The Rings of Power on Prime Video: recap of episode 2 where the Dwarf does as he pleases

We finally discover the credits of the Rings of Power series. Small grains of sand come together to form psychedelic kaleidoscope images. We weren’t expecting this one.

We find Galadriel, all alone in the dark night and the vastness of the ocean. Then we find Nori at the edge of the crater where the Stranger crashed. We thought he was naked as a worm but he still has a small rag around his waist. (The modesty of American productions). A kind of cosmic effect with loud choruses in the background occurs when he wakes up and comes into contact with Nori. He passes out, then nothing. (Weird, did you say weird?)

Nori replays Encounter of the Third Kind

With Poppy, they decide to rescue the poor man and lug him around in a wheelbarrow, the Tolkien version stretcher. While he is still in the daze, they take him to safety and Nori launches into a tirade on the mission incumbent on him vis-à-vis this stranger. Emotion sequence.

In Tirharad, Bronwyn and Arondir see the damage to a village that has been reduced to nothing and where the flames still resist. No body, no injuries. In one of the houses, they find a passage in the ground, similar to the one dug by a robber (Confusion des genres).

Arondir, still looking martial and with a face contrite with his feelings, sends Bronwyn to warn his people as he explores the tunnel. The two are quite melodramatic with the way they stare into each other’s eyes without saying anything. (But we have little shivers that run down our spines)

Change of scenery: we discover Eregion, the Kingdom of the Elven Blacksmiths. Celebrimbor presents Elrond with the hammer that forged the Silmarils. (Don’t count on us to explain what the Silmarils are, we haven’t the faintest idea but it seems important). It’s not really Thor’s hammer, but it does have its effect.

If Celebrimbor is a bit proud of his work, he yearns for more. To design an object with real power. (We see you coming, Celebrimbor!) And he’s counting on Elrond to help him find the way to do it. He takes out the plans for a tower that could contain a forge more powerful than any other. A titanic undertaking which makes Elrond suggest that he seek help elsewhere.

From Eregion, we leave for Khazad-Dûm, the Kingdom of the Dwarves. At the foot of several almost unreal waterfalls, Celebrimbor and Elrond plant themselves in front of the facade of a mountain on which the palace gate is located. Not ordinary as a dwelling. Elrond boasts of his friendship with Prince Durin, a dear and old friend, and expects a lavish reception. Nay! The Elf is not welcome among the Dwarves.

Understanding that his mission will be more difficult than expected, Elrond invokes an unlikely-named rite that opens the gates for him and sends Celebrimbor back to Eregion. The Dwarfs live inside the mountain and waterfalls in a setting that would almost make Elle Decoration journalists swoon.

Elrond takes a cold shower

Elrond is received in a large room filled with Dwarves. Prince Durin arrives and gives an icy welcome to the one who claims to be his friend. The rite invoked to have the doors opened is the test of endurance of the Dwarves. We start imagining some sort of Iron Man, but while our imaginations wander, Durin lays down the rules. If Elrond loses, he will be banished from the Dwarf Kingdom forever. If he wins, he will get a favor. And he doesn’t seem to be kidding the Durin.

The principle ? Break large stones with a pickaxe. Just that. Thus begins the test where Durin and Elrond must take turns breaking a large stone under the general clamor. (Men and their challenges…)

We find Nori who comes to see how the Stranger is doing. Same reaction of the man when she tries to get in touch with him: he bawls and the elements are unleashed. With shaggy hair and a completely haggard look, he looks like a frightened wild beast that Nori must tame.

Obviously, the Stranger has trouble communicating. He doesn’t speak and doesn’t seem to remember his name. Nori brings him something to eat: snails. But instead of eating them à la bourguignonne, that is to say cooked in garlic butter, she offers them raw. And the Stranger devours everything, including the shell. (Kitchen nightmare !)

In the village, Nori’s parents are trying to erect a sort of tent. The task is arduous and Nori is missing to help them. The Stranger starts drawing on the floor, but Nori doesn’t understand a thing. (We neither). It looks like he’s trying to warn her of some coming misfortune and at the same time, Nori’s father badly twists his ankle. Chance or coincidence?

Galadriel makes a new boyfriend

In the vastness of the ocean, Galadriel looks like she is doing the Olympic swimming test. She stops when she hears a disturbing noise and already pulls out her dagger. It’s actually a raft with a few poor souls on board. Galadriel swims towards them for help. Among them, there is one that would let her drown. Beautiful charitable soul. But a woman finally reaches out her hand.

She undergoes interrogation and hides her pointy ears. But she is quickly unmasked. Barely time to discuss, sails appear on the horizon. A ship to save them or pirates to finish them off? Neither. A worm ! A giant thing that rushes straight at them and promises to eat them alive. (We will never cease to be surprised by Tolkien’s bestiary).

Galadriel is thrown into the water to serve as bait. (Charity always). But the bug is focused on the boat. Of what remains of the raft, only one man remains, Halbrand, who accepts Galadriel on board despite his pointy ears.

In Khazad-Dûm, Durin and Elrond are still on their contest of “who is the strongest and who will break the most stones?”. But faced with the endurance and the rage of the Dwarf, the Elf ends up abdicating. Durin asks him to leave immediately and walks him out. The escort time allows Durin to empty his bag. It’s been 20 years since he last saw Elrond, a blink of an eye for an Elf, but a lifetime for the Dwarf. A small light lights up in the eyes of Elrond who finally understands his friend’s anger.

An emotional sequence follows with a proper apology. Nice move from Elrond who wins a reprieve to personally make amends to Disa, Durin’s wife. Unlike the grumpy Prince, she welcomes him with open arms and keeps him for dinner. Durin continues to sulk during the meal, but Disa’s diplomacy allows the two friends to reestablish contact. (We like when the annoyances stop).

On their ill-fated little raft, Halbrand and Galadriel have difficulty communicating. It almost looks like a remake of The Odyssey of Pi as the tension between the two is palpable. But between two pleasantries, Halbrand confides that it was the Orcs who drove him from his home. Magic word that immediately creates the interest of Galadriel who expresses her compassion. (We wonder if this tension could not turn into a love affair…)

Another argument and Halbrand ends up spilling the beans. Their common enemy is in the Southlands. But before sailing in one direction or another, they will have to face the storm that is heading straight for them.

Ben Rothstein/Amazon Prime Video

Bronwyn plays Buffy

Back in his village, Bronwyn warns the people in the inn that the entire population of Hordern has disappeared. But how weird it is, no one listens to him… At the same time, his son Theo has a horrific encounter at the family home. As for Arondir, he continues to crawl in the underground bowels and gets caught by a creature that we don’t see but which we guess is not very friendly…

Bronwyn returns home to find a completely scared Theo. One of the tunnels leads directly under his house. She has no time to leave for help and must immediately hide. Horror movie sequence with an Orc attacking Theo and his mother. The fight is tough, but ends with Bronwyn bringing the Orc’s head back to the tavern. And strangely, there, everyone is silent. She announces to leave for the elven tower. Who loves her, follows her!

Galadriel and Halbrand are in bad shape on their three planks of wood in the middle of a raging sea. As in a bad joke, Galadriel falls into the water, but the brave Halbrand dives to save her. Grand Bleu sequence with a little Irish music. Galadriel rescued from the waters goes back on board with her rescuer.

In the dark night, Nori and Poppy come to check on the Stranger. He does a block on their lanterns which are lit using fireflies. By a stroke of magic or the power of his mind – we still haven’t figured out who the gentleman is – he releases the fireflies from one of the lamps. He speaks to them in his local grumble and they form a constellation. He finally communicates the bugger. Nori understands that it is necessary to find these stars that she does not know. The Stranger loses consciousness and the fireflies die.

In Khazad-Dûm, Prince Durin confers with his father, King Durin, on the proposal of Elrond. The father is suspicious of the Elf and opens a small chest containing a luminous object. But what is it, then ?!

At home, Theo pulls out the famous hilt of the sword that bears the mark of Sauron. As he is wounded in the hand after the fight with the Orc, a drop of blood goes straight to the handle which comes to life and reforges itself on contact. His mother calls him to begin their journey and they leave on a low music that announces nothing good. And this time, the whole village follows them.

On their ill-fated raft, Galadriel and Halbrand survived the storm and sleep like two little angels side by side. Galadriel is awakened by a shadow that leans over her. A ship found them. But in the backlight, it’s impossible to see the face of someone who can be a friend as well as an enemy…

Generic.