Welcome to the Season 2 recap of The Rings of Power, the hit show from Amazon. So nice they renewed it twice. Following the events of Season 1, SAURON HAS RETURNED! Middle-earth now faces its greatest villain of all time. Cast out by Galadriel, with no army or allies, the Dark Lord of many names must now rely on his own cunning to rebuild his strength and oversee the creation of the Rings of Power, which will allow him to RULE THEM ALL!
Welcome to Episode 3: The Eagle and Sceptre
We open on Berek, Isildur’s horse, mourning the loss of his master. As he runs off into the forest (in search of what, who knows), the only things he finds are brigands and trouble. Sadly, for the brigands, this is a Númenórean steed—and they are for the streets. Because he is ride-or-die, Berek finds Isildur tied up, looking more ragged than a Orc on the Gondorian Holiday Ring Day (the day that celebrates the New Year in Middle-earth aka the day the One Ring was destroyed). He is trapped in a spider’s nest with a hunger for Númenórean wagyu, be it horse or man.
Back in Númenor, Eärien, Isildur’s sister, is haunted by a vision she saw in Season 1 before the death of the High King. And now, the smoldering intensity of politics is lit anew with the return of Queen Regent Míriel, who has lost her sight and must rule blind. The only one she can turn to and trust is Elendil. Which is needed with Pharozôn, her cousin, skulking around looking to dethrone the Queen and take Númenor for himself.
In the Southlands, now Mordor, Adar readies the Orcs for another battle—this time to find Sauron. Just as Halbrand warned. IKR! Celebrimbor, like a QVC Muppet, begins plans to seduce the Dwarves with Seven Rings of Power to save themselves, and to help Prince Durin IV reconcile with his father King Durin III. As he delves deeper into the darkness forged by his own pride and the work of Sauron, he lies to the Elven High King to gain more time for their important work to “save” Middle-earth.
Isildur and Berek, for their part, have escaped and are making their way to “safety” at the Númenor camp, when they run into an Orc survivor named Estrid…who stabs him the thigh…accidentally. In her defense, everyone looks like an Orc when you are cowering in fear. It’s one of the more amusing moments of the episode. As they come to an understanding and continue to travel together, Isildur, being a decent person, stops to help a stranger and is attacked by more brigands (yes more). They capture Berek and are about to dispatch Isildur when…surprise! Our favorite Elf (after Legolas) Arondir saves the day. Shout out to the Elves for being more dependable than State Farm (except when they are being seduced by the Dark Lord). But Arondir and Isildur’s happy reunion is short-lived, like the dream of a second season of The Acolyte.
For the Dwarves, things are still dire as the food supply is running out and desperation is spreading all over. Prince Durin IV meets with his father, King Durin III and pleads with him to take the Ring being offered by Celebrimbor. He includes a warning to not take gifts that are too good to be true.
Never, in the history of man, has the phrase “Meet me here at moonrise, bring a sword” ever ended well. However, it is in this moment in the Southlands that we learn about the heart of Isildur and what drives him to be a “hero” of Middle-earth (and ultimately its greatest failure). But for now, Isildur is off to see about a horse. His horse.
As Queen Míriel is coronated, she speaks to the people of Númenor about grief. But suddenly a rebellion starts, thanks to the revelation that an Elvish tool, the Palantír, was counseling the King and now Queen. Until an Eagle shows up and the Númenóreans take it as a sign that Pharazôn should be the new King of Númenor. Stupid Eagles—no wonder Gandalf left them behind.
Oh and the Dwarves supply Celebrimbor and Annatar (aka Sauron) with the Mithril needed to make more Rings. It can’t go anywhere but up, right?
