The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power
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When we last checked in with Middle-earth, things were pretty much falling apart everywhere.
As the season finale opens, that hasnt changed.
The potential catastrophes include the Khazad-dum situation that kept Durin IV from delivering the army he promised to Elrond.
(Though, if any situation called for cutting off a fathers hand, its this one.)
That, too, proves ineffective.
Yet when Durin III breaks through to the other side, even Durin IV is impressed.
The feeling doesnt last long, however.
The rumbling of the Balrog down below tends to draw attention away from everything else.
When it surfaces, Durin III knows his time is up.
Thats a lot of action before the credits have even rolled!
He finds it empty, or at least itseemsempty.
Also, where are his harfoot friends?
That answer arrives soon enough when Nori and Poppy show up as hostages of one of the masked riders.
And though the Dark Wizard puts their captor down without a hint of remorse, the Stranger remains skeptical.
Instead, their potential team-up becomes a short-lived face-off that ends when the Dark Wizard exits.
Things appear to be peaceful in Numenor, but because its Numenor, thats destined not to last.
Earien disturbs the peace by ringing a bell that summons the pro-Miriel contingent to a meeting with Pharazon.
It turns out shes in league with Sauron!
Elendils first instinct is to whisk Miriel away to safety, but Miriels not having it.
(Or, as he calls it, the White Flame.)
Real-estate values tumble before the elves eyes!
A group of orcs awaits them.
Inside Celebrimbors workshop, Sauron has decided to use the smith for target practice.
(Thats a catchy title.
Someone should use it.)
Whether their influence will remain a guiding force remains a matter for subsequent seasons to settle.
Of more immediate concern is the relationship between Isildur and Estrid.
Hes on his way out, planning to leave the old Numenor colony of Pelargir for home in Numenor.
She plans to stay and stick with her betrothed, Hagen.
And yet theres a lot of clearly evident unresolved tension between the two as Estrid visits him.
Kemen begins walking around the dock like he owns the place, and technically he does.
(Or Numenor does, anyway.)
If Isildur didnt know his old acquaintance had become an a-hole, he knows now.
(This sounds like it will raise some ent issues next season.)
Its not as if all of season twos issues have been resolved yet, either.
But that, it seems at first, was yesterdays offer.
Thanks to nabbing a ring of power, Adar is looking better than ever.
But rather than live as a handsome elf, he wants to stay true to the creature hes become.
Adar and the orcs will return to Mordor.
And hell overlook all the children of his that Galadriel has killed.
It sounds like a good deal, both for Adar and Galadriel and Middle-earth on the whole.
Orcs and elves will fight no more!
Despite Elronds protests, all he can do is look on in horror while they burn.
Speaking of bad, Eregions in rough shape.
But not Durin III.
Elrond is told hes in mourning.
Galadriels not going to give up easily.
(He seems to like that one best.)
Galadriel survives, of course, but not before losing control of the nine rings of power.
This could be really bad!
But it would be even worse if Sauron also seized Galadriels ring.
To prevent this, she takes a dive off a cliff.
Whats broke is broke, and wont fix, she says.
And all anyone can do is try and build something new.
Those last words accompanying an image of Sauron making plans seem rather ominous.
After their sad goodbye, a lot starts to fall in place for the Stranger.
On the ground, he finds the staff he first saw in his dreams.
And that name the stoors have been calling him, Grand Elf, maybe theres something to that.
It was all a test, the Stranger tells his host.
He could only find the staff if he went in search of his friends instead of seeking power.
To celebrate, he and Tom Bombadil begin singing.
Weve reached the seasons end now, or almost its end.
Before cutting to black,The Rings of Powersows some seeds for future seasons to reap.
seem to believe them.
Thats bad news for the dwarves and the elves have their own share of bad news.
And the sun yet signs.
Has she been taking Tom Bombadils classes on leading via vagueness?
It seemingly doesnt matter.
So where does that leave everyone?
And where does it leave the series?
That doesnt mean a third season cant or wont account for this.
Apart from Poppy and Nori, no one from the harfoots made it to season two.
The masked riders played much the same role as the Black Riders.
Nori and Poppy played pretty much the same roles as Frodo and Samwise.
The Dark Wizard slots easily into the Saruman role (and probablyisSaruman).
We know whats coming in the broad strokes but not the particulars.
Season two leaves most of them in transitional positions.
Are Nori and Poppy honorary stoors now?
Where does the Stranger … sorry … Where does Gandalf go next?
Will Kemen become an even bigger a-hole?
These are compelling questions, compelling enough to make a third feel like it will be worth the wait.
In the end, maybe it would have been better off just having him be Gandalf all along.
Would his deal with Galadriel have worked out?
You kind of have to feel bad for Hagen, dont you?
