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 4: Eldest
When last we left, The Stranger and the Harfoots were walking the desert like Kane, The Elves were summoning a posse, The Dwarves were making a worst decision than I did watching the new Crow movie and the Númenóreans were cosplaying U.S. Congress politics…oh and Isildur was roaming the Southlands like Finding Nemo.
But. I. Digress.
As Elrond is the newly appointed commander of the force tasked with tracking Sauron down, he must contend with the mysteries abroad and the open tension with Galadriel, who still has that damnable ring on, and it remains more sus than a TEMU shop.
In the desert, Nori, The Stranger, and Poppy still roam but they become separated. We now have a Tom Bombadil. While The Rings of Power is somewhat constrained legally of how to fully explain Tom, even Tolkien is vague on where Tom fits in the lore. Allow me to explain: Tom is arguably 1/3rd Anubis, 1/3rd Hermes, and 1/3rd unbothered, moss-gathering layabout. He also happens to be as old as Middle-earth, give or take a millennium. It’s been so long ago I doubt even Tom could remember…and don’t get me started on Old Man Willow aka Ironwood.
As The Stranger begins to unravel the mystery of his existence through Tom, we learn the Dark Wizard currently hunting him and his friends is also an Istar. Yes, another Istar, heavens, the Valar is making it rain Istari, like glitter at a stripper convention.
As an aside for you naysayers who wonder this about Tom: If he is oh so powerful, why did he not help more in the Second and Third Ages? Tom said it best:
“Great deeds are left to the hands they were placed in”
Translation: Not my circus; not my monkeys, I’m a lover not a fighter.
By now the Elves are walking deeper into the haunted woods of Tyrn Gorthad also known as Barrow-downs because they are haunted by the Barrow-wights, shape-shifting demons with the same disposition as the Nazgûl. If only evil spirits were the sole concern. The Elvish party finds the bodies of the messengers sent from Lindon to warn Celebrimbor about Sauron. When the party is attacked by the Barrow-wights, Elves do what Elves do best.
Not to be forgotten, we still have shenanigans in the land of Men, with Isildur and Arondir among them, searching for Theo, Arondir’s youthful ward by circumstance if not by choice. As Isildur makes the best of his situation, he finds himself drawn to the mysterious Estrid. Arondir, however, like most Elves, sees through secrets. They learn she is a follower of Adar aka Orc-zaddy. Theo remains missing but we are introduced to the Second Age’s Ents, who tell you about the history of Middle-earth in heart-breaking detail.
As the Elvish party makes their way closer to Eregion…two words: Orc Sign. And we are treated to Galadriel proving once gain she is 100% Dat Bitch. Unfortunately, she is out-numbered and Adar—who fancies himself a final level boss—gets the upper hand.
See you at episode 5>>
