Continuing the third episode of The RIngs of Power . . .
FIVE
We’re back with Arondir. The prisoners, at the bottom of a trench surrounded by a smoking ruin, are digging through the roots of a large tree. Because the sun is out, the orcs hide in their tented tunnel system while the elves toil. Morgoth has a successor, this orc leader with the elvish name, Adar. He seems to be searching for something, possibly a weapon.
Orc torture commences. Arondir, under duress, chops down the tree.
Galadriel, in a proper gown, wanders down to the city’s waterfront. Elendil, charged with watching her, assumes (correctly) that she’s choosing a ship to steal. She threatens him, and he speaks to her in elvish. He mentions their Hall of Lore, a day’s ride away, and Galadriel brightens.
Cut to the two of them cantering across an open field. In slow motion they ride along a beach. As the music swells, we see Galadriel’s face, alight with joy.
(It’s an overly precious shot, but then we get the pay-off. This is an expression we’ve never seen from her. We realize how sour she’s been before this. Is it the power and speed of horseback riding? Is it the sense of freedom? Finally Galadriel shows us more dimension.)
Back in the city, Halbrand tries to find work at the smithy. It’s guild controlled, though, and he needs a crest before he can forge. At an outdoor restaurant a group of men pick a fight with him. Focusing on the guild crests they wear at their shoulders, Halbrand makes peace. He gets them drunk and plucks a crest. In the alley, though, they catch up with him and beat him. Turning berserker, Halbrand attacks and decimates them. The city guard arrests him.
In the Hall of Lore, an overstuffed library of scrolls built by Elros, brother of Elrond, Galadriel appreciates a building dedicated to her culture. Elendil tells her the King is responsible, but he is now a prisoner in his own tower. Looking over ancient documents, Galadriel realizes that Sauron’s sigil is actually a map legend for the Southlands. In the event of Morgoth’s defeat, Evil has a plan to make a realm of their own ruled by his successor. (I assume this presages Mordor and Sauron.) Elendil watches her absorb this knowledge, notices her worry, and believes. Cue dramatic music and a hard fade to black.
A forest, slow motion, and creepy costumes. It looks like more orcs, but it’s sunny and the frolicing people have big feet. We’re with Nori during some kind of harvest festival. The Harfoots chant, “Nobody goes off-trail, and nobody walks alone.” It continues (endlessly) in the background while Largo admits to his wife that he can’t use his ankle. Marigold (in beautiful irony) worries that if he can’t carry the cart, the family will be left behind.
While the pre-migration party continues on into the night, Nori sneaks for Sadoc’s book. It’s the best way to find the Stranger’s stars. Poppy tries to convince her to abandon him, but ends up standing watch while Nori thumbs through the star charts. We get a classic comedy routine when Sadoc returns and Poppy must distract him.
(It feels stale to me rather than funny or charming. What do we know about these two young women as individuals? Nori is obviously loyal and headstrong, while Poppy is more about friendship and convention. In this regard, they’re nothing like Frodo and Sam. Frodo is someone who does his duty but isn’t particularly adventurous; he’s very Six-ish. Sam is stubborn and compassionate; he’s very Two-ish. Nori is bold and determined, but because she’s of the twig-and-nut people, she must do silly things rather than the heroic actions she’s written for. Frodo is a small personality in a large story. Nori is the opposite.)
Sadoc makes a speech to the gathered partygoers. In their hearts and memories they carry all who in past migrations fell behind. In life, they couldn’t wait for the people whose names he now reads out. After each name, the others toast, “We wait for you.” (Close-up of Poppy quietly weeping as her entire family is called out, lost in a landslide.)
As they continue in the background, the Stranger comes up and finds where Nori placed the map. He tries to read it by an open fire. It starts to burn, and as he struggles to extinguish it, he blunders right into Sadoc’s meeting. Everyone screams and hides, and the Stranger is confused. He asks for Nori. Heads pop up and turn to look at her.
Nori is chastised by Sadoc. Others pile on with their judgments. Nori snaps, sticking up for the rescue of the Stranger and the value of friendship. She blames the Harfoots for not being adventurous enough. Her punishment is pronounced: she is to be “decaravaned”. Sadoc gives her a reprieve, but her family’s caravan will travel at the back. Throughout, the Stranger listens and sees Nori’s tears.
Dissolve to a marionette show. One of the puppets is Galadriel, rescuing a queen from years long past. Elendil sits in the square while Isildur and the daughter ask him about the living Galadriel, Scourge of the Orcs. Isildur admits he wants to defer his cadet Sea Trial, which sends the family into squabbling. They become so heated, the plaza quiets. News comes for the daughter (Eärion) that she’s been accepted to the Builders’ Guild. Show over, the Galadriel puppet bows on her strings to the cheering audience.
The real Galadriel visits Halbrand in jail. She shows him a scroll she found in the Hall of Lore. It bears the same mark as the one on the pouch around his neck, the symbol of the king of the Southlands. She challenges him to claim his birthright. Because his ancestor swore a blood oath to Morgoth, Halbrand hides as a commoner. Galadriel believes a greater force has brought them together, and she has a plan for them to leave on a ship with an army.
SIX
An establishing shot of the Númenor harbor at night, and a high tower. The Queen Regent climbs the stairs alone. In the top apartment, she speaks to someone we don’t see, her father. “The Elf has arrived,” she says with dread.
SEVEN
Little wagons camouflaged as clumps of pampas grass travel down a field rut. Harfoots cheerfully pull and push, although Poppy pulls her cart alone. She seems to be at the end of the caravan until she pauses and looks back. Nori’s family struggles to follow. As Largo stops to rest, the wagon moves on its own and they all jump away. It’s the Stranger, pushing. He looks at Nori and says, “Friend.” His face is agonized and hopeful; the family agrees to help him in exchange for his help. The camera pulls out and lifts to the sun in the sky.
EIGHT
Cut to Arondir, digging. An orc stepping from the shade snarls at the sky. With no warning the elves attack, kicking so that their chains whip at their keepers. One elf breaks free and is felled by a thrown knife. The orcs grab the chains and pull, with the elves on the other side of the tug of war. As the elves lose ground, Arondir spots an ax in the dirt. In a fabulous, slowmo move, he runs along the chains and smashes the tent roof protecting the orcs. Exposed to the sun, the orcs sizzle. “Release the warg,” one of them commands. As the orc dog eats a couple of downed elves, Arondir grabs its chain and leaps over its back (in glorious slowmo) to trap it in the tree roots. One of the elves runs free, only to be taken down by arrows. Arondir is dragged back into the pit. He is brought into the depths of the tunnel to face Adar.
NINE
Orcs chant as a man/elf figure walks forward in soft focus. Roll credits.
CRITICAL NOTES
Again, much to my surprise, the structure for this episode is acceptable. (It doesn’t feel coherent when I’m watching.) The Three and Six mirror — they are establishing harbor shots — and the Seven has strong consequences.
The Two and Eight relationship is tenuous. Galadriel’s dagger at the Two represents her enduring battle against the orcs. The Eight climax is about elves currently fighting against orcs. In a very technical sense, this is a successful structure. The Two Trouble, though, is more centered around Galadriel. She is a guest (or a prisoner) of military men. A better Eight would’ve been a direct result of Galadriel’s predicament. We get nothing like that.
I know the showrunners here want to weave disparate plots that move toward a central conclusion. It’s too much, though. After an entire Four in this episode focused on one location, the Five becomes a jumble. Reading back over my summary is embarrassing, it’s so disjointed.
The production design is absolutely stunning. The scenery, the beautiful galley ships, and those little grass-camouflaged caravans, are so delightful. I wish they had a better mix of huge money shots and quiet, character-driven stories. They’re trying to make the plots as expansive as these beautiful CG sceneries. I think contrast would’ve been a more successful choice.