We are 4 episodes into this first season. The first episode served as a wonderful introduction to the Middle-earth setting, while the second episode really immersed us in the narrative. I was left wondering who was who in Nmenor after the third episode and clinging tenaciously to the individuals we had already met. Now that we have a greater grasp of Nmenorean politics and the residents of the vast metropolis because of "The Great Wave.''
Mriel, played by Cynthia Addai-Robinson, seemed significant last week, but her story was unsatisfying because we didn't understand what was at risk for Nmenor. This was also because she came across as being hostile to Galadriel. The Great Wave's opening ten minutes let us understand her suffering. She has predicted the demise of Nmenor.
Additionally, her advisor Pharazôn, played by Trystan Gravelle, is spreading the seeds of distrust on the city's streets while portraying himself as a man of the people. The men of Nmenor fear the immigration of Elves, which feels intentional but also consistent with how Tolkien framed the story of this doomed island.
Galadriel, the source of the conflict, is shortly imprisoned in Nmenor's labyrinths following a combative exchange with the queen. In this scene, Morfydd Clark embodies Cate Blanchett's Galadriel to the fullest, raising her voice in a dominating manner. It seems that she is a capable commander both on the battlefield and in big halls.
Halbrand, however, notes that she still has a lot to learn, particularly after she hurriedly and foolishly enters Mriel's father's residence and encounters the ailing king. A predicament that the eternal Elven rulers would never experience. It's unfortunate that everything feels hurried when Mriel decides to assist Galadriel after the white tree starts to wilt.
Back in Middle-earth, we're treated to two equally outstanding tales that keep getting more and more exciting. Adar, whose name means "father," is the first person Arondir meets. Joseph Mawle's character, who is a kind of poisoned elf, has a very intriguing makeup design. Elves in Tolkien's writing don't serve Sauron voluntarily because they were formerly tortured by Morgoth and changed into Orcs. Given that he could be their ancestor, it makes sense why the creatures refer to him as their father.
Unexpectedly, we also get to glimpse a side of the Orcs that has never really been seen on television. The others pulled one of them back into their tunnel as he lay dying and made attempts to save him. The Orc is put out of his suffering by Adar. It appears as though Adar, despite being on the evil side, cares about his employees.
Arondir is released free and given instructions for the Southlands' residances. While they are rapidly running out of food, his banned human lover Bronwyn has sought safety in a guard station with the other humans. Her son Theo returns to the town to be a hero and retrieve supplies, but he ends up fighting the Orcs with his cursed blade. As expected, it is the weapon they have been looking for. Arondir quickly saves Theo, and there is a fantastic chase through the woods.
In addition, Theo's hilt is known to the deranged human bartender. It turns out the Elves were right to keep an eye on these men all this time since they still have the potential to flip to the side of the Dark Lord. He verifies that it formerly belonged to Sauron. The Lord of the Rings films had clear good characters and bad guys, but The Rings of Power is starting to dabble with more grey areas, setting the story apart from its filmic predecessors.
The lack of trust between the races is shown once more when Durin consults with his father and they decide that Durin must travel to Lindon to learn the truth about the Elves. Despite the fact that the father and son are Dwarves, the scene between them is heartfelt and not intended to be funny. Before the series began, the showrunners declared their intention to treat dwarves with greater respect, and they are undoubtedly doing so now.
A few stories receive the short end of the stick because there are so many seeds being sown. Isildur, the one-day killer of Sauron, has minimal influence because Nmenor contains so many important characters, and his sister, despite receiving some screen time, is overshadowed by many more compelling characters.
Nevertheless, "The Great Wave'' builds on the introductions from the previous episode for a very rich episode. Hopefully, this theme continues as I don’t think any of us could manage to deal with any more new faces. The plot seems to be slowly moving due to the vast cast. Thus it would be unwise to add more characters at this stage. Considering we are finally getting somewhere.
Performance | 4.3/5 |
Enjoyment | 4.6/5 |
Overall Rating | 4.5/5 |