The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power impressively established Sauron’s growing power and tighter grip on Middle-earth in episode 1, but episode 2, "The Gift of Men," dives even deeper into the political side of this harrowing takeover. The episode expands across the sea, featuring the bustling city of Númenor, untouched by the Dark Lord’s menace and dominance.
Númenor remains the only stronghold of men with the military power to challenge Sauron’s claim on Middle-earth. However, the fair city is plagued by an ongoing civil war between Ar-Pharazôn’s followers and the Faithful. After the former forcefully took the city’s control, many of Míriel and the Valar’s devotees contested his claim but were treated severely.
Now, with all eyes on Númenor as a key player in changing the game, much of the show’s limelight will be on this powerful city. Alongside Númenor, episode 2 also explores the elves’ predicament with Marnûkh, a potential Dwarf civil war, and Sauron’s deeply unsettling yet fascinating routine of preparing his potential servants — all packed in a single, most visually stunning episode!
An assassination attempt
The episode opens with a visual treat with Númenor bustling in all its shimmering golden glory. In the last five years since Pharazôn became king, the city has amassed immense wealth and growth on all fronts. People are prosperous, gold coins are being distributed, and a giant armada awaits the king’s orders for a historical conquest.
Ar-Pharazôn is at the top of the world as he sits in his chariot in a parade celebrating the king’s achievements. However, Pharazôn isn’t satisfied, and he wants Lord Belzagar to ready dispatch orders for the armada they spent building for the last five years. However, Belzagar warns the king against being too ambitious; after all, there’s no need to waste resources going after someone across the sea.
However, Pharazôn isn’t the one to swallow his pride or accept the fact that people are claiming Sauron as the "Master of Middle-earth." With Númenor still standing and its mighty king alive, Pharazôn doesn’t accept the dominion of a so-called Dark Lord over all men. Once he has Sauron down on his knees with the full force of his military, everyone in the world will bask in Pharazôn’s glory and accept him as the ultimate Master of Men.
As Pharazôn and Belzagar talk, their chariot is stopped by a passing flock of sheep and their shepherd. As they wait for the road to clear, Isildur prepares to take a killing shot after carefully securing his place in a nearby building. He readies his bow and takes aim, but a small boy blocks his view. Even though the disruption gives away Isildur’s location, he manages to kill most of Pharazôn’s guards and even pierce the king’s shoulder, missing his head by only an inch.
Unfortunately, the assassination attempt fails as backup arrives, and although Isildur manages to escape, the shepherd is caught and taken into custody on the king’s order. Later, Pharazôn and Belzagar argue over the former’s lack of strictness against the rebels. Belzagar thinks they should nip it in the bud, but Pharazôn is more concerned about the information leaking from within his ranks.
He hopes to get a name out of the prisoner, and Belzagar suggests they let their most devoted disciple rise up to the occasion. Their most loyal follower turns out to be none other than Eärien. She has remained under Pharazôn’s protection as one of the King’s Men, while the rest of her family fled with Míriel. She’s called to interrogate the captive named Haleth.
At first, her devotion to the other side seems distasteful; however, when she’s left alone with the prisoner, we learn she is her father’s spy in Númenor. The prisoner acknowledges her services for the Faithful and asks for a quick death as a reward for his loyalty. Despite the heavy weight of a life lost, Eärien gives the order and claims she got a name.
The next day, her handmaiden is hanged in the streets for being a spy. Later that night, Eärien sneaks out to meet her brother at a secret place. She tells him that Belzagar told her the King’s forces will move west, meaning they’ll come after the Faithful’s hidden sanctuaries.
Fearing for his sister’s safety, Isildur begs Eärien to abandon her mission and join him where it is safe. However, Eärien feels this is her punishment for ousting Míriel and supporting Pharazôn in taking the crown. The next day, the siblings ride to one of the Faithful’s safe havens to inform Míriel of Pharazôn’s plans.
Unfortunately, Míriel isn’t impressed with Isildur’s stunt to kill Pharazôn. She calls out Isildur’s polarized views and their implications against the innocent dwellers of Númenor. For her, it is about fighting for every man, woman, and child regardless of who they follow. However, she’s more worried about Isildur’s father, but it’ll be weeks before he can reach him.
That’s when Isildur suggests using the Palantir to contact his father. Eärien agrees and plans on stealing Lord Belzagar’s keys during the celebration party for Kemen’s return. Míriel isn’t in favor of putting Eärien in danger, but she has already made up her mind.
Sauron’s most calculated form of corruption
Rings of Power may be one of television’s most attractive shows, but what truly makes it stand out at times is the show’s devotion to intricate character development. Sauron hasn’t been left to tropes; rather, his rise to power is so meticulously penned out that one can’t help but be drawn to his political tactics and clever corruption.
Currently, he is busy distributing the Rings of Power to the Kingdoms of Men, who wish to draw their swords in his name. At the end of episode 1, we saw Theo arrive in Barad-dûr to join Sauron and take down Númenor. As per recent tradition, Sauron leaves the men to fight it out until only one remains. However, when only Theo and another man were left, and the former was about to lose, the Dark Lord stepped in and saved Theo.
He’s intrigued by the boy, especially the sword that left the mark on his hand. Theo tells Sauron the sword was left to him by his father, but he never knew him. For all he knows, he could be dead somewhere. Surprisingly, Sauron doesn’t immediately offer Theo a ring; instead, he inquires whether he’d be interested in meeting his father.
Later, Sauron and Theo stand around a cauldron of fire and ash. The Dark Lord pours a strange liquid into the fire while asking Theo if he knows anything about the unseen world. According to Sauron, necromancy is crucial and beneficial if one wants wisdom from beyond the mortal world. He then tasks Theo with cutting the tongue of one of the orcs as a sacrificial offering.
The embers from the fire dance as Theo throws the tongue into it, and Sauron summons something in Black Speech. The enchanted flames twist and turn before a deep, hoarse voice answers back in Sauron’s tongue. He tells Theo his father’s name was Faldred, son of Hammethreg, and urges the young lad to ask his father’s spirit what he always wanted to know.
This is a very captivating sequence, especially from Sauron’s perspective. He lives up to his reputation as a master manipulator in this scene, controlling the narrative while making Theo think he’s in charge. He’s gaining information, but at the same time, he makes Theo take charge of the situation to inquire about his past, which ultimately benefits the Dark Lord.
Theo asks the flame about his father, and it replies, ‘Gorthmundur.’ As soon as Sauron hears the words, his expression changes to sudden surprise as he tells Theo that Gorthmundur was once a noble house of the old. They were sworn stewards of Mordor, blessed with a bloodline containing certain powers.
With the truth now out in the open and Theo at his most vulnerable, Sauron plays the masterstroke. He tells Theo that if he had known his lineage, he could have become king of the Southlands. However, his mother hid the truth from him, and not only that, but also murdered his father when she learned what he was.
Theo is shocked and grieved by this revelation, and denies Sauron’s testimony. Theo calls the Dark Lord evil, and his words are lies because he believes his mother would never betray him. However, Sauron knows how to play with a vulnerable mind. He has Theo where he wants him; at the very edge of his hope and emotions. He opens the box and picks out a special ring for him, telling Theo how he has been wronged all his life by many, when he was born with the right to rule them all.
He can be anything from a sorcerer to a king, and all he needs is to embrace his true nature. Viewers can almost feel the light and hope drip away from Theo’s body as he submits to Sauron’s will and subconsciously gives himself up to the Ring of Power.
The traitor in the Misty Mountains is revealed
The dwarves captured Marnûkh when he gave himself up in episode 1. Shockingly, the news of
Marnûkh’s defection also reaches Sauron, but what’s even more surprising is the fact that the news comes directly from the Misty Mountains, meaning there is a spy in Khazad-dûm.
The orc has decided to be cooperative, but only with Galadriel. Marnûkh wants to meet her in person, but Durin is conflicted. If word reaches the Dark Lord that the dwarves handed one of his orcs to the elves, he’d think they have officially entered the war against him. Durin’s advisors warn him against informing Elrond, but Disa thinks otherwise.
Regardless of the outcome of their actions, they must do what is right, which is to call for Elrond. Thrain also agrees, but before Durin can make a decision, he is informed of the arrival of the Nazgnagôl in the Misty Mountains. Durin is agitated, but he puts up a brave front against Sauron’s lieutenants.
The moment Durin sees Sauron’s rings on the Nazgnagôls’ fingers, he gets angry and demands they take them off if they want to talk to him. They remove their masks and inform Durin that the nature of their arrival is based on friendship. Durin knows it is more submission than friendship and threatens them to leave.
The Nazgnagôls insist Durin repay Sauron’s favor of bestowing the Seven Rings on the dwarves with an alliance, but he refuses. Durin threatens to kill the Nazgnagôls; however, before things get too intense, Thráin jumps in to resolve the matter. He implies the Nazgnagôls don’t have the authority to make an enemy of the dwarves and urges them to return to their master.
After Sauron’s servants leave, Thráin and Durin share a heartfelt brotherly moment, but while there’s love in Durin’s eyes, there’s something dark in Thráin’s. It later proves to be the case when Thráin sneaks out of Khazad-dûm to meet the Nazgnagôls in secret. So, he came to the Misty Mountains to betray his brother after all.
Thrain warns the Nazgnagôls against seeking him at the mountains since it can blow his cover. He reassures the dark knights that he will keep his promise to Sauron as the trap is set, and his brother will soon fall into it.
Galadriel and Arondir prepare for a dangerous journey
Durin sends for Elrond and hands the orc over to him. Marnûkh is brought to Galadriel at a secret meeting place alongside Arondir. He informs Galadriel that Sauron has secured a large army with Rhun while he’s also on the brink of crafting a new power. A ring that has the power to bind all the rings to it, including the Three.
Marnukh delivers Tolkien’s iconic line, ‘One Ring to rule them all,’ to affirm Galadriel’s suspicion of Sauron trying to craft a Master Ring. However, both Arondir and Elrond question Marnukh’s intentions in sharing such important information with Sauron’s enemies. But Marnukh’s goals are as simple as surviving and protecting his kind, just as Lord-father wanted.
The orc reminds Galadriel that she once made an alliance with Adar against Sauron, and by defecting, Marnukh has honored that agreement. He urges Galadriel to play her part because Sauron’s victory not only threatens Middle-earth but also the Uruk. Since Sauron hasn’t yet crafted the ring, there’s still time, but not enough because he is scouring lands for anyone who knows of Celebrimbor’s secrets.
Galadriel argues all the Elven-smiths are gone, but Marnûkh begs to differ. He caught one in Eregion and claims she knows all of Celebrimbor’s crafts and secrets to making the rings. The orc hid the elf named Maitalle right under Sauron’s nose, in a place where no one dared to look for anyone. The last of the Elven-smiths is at Gundabad, the most highly secure orc dungeon in the north.
Marnukh can lead Galadriel to the Fortress of Gundabad, where hundreds of prisoners are being kept, and together they can ensure that Sauron never gets his hands on Celebrimbor’s secrets. The trio later discuss whether to trust Marnûkh, but Elrond agrees with the orc’s account to some extent, since he has heard rumors that Sauron is scouring the ruins of Eregion.
Arondir still doesn’t trust Marnûkh, but Galadriel thinks they have no choice. If there’s even the slightest chance Sauron is crafting a Master Ring, they mustn’t risk him getting his hands on the resources he needs to make it possible. With mutual agreement, Galadriel and Arondir decide to make the treacherous journey with Marnûkh, while Elrond will plead with the High King for an alliance with Númenor.
At Númenor, Kemen is celebrating his return to the capital. While drinking, Pharazôn arrives to take a report of his time in Middle-earth. Kemen proudly informs his father of Númenor’s expansion across the sea, especially the stronghold they have been building for a proper campaign against Sauron, if the king wishes.
Pharazôn is impressed with his son and tells him he plans to announce Kemen as the official heir so the scepter may always remain in their family. However, before that, he must prove himself on an important mission in the west of the isle.
The scene intercuts to Lord Belzagar, who is leaving his chambers for a meeting. Eärien waits in the shadows for the opportunity and seizes it when no one is around. She searches Belzagar’s chambers but has to hide when he returns to change his robe. He doesn’t notice anything strange right away but later watches from behind the wall when Eärien leaves his chamber with the key shortly after.
Eärien quickly hands the key to Isildur, and the two promise to meet up later. Isildur evades the guards, opens the door, and quickly uses the palantir to make contact with his father. Elendil notices the palantir on his end pulsating, and immediately touches it to make contact. The father and son meet up in their subconscious, and Isildur informs him of Pharazôn’s armies marching towards the west.
Back at the castle, Eärien is called to Pharazôn’s chambers, where the king, Kemen, and Belzagar accuse Eärien of being a spy. Obviously, she refutes their claim, calling it slander and Belzagar’s trick to undermine her status. However, Pharazôn reveals they had their suspicions for months when his own handmaiden showed concern over her loyalty.
Their doubts were confirmed when Eärien hanged the poor woman and leaked information about an attack from the west to her father, which was all Pharazôn’s ploy. Cornered, Pharazôn gives the girl a choice: her life in exchange for Míriel's location. Eärien does nothing but smile, walk calmly to the window, and jump off.
The entire room goes quiet with shock, but nothing hurts more than when Isildur lays eyes on her sister’s lifeless body. After talking to his father, Isildur was going back when he heard commotion nearby. When he looks through the crowd, he sees blood seeping across the floor and her lifeless eyes almost piercing through his soul. Helpless to do anything, Isildur turns around and leaves his sister.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 episodes 1-4 are currently streaming on Prime Video.
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