch of other prisoners and forced to dig. They also seem to be working on behalf of someone called Adar, which could well be an alias for Sauron. ..
When the orcs slash Medhor’s neck for questioning their way, arguing against chopping a tree down, Arondir instead steps up and volunteers to do it, not wanting any more bloodshed.
Galadriel wakes up on a ship alongside Halbrand. She takes a bowl of food from him and hungrily gulps down its contents. She’s distrusting of those who have picked her up, as the ship arrives at The Land of the Star; the Island Kingdom of Numenor.
The Valar granted the Men of Middle-earth this island as a reward for their part in the War of Wrath. It has changed a great deal since then, with Numenor breaking free from its Elven roots and turning away from the ships of Men. ..
Halbrand and Galadriel show up at the council, where the latter demands a ship to head over to Middle Earth. The Queen Regent Miriel smirks, as Galadriel promises she’ll pass through no matter what, rudely claiming she has no need for her welcome. Just as things start getting heated, Halbrand suggests they give it a few days. 3 days to be precise. ..
We learn that Elendil was once a great king who ruled over a land that stretched from the Misty Mountains to the Black Sands. But then something happened that changed his life and he became a sea guard. He has a son, Isildur, who is set to take the Ring. And we know that Isildur will succeed him because he is the only one who can break the curse that has been placed on him by his father.
Elendil is an uncommon name but it originates in the west, meaning “one who loves the stars.” It can also colloquially mean Elf-Friend. However, the Queen Regent is not happy about him picking up Galadriel, warning that it could be treason. In order to quell that, he has to do her a service.
Galadriel makes her way down to the dock, seriously contemplating stealing a boat from some innocent fishermen. Elendil shows up and tries to stop her. As a result, she takes out a knife and questions him, arrogantly proclaiming: “Who is the mortal who speaks to me as if he has the slightest idea who I am?” Anyway, when Elendil mentions the Hall of Lore, Galadriel and Elendil ride off together, prompting a cheesy scene of Galadriel smiling and riding her horse across the beach. ..
Halbrand is a powerful figure in Numenor. He uses his tricks and riddles to take out four men who try to attack him in the alleyway. There are blood spatters across the wall, but when the royal guard shows up, he’s stopped in his tracks.
In the Hall of Lore, Galadriel learns that there is an account of a human spy retrieved from an enemy dungeon and has drawn the mark of Sauron. Galadriel warns that this plan, if successful, will lead to the creation of a new realm where evil will rise up.
Meanwhile, the Harfoots are about to migrate but before they do, that strange wizard (Gandalf?) shows up in town and says Nori’s name. Nori wants to break free from the laws of the Harfoots but despite what the laws say (that she be decaravaned), the Brandyfoots are still allowed to continue on, but they need to be at the back of the group instead. Despite struggling to begin with, this wizard shows up and helps push their caravan on.
Elendil’s daughter is accepted into the builder’s guild in Numenor while Galadriel visits Halbrand, who is apparently a king. As he approaches the bars, Halbrand tells Galadriel “I am not the hero you seek, for it was my family who lost the war.” Galadriel is determined though and asks Halbrand to join her in their trip over to Middle Earth so they can redeem both their bloodlines. ..
As the episode ends, we cut back to the orc pits one more time as Arondir and the others work together to try and break their chains. A game of tug and war ensues, leading to Arondir jumping high and breaking the flimsy roof.
The orcish army comes out with a single warg to try and stop the heroes. Arondir defied the laws of gravity and took it out singlehandedly, while also fending off the orcs too. Unfortunately, it all goes for naught as the orcs decide to venture out into the sun and pull him back down into the pits, right off the back of his elf-friend taking several arrows to the chest.
This week, out from the shadows steps Adar. But the image is blurry so it seems we’ll have to wait until next week to find out who that is. ..
The Episode Review
The biggest issue with this episode is that it’s very slow to move forward and feels like it’s trying to tell too many stories at once. There are a lot of details and conversations that are repeated over and over again, which makes it difficult to follow. Additionally, the dialogue is clunky and exposition-heavy, which makes it difficult to understand what’s being said.
Despite the impressive visuals and expansive shots, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” falls short in its story and dialogue. ..
Despite not having the rights to The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, Warner Bros. has decided to lean into the beats of the story seen in Fellowship of the Ring. The elf taking arrows at the end is akin to Boromir’s death, minus any emotional connection. The Harfoots’ party feels like a throwback to Bilbo’s birthday, and so on and so forth. ..
The biggest issue with Galadriel is that she’s not likable and this episode we see that she’s arrogant, reckless, and rude. And this far in, we haven’t seen a single flaw for the “commander of the Northern armies.”
So far, “Rings of Power” has been a disappointment. It’s not terrible by any means, but it’s not good either. There are at least a dozen other shows that are better than it. Compared to “House of the Dragon,” which this show is currently competing with, “Rings of Power” doesn’t match up. At least not right now anyway. ..
