The season 2 finale of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is now streaming on Prime Video, and the episode features some shocking betrayals, major deaths, and long-awaited answers.
Spoilers follow.
The episode begins in Khazad-dûm, with King Durin unleashing the Balrog from the depths of Moria. In a final act of redemption, the corrupted Dwarf king removes his ring and charges to face the fiery demon, sacrificing himself to seal the chamber while passing his crown and the rule of the mighty Dwarf kingdom to his son.
In Rhûn, we see The Stranger arrive at the Stoor village, going against Tom Bombadil's advice (or did he?) by setting his own quest aside to rescue Nori and Poppy. The mysterious Dark Wizard attempts to sway his "old friend" to his side, suggesting that together they will be powerful enough to defeat Sauron (he has to be Saruman... right?).
The Stranger declines, angering the Dark Wizard, who departs while bringing some rubble down on a few unfortunate Stoors and warning his fellow "Istar" that he will regret his decision.
The Stranger then parts ways with his friends, returning to Bombadil, who had been testing the Wizard all along. Here, we finally learn his true name: Yes, as we'd all suspected, the mysterious "Meteor Man" is Gandalf.
Back in Númenor, Pharazôn continues his scheming, telling all who will listen that Miriel could only have survived her trial if she was in league with Sauron. Sensing mounting unrest, the Queen urges Anarion to leave the city and go to stay in the west with his other son, Anárion. Miriel refuses to go with him, but offers him a parting gift: the legendary sword known as Narsil, which - spoiler alert - will ultimately be used by Isildur to cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand.
The situation is even more dire in Eregion, with the city almost completely reduced to ash and rubble. Sauron is in the process of torturing Celebrimbor, who is now fully aware that Annatar is really the Dark Lord. Sauron tells the Elven smith that he will kill him quickly if he reveals the location of the nine rings, but Celebrimbor is defiant, warning the "Lord of the Rings" that his will to dominate life by forging the rings will ultimately be his undoing; “I perceive that one ring alone will lead to your utter ruin.”
This angers Sauron to the point that he lashes out, finishing poor Celebrimbor off by impaling him to a pillar.
Outside the walls of the city, Galadriel is brought to Adar, who has put on the ring he took from Elrond and now more closely resembles the Elf he once was before Morgoth twisted him into his current Uruk form. Adar agrees to call off his Orcs if Galadriel will honor her original offer of working together to destroy Sauron.
Just then, a group of Orcs bring Adar's second-in-command into the clearing. The Orc claims Sauron mortally wounded him, but he was actually convinced to betray his "Father" by the Dark Lord, and literally stabs Adar in the back. Sauron then appears, gloating over his former servant as the Orcs ruthlessly finish Adar off.
Now, Sauron faces off against Galadriel in an intense one-on-one battle. The powerful Elven warrior gains the upper hand a couple of times, but she's no match for the Maia made flesh. The fight ends when Sauron stabs his opponent in the chest with Morgoth's crown, finally getting his hands on the nine. Before Galadriel can be forced to hand over her ring, she throws herself from the top of the cliff.
Elrond and Gil-galad use the combined power of their rings to heal Galadriel, and the Elves regroup, preparing to mount another defence against Sauron.
What did you make of this episode and season 2 of The Rings of Power overall? Let us know in the comments section down below.
"Sauron has returned. Cast out by Galadriel, without army or ally, the rising Dark Lord must now rely on his own cunning to rebuild his strength and oversee the creation of the Rings of Power, which will allow him to bind all the peoples of Middle-earth to his sinister will."
"Building on Season 1’s epic scope and ambition, Season 2 of Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power plunges even its most beloved and vulnerable characters into a rising tide of darkness, challenging each to find their place in a world that is increasingly on the brink of calamity."
"Elves and dwarves, orcs and men, wizards and Harfoots... as friendships are strained and kingdoms begin to fracture, the forces of good will struggle ever more valiantly to hold on to what matters to them most of all.. each other."
Returning cast members include Morfydd Clark, Benjamin Walker, Charles Edwards, Charlie Vickers, Markella Kavenagh, Nazanin Boniadi, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Tyroe Muhafidin, Maxim Baldry, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Owain Arthur, Trystan Gravelle, Ema Horvath, Sophia Nomvete, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Leon Wadham, Daniel Weyman, and Sara Zwangobani.
Sam Hazeldine (Peaky Blinders) replaces Joseph Mawle as Adar, with Ciarán Hinds (Game of Thrones), Rory Kinnear (Penny Dreadful), and Tanya Moodie (The Man Who Fell to Earth) joining the ensemble in key roles.