Summary
Episode 3 of Season 2 highlights the cunningness of Sauron’s plans as Middle Earth begins to unravel under his deception.
Damrod, the famous Hill Troll, joins Adar’s army and wants to know where Sauron is in The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 3, but that’s the last we see of Adar and his army. The third episode focuses on Númenor as it faces a leadership change, while Isildur finds his feet again after being trapped in Mordor. In the backdrop, Celebrimbor and Annatar offer Prince Durin IV and Princess Disa the Rings for the Dwarves.
Here is my recap and analysis of The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 3, “The Eagle and the Sceptre.” For ease of reference, 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.
Berek, The Horse, Finds Isildur
Watching Berek, Isildur’s horse, trek back to Mordor to look for his owner is beautiful. It’s even more impressive that the horse manages to fight off Orcs. Of course, the limit to what Berek can do reaches an endpoint when it enters the Black Forest and finds Isildur, who is presumably stuck in a web amongst Shelob’s family.
Once again, in this series, we face a mirror. Isildur fights out of a horrific web and away from the spiders, just like Frodo endured in The Return of the King.
Isildur escapes and comes across a new character (in Season 2) called Estrid, who is looking for her betrothed and appears just as out of sorts as Isildur. They head to Pelargir, an Old Númenorean settlement, hoping to find refuge, but no ships are at the harbor.
Isildur is soon fooled by a man claiming to be hungry, and they end up ambushed by wildmen, but luckily, Arondir returns, saving the day. The only annoying thing here is that Isildur loses his horse, Berek.
Isildur had no significant role in Season 1 apart from his presumed presence. Season 2 provides more screen time for a character that has a known destiny to the audience. Episode 3 is a significant starting point, as he has to fend for himself without his father, Elendil, behind him.
Queen-regent Míriel of Númenor Faces The Opposition After The Death of The King
Queen-regent Míriel chooses to wear white in her coronation in ‘The Rings of Power’ Season 2, Episode 3 (Credit – Prime Video)
What should be a simple procession is more a nightmare for Queen Regent Míriel in Episode 3. The King’s funeral brings opposition, including Lord Belzagar. She fears that her cousin, Pharazôn, is not on her side and is vouching for the throne. She’s not entirely wrong — he looks like a man thirsty for power.
In an almost sinister scene (mainly because Míriel is blind), Pharazôn asks his cousin to pick a gown for her coronation: crimson for Númenor’s future or white for the past. Pharazôn points out that if a Great Eagle attended, it would be an auspicious omen.
Afterward, Lord Belzagar tells Pharazôn he would be better to rule, and Eärien, grieving and angry that her brother Isildur is presumed dead, also wants Míriel not to gain her rightful power.
But it’s not surprising that Númenor faces such hostility for a transfer of power. They lived in peaceful times, but as darkness spread, many of their people died. Míriel sided with the Elf, Galadriel, which cost the lives of Men, which caused her people to be aggrieved and angry.
But like Khazad-dûm, Middle Earth can not be at peace while Sauron’s influence grows. The more he grows in influence, the more Middle Earth shakes on its foundations. All we see here is Men’s weakness when darkness looms.
Lord Celebrimbor Proposes Rings To Prince Durin IV
Celebrimbor offers rings to Prince Durin IV and his people, but they need mithril in return to continue forging them.
Annatar introduces himself too, and Durin is immediately skeptical of him, as he’s never heard of Annatar from his Elf friend Elrond.
Annatar’s impatience shows, especially when Celebrimbor gives Durin time to consider whether he wants the rings for the Dwarves.
But after this meeting, the tragic story of Celebrimbor turns darker. Annatar tells him that High King Gil-Galad has forbidden the forging of more rings, but Celebrimbor insists this is his realm, and he wants to continue with his achievements. To fool Gil-Galad, Celebrimbor writes to him, explaining that he’s closed the forge and no more rings will be made — he’s lying, of course.
But now that we understand how cunning Sauron is, we can understand what Annatar is doing to Celebrimbor. He’s making the Elf believe that everything he stands for with the rings and his self-importance is his idea. If you cast your minds back to Season 1, this is precisely what Halbrand did to Galadriel; he even pointed out in the Season 1 finale that Galadriel’s choices and decisions were all her.
But in reality, that’s not true. Sauron controls the narrative in Seasons 1 and 2, but it’s more evident in this season. Now that the mask has slipped, what we see is merely for the audience’s experience. The mask was on for the audience in Season 1, as Sauron’s identity was a secret.
Prince Durin IV tells his father, King Durin III, about the offer of rings from Celebrimbor (Credit – Prime Video)
Bronwyn’s Funeral and Getting Berek The Horse Back
Season 2 needed to address Bronwyn’s death quickly, and the writers did, considering she was alive in Season 1. Arondir loved her and regretted that he underestimated the poison in the Orc arrow that pierced her. Theo is a shadow of his former self, and he tells Arondir that he wants nothing to do with him despite being the positive male role model in his life.
Following the funeral, Isildur tells Estrid about his life and legacy. He talks about wanting to do something special after his mother drowned, an incident he blames himself for. As for Estrid, she tries to downplay his guilt, but it’s revealed afterward she was once in Adar’s army as there’s a mark on the back of her neck that she’s trying to burn out.
The foreshadowing of Isildur’s legacy will be regular throughout the series, but this scene is sad and ironic. His yearning to be special after his mother’s death led him to be the Isildur who was in possession of Sauron’s ring (his bane), ultimately leading to his drowning in the river like his mother.
Berek still needs saving at this point in Episode 3, so Theo offers to help Isildur get his horse back from the wildmen. Theo distracts the wildmen by claiming he’s one of Adar’s Men while Isildur rides off with Berek. Chaos ensues, and Ents attacks the wildmen, with one of them grabbing Theo.
Durin Speaks To His Father, The King
Eventually, Prince Durin IV had to speak to his father, King Durin III, especially because food reserves were low in Khazad-dûm due to the broken Sun-Shafts. When he plucks up the courage to talk to him, he mentions the rings that Celebrimbor offered that may give solutions to their dilemma.
Durin apologizes for disrespecting him and explains that he does not trust the rings.
Season 2, Episode 3 ends with Celebrimbor and Annatar forging rings for the dwarves. Annatar makes sure that he’s the one who places the mithril stone in the forge, ensuring his dark influence as Sauron, the Dark Lord.
But interestingly, this ties into Episode 2 — Princess Disa told King Durin III that the only way to save Khazad-dûm was to speak to his son. However, the father not taking his son’s advice and rejecting the rings will be the downfall of Khazad-dûm. The father-son relationship is a whole series of missteps, which is unfortunate. Knowing what’s to come brings pain to the audience. The dwarves are highlighted in such a positive, community-led way in The Rings of Power. You want Durin, his father, and the race of Dwarves to be okay. This story has been far more emotional than expected.
The Coronation And The Great Eagle
The people of Númenor believe The Great Eagle’s showing is a sign that Pharazôn is chosen to be King in ‘The Rings of Power’ Season 2, Episode 3 (Credit – Prime Video)
Queen-regent Míriel comes out in white at the coronation to remind her people of Númenor’s past. There’s unrest in the ceremony as she tells her people she shares their sorrow and anger.
But Eärien, Isulder’s sister, speaks out and tells the audience that Míriel uses the stone Palantír, which led to their people dying in battle; she claims they cannot trust a leader who uses Elf magic. Míriel confirms the Palantír is hers, which causes chaos in the assembly as her coronation is ruined.
And then, a Great Eagle Lands before them — Pharazôn walks up to it, and the crowd takes it as a sign that Pharazôn is the chosen King as they chant his name.
Pharazôn planned this moment in the likelihood the Great Eagle would appear. And with Míriel blind, she would not be able to navigate herself to be alongside the magnificent creature. All this is doing is foreshadowing the fall of Númenor. Men’s lust for power in times of darkness is seeping through.
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