That sound you just heard is neither drums, drums in the background nor the roar of a Balrog. It was actually a collective sigh of relief that came from countless “Lord of the Rings” fans who just watched the first two episodes of “The Rings of Power” and realized that it is actually an exciting expansion of the Middle Earth mythos. . The episodes, titled “Shadows of the Past” and “Adrift,” premiered tonight, while the remaining six will air weekly. The Second Age of Middle-earth is pretty advanced technologically, all things considered, but it seems like they haven’t yet developed the means to drop an entire season of prestige television all at once.
“Shadows of the Past” begins, as the films did, with a prologue narrated by Galadriel — this one even longer and more detailed than its predecessor. Here’s Morfydd Clark and not Cate Blanchett in the role, and she’s still in her battle-hardened warrior phase as she sets the stage for us. Middle Earth is trying to move on from a devastating war with Morgoth, a divine being from whom all evil springs, as well as its leader: none other than Sauron himself. The forces of good eventually emerged victorious, but not before suffering devastating losses — including Galadriel’s own brother.
She then jumps into action herself, leading a group of fellow elves as they search for any trace of Sauron and/or his orcs – eventually finding his sigil in a snowy cave. Galadriel takes this as incontrovertible evidence that their enemy persists, while her weary underlings—who are quick to point out that their jaunt was supposed to be over long ago—insist that the marking may be decades or even centuries old.
And so they return to the elven city of Lindon, where Elrond (Robert Aramayo) and High King Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker) are waiting to congratulate the group on a mission they believe has proven they no longer need to worry about the pesky old. Sauron. For their bravery, Galadriel and her party are to sail to the mystical Undying Lands and live out the rest of their days as all elves should. But Galadriel, who at this point is starting to look like Middle-earth’s Cassandra, doesn’t want that. it’s as if she feels in her bones that the threat remains. So it’s no surprise when she jumps off the boat moments before crossing the threshold to the Immortal Realms, literally leaving herself in the sea.
Not that those familiar with her work in “Saint Maud” or “The Personal History of David Copperfield” will be surprised, but Clark proves more than worthy as Blanchett’s successor (or predecessor, as it were). He delivers lines like, “This place is so bad our torches give no warmth” and “We had no word for death, for we thought our joys would be endless” with all the weight they deserve. it’s almost enough to make you wonder why it took so long for Galadriel to be at the forefront of a series like this.
In these first two episodes, the characters are divided into two camps: those who believe that the past is behind them and those who believe that Sauron has not truly been defeated. Unsurprisingly, though a little unfortunately, the latter group would seem correct. This includes not only Galadriel but also Arondir (Cruz Córdova), whose 79-year tenure at an important elven outpost has made him understandably wary of anything that might still be out there. Gil-galad and Elrond are convinced that their enemy is gone for good, but Galadriel thinks otherwise—and is determined to prove it. Her countrymen are none too happy about this, and one would be forgiven for thinking that sending her to the Immortal Lands isn’t so much a reward as a means of getting rid of her. Despite being a brilliant warrior and fearless leader, she’s also brash and stubborn — but that doesn’t mean she’s wrong.
Nor is he the only interesting character in “The Rings of Power.” Arondir, a Silvan elf positioned as the show’s Legolas counterpart, is notable not only for his Galadriel-like confidence that the current peace will not prevail but also for his forbidden love affair with a woman named Bronwyn (Nazanin Boniadi). . He thinks he’s stopping by her humble abode to see her one last time after being relieved of duty – a visit that displeases her young son – but the two end up venturing into a nearby village after a farmer asks her to look after the cow of. which secretes something like blood from its udders rather than milk. To Quelle’s surprise, she said the village was ransacked – and it sure looks like orcs were responsible, especially when one shows up at her house and nearly kills the child. If only there was another elf that Arondir could finally team up with to deal with this looming threat…
For all that obviousness, “The Rings of Power” isn’t all doom and gloom. Part of what makes “Lord of the Rings” so beloved is the way it balances high stakes with a kind of pastoral levity. This comes primarily from the hobbits, represented in “The Rings of Power” by Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh), whose desire for something greater than what her humble village offers is answered when a comet crosses the sky at the end of first episode. . She and her less adventurous friend reach it first and discover that a person has landed with it.
So ends our introduction to the second age of Middle-earth, and it’s a good thing we didn’t have to wait a week to find out more. JA Bayona directed both ‘Shadows of the Past’ and the yet-to-be-titled second installment, and it’s clear that his work on ‘The Impossible’ and ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ adequately prepared him for the weight and the range of Middle Earth. .
I choose to think of “Adrift” as the midget episode, not because it exclusively features our mining friends, but because the first one didn’t feature them at all – the nerve! Here we see Khazad-dûm in all its former glory, the glory Gimli spoke of before he realized it was now little more than a tomb. After being asked if he has heard of Lord Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) and answering in the affirmative, Elrond asks the renowned blacksmith to travel from Eregion to Khazad-dûm in hopes of persuading his friend Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur) to help. secret project, one whose true purpose would be a mystery if the series wasn’t literally named after it. Keep an eye out for Celebrimbor in the coming episodes – although he doesn’t have much screen time yet, he’s likely to be one of the most important characters in the entire series.
While the dwarven capital is awe-inspiring, it is not particularly welcoming. After initially being denied entry, Elrond is forced to invoke a rite that will grant him an audience with Durin if he can best him in a rock-breaking contest. if he loses, he will be banished forever. Elrond does lose – breaking rock is something dwarves do best, after all – but while escorted by Durin out of Khazad-dûm, he successfully charms his old friend, whom he hasn’t seen or spoken to in decades. This, it turns out, was the source of this inhospitality: Durin was hurt that Elrond did not attend his wedding or congratulate him on the birth of his children. Elrond, both clever and charming, apologizes profusely and asks for the chance to apologize to his friend’s wife as well—which Durin agrees to, as long as Elrond leaves soon after.
You can see where this is going. Durin’s delightful better half, Disa (Sophia Nomvete) is a gracious hostess who insists her guest stay for dinner, which allows Elrond to finally enlist Durin’s help with the project he and Celebrimbor are working on. Durin reluctantly agrees, and the two take the idea to his father: King Durin III (Peter Mullan), whose skepticism seems to cast doubt on the whole affair.
Elsewhere in episode 2, Nori tries to nurse Comet Man (note: not his real name) back to health while dealing with both a language barrier and the fact that he’s somewhere between disoriented and insane. (He’s identified in the credits as The Stranger and played by Daniel Weyman.) This is where astute viewers will begin to wonder if there might be some connection between the strange companion who survived a falling star and the all-powerful antagonist that everyone they look so worried. , but far be it from your humble correspondent to speculate on such matters.
title: " Rings Of Power Recap The First Two Episodes Expand On The Lotr Mythos Klmat"
ShowToc: true
date: “2022-10-24”
author: “Cynthia Campbell”
That sound you just heard is neither drums, drums in the background nor the roar of a Balrog. It was actually a collective sigh of relief that came from countless “Lord of the Rings” fans who just watched the first two episodes of “The Rings of Power” and realized that it is actually an exciting expansion of the Middle Earth mythos. . The episodes, titled “Shadows of the Past” and “Adrift,” premiered tonight, while the remaining six will air weekly. The Second Age of Middle-earth is pretty advanced technologically, all things considered, but it seems like they haven’t yet developed the means to drop an entire season of prestige television all at once.
“Shadows of the Past” begins, as the films did, with a prologue narrated by Galadriel — this one even longer and more detailed than its predecessor. Here’s Morfydd Clark and not Cate Blanchett in the role, and she’s still in her battle-hardened warrior phase as she sets the stage for us. Middle Earth is trying to move on from a devastating war with Morgoth, a divine being from whom all evil springs, as well as its leader: none other than Sauron himself. The forces of good eventually emerged victorious, but not before suffering devastating losses — including Galadriel’s own brother.
She then jumps into action herself, leading a group of fellow elves as they search for any trace of Sauron and/or his orcs – eventually finding his sigil in a snowy cave. Galadriel takes this as incontrovertible evidence that their enemy persists, while her weary underlings—who are quick to point out that their jaunt was supposed to be over long ago—insist that the marking may be decades or even centuries old.
And so they return to the elven city of Lindon, where Elrond (Robert Aramayo) and High King Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker) are waiting to congratulate the group on a mission they believe has proven they no longer need to worry about the pesky old. Sauron. For their bravery, Galadriel and her party are to sail to the mystical Undying Lands and live out the rest of their days as all elves should. But Galadriel, who at this point is starting to look like Middle-earth’s Cassandra, doesn’t want that. it’s as if she feels in her bones that the threat remains. So it’s no surprise when she jumps off the boat moments before crossing the threshold to the Immortal Realms, literally leaving herself in the sea.
Not that those familiar with her work in “Saint Maud” or “The Personal History of David Copperfield” will be surprised, but Clark proves more than worthy as Blanchett’s successor (or predecessor, as it were). He delivers lines like, “This place is so bad our torches give no warmth” and “We had no word for death, for we thought our joys would be endless” with all the weight they deserve. it’s almost enough to make you wonder why it took so long for Galadriel to be at the forefront of a series like this.
In these first two episodes, the characters are divided into two camps: those who believe that the past is behind them and those who believe that Sauron has not truly been defeated. Unsurprisingly, though a little unfortunately, the latter group would seem correct. This includes not only Galadriel but also Arondir (Cruz Córdova), whose 79-year tenure at an important elven outpost has made him understandably wary of anything that might still be out there. Gil-galad and Elrond are convinced that their enemy is gone for good, but Galadriel thinks otherwise—and is determined to prove it. Her countrymen are none too happy about this, and one would be forgiven for thinking that sending her to the Immortal Lands isn’t so much a reward as a means of getting rid of her. Despite being a brilliant warrior and fearless leader, she’s also brash and stubborn — but that doesn’t mean she’s wrong.
Nor is he the only interesting character in “The Rings of Power.” Arondir, a Silvan elf positioned as the show’s Legolas counterpart, is notable not only for his Galadriel-like confidence that the current peace will not prevail but also for his forbidden love affair with a woman named Bronwyn (Nazanin Boniadi). . He thinks he’s stopping by her humble abode to see her one last time after being relieved of duty – a visit that displeases her young son – but the two end up venturing into a nearby village after a farmer asks her to look after the cow of. which secretes something like blood from its udders rather than milk. To Quelle’s surprise, she said the village was ransacked – and it sure looks like orcs were responsible, especially when one shows up at her house and nearly kills the child. If only there was another elf that Arondir could finally team up with to deal with this looming threat…
For all that obviousness, “The Rings of Power” isn’t all doom and gloom. Part of what makes “Lord of the Rings” so beloved is the way it balances high stakes with a kind of pastoral levity. This comes primarily from the hobbits, represented in “The Rings of Power” by Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh), whose desire for something greater than what her humble village offers is answered when a comet crosses the sky at the end of first episode. . She and her less adventurous friend reach it first and discover that a person has landed with it.
So ends our introduction to the second age of Middle-earth, and it’s a good thing we didn’t have to wait a week to find out more. JA Bayona directed both ‘Shadows of the Past’ and the yet-to-be-titled second installment, and it’s clear that his work on ‘The Impossible’ and ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ adequately prepared him for the weight and the range of Middle Earth. .
I choose to think of “Adrift” as the midget episode, not because it exclusively features our mining friends, but because the first one didn’t feature them at all – the nerve! Here we see Khazad-dûm in all its former glory, the glory Gimli spoke of before he realized it was now little more than a tomb. After being asked if he has heard of Lord Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) and answering in the affirmative, Elrond asks the renowned blacksmith to travel from Eregion to Khazad-dûm in hopes of persuading his friend Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur) to help. secret project, one whose true purpose would be a mystery if the series wasn’t literally named after it. Keep an eye out for Celebrimbor in the coming episodes – although he doesn’t have much screen time yet, he’s likely to be one of the most important characters in the entire series.
While the dwarven capital is awe-inspiring, it is not particularly welcoming. After initially being denied entry, Elrond is forced to invoke a rite that will grant him an audience with Durin if he can best him in a rock-breaking contest. if he loses, he will be banished forever. Elrond does lose – breaking rock is something dwarves do best, after all – but while escorted by Durin out of Khazad-dûm, he successfully charms his old friend, whom he hasn’t seen or spoken to in decades. This, it turns out, was the source of this inhospitality: Durin was hurt that Elrond did not attend his wedding or congratulate him on the birth of his children. Elrond, both clever and charming, apologizes profusely and asks for the chance to apologize to his friend’s wife as well—which Durin agrees to, as long as Elrond leaves soon after.
You can see where this is going. Durin’s delightful better half, Disa (Sophia Nomvete) is a gracious hostess who insists her guest stay for dinner, which allows Elrond to finally enlist Durin’s help with the project he and Celebrimbor are working on. Durin reluctantly agrees, and the two take the idea to his father: King Durin III (Peter Mullan), whose skepticism seems to cast doubt on the whole affair.
Elsewhere in episode 2, Nori tries to nurse Comet Man (note: not his real name) back to health while dealing with both a language barrier and the fact that he’s somewhere between disoriented and insane. (He’s identified in the credits as The Stranger and played by Daniel Weyman.) This is where astute viewers will begin to wonder if there might be some connection between the strange companion who survived a falling star and the all-powerful antagonist that everyone they look so worried. , but far be it from your humble correspondent to speculate on such matters.
title: " Rings Of Power Recap The First Two Episodes Expand On The Lotr Mythos Klmat"
ShowToc: true
date: “2022-12-13”
author: “Gloria Boyer”
That sound you just heard is neither drums, drums in the background nor the roar of a Balrog. It was actually a collective sigh of relief that came from countless “Lord of the Rings” fans who just watched the first two episodes of “The Rings of Power” and realized that it is actually an exciting expansion of the Middle Earth mythos. . The episodes, titled “Shadows of the Past” and “Adrift,” premiered tonight, while the remaining six will air weekly. The Second Age of Middle-earth is pretty advanced technologically, all things considered, but it seems like they haven’t yet developed the means to drop an entire season of prestige television all at once.
“Shadows of the Past” begins, as the films did, with a prologue narrated by Galadriel — this one even longer and more detailed than its predecessor. Here’s Morfydd Clark and not Cate Blanchett in the role, and she’s still in her battle-hardened warrior phase as she sets the stage for us. Middle Earth is trying to move on from a devastating war with Morgoth, a divine being from whom all evil springs, as well as its leader: none other than Sauron himself. The forces of good eventually emerged victorious, but not before suffering devastating losses — including Galadriel’s own brother.
She then jumps into action herself, leading a group of fellow elves as they search for any trace of Sauron and/or his orcs – eventually finding his sigil in a snowy cave. Galadriel takes this as incontrovertible evidence that their enemy persists, while her weary underlings—who are quick to point out that their jaunt was supposed to be over long ago—insist that the marking may be decades or even centuries old.
And so they return to the elven city of Lindon, where Elrond (Robert Aramayo) and High King Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker) are waiting to congratulate the group on a mission they believe has proven they no longer need to worry about the pesky old. Sauron. For their bravery, Galadriel and her party are to sail to the mystical Undying Lands and live out the rest of their days as all elves should. But Galadriel, who at this point is starting to look like Middle-earth’s Cassandra, doesn’t want that. it’s as if she feels in her bones that the threat remains. So it’s no surprise when she jumps off the boat moments before crossing the threshold to the Immortal Realms, literally leaving herself in the sea.
Not that those familiar with her work in “Saint Maud” or “The Personal History of David Copperfield” will be surprised, but Clark proves more than worthy as Blanchett’s successor (or predecessor, as it were). He delivers lines like, “This place is so bad our torches give no warmth” and “We had no word for death, for we thought our joys would be endless” with all the weight they deserve. it’s almost enough to make you wonder why it took so long for Galadriel to be at the forefront of a series like this.
In these first two episodes, the characters are divided into two camps: those who believe that the past is behind them and those who believe that Sauron has not truly been defeated. Unsurprisingly, though a little unfortunately, the latter group would seem correct. This includes not only Galadriel but also Arondir (Cruz Córdova), whose 79-year tenure at an important elven outpost has made him understandably wary of anything that might still be out there. Gil-galad and Elrond are convinced that their enemy is gone for good, but Galadriel thinks otherwise—and is determined to prove it. Her countrymen are none too happy about this, and one would be forgiven for thinking that sending her to the Immortal Lands isn’t so much a reward as a means of getting rid of her. Despite being a brilliant warrior and fearless leader, she’s also brash and stubborn — but that doesn’t mean she’s wrong.
Nor is he the only interesting character in “The Rings of Power.” Arondir, a Silvan elf positioned as the show’s Legolas counterpart, is notable not only for his Galadriel-like confidence that the current peace will not prevail but also for his forbidden love affair with a woman named Bronwyn (Nazanin Boniadi). . He thinks he’s stopping by her humble abode to see her one last time after being relieved of duty – a visit that displeases her young son – but the two end up venturing into a nearby village after a farmer asks her to look after the cow of. which secretes something like blood from its udders rather than milk. To Quelle’s surprise, she said the village was ransacked – and it sure looks like orcs were responsible, especially when one shows up at her house and nearly kills the child. If only there was another elf that Arondir could finally team up with to deal with this looming threat…
For all that obviousness, “The Rings of Power” isn’t all doom and gloom. Part of what makes “Lord of the Rings” so beloved is the way it balances high stakes with a kind of pastoral levity. This comes primarily from the hobbits, represented in “The Rings of Power” by Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh), whose desire for something greater than what her humble village offers is answered when a comet crosses the sky at the end of first episode. . She and her less adventurous friend reach it first and discover that a person has landed with it.
So ends our introduction to the second age of Middle-earth, and it’s a good thing we didn’t have to wait a week to find out more. JA Bayona directed both ‘Shadows of the Past’ and the yet-to-be-titled second installment, and it’s clear that his work on ‘The Impossible’ and ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ adequately prepared him for the weight and the range of Middle Earth. .
I choose to think of “Adrift” as the midget episode, not because it exclusively features our mining friends, but because the first one didn’t feature them at all – the nerve! Here we see Khazad-dûm in all its former glory, the glory Gimli spoke of before he realized it was now little more than a tomb. After being asked if he has heard of Lord Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) and answering in the affirmative, Elrond asks the renowned blacksmith to travel from Eregion to Khazad-dûm in hopes of persuading his friend Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur) to help. secret project, one whose true purpose would be a mystery if the series wasn’t literally named after it. Keep an eye out for Celebrimbor in the coming episodes – although he doesn’t have much screen time yet, he’s likely to be one of the most important characters in the entire series.
While the dwarven capital is awe-inspiring, it is not particularly welcoming. After initially being denied entry, Elrond is forced to invoke a rite that will grant him an audience with Durin if he can best him in a rock-breaking contest. if he loses, he will be banished forever. Elrond does lose – breaking rock is something dwarves do best, after all – but while escorted by Durin out of Khazad-dûm, he successfully charms his old friend, whom he hasn’t seen or spoken to in decades. This, it turns out, was the source of this inhospitality: Durin was hurt that Elrond did not attend his wedding or congratulate him on the birth of his children. Elrond, both clever and charming, apologizes profusely and asks for the chance to apologize to his friend’s wife as well—which Durin agrees to, as long as Elrond leaves soon after.
You can see where this is going. Durin’s delightful better half, Disa (Sophia Nomvete) is a gracious hostess who insists her guest stay for dinner, which allows Elrond to finally enlist Durin’s help with the project he and Celebrimbor are working on. Durin reluctantly agrees, and the two take the idea to his father: King Durin III (Peter Mullan), whose skepticism seems to cast doubt on the whole affair.
Elsewhere in episode 2, Nori tries to nurse Comet Man (note: not his real name) back to health while dealing with both a language barrier and the fact that he’s somewhere between disoriented and insane. (He’s identified in the credits as The Stranger and played by Daniel Weyman.) This is where astute viewers will begin to wonder if there might be some connection between the strange companion who survived a falling star and the all-powerful antagonist that everyone they look so worried. , but far be it from your humble correspondent to speculate on such matters.
title: " Rings Of Power Recap The First Two Episodes Expand On The Lotr Mythos Klmat"
ShowToc: true
date: “2022-11-04”
author: “Hazel Howell”
That sound you just heard is neither drums, drums in the background nor the roar of a Balrog. It was actually a collective sigh of relief that came from countless “Lord of the Rings” fans who just watched the first two episodes of “The Rings of Power” and realized that it is actually an exciting expansion of the Middle Earth mythos. . The episodes, titled “Shadows of the Past” and “Adrift,” premiered tonight, while the remaining six will air weekly. The Second Age of Middle-earth is pretty advanced technologically, all things considered, but it seems like they haven’t yet developed the means to drop an entire season of prestige television all at once.
“Shadows of the Past” begins, as the films did, with a prologue narrated by Galadriel — this one even longer and more detailed than its predecessor. Here’s Morfydd Clark and not Cate Blanchett in the role, and she’s still in her battle-hardened warrior phase as she sets the stage for us. Middle Earth is trying to move on from a devastating war with Morgoth, a divine being from whom all evil springs, as well as its leader: none other than Sauron himself. The forces of good eventually emerged victorious, but not before suffering devastating losses — including Galadriel’s own brother.
She then jumps into action herself, leading a group of fellow elves as they search for any trace of Sauron and/or his orcs – eventually finding his sigil in a snowy cave. Galadriel takes this as incontrovertible evidence that their enemy persists, while her weary underlings—who are quick to point out that their jaunt was supposed to be over long ago—insist that the marking may be decades or even centuries old.
And so they return to the elven city of Lindon, where Elrond (Robert Aramayo) and High King Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker) are waiting to congratulate the group on a mission they believe has proven they no longer need to worry about the pesky old. Sauron. For their bravery, Galadriel and her party are to sail to the mystical Undying Lands and live out the rest of their days as all elves should. But Galadriel, who at this point is starting to look like Middle-earth’s Cassandra, doesn’t want that. it’s as if she feels in her bones that the threat remains. So it’s no surprise when she jumps off the boat moments before crossing the threshold to the Immortal Realms, literally leaving herself in the sea.
Not that those familiar with her work in “Saint Maud” or “The Personal History of David Copperfield” will be surprised, but Clark proves more than worthy as Blanchett’s successor (or predecessor, as it were). He delivers lines like, “This place is so bad our torches give no warmth” and “We had no word for death, for we thought our joys would be endless” with all the weight they deserve. it’s almost enough to make you wonder why it took so long for Galadriel to be at the forefront of a series like this.
In these first two episodes, the characters are divided into two camps: those who believe that the past is behind them and those who believe that Sauron has not truly been defeated. Unsurprisingly, though a little unfortunately, the latter group would seem correct. This includes not only Galadriel but also Arondir (Cruz Córdova), whose 79-year tenure at an important elven outpost has made him understandably wary of anything that might still be out there. Gil-galad and Elrond are convinced that their enemy is gone for good, but Galadriel thinks otherwise—and is determined to prove it. Her countrymen are none too happy about this, and one would be forgiven for thinking that sending her to the Immortal Lands isn’t so much a reward as a means of getting rid of her. Despite being a brilliant warrior and fearless leader, she’s also brash and stubborn — but that doesn’t mean she’s wrong.
Nor is he the only interesting character in “The Rings of Power.” Arondir, a Silvan elf positioned as the show’s Legolas counterpart, is notable not only for his Galadriel-like confidence that the current peace will not prevail but also for his forbidden love affair with a woman named Bronwyn (Nazanin Boniadi). . He thinks he’s stopping by her humble abode to see her one last time after being relieved of duty – a visit that displeases her young son – but the two end up venturing into a nearby village after a farmer asks her to look after the cow of. which secretes something like blood from its udders rather than milk. To Quelle’s surprise, she said the village was ransacked – and it sure looks like orcs were responsible, especially when one shows up at her house and nearly kills the child. If only there was another elf that Arondir could finally team up with to deal with this looming threat…
For all that obviousness, “The Rings of Power” isn’t all doom and gloom. Part of what makes “Lord of the Rings” so beloved is the way it balances high stakes with a kind of pastoral levity. This comes primarily from the hobbits, represented in “The Rings of Power” by Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh), whose desire for something greater than what her humble village offers is answered when a comet crosses the sky at the end of first episode. . She and her less adventurous friend reach it first and discover that a person has landed with it.
So ends our introduction to the second age of Middle-earth, and it’s a good thing we didn’t have to wait a week to find out more. JA Bayona directed both ‘Shadows of the Past’ and the yet-to-be-titled second installment, and it’s clear that his work on ‘The Impossible’ and ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ adequately prepared him for the weight and the range of Middle Earth. .
I choose to think of “Adrift” as the midget episode, not because it exclusively features our mining friends, but because the first one didn’t feature them at all – the nerve! Here we see Khazad-dûm in all its former glory, the glory Gimli spoke of before he realized it was now little more than a tomb. After being asked if he has heard of Lord Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) and answering in the affirmative, Elrond asks the renowned blacksmith to travel from Eregion to Khazad-dûm in hopes of persuading his friend Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur) to help. secret project, one whose true purpose would be a mystery if the series wasn’t literally named after it. Keep an eye out for Celebrimbor in the coming episodes – although he doesn’t have much screen time yet, he’s likely to be one of the most important characters in the entire series.
While the dwarven capital is awe-inspiring, it is not particularly welcoming. After initially being denied entry, Elrond is forced to invoke a rite that will grant him an audience with Durin if he can best him in a rock-breaking contest. if he loses, he will be banished forever. Elrond does lose – breaking rock is something dwarves do best, after all – but while escorted by Durin out of Khazad-dûm, he successfully charms his old friend, whom he hasn’t seen or spoken to in decades. This, it turns out, was the source of this inhospitality: Durin was hurt that Elrond did not attend his wedding or congratulate him on the birth of his children. Elrond, both clever and charming, apologizes profusely and asks for the chance to apologize to his friend’s wife as well—which Durin agrees to, as long as Elrond leaves soon after.
You can see where this is going. Durin’s delightful better half, Disa (Sophia Nomvete) is a gracious hostess who insists her guest stay for dinner, which allows Elrond to finally enlist Durin’s help with the project he and Celebrimbor are working on. Durin reluctantly agrees, and the two take the idea to his father: King Durin III (Peter Mullan), whose skepticism seems to cast doubt on the whole affair.
Elsewhere in episode 2, Nori tries to nurse Comet Man (note: not his real name) back to health while dealing with both a language barrier and the fact that he’s somewhere between disoriented and insane. (He’s identified in the credits as The Stranger and played by Daniel Weyman.) This is where astute viewers will begin to wonder if there might be some connection between the strange companion who survived a falling star and the all-powerful antagonist that everyone they look so worried. , but far be it from your humble correspondent to speculate on such matters.
