Summary
The season 2 premiere removes all doubts that the team behind The Rings of Power can handle a rich, well-loved universe.
Season 1 set the stage for Season 2. The difference in mood in the opening of The Rings of Power Season 2 is a stark contrast. It’s also highly contextual, providing the origin of Halbrand’s form, leading him to the day he met Galadriel. Episode 1 is a terrifying juncture that heralds what’s to come, as the fate of Middle-Earth hangs in the balance, and Sauron’s deception and trickery are plain to see.
Here is my recap and analysis of The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 1, “Elven Kings Under the Sky.” For ease, Sauron will be referred to in his current form throughout all the recaps. Also note that plot summaries will be unbolded, and commentary/analysis will be bolded.
The article may be updated from time to time as more episodes are released and the seasons progress.
Table of Contents
Sauron’s Plea To Be The New Dark Lord
Sauron asks for Adar and the Orcs to accept him as the New Dark Lord in Forodwaith during the Second Age (Credit – Prime Video)
Episode 1 opens in Forodwaith at the Dawn of the Second Age—a pivotal point after the defeat of the Dark Lord, Morgoth. Sauron appeals to Adar and the Orcs to confirm him as the New Dark Lord and bring a new order. He speaks of a new “power over flesh,” tapping into the Unseen World to enslave Middle Earth. He warns that many Orcs will die.
Season 2 ties in Sauron’s intentions—while he was Morgoth’s servant, he wanted to start afresh, bringing order to Middle-Earth under his domain. Sauron’s intentions were not necessarily evil, though they manifested into evil.
However, Adar does not look happy, and rather than placing The Dark Lord’s Crown on Sauron’s head, he uses it to stab Sauron in the back of his head. The Orcs then join in, stabbing Sauron repeatedly until he lay lifeless. An energy leaves Sauron, sending a shockwave through Forodwaith.
Adar announces his Orcs (“His Children”) are free.
We have insight into Adar’s belief that he wants Orcs to have the same freedom as other races. He knew that under Sauron, it would be order and dominion, not freedom. He treats Orcs like his children. He loves them unconditionally.
Sauron’s Form To Halbrand
As the Tolkien texts claim, Sauron can take on many forms.
Adar believes Sauron is dead, but his blood seeps into Middle Earth’s underbelly, turning into black, organic matter. He eventually scours the land and attacks an innocent woman. Sauron takes on the form of the Race of Men and becomes Halbrand.
At this moment, Halbrand takes on a new path and embeds himself with Men, leading him to a man called Diarmid. While out at sea, their ship is attacked by a sea creature, and Halbrand steals the heraldry necklace from Diarmid.
This scene connects to the beginning of Season 1, where Halbrand and Galadriel meet.
Sauron’s form to Halbrand is significant—his tact changes. Rather than pleading for dominion, Halbrand takes a new approach, starting this path of trickery and deception to slowly gain order over Middle Earth. The heraldry, for instance, creates a story about how he is a Southlander, which leads Galadriel to believe he’s the Lost King.
I believe Halbrand is Sauron’s most conflicted form. He can sense how he can merge with the races of Middle Earth, but simultaneously, his lust for order takes hold.
High King Gil-Galad Learns of Sauron
Season 2, Episode 1 returns to the primary story of The Rings of Power.
Galadriel chases down Elrond on a horse. Elrond holds the Three Elven Rings. She loses him but then meets Elrond and High King Gil-Galad. Galadriel explains that the rings will stop the fading of the Elves.
But of course, that’s not the only concern of this meeting. Gil-Galad has been made aware that Halbrand is not the Man he claims to be. So, Galadriel tells him — Halbrand is Sauron. Elrond is dismayed and calls Galadriel blind.
Understandably, Elrond does not want the rings to be used, but Galadriel believes that the rings are not under the influence of Sauron, as he was not there when they were made.
Episode 1 brings a pivotal point for the Elves — Gil-Galad knows that the rings may be their last hope to remain on Middle Earth and save it. But before they can debate it, Elrond escapes, jumping down a waterfall with the rings. Gil-Galad sends a messenger to warn Celebrimbor about Sauron.
The change of tone and pace is immediately apparent in the premiere of Season 2. Even the emotion has changed. Galadriel is pained by the shame of being deceived by Sauron and, at the same time, has to endure the judgment of her lifelong friend Elrond.
Seeing the Elves argue amongst themselves over the rings and Sauron’s potential influence is excellent television and the kind of adaptation that LOTR fans need.
Elrond is not pleased with Galadriel’s insistence that they use the Three Rings in ‘The Rings of Power’ Season 2, Episode 1 (Credit – Prime Video)
Halbrand Has An Audience With Adar
If viewers believed that we would not see more of Halbrand and Adar in the primary story, they would have been mistaken. Halbrand, who Waldreg and the Orcs imprison, asks Adar to free his people, or his people will die.
Halbrand also warns of Adar of Sauron’s return and the new weapon, “a power over flesh.” He offers to help him defeat Sauron.
But Adar, who believes Sauron is dead, refuses to help and instead gets the Orcs to torture Halbrand. While imprisoned, Halbrand uses his black speech on a wolf monster, allying with the creature.
This is unprecedented at this point — seeing Halbrand use the influence of Sauron was not present at all (or not seen in Season 1). His mask has slipped, even showing the audience Black Speech.
Adar visits Halbrand in his prison cell and tells him a story about how he was offered the blessing of Morgoth but was left in a dark and nameless peak, chained and abandoned. He also tells him that he saw his servant, Sauron, who had the most beautiful face.
Adar then reveals that Halbrand’s people are freed and asks him about Sauron. Halbrand explains that Sauron has taken on a new form but has the advantage because he’s gained the Elves’ trust. Halbrand promised to use his allegiance with the elves to seek and destroy Sauron.
But to complete this promise to Adar, Halbrand has to vow his allegiance to him by kneeling to him and calling him the “Lord of Mordor.”
The irony and mirroring here are that Sauron asked Adar and the Orcs to accept him as their Dark Lord in Forodwaith. Now, Halbrand is kneeling to Adar as a form of deception. He knows Adar wants Sauron defeated for good. Halbrand uses the hearts and minds of the people he uses to get what he wants. Early on in Season 2, we see for the first time how Sauron was a trickster who used his tongue across Middle Earth to gain dominion.
As Haldbrand leaves Mordor, the wolf monster kills Waldreg, and Halbrand smirks as he rides away on his horse.
Halbrand is no longer hiding his intentions. At least not to the audience.
The Stranger’s Visions and Poppy The Spy
The Stranger and Nori Brandyfoot have an overarching story that will take time and patience to weave into the main story.
In Season 2, Episode 1, The Stranger has a vision in which he sees a branch (a staff) leading to his true purpose. As part of this vision, he sees the Dark Wizard.
But their adventure leads to being spied on in desert lands, and food is scarce, forcing The Stranger to use his powers to crack open a Stone Tree so they can eat bugs. Unfortunately, they are going around in circles.
Eventually, they discover that Poppy Proudfellow, Nori’s friend, is spying on them. Poppy provides them with Sadoc’s old book, which guides them in navigating the desert and stone trees, leading them to the lands of Rhûn. The Stranger says he has seen Rhûn in his dreams.
There’s a heartwarming, nostalgic angle being used on the audience here. Nori and Poppy mirror Frodo and Sam in The Lord of the Rings. Like those characters, Nori and Poppy cannot live without their companionship. They do not want to leave each other’s side. While a predictable story output, familiarity is key, especially when it involves a wizard and a hobbit.
Elrond Seeks Counsel From Master Círdan in Lindon, The Grey Havens
Master Círdan appears in ‘The Rings of Power’ Season 2, Episode 1 (Credit – Prime Video)
It’s helpful to know that Master Círdan is of the highest and most noble of the Elves — he’s also one of the oldest and wisest of their kind.
Unsurprisingly, Elrond visits Círdan for counsel, and he makes the Elf aware of the Three Elven Rings and Sauron’s potential influence.
Círdan acknowledges that the rings were not made with Sauron’s touch, but Elrond is still skeptical. He wants Círdan to destroy them and accepts it means that the Age of Elves will end, but he does not want to favor the design of the enemy.
Círdan suggests throwing the three rings at a scar in the seabed so deep that only Manwë knows of its existence.
Galadriel senses that Elrond would seek counsel from a wise confidant and attempts to speak to Elrond again in Lindon, The Grey Havens. She argues that the Three Rings will bring balance. But Elrond offers a personal insight — he questions whether she is free from Sauron’s influence.
This part questions Galadriel’s intentions as an Elf and her place in Middle-Earth. Was Sauron’s influence the reason the rings were made, hence Elrond’s claim she’s a collaborator, or is Galadriel free from his veil? That’s the question posed by Elrond, regardless of whether the rings are evil. Both friends can feel a sense of personal anguish as they discuss this.
But it is already too late. Círdan has already set sail to bury the rings into the sea. However, as he’s about to drop the rings into the ocean, the wind picks up, and a wave crashes into the boat, causing Círdan to be knocked off balance, stopping him from throwing them in.
And here, this scene shows the influence of Manwë. Manwë is the Vala of the sky and weather. Círdan will conclude that Manwë’s intervention means that the Three Rings are without the influence of Sauron.
Three Rings for the Elven Kings Under the Sky
Galadriel uses one of the Three Elven Rings, Nenya, for the first time (Credit – Prime Video)
All looks lost for High King Gil-Galad and the Elves in Season 2, Episode 1. Gil-Galad announces that the Age of Elves is over, and the light of the Eldar has faded. They have to return to their home, as their days in Middle Earth are ending.
But then, Círdan appears and claims that the Three Rings are perfect, and he’s wearing one (Narya).
The ring, Nenya, falls to Galadriel, and she wears it. Gil-Galad puts on his ring, Vilya. Suddenly, the light and golden leaves return, and nature brightens. Their domain is no longer fading, confirming that the Three Rings work.
Elrond looks at Galadriel momentarily, as though she is corrupted, and walks away. However, he did look pleased to see the light again.
This one is the most important of all the scenes in Episode 1 of Season 2. It highlights a significant change in Middle Earth. The Elves resumed control over their domain by refusing to let the light fade. They took a chance on Sauron’s influence rather than hearing Elrond’s advice.
Three Rings for the Elven Kings is the trigger point, the catalyst in the story. It sparks the events that lead to Sauron, as Annatar, offering more rings as The Lord of Gifts. The Three Rings working for the Elves was a significant shift in the story as it enabled Celebrimbor’s work with Annatar.
Halbrand Visits Eregion
And with the Three Rings established, Episode 1 shifts to Celebrimbor in Eregion, looking at his new forge and hoping the rings worked. Suddenly, he gets word that Halbrand is outside, visiting him.
The tragic story of Celebrimbor begins here.
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