The second episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Energy expands the already huge world of Center-earth. This time: Elrond will likely be seeing you in all of the outdated acquainted locations, as they are saying, and Galadriel needs she’d packed a pool noodle. If you happen to missed episode 1’s recap, yow will discover it right here.
In any other case, let’s dig right into a full recap of episode 2.
Galadriel adrift
SUNDERING SEA – After we left off, Galadriel had simply jumped off a ship headed for Valinor. In episode 2, she’s nonetheless within the Sundering Sea. Personally, I’d have drowned, however good for her. She comes upon a makeshift raft with some people who’ve clearly been by means of it. They argue about whether or not to let her aboard after which subsequently freak out after they see she’s an elf.
Then, they suppose they see one other ship within the distance. Shock! It is truly the wreckage of their ship caught to the large sea worm factor that smashed it within the first place, and it is headed straight for them. One nautical tussle later, Galadriel is again within the water, and the one different survivor is a man who managed to interrupt away from the others on an excellent smaller, much less confidence-inspiring raft. His identify is Halbrand and like Arondir, he is a brand new character who does not come from Tolkein’s works. It is high quality, OK?
Each are suspicious of one another, nevertheless it lastly comes out that Halbrand was chased off from his homeland by orcs. Vindicated by Dashboard Confessional blares loudly, however solely in my mind. She desires to know all the pieces. She desires to go there and do one thing about it, heaven forbid, and even this just lately un-homed man joins the refrain of, “are you able to please simply let this go?”
That evening there is a dangerous storm and Galadriel goes again within the water. This time, she’s tied to a plank and another crap and sinking quick. What’s not OK, is Halbrand sitting on the raft debating whether or not to assist her or not as she plummets all the way down to Davy Jones’ locker. He does save her, although, and the subsequent day again on the raft, Galadriel wakes up momentarily to see the silhouette of a man on a ship in opposition to the solar wanting down at them.
Of orcs and males
SOUTHLANDS – Upon additional exploration of what was once Bronwyn’s hometown, she and Arondir uncover one thing disconcerting within the ruins of one of many homes: Orcs have been digging tunnels. She runs again to Tirharad to warn the others and Arondir decides to go underground alone like the strict, long-suffering elf he’s.
On the pub, the outdated man with the unsanitary philosophy on the craft of butchering desires to downplay what is clearly a nasty factor about to worsen.
“I am not involving the elves on account of sinkhole,” he says.
Again at Bronwyn’s home, her son Theo retains considering he is listening to mice underneath the floorboards. My candy summer season little one. It’s not mice. He hacks a gap within the boards and finds a creepy, milky eye staring again at him.
Bronwyn, in the meantime, is racing again to her home. When she arrives, it’s trashed and that gap within the flooring is even greater. Theo is hiding in a compartment within the wall, and she or he dips into a cabinet as an orc surfaces. Inevitably, if finds her. They’ve a throw down. Bronwyn slams the decapitated head of the orc on the pub counter and is all sinkhole my foot. VINDICATED I AM… sorry. Anyway.
The city plans to depart within the morning for the watch tower. Earlier than departing, Theo handles that sketchy sword with the sigil from the earlier episode once more. Some blood from a reduce on his hand begins touring towards the sword as if drawn magnetically, and the sword begins smoking and reforging itself, which isn’t comforting.
Elsewhere underground, Arondir is crawling across the tunnels in a fashion that makes my palms clammy. They’re slim, dusty, and my dude is just not alone down there. He falls down into some form of subterranean physique of water (why is there a lot swimming on this present?) and drags himself onto the financial institution, the place he backs himself in opposition to a wall whereas eyeing essentially the most menacing set of bubbles since that factor with tentacles nearly turned Frodo into sushi at Moria.
Seems the bubbles aren’t the issue. One thing grabs him from behind and we do not see him once more the remainder of the episode.
Do not be a stranger
RHOVANION – In the meantime on the crater, Nori remains to be puzzling over the outdated dude when her pal Poppy pops up with some dangerous vibes. Nori and Poppy begin bickering about what to do with him. In doing so, Poppy by chance knocks Nori down into the crater. Fortunately, Nori does not seem to be the kind of individual to sue a good friend, and it seems the hearth is not sizzling. She takes the well mannered strategy and pokes the Stranger within the face.
The Stranger wakes up and begins bellowing. No matter his powers are, he can fire up a wind storm and levitate rocks. Think about what this man might do after a chilly brew. The flames exit, he collapses, they usually reignite. In his protection, I do not prefer to be woken up, both.
Again at camp, Sadoc is strolling round, not digging no matter celestial shenanigans is likely to be afoot.
“This doesn’t bode effectively,” he says, in what is unquestionably the Star Wars-to-LOTR translation of “I’ve received a nasty feeling about this.”
Nori and Poppy load the stranger in a wheelbarrow/cart deal and begin speaking about what he’s. He isn’t a person and he is not an elf. That does not go away many different choices.
Personally, I feel he is a wizard. Positive, that ilk would not have been round within the Second Age, however that is Hollywood, child.
Whereas Poppy and Nori skirmish, the carts rolls downhill in what is not essentially the most authentic gag however remains to be form of humorous. Nobody sprains something, and Nori and Poppy make the Stranger a bit of fort so he can sleep off no matter he must sleep off. Huge shock: They’re nonetheless gripping at one another and Nori has to clarify that she looks like all this occurred for a cause and she or he wants to ensure this man is secure. Poppy lastly chills. Nori, very similar to Galadriel, must get some extra supportive mates.
The subsequent day, the Stranger has crawled out of the fort, seemingly questioning what sort of crappy Airbnb he booked. He screams upon seeing Nori and a windstorm kicks up once more, however she calms him down. The vibes are Natasha Romanoff and the Hulk. HEY BIG GUY. THE SUN’S GETTING REAL LOW.
You recognize what actually calms the savage beast, although? Uncomfortably giant snails. She’s received tons of them and he is all yessss, protein as he shoves handfuls in his mouth, shell and all. Additionally they begin attempting to speak with one another however do not have a lot success.
Whereas Nori’s gone, although, the camp is establishing for a competition and her father snaps his ankle — or one thing of that nature attempting to erect a pole.
That evening, Nori and Poppy go to the stranger. Nori tells him the Harfoots are packing up and leaving in a couple of days. He zeros in on their lanterns, that are powered by fireflies, and in a second harking back to Gandalf whispering to the moth on the Orthanc in Isengard, he will get the little critters to kind what appears to be like like a constellation of stars. Nori interprets this to imply he wants assist discovering these stars. However as soon as once more, he collapses. And alarmingly, the fireflies fall to the bottom and die. Minus 10 factors for killing fireflies, Amazon.
Elrond, underground
EREGION – Elrond is within the high quality and swanky chambers of Celebrimbor the elven smith. He takes a minute to admire Fëanor’s hammer, which is on show. If you do not know who that’s, it is high quality. He is loads to clarify and you will get full particulars within the Silmarillion. Briefly he was an elven king who was a little bit of a insurgent and a malcontent, however he additionally made these jewels known as the Silmarils which captured the sunshine of these two tremendous essential timber in Valinor we noticed within the final episode. The Silmarils are licensed huge deal. The primary darkish lord Morgoth stole them, which was impolite.
Celebrimbor tells a narrative about how Morgoth stared on the stones and noticed his personal ugly reflection in them and truthfully, I’ll want a supply on that one, bro. Was he there? Vet your sources, my mates.
In any case, Celebrimbor desires to construct an enormous tower that may home a forge for the aim of constructing cool essential stuff, that may completely and by no means find yourself being a nasty concept. He desires it executed by Spring, which is a decent deadline, to say the least, and Elrond suggests outsourcing the work.
So, they mosey on over to Khazad-dûm, the dwarven kingdom we noticed in The Fellowship of the Ring. Right here, there is a little bit of a callback to the film. Elrond is speaking up Khazad-dûm and the way his pal Prince Durin IV goes to do it up after they arrive. Tables crammed with salted pork! Elrond says.
Mmm. Salted pork.
In fact, they arrive on the door and the dwarf on the entrance tells them to scram. After some back-and-forth, Elrond invokes the fitting of Sigin-tarâg which mainly signifies that as a substitute of being direct and speaking about their emotions, Durin and Elrond are going to separate boulders till considered one of them cries “uncle.”
Earlier than we get to all that, although. A minute for Khazad-dûm, which is energetic as hell, replete with greenery and light-weight and Balrog-free.
Anyway, Elrond finally forfeits the rock-busting competitors and on the best way out, lastly will get Durin to inform him why he is pissed. And BOY is he pissed.
“YOU MISSED MY WEDDING! THE BIRTH OF MY CHILDREN!” Belief me, the caps are warranted right here. Elrond’s been gone 20 years, and now he is again with a tremendous enterprise alternative.
Hear me out: Elrond is your good friend from highschool who messages you out of nowhere and desires you to #GirlBoss your option to an empire promoting monogrammed tote baggage.
Durin has to clarify that 20 years won’t be a lot to an elf, however to a dwarf, it is a long-ass time to depart your good friend on learn.
Elrond apologizes, however he is additionally artful and asks to apologize to Durin’s spouse, Princess Disa.
The subsequent half right here is sort of a home comedy the place Disa and Durin argue about whether or not Elrond is staying for dinner and she or he chastises them for being petty with one another. We get the pleasant exclamation, “Aulë’s beard!” (Aulë is the Vala who created the dwarves so it is cute.)
Disa is pleasant and finally wears Durin down to listen to Elrond’s proposal by means of sheer sentimentality.
Later, Durin goes to speak to his dad, King Durin III, about why Elrond turned up. Durin’s dad floats the concept of whether or not Elrond is hip to what they’re hiding down in Khazad-dûm. He opens a field. We do not see what’s inside – it’s extremely brief-case-in-Pulp-Fiction vibes – however no matter it’s, it is glowing.