Episode 7 | The Rings of Power Season Two Episode Breakdown & Reaction

This video as an article: https://www.teawithtolkien.com/rop/207 -------- Episode Seven: Doomed to Die The Rings of Power Season Two Episode Breakdown and Reaction Plotlines in this Episode: Khazad-dûm The Army of Orcs and the Elves on the Battlefield Eregion under Siege Celebrimbor and Annatar in the Forge No Pelargir or Rhûn in this episode. Let’s begin by discussing Khazad-dûm because it’s the least entangled with the other storylines. The rest of the storylines all converge in this episode so it’s more difficult to discuss them separately. There is also a lot of incredible dialogue in this episode that I want to highlight, so hopefully this video won’t be too long. There are also several core Tolkienian themes at work in this episode that I want to expand upon and do some deep analysis, but this video is moreso meant to be an initial breakdown and reaction so we will have to wait until I can find the time to do a few more re-watches before I’m ready to get too deep into analysis mode. Afterall, with an anticipated two years before season three, we’ll have plenty of time for that. Khazad-dûm In the beginning of this episode, Durin III learns that the elves of Eregion are now fully under siege. Rather than feeling the pull to assist them, however, the King insists that the dwarves must continue to delve even deeper. Durin IV and Disa hold the mine against King Durin for fear of whatever creature may lie beneath the stone, and the other miners join the prince in this effort. Elrond arrives at the west-gate to plead with Durin IV for dwarven aid in battle. Durin initially agrees to fight alongside the elves and rallies the dwarven armies, but is forced to turn back when it becomes clear that the King has been driven completely mad by the Ring after turning his axe on his own men. “Defeat, without your aid. Thousands of lives are at hazard, Durin. Celebrimbor is among them. I know I ask too much of you, Durin, but I need your ax, old friend. I need it now.” - Elrond Adar’s Army Marches upon Eregion As the siege of Eregion continues, Adar’s forces dam the river surrounding Ost-in-Edhil in order to allow their army to march across on dry land. Elrond leads the cavalry charge alongside Gil-galad against the orcs, but halts upon seeing Galadriel held in a cage by Adar’s army. Elrond enters the orc camp to negotiate with Adar. Here, we learn a little more about Adar as he seems to be very familiar with Elrond’s reputation as well as the legacy of Melian the Maia. Adar: “The Ring you carry: show it to me.” Elrond: “A foolish act if I had brought it here.” Adar: “If she speaks again, cut out her tongue.” Adar: “Sauron is my enemy as much as yours. Give me what I need to defeat him and let us all be rid of him.” Adar: “Eregion has fallen into shadow. It belongs to the Deceiver now, as does every Elf within its walls.” Elrond: “Not Lord Celebrimbor.” Adar: “It was Celebrimbor himself who welcomed Sauron in. You cannot save him. You can save Galadriel. It is an earnest offer. I suggest you take it, and leave Sauron to me.” Adar: “You have the beauty of your foremother, Melian of the Valar. If even a fragment of her wisdom is in your veins, you must know you cannot defeat me in battle. I will outmaneuver you, my forces outfight yours, and you will fall.” Elrond admonishes Adar that many of his children will die in the process, which draws Glûg’s attention. Adar: “My children have endured cruelties your bravest couldn’t bear to hear spoken aloud.” Elrond: “Are you prepared to spend their lives so freely, Adar? Are they?” Adar presents an earnest offer: the Ring for Galadriel’s life. Elrond refuses, to which Adar responds that Galadriel will be executed. Elrond pulls a pin from his cloak, asking if he may be permitted to bid Galadriel farewell if she is to die. It is now that we witness perhaps the most insane moment of this entire series because Elrond then kisses Galadriel, his future mother-in-law. Elrond: “Forgive me.” Galadriel: “Win.” Now this is a “strategic, platonic kiss,” as I’ve been promised by the series showrunners, meant to distract the orcs from the fact that Elrond is slipping the brooch from his cloak into Galadriel’s hand. Much like Sauron’s proposal to Galadriel on the raft was not meant to be romantic, I am told this moment was also not intended to be romantic. (Make of that what you will.) However, there are at least a dozen ways that the pin-passage might have been executed without kissing, Elrond is looking extremely into it, the camera zooms in on their faces and the music swells in this moment… so I do wonder if some sort of miscommunication may have occurred between departments in terms of the romance level being dialed up to a 10 for this scene. At the same time, however, it’s a very sweet scene so I can’t find it in me to be mad about it.