The Eagle And The Sceptre – As this episode of The Rings of Power begins, Captain Elendil (Lloyd Owen) tries to calm Berek. Valandil (Alex Tarrant) warns him that the horse won’t listen to any of them. Berek runs away and finds itself surrounded by orcs. It kills one and breaks free. The remaining orcs let Berek run into the Black Forest where nothing returns alive. Berek makes it to Isildur (Maxim Baldry) who is being held captive in a massive spider web. Isildur yells for Berek to flee while he fights with an orc and attempts to free himself. A spider kills the orc before being killed by Isildur. Another spider arrives leading a scuffle with Isildur who eventually rides away on Berek. Captain Elendil talks to Earien about his son.
She insists the blame is with another. Pharazon (Trystan Gravelle) arrives with Queen Regent Miriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson). Elendil tells Miriel that Lord Belzagar has come to pay his respects. A woman approaches and asks Miriel if this is how they repay their fallen before hitting her. The woman explains she’s lost her son. Miriel comforts her while she cries. Later, Pharazon speaks to Miriel in private. He asks if she wants to wear crimson for Numenor’s future or white for her past for her coronation. Miriel remembers her father wore white and there was an eagle. Pharazon says it would be an auspicious omen if an eagle made an appearance at her coronation. Lord Belzagar (Will Keen) and Kemen (Leon Wadham) drink and talk about the queen. They tell Pharazon that some believe he has a stronger claim. Earien (Ema Horvath) asks if someone knows a way to turn many into enough.
Valandil comes over to speak to Earien. Kemen and Valandil get into an argument. Valandil warns them not to say ill of the queen before leaving. Earien tells Pharazon that she found something forbidden. Pharazon and the others are intrigued. Glug (Robert Strange) tells Adar (Sam Hazeldine) that the preparations are nearly complete. Glug says they’re safe and questions whether it’s necessary to go to war again. Adar tells him to trust him. They will never be truly safe until Sauron is no more. Adar is approached by Damrod the Hill Troll of the Ered Mithrin (Benjamin Walker). Damrod asks about Sauron. Lord Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) thanks Disa (Sophia Nomvete) and Durin (Owain Arthur) for coming. He explains they can provide rings for each of Middle-earth’s most powerful Dwarf lords. They will be rings of power capable of healing their mountain. Celebrimbor believes mithril can reserve their fortunes as well.
Annatar (Charlie Vickers) claims they’re bringing King Durin a means of saving his kingdom. Durin says Elron has never mentioned him. Durin and Disa walk outside to discuss their offer. Durin thinks the whole thing sounds strange. Disa argues that’s for his father to decide. She tells him to bring the news to his father or she will. Celebrimbor tells Annatar to give them time although Annatar doesn’t think they have time. Annatar says the High King believes the dwarves to be unworthy of this power. He admits the High King has forbidden the forging of more rings and doesn’t know Annatar is there. Celebrimbor suggests Gil-galad doesn’t have to discover the truth. He sits down to write to Gil-galad and congratulate him and say he’s closing the forge. He’ll also promise to join him in Lindon as soon as possible. Celebrimbor explains he’s spent an age preparing for this.
This is his moment and the High King will not take it away. Isildur makes it out of the forest and walks along countless bodies. He’s stabbed in the leg by a woman who thinks he’s an orc. Estrid (Nia Towle) pulls out the weapon and ties off the wound. Isildur learns the survivors left him. Estrid shows him a map she found. It convinces Isildur that his dad led everyone to Pelargir. They ride to Pelargir together. Isildur doesn’t see any ships in the harbor. Estrid is hoping to find her betrothed. They run into a man who has been attacked by orcs. Estrid thinks they should keep moving, but Isildur believes they should get the man something to eat. When Isildur tries to give him something, he notices a branding on the man’s hand. He is suddenly ambushed. They get the best of Isildur until Arondir (Ismael Cruz Cordova) arrives to help.
Isildur doesn’t want to abandon his horse. Arondir says he has his own affairs to tend to in Pelargir. He goes back and says goodbye to Bronwyn (Nazanin Boniadi). Narvi (Kevin Eldon) tells King Durin (Peter Mullan) that they’re going to petition him to open the royal grain reserves which may last three months. Durin arrives to tell his father about Celebrimbor’s offer. He also apologizes to his father. Durin tells the King that he doesn’t trust the power in Eregion. Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin) tends to Isildur’s wound while Arondir says he failed Bronwyn. Arondir insists Isildur’s father did not abandon him and Numenor will return. Later, Arondir speaks to Theo about Beleriand. Arondir says he was born there, but it lies under the waves now. He talks about the anger he felt and explains it’s a thirst that can never be slaked.
They talk about Theo’s father. Theo knows his father was not Arondir. He says they don’t need to speak on it again. Next, Isildur speaks to Theo. Theo offers to help him get his horse back. Isildur speaks to Estrid. She admits it is hard not to blame herself for surviving when many others didn’t. Isildur mentions how he lost his mother. He admits no one knows back home. No one knows it was his fault. Theo interrupts when he calls for Isildur. When Estrid is alone, she tries to burn off the brand on her neck. As Isildur tries to get Berek back, Ammred (Murray McArthur) and the others hear someone. Theo approaches and asks if he can share their fire. Hagen (Gabriel Akuwudike) asks what he’s doing out there in the dark. Theo shows him his branding and says he serves Adar. They tell him that’s not Adar’s brand. Isildur escapes with the horse.
Theo flees when the wild men are attacked. He is likely snatched by Damrod. Isildur yells for him. Miriel wears white for her coronation. A man yells out calling her the queen of lies. Miriel speaks to the people and insists they will find their course. She asks who they cry out for. Earien yells for Isildur. She says the King spoke to her with his dying words and said she took counsel from this. Earien claims their kinsmen died because of this. She yells that the Elf-stone is their queen. She drops it. Pharazon argues that Numenor’s true ruler would never place trust in an Elvish artifact. Miriel refuses to let it be destroyed because the Palantir is hers. She says they need it. Elendil tries to pick it up, but he’s knocked backward. People begin turning on Miriel. Elendil tries to reach her before they heard a shriek outside.
An eagle lands outside. Pharazon approaches it. Lord Belzagar begins chanting Pharazon’s name and the others do. They believe the eagle favors Pharazon. Disa and Durin are there when Celebrimboir forges the new rings with Annatar’s help.
The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power Review
The third episode of this series of The Rings of Power was okay. Sauron has transformed into Annatar and has managed to convince Celebrimbor to help him craft new rings. Since they were desperate, the dwarves have cooperated with them as well. Pharazon has likely taken over at Numenor with Earien’s assistance.
Isildur met Estrid and managed to make it to Pelargir with Arondir and Theo. The latter offered to help him retrieve Berek who was stolen by wild men. The hapless decision may prove to be costly. The pacing is starting to feel like the biggest issue because so little actually happens from episode to episode, yet each episode ends with something explosive to try to keep viewers hooked.
Sauron feels far too weak and it’s taking much too long for the character to actually reach its full potential. None of the characters feel like they matter in the big scheme of things nor does it feel like a war is going to wage at some point. This episode had some things that just seemed worse than usual, such as Arondir’s Sonic The Hedgehog-type moves, Theo’s hapless offer, and almost everything about Isildur’s escape and injury.
Through three episodes, the series is decent enough to watch but little else can be expected. It hasn’t provided sufficient reason to genuinely care or justification to become emotionally connected to the characters or the story and it probably never will. The episode scores a 5 out of 10.
One thing to note is that Amazon tends to have a serious habit of dragging out its originals to an hour or a bit longer per episode. Longer isn’t always better and that’s certainly the case here. Recaps of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power can be found on Reel Mockery here.
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Jay Skelton is a fan of all television shows and movies. He tries his best to keep up with the latest foreign television shows and movies. Jay loves skinny dipping in the dark too.
