Episode Grade: (8.0/10)
The battle for the Southlands was finally fought; fortunately, it did not disappoint. The focus remained on the battle over a two-day stretch, and even though the Numenorian arrival was a bit underwhelming, the story played out in an entertaining way. The ending added significant intrigue that was sorely lacking until this point, as the origins of Mount Doom and Mordor were revealed.
Plot (42/50)
The decision to focus the entire episode on the battle was the right one, as it added weight to the Southlands as a strategic location moving forward. The battle sequences themselves were done well, even if the whole trap vs. counter trap setup was predictable. The Numenorian arrival fell flat considering how much it was built up. I’m sure it was intended to feel like an epic moment, but it had nowhere near the effect that the battle scenes in the movies had. It’s not entirely fair to compare the two, but even on its own it was rather pedestrian. We did get some info on Sauron and his master plan to forge a new form (the rings), whether Adar was lying or whether he actually believes he killed Sauron is interesting but fairly inconsequential in the grand scheme of things as we know that Sauron is indeed alive. The battle was fun to follow, and there was a level of intrigue surrounding Adar’s master plan that remained until we saw it unfold. The origins of Mount Doom and Mordor were weaved into the storyline in a very subtle, natural way that also maintained consistency with the lore. Even though we were expecting something at the end of the episode, what unfolded was still surprising. It certainly resolved the mystery of what the hilt unlocks. There was good action and fantasy all throughout the episode, and I expect that to remain into the end of the season as Middle Earth is forced to deal with an evil that has finally revealed itself. Overall, this was a good episode; nevertheless, there were still some weaknesses. Galadriel’s face was already muddied before she had even gone into battle. It’s such a small detail, but it’s just so annoying. We get it, she’s a great warrior, but let’s be a little more realistic. There were plenty of instances where the lack of originality stood out: the battle sequence followed the trap-counter-trap setup that has been done many times, Bronwyn living despite losing an ungodly amount of blood because she’s a main character while Tredwill dies from similar injuries, Theo giving up the hilt to save his mother, and no one checking the hilt until it’s too late were all classic TV moments designed to make the plot work. One every once in a while is OK, but this many in quick succession is inexcusable.
Character Development (10/15)
Galadriel has been insufferable for the entirety of the season, but Bronwyn somehow manages to upstage her in this episode. Nearly everything about her was cringey. Her moments with Arondir were cringey. Her moments with Theo were cringey. Her speeches are like nails on a chalkboard. She lacks the charisma needed to lead, and that significantly hurts the intensity of the scenes she’s in. Arondir works best as a mostly silent right hand man, they’ve done well to (mostly) keep him in that role. His mini game of chess with Adar was nice, even if it does speak volumes to how weak and unintelligent the humans are. Adar continues to be the most interesting character by a mile. He does a commendable job attempting to justify his aggression and is not afraid to call Galadriel out on her hypocrisy and, quite frankly, racism. In the end, he claims that his goal is to give the orcs a place they can call home, as the orcs are living, breathing creatures just like everyone else. Seeing as how the orcs have never been presented in this light, it’s quite an interesting point to think about unless you’re Galadriel, of course. Galadriel will never stop fighting the darkness that is the orcs, so she will kill every last one of them. Then, she plans on sadistically whispering this in the ear of Adar, their father, before killing him as well because he’s nothing more than a mockery to the elves and a twisted creature of darkness. Wait, who’s supposed to be the “bad guy” here? Of course, Adar and the orcs have committed plenty of evils in pursuit of their goal, and they’re likely doing their part in an evil master plan, but the point isn’t whether they’re right or wrong. The point is that Galadriel, an elf, is vengeful and hateful beyond any orc, yet she behaves with an arrogance as if she’s this unwavering soldier of pure light. This hypocrisy is what makes her so insufferable. Her newfound peace because of the feeling she got fighting alongside Halbrand is as absurd as it is untrue. Also, why does everyone just stare at her in awe all the time? Her over-the-top theatrical dodging of arrows while she’s riding her horse were beyond ridiculous. Halbrand’s newfound peace is a little more believable given he’s literally fighting the enemy that harmed him not so long ago. Adar not remembering Halbrand leaves his backstory unknown and maintains a level of intrigue surrounding his character. Since he grew up in the area, Halbrand intercepting Adar’s horse was a nice bit of consistency. There were some minor developments among the side characters as well. Elendil and Isildur are starting to mend their fractured, uninteresting relationship. Miriel completely underestimating the task at hand despite her father’s warning was plain stupidity. Theo giving up the hilt to save his mother was the logical decision, but couldn’t he have done it before the other humans were killed? Surely, he would’ve known that they’ve threaten to kill his mother at some point, so why not save a few extra people? Talking about his sense of loss with regards to the hilt was a nice tie in to the rings. Finally, Waldreg has actually proven himself useful.
Theme/Messages (4/5)
- He who laughs last laughs best. Don’t celebrate too early. It’s a marathon, not a race. Lose the battle, win the war. Take your pick…
- Is Galadriel racist towards the orcs?
- “One cannot satisfy thirst by drinking sea water.”
- “Despise not the labor which humbles the heart… Humility has saved entire kingdoms the proud have all but led to ruin.”
Acting (11/15)
Joseph Mawle (Adar) continues to impress, as does Ismael Cruz Cordova (Arondir).
Cinematography (12/15)
- Cool shot of the village as the sun sets (19:33).
- Powerful shot of Galadriel standing shell-shocked as the volcano erupts before her eyes (1:04:11).
- The shots of the volcano erupting demonstrated incredible special effects.