Season 1, Episode 7: “Eyes”
The title of this week’s episode of The Rings of Power seems like a wink to even the most casual Tolkien fan. It’s called “The Eye”, a name that refers to Sauron’s eye, a striking symbol of the Dark Lord’s omnipotent power that appears in the Lord of the Rings books and movies. After six episodes of only teasing the connection, hinting that Adder could be Sauron, Stranger could be a wizard, or Southland could be Mordor, the show’s writers have decided that some You may be ready to start answering your questions clearly.
But is it? This episode starts with an image of a real eye. It belongs to Galadriel, as she wakes up covered in ash after a volcanic eruption caused by Adder’s minions. We learn that Miriel has gone blind. There seems to be a motif here. Does the title “The Eye” literally refer to the eye instead of Sauron?
As it happens, most of this week’s action doesn’t involve Adder, Orcs, or Sauron (wherever he is). Instead, we see the Numenoreans and Southlanders regroup after last week’s disastrous events. Catch up with the dwarves and halfuts. The episode ends with Orc settling in his new homeworld where the sun is blocked by volcanic smoke and ash, where the “Ring” writer clarifies what viewers were wondering. increase. That’s because the word ‘Southlands’ has been erased from the screen and replaced with the new name for the region: ‘Mordor’. This version of ancient Middle-earth is starting to look a bit like what we know.
Here are five takeaways and observations from this season’s penultimate episode.
Galadriel and her little sidekick
After her major setback in the previous episode, Galadriel has become a much more humble elf — although “humble” refers to an immortal relative who often believes her choices to be absolutely right. Still, there are some human (so to speak) moments in Galadriel this week, as Theo makes his way out of the ruined village and makes his way to a place near the coast where the Numenoreans and Southlanders are resting. I’m helping you find it. She shares some personal stories that she doesn’t seem too forbidden, such as dancing with her late husband.
More importantly, Galadriel says he doesn’t think Theo is solely responsible for Adder’s victory, or that he’s on his dark path alongside Waldreg and the other humans. She argues that a sage should understand people’s true intentions. What you don’t know makes the mind empty,” she says. “Don’t fill it with speculation.” (What the show’s writers are particularly good at is inventing new maxims.)
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Elrond and Durin’s Show
After a heartwarming moment two episodes ago, Elrond admitted to Durin that the dwarves’ supply of mithril is indeed necessary for the elves to survive. III (Peter Mullan) fixes that. The elves promise that for the next five centuries he will provide the city with game, grain, and timber, but King Durin’s general distrust of the elves and fear of digging too deep make the deal. is ruining In the ensuing heated debate, Prince Durin was stripped of his title by his father.
This only strengthens the bond between Elrond and Durin, who have become one of the most likable pairs on the show. Alternatively, they can bust each other’s chops, as Elrond suggests in Episode 2 that he deliberately lost a big contest. Company.
favored by the gods
One of the most compelling recurring themes this season is the interest and disagreement over various signs and omens. How can anyone know when the gods want to answer the call of chance? please think about it. Was it divine providence, offering an opportunity to change the lives of the Numenoreans for the better? certainly doesn’t think so in this episode.
Harfoots are the most uncertain about what anything really means. Like: Is the stranger’s arrival lucky or unlucky? We have evidence of both. Arriving at a favorite grove destroyed by nearby volcanic eruptions this week, Hafut leader Saddock tells the “big man” he needs to leave. But when the tree the stranger passed by began to come to life and the apples began to grow in abundance, Sadoc seems to have hastened him out. Again, shortly after this revelation, a white-clad creature appears chasing an unfamiliar visitor and burns the clan’s cart. What are the gods saying here?
This brings us back to Durin III, who refuses to believe that his kingdom’s unique ability to save elves is a boon. thinking about. (“The fate of the elves was decided years ago by minds far wiser and far more far-sighted than ours,” he tells his son.) Even when he sees the healing with his own eyes, it moves him to drop its leaf into the depths of Khazad Dum… where it catches fire and arouses the attention of the deeply buried Balrog. Whose will is it?
History is written by the victors…in the end.
Considering how hard our heroes were beaten in both this episode and last week’s episode, you would expect them to be in a moody and hopeless state of mind. When Galadriel knelt before Myriel and offered repentance, the Queen Regent said to her: Because they don’t know what they started with. Indeed, the Numenoreans are going home (except for a garrison to help resettle the Southlanders), but Myriel promises their return. At the end of the episode, when Galadriel escorts a badly wounded Halbrand to Lyndon for treatment, the people who see them off shout “Power to Southland!” at Theo’s urging. I don `t go.
It’s even more touching when the Harfoots decide they need to respond to the situation of burning carts and warn about dangerous people chasing strangers. “Sobbing? Do you think that’s all that’s left of us?” Nori’s father Largo (Dylan Smith) asks in a speech that inspires Sadok to help Nori on her quest. A skeptical elder Marva (Tushita Jayasundera) also joins the search party, saying, “If we don’t live well, what’s the point in living?” (Sadoc’s remorseful but firm reply: “It doesn’t matter. Everyone dies.”)
color and light
Last week, I was a little disappointed that two-thirds of the episode’s fight scenes were set in darkness.” As the episode aired, social media exploded with frustration and disbelief. After that, I rewatched the “Ring” battle of the night and I have to say that the visual differences between this show and the “Thrones” franchise are actually pretty noticeable.At least in this series. , the torch everyone carries at night illuminates the action.
So let me repeat my previous admiration for how brighter and more colorful “The Rings of Power” is than most modern prestige televisions. There are striking imagery of burning horses, ominous oversized footprints, and devastation caused by flaming fireballs. But the writers and directors aren’t constructing a morally ambiguous world of characters in a dark gray landscape. It has been.