Summary: Galadriel swims and is met by some shipwrecked men who have been terrorized by a giant worm. The worm attacks and only one survives, Halbrand. Galadriel joins him on his raft. They are found by a ship. Celebrimbor introduces his project to Elrond. Elrond suggests involving the dwarves and goes to meet them. His old friend Durin is upset with him for being absent so long, but he eventually comes around when Elrond apologizes. Elrond gives a proposition to Durin which he passes to his father, King Durin. Nori wakes up The Stranger and struggles to communicate with him. The Stranger uses magic and Nori realizes that he wants help finding a constellation. Nori's father breaks his ankle and is a concern for the Harfoot migration. Arondir and Bronwyn find a tunnel under Hordern. Arondir follows it and ends up being captured by an unknown creature. Bronwyn returns home but nobody believes the threat. After killing an orc that attacks her and Theo, the village agrees to evacuate.
The Good: There is a lot of fun to be had in this episode despite its issues. Nori and Poppy debating about what to do with The Stranger is quite fun. Both of them have wildly different opinions with Nori the adventurer being curious about who he is and wanting to help him. Meanwhile Poppy is a more traditional member of the Harfoot society and is constantly echoing that this is a bad idea. However she doesn't seem to be afraid of anything bad happening, rather she is afraid of being blamed for anything bad that happens. It's a great dynamic that shows the way that the Harfoot society forces its members to limit their adventurous instinct for fear of ostracism. The Stranger is quite mysterious, and while I'm quite sure that I know who he is (see: The Unknown), it is interesting to see what he does and how he interacts with the world around him. Elrond and the dwarves was a very fun storyline. Last episode told us that Elrond had become more political but we didn't quite get a good idea of how it has affected how he acts. This episode does a much better job through the introduction of the dwarves. Elrond's motives going into this meeting are clear: get the dwarves to accept his proposal no matter the cost. And under the guise of an apologetic friend who feels bad for missing much of Durin's life, Elrond is able to figure out why Durin is so hostile, address the problem, and give his offer so that he can leave successfully. It's very engaging to watch Elrond at work in these scenes. Furthermore, it's interesting to see the mines of Khazad Dum in their glory days, well before they become the abandoned mines that we see in "The Fellowship of the Ring". The dwarven community is beautifully realized and I enjoyed seeing the many aspects of it. I also liked seeing the relationship that Elrond had developed with Durin and Disa as they do appear to have a genuine friendship that has built over the years. Arondir and Bronwyn's story was problematic (see: The Bad), but there was one very good sequence where Bronwyn and Theo battled an orc. Orcs were treated as more comedic in the Peter Jackson trilogies, but the orc here was treated as a genuinely terrifying threat, an excellent way to establish how significant of an evil they are. The fight scene was tense, well choreographed, and well directed. I really enjoyed it. The Bad: The same issue of engagement is still present in this episode. With so many disconnected plot lines that move at a glacial pace, it's difficult to fully engage in this show. It feels like little of interest has happened, and it's difficult to remain invested throughout the entire episode. The length of the episode also works against it. 67 minutes is much too long for an episode where not much actually happens. Especially considering that I'm not invested in the characters or story yet. There still hasn't been any real hook to get me interested in this story. Just a bunch of intrigue and mystery on what's actually happening in the world. We know Sauron will return and the orcs will return, so this "intrigue" feels like stalling before the real story begins. The most enjoyable storyline has been Elrond and the dwarves, specifically because it doesn't waste my time with this uninteresting mystery. All of the other storylines are hampered by adhering to building up a mystery that the show does not need. As for the characters, they have been disappointed. Barring Elrond, nobody has interested me so far. The characters are quite flat, simplistic, and unengaging to watch. Galadriel's story was weak. The problem of her deciding to jump in the ocean remains from the last episode. It's hard to buy that she is able to swim for so long without trouble, and yet is still capable of getting exhausted on the raft. The swimming is too great of a feat for it to be plausible, and it detracts from other moments where Galadriel is in trouble. I don't know what to make of her new connection with Halbrand, but I was displeased with how the shipwrecked humans treated her. Surely they would want the help of an elf who can swim for miles instead of casting her aside so bluntly. Elrond evoking the Rite of Sigin-Tarag is a pure fantasy idea that doesn't work well in an established story. It feels like a convenient plot device since we aren't getting any cultural significance for this Rite, and I doubt that it will have any significant consequences. Elrond has been "banished" yet I'm sure that he will be able to come back whenever necessary. This is a failed attempt to raise the stakes that makes the entire story feel meaningless and phony instead. The Unknown: What dug the hole in Hordern? Why was a hole dug anyways? What captured Arondir? What is the forge that Celebrimbor plans on building? Will this forge create the Rings of Power? If not, what else might it be used to create? What have the dwarves found that makes King Durin suspicious of Elrond's motives? Why is Durin keeping it secret from Elrond? What's in the box? Who is The Stranger? He has magic powers and can communicate with animals. Is this Gandalf? What is he asking of Nori? What does "Ure Mana" mean? What's going on with Theo's sword? Did the blood make it start to reforge? Will carrying the sword make Theo a target? Who found Galadriel at the end? Is it a ship of men? Is this from Numenor, or somewhere else? Best Moment: Elrond making to leave Durin's home, subtly manipulating him into allowing him to stay. Elrond has been a likeable character so far, but this shows how he is politically motivated. He has a fondness for these dwarves, but isn't above manipulating them for his own gain. Character of the Episode: Elrond. Conclusion: This was a fine episode of progression. The story is still messy, but the show is well put together and enjoyable enough to watch. Score: 59
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Aaron DhillonJust a university student who loves to watch TV. And analyze it way too much. Archives
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