The Rings of Power Season 2, Episodes 1-3 Recap: Return of the Bling
Almost two years have passed since the surprising revelation in the final episode of season 1 of The Rings of Power: Sauron used to be attractive.
Halbrand, who fans were hoping would end up with Galadriel, turns out to be the Dark Lord in disguise! He tries to recruit her to his side, but she rejects him, feeling foolish for falling for his deception. She is now more determined than ever to thwart his plans as he heads towards Mordor in the season finale. With the arrival of the second season and three new episodes, there is a wealth of new information to digest: What is Sauron plotting? Have Elrond and Galadriel's friendship survived her betrayal? And can we finally confirm that The Stranger is actually Gandalf?
We analyze the events of the first episodes.
The Deadly History Of Sauron
The second season begins by showing how Sauron's troubled relationship with Adar and his orcs first started. After Morgoth was defeated, Sauron, with a new appearance, declares himself the new Dark Lord, wanting to rule over Middle Earth and its orcs. Adar and the orcs are wary of Sauron, especially when he mentions that many orcs will die in his quest for power. When an orc tries to attack Sauron, he swiftly and brutally kills him, angering the orcs even more. Adar then calmly places the Dark Lord's crown on Sauron's head, only for Sauron to stab him with the crown's spikes. This triggers a violent attack from all the orcs on Sauron. After confirming Sauron's death, a bright light emerges from his body, causing him to disappear.
However, as his blood trickles down onto the floor, it starts to pool and form a dark, worm-like creature similar to Venom, which begins to consume anything in its way in order to grow stronger. Eventually, it is revealed that this monstrous being is actually Sauron taking on the form of Halbrand. Along his quest for vengeance against Adar, Sauron/Halbrand comes across a group of refugees from the Southlands who offer him shelter as they seek safety. But when their ship is under attack, Sauron/Halbrand abandons them without a second thought, stealing a royal insignia from a dying man in the process. It is during this encounter that he first meets Galadriel.
In today's world, Sauron, disguised as Halbrand, transforms into the orcs in the hopes of striking a bargain with Adar. He offers to free the people of the Southlands in exchange for information on Sauron. However, Waldreg captures and tortures Sauron/Halbrand. Eventually, Adar agrees to a deal with Sauron/Halbrand, who promises to find Sauron through his connections with the Elves. As Sauron/Halbrand departs the camp, a warg, controlled by Sauron's magic, viciously attacks and kills Waldreg.
Sauron/Halbrand goes to Eregion to meet with Celebrimbor, but Celebrimbor does not want to see him. Sauron/Halbrand stays persistent until Celebrimbor finally agrees to talk to him. Sauron/Halbrand uses his clever tricks, appealing to Celebrimbor's curiosity and pride, hinting at his knowledge of how the Elven rings work. Celebrimbor invites Sauron/Halbrand to discuss the rings. Sauron/Halbrand falsely presents himself as "Annatar, the Lord of Gifts," claiming to be a being sent by the Valar to help the leaders of Middle Earth in defeating Sauron by creating powerful rings for elves, dwarves, and men. They decide to begin with the dwarves.
Sauron, disguised as Annatar, tells Celebrimbor that the Elves do not want the Dwarves or Men to possess rings. Celebrimbor becomes furious, believing that everyone in Middle Earth should have the opportunity to stand up against Sauron. He sends a letter to the king pretending to be shutting down his workshop, giving himself and Sauron/Annatar more time to finish their work. Celebrimbor brags to Sauron/Annatar, “I have spent a long time getting ready for this. I have learned from others. I have researched. I have mastered my craft. This is my moment. [Gil-galad] will not ruin it.”
Galadriel Takes On The World
Galadriel is furious, and rightly so. She was deceived by a man she trusted (or perhaps had romantic feelings for). But what better way to move on from someone than by treating yourself to some sparkling, luxurious accessories?
Galadriel's close friend, Elrond, has discovered the truth about Halbrand and informs Gil-galad about Sauron's deception. They confront Galadriel about Halbrand's true identity, which she admits is Sauron. When news of Sauron's return reaches them, Gil-galad decides to use the Three Elven rings to protect the Elves and Middle Earth. Elrond, who possesses the rings, refuses to give them up, fearing Sauron's control over them. He escapes and finds shelter with Círdan the Shipwright, ruler of the Grey Havens, who helps him dispose of the rings. Galadriel later approaches Elrond and tries to persuade him that the rings will save them. She declares, "I believe in my heart that the three rings are not influenced by [Sauron]." Elrond quickly responds, "But can you say the same about yourself?"
Thinking the rings were gone, the Elves had to go back to Valinor as the final golden leaf fell from the dying Tree of Lindon. Círdan was seen with one of the Elven rings - Nayra - and was captivated by its magic. He gave Gil-galad the other two rings, saying, "Perfection is not just found in Valinor, High King. It is here. Celebrimbor has brought it to Middle Earth."
Galadriel and Gil-galad each put on one of the remaining rings, Nenya and Vilya, which leads to the revival of the Tree of Lindon. However, the pair soon realize that having such immense power also means they have a great deal of responsibility. Galadriel starts having troubling visions of Celebrimbor's murder at the hands of Sauron, while Gil-galad also experiences vision of destruction. Despite their concerns, they have not heard from Celebrimbor and are unaware that the messengers they sent to warn him never made it to their destination. Galadriel becomes convinced that Celebrimbor is in danger and asks to lead a team to Eregion to check on him. Gil-galad shares her worries but only agrees to let her go if Elrond accompanies her, as he is worried about her past association with Sauron/Halbrand.
Galadriel confesses to Elrond that she once was under the influence of Sauron/Halbrand, but not anymore. Elrond is skeptical of her claim because she is currently wearing the ring that could potentially be tainted by Sauron. Despite his initial reluctance to assist Galadriel, Elrond has a change of heart after consulting with Círdan, who suggests that the rings can be beneficial if used by the right person. With this new perspective, Elrond agrees to lead the journey to Eregion, with Galadriel by his side.
Gandalf Tracks By Scent
In season 1, the finale left a strong impression that the mysterious character could be Gandalf, but the first three episodes of the new season provide little evidence to support this theory. The Stranger does have intense dreams involving a wizard's staff (though not Gandalf's), but every time he tries to reach for it, he is confronted with troubling visions of what may lie ahead.
When the Stranger and Nori start their trip to Rhȗn, they get lost and really hungry. The Stranger tries to make fruit grow on a tree using his magic, but it goes wrong and bugs come out instead. They realize someone is trailing them, so they set a trap but it turns out to be Poppy. She brought Sadoc's book with a map to help them on their adventure.
In the meantime, bronze skeleton riders are keeping an eye on them. These riders are actually in the employment of a wizard, believed to possibly be Saruman, in Western Rhȗn. The wizard has revived The Dweller, who informs him about Sauron's growing power but downplays the danger posed by the Stranger. The wizard is worried that the Stranger might figure out his true identity and become a formidable adversary. The bronze skeleton riders suggest capturing the Stranger.
Poppy and Nori spend time suggesting names for the Stranger, but he rejects them. He explains, "Can't you understand? No one can assign you a name. It's already yours. It represents your true self. And when you hear it, you feel a warmth in your heart."
Poppy discovers a quicker way to get to Rhȗn, but the trail is a deserted and arid wasteland. They choose not to use it at first, but the bronze skeleton riders are on their trail, so they have no choice but to take the dangerous path. While making their way through the barren landscape, the Stranger faints from lack of water. Poppy and Nori spot a well in the distance and hurry to bring the Stranger there. As they draw water from the well, bells on the rope start ringing, attracting the bronze skeleton riders. After getting some water, the Stranger wakes up and has to fight off the enemies. He comes across a staff that looks familiar and uses it to create a powerful tornado that swallows up their foes—along with Nori and Poppy.
Dwarves Face Doom In Darkness
In Middle Earth, a map reveals the creeping darkness of Mount Doom in Mordor inching closer to Khazad-dûm. Durin IV and Disa, who have recently been cut off from their wealth, are scrimping and saving while doing their grocery shopping. While they discuss their financial troubles, an earthquake hits, plunging them into darkness as all the cave's light sources are extinguished. Despite their efforts to find a new source of light, Disa worries that the Dwarves' bond with the mountain has been severed.
Disa is the only one who sees things clearly and she talks to her husband about it. She tells him that they need to fix things with his father in order to save their kingdom. But she is frustrated because both King Durin III and Durin IV are too stubborn to make amends.
Durin IV gets asked by Celebrimbor to come to Eregion and talk about a way to help the Dwarves. Celebrimbor suggests making special rings for each Dwarf Lord to fix their mountain in exchange for mithril from Khazad-dûm. Durin is unsure about the idea, but decides to tell his father about it and they reconcile their differences.
Notwithstanding his son's apprehensions about the rings, King Durin III is determined to protect his people and reluctantly agrees to accept assistance from Celebrimbor and Sauron/Annatar. The third episode concludes with the crafting of King Durin's ring.
Let's Discuss The Kingdom Of Men
After the events of Isildur's supposed death (if you're familiar with Tolkien's stories, you know he's not actually dead), his faithful horse, Berek, cannot come to terms with it and believes his master is still alive. Before leaving for Númenór, Elendil shares a moment of grief with Berek before letting him go. Berek follows Isildur's scent to the Black Forest where he discovers his master alive but caught in Shelob's web. Isildur manages to free himself and fights against Shelob before narrowly escaping on Berek's back.
Isildur and Berek travel towards the Númenór base camp and meet a villager named Estrid from the Southlands who is looking for her missing fiancé. She tells them that the Númenóreans have left, so they must find a new place to rest. They journey to an ancient Númenórean settlement and come across a wounded man, but it turns out to be a trick. Adar's followers ambush them and take Beren captive. Before any harm can come to Isildur and Estrid, Arondir arrives and saves them. They follow him to Pelargir, the Southlands' new home base, where they attend Browyn's funeral. Arondir bids goodbye to his loved one.
Theo is overwhelmed with anger and regret about his mother passing away. To cope, he directs his emotions towards Arondir by refusing comfort or guidance. He bluntly tells the Elf that he is not his father. With Bronwyn gone, there is nothing holding them together anymore, allowing them to part ways.
Later on, Theo locates Isildur and proposes to assist in saving Berek by escorting him to the rival camp later that evening. Prior to meeting with Theo, Isildur shares a heartfelt moment with Estrid, connecting over their mutual experience of losing loved ones. As Isildur departs with Theo, Estrid is revealed to bear the mark of Adar, which she attempts to conceal by burning it.
In a camp where Adar's followers were staying, Isildue discovers Berek and stealthily unties his rope. Just as the followers are about to check on Berek, Theo disrupts the camp by declaring his loyalty to Adar, creating enough of a distraction for Isildur and Berek to flee. However, Adar's followers do not trust Theo's words and capture him, keeping him as a prisoner—until the forest itself (the Ents!) launches an attack on the camp. Upon hearing Theo's cries for help, Isildur hurries back to the camp with Berek.
In Numenor, Elendil and Miriel arrive back just in time for the funeral of King Tar-Palantir. While Miriel grieves for her father and the casualties from the fight with the orcs, she is assaulted by a mourning mother. Instead of punishing the woman, Miriel hugs her as they both lament the losses.
That evening, Mìriel discovers a bracelet in her father's belongings. Pharazôn comes into her room and asks her to choose between wearing red or white for her coronation in a really spooky manner. He holds up both colors to her face and mentions that he prefers the red. Mìriel decides to wear white, like her father and the majestic eagles. Pharazôn suggests that it would be a good omen if an eagle showed up at her coronation.
In a tavern close by, Kemen expresses his discontent with Mìriel taking the throne, but Pharazôn cautions his son to stay quiet and avoid arousing suspicion of treason by speaking negatively about the Queen-Regent. The Noble from the North sitting nearby suggests that Pharazôn should become the next leader, but acknowledges that he lacks sufficient support to make a successful claim. Eärien, who holds Mìriel responsible for Isildur's death, shares that she has discovered something that could sway public opinion in Pharazôn's favor.
While not the focal point, it was quite satisfying to see Valandil stand up for Mìriel when the table insulted her. He interrupted their conversation to praise the Queen-Regent and warned Kemen to keep quiet or face consequences. It was swoon-worthy.
During Mìriel's coronation, Eärien exposes her for using a magical Elven Seeing Stone to make decisions for the Númenóreans. Pharazôn declares that a true ruler of Númenór would never rely on an Elvish artifact and demands its destruction. Mìriel confesses to using the seeing stone, leading to chaos as people demand her removal from the throne. Suddenly, a Great Eagle appears before the Númenóreans, which Pharazôn uses to his advantage to show that he is the rightful ruler. The crowd starts chanting Pharazôn's name in support.
Laura Sirikul is a writer who covers entertainment news and edits content living in Los Angeles. She has contributed to publications like Entertainment Weekly, NBC News, and the Los Angeles Times. Laura has been featured on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour and BBC World News as a guest expert on TV and film. She is also a member of the Asian American Journalists Association and Critics Choice Association.
