The Fantasy Review’s review of Rings of Power, season 2, episode 2, Where the Stars are Strange.
My spoiler-free review of the Rings of Power, season 2, episode 2, is that there is less to talk about than episode 1. Less happened. There were some good steps in the right direction with episode 2, though. I now have some hope for episode 3 and beyond.
You can also check out our Review of Rings of Power, Season 2, Episode 1 – Elven Kings Under the Sky.
Now, onto the spoilers!
Spoiler-Filled Review of Rings of Power, Season 2, Episode 2
The Dwarves Need a Backup Generator
This episode begins in Khazad-dûm, where the earthquake caused by the volcano in Mordor made all the lights go out. We see Durin IV living his more outcast life in these scenes, struggling for money (despite still living in fancy accommodation) and being bullied by other workers in the mines because he gets blisters from swinging the pickaxe all day.
As it was in season 1, Khazad-dûm looks incredible. They really did an amazing job with the setting. However, not much else happens here. They seemed to be setting up the dwarves to be in a crisis of some kind, making it easier for Sauron to convince them to take a Ring of Power.
And wouldn’t you know it, at the end of the episode, we get a cliff-hanger where Durin IV gets an invitation from Celebrimbor to come to Eregion. I wonder why…
There were some weak scenes in Khazad-dûm where King Durin III (who is by far the best portrayal of a dwarf in this show in every respect) and Prince Durin IV are avoiding talking to each other, when all they both want is to kiss and make up. Let’s skip the petty drama and get to the actual drama of Tolkien’s epic saga – what a waste of our time.
Elrond Spins Around in Circles Like Kylie Minogue
The scenes with Galadriel and Elrond were the most plentiful in Rings of Power, season 2, episode 2. We begin with Galadriel having what was obviously a vision, caused by the Ring she wears, Nenya.
There is actually a line of dialogue from Gil-galad or maybe Galadriel herself where they say the ring shows them “things that have not yet come to pass”. There are so many lines in the first two episodes of this show that have been “borrowed” from The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy by Peter Jackson!
Whatever, do what you want, but instead of drawing me into the story it pulls me out. It feels like a cheap knockoff and they should knock it off.
A positive in these scenes is that we actually see some development in Galadriel’s character. She’s less combative with everyone – more regal and mature. Her conversations with Gil-galad are far more respectful and Elven-like than we have seen in the previous season.
I’m not saying women should be meek and obedient – Galadriel was always rebellious and strong-willed; it is one of her strengths. I’m saying she’s learned to pick her battles and save her anger for the enemy.
This is where the “spinning around” begins… Galadriel says she wants to go to Eregion to stop Sauron. Gil-galad believes Celebrimbor is safe from a weak, unallied Sauron, so he says no. Then, in the NEXT scene, he changes his mind, but only if she takes Elrond and others. Galadriel asks Elrond. He says no. Elrond talks to Círdan who changes his mind. Elrond joins Galadriel as leader of five elves to go to Eregion.
That took the full hour to uncover. The biggest issue with this show is the writers don’t know how to fill the time, so they use AI to come up with obstacles for the characters and the cheap software sends the plot around in circles. And then they don’t edit it.
They also keep hinting at the potential romantic dalliance between Galadriel and Sauron which is insane. She loved Celeborn and she would never even look at another. Even if Celeborn had died I doubt she would have ever loved again. You can thank Tolkien for the Catholic stuff, but it’s the character he wrote and they have changed it in a way that makes absolutely no sense.
Final issue is that, through looks and tone of music rather than words (which is technically skillful and cool), Galadriel looks mad at Elrond for being appointed as leader of this group by Gil-galad. The showrunners want you to think it is a bad thing.
Why? Oh no, Elrond is now leading the company of 5 elves to Eregion. I mean… is that really the end of the world? Their duty is to do as the King wishes and protect the world from darkness – does it really matter if it’s Galadriel or Elrond in charge? I don’t know, it just seemed like a silly thing to focus on.
Celebrimbor is a Bumbling Fool of a Took
Celebrimbor, the Ñoldorin prince and last in the epic line of the House of Fëanor, ruler of Eregion, and a decorated warrior of historic battles (the battles of Dagor-nuin-Giliath and Dagor Aglareb, the Battle of the Sudden Flame, the Battle of Aglon Pass, the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, the Sack of Nargothrond, the Fall of Gondolin, and finally in the War of Wrath)…
…is a fool of a Took.
In Rings of Power, they made one of the most incredible Elves into a bumbling idiot. He initially refuses to allow Sauron entry into Eregion because he’d made an agreement with Galadriel and Gil-galad.
Celebrimbor is then drawn into Sauron’s (as Halbrand) deceit that was so obvious any moron would be able to see though it. He makes Celebrimbor question his loyalty to Galadriel and Gil-galad just enough to gain entry to Eregion.
Then, Halbrand “reveals” himself as Annatar, the Lord of Gifts, sent by the Valar as a messenger to protect the people of Middle-earth.
Now, in the lore, Celebrimbor distrusts Annatar. Annatar fools the smiths of Eregion and teaches them how to make the Seven Rings for Dwarves and the Nine Rings for Men. Celebrimbor, on the other hand, secretly makes the Three Rings for the Elves, without the assistance of “Annatar”, so they are not tainted by his twisted method.
In Rings of Power, Celebrimbor fucking kneels at the feet of Annatar.
Now, the reveal is visually both cool and horribly cringey. And that wig is horrible to look at. I’m not sure where they are going with this, making Celebrimbor an idiot and having Annatar – a supposedly ageless messenger of the Valar – look like he’s about to see if he’s got enough savings for a hair transplant, but I’m not too hopeful I’m going to enjoy watching these scenes.
Harfoots Give Flying a Go
Once again, one of my favourite parts of the first season is reduced to two scenes in an episode with over an hour’s runtime.
We start this section of the story off in Caras Gaer. What is the interesting history behind Caras Gaer I hear you ask. There is none. They made it up for the show.
Now, that would not necessarily be a bad thing – adapting books is hard and adding and removing aspects of the book to suit a different medium is to be expected. But with Tolkien’s work, he spent over 40 years building a world with more places and people named in it than nearly any other book series.
Why did you need a new one? Rhûn (which is where Caras Gaer is situated) already has a rich history. This is where the Children of Ilúvatar first awoke and where four Dwarven clans reside!
Instead, we get Caras Gaer. Here, some kind of dark wizard and his cult want the Istari and know of The Stranger and the harfoots traveling through Rhûn (which, if The Stranger is Gandalf, is a bit nuts as Gandalf never traveled to Rhûn. Aragorn did once, but not Gandalf).
We get a few more traveling scenes of the Harfoots and their big magic friend. They joke around picking a name for not-Gandalf until they are forced to hide from Easterlings (Men who live in Rhûn, who eventually side with Sauron in the War of the Ring) who are looking for the Istari for the dark wizard guy.
The travelers go into a desert, find a well with a loud bell that alerts these Easterlings to their location. Not-Gandalf finds a staff, uses it to create a sandstorm/tempest thing which makes the Easterlings and the Harfoots fly off. Then the staff breaks.
How many times are they going to use “he lost control of his power, again!” to move the plot forward?
Final Thought to our Rings of Power, Season 2, Episode 2 Review
Overall, I thought Rings of Power, season 2 episode 2 showed more promise than episode 1. Galadriel’s character development is great, the Rings are actually being made so we can hopefully progress the plot a bit more, and those conversations between Círdan and Elrond are absolutely perfect. They are 100% the best thing this show has ever done.
