This review contains full spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2, episode 5, "Halls of Stone."
While the elves might continue to fight about whether or not their rings can be trusted, episode 5 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 demonstrates just how much of a difference it makes that Sauron (Charlie Vickers) had a direct hand in crafting the rings for the dwarf lords. The power a ring gives King Durin III (Peter Mullan) offers a solution to Khazad-dûm’s immediate crisis, but at a price that will eventually doom the entire kingdom.
The corrupting influence is made clear in the whisper the king hears as he looks upon the seven rings before putting one on to go help the delvers who have so far been unable to get the mirror network functioning again. Even more stubborn and self-assured than ever under its influence, he dismisses his son Durin IV (Owain Arthur) and keeps hammering into the stone until he finds the light, continuing to listen to the ominous singing of the ring as he digs new holes to bring relief to withered crops. The ethereal noise is discordant with the percussive rhythm of Bear McCreary’s instrumental score for Khazad-dûm’s, a richer music more aligned with the stone singers who seem to be the only ones dubious of the miraculous new power their king wields.
But bringing light back beneath the mountain is cause for celebration in Eregion, where Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) milks the occasion as he shows off the hidden mithril writing he demonstrated earlier in the season. The unveiling of the Doors of Durin, which will stand outside Khazad-dûm, is a moment of triumph tinged with tragedy: The doors meant to embody a lasting friendship between elves and dwarves will be opened by Gandalf to bring the Fellowship of the Ring into Moria, the fallen version of the once great realm. Sometimes making a prequel is a curse because it prevents tension when a character is destined to survive, and sometimes it has the opposite effect by showing the beauty of something we know is doomed.
Sauron broods, keeping his eye on the prize as he knows he only has a very limited amount of time to use Celebrimbor’s talents for his own goals. High King Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker) has received Celebrimbor’s note assuring him he isn’t crafting more rings, but remains dubious because of the visions he’s receiving from his own ring. These shots of disaster and gasping fish oddly look more like newscast clips that might appear in a post-apocalyptic movie than Galadriel’s more atmospheric visions of Celebrimbor in danger.
Sauron tries to make the craftsman feel guilty for celebrating while others suffer, though Celebrimbor sees through his scheme, noting, “It is a game you play is it not, sowing seeds in others minds and then convincing them it was their own thought?” That doubt is enough for Celebrimbor to refuse to help with the rings of men. Despite Sauron’s promises that he would give them to the wisest and most noble men across Middle-earth – in order to minimize the threat of corruption – Celebrimbor’s not buying it. I’m convinced the rings will all be given to the masked riders in Rhûn, but the idea of Sauron taking the time to identify the best of all men who might fight against the darkness and then corrupting them is even more disturbing. Sauron decides to continue the project himself, and for some reason Celebrimbor allows that to happen under his own roof.
Durin IV and Disa (Sophia Nomvete) remain an absolutely adorable couple, with Disa persuading her husband to pony up for a birthday present for their daughter despite an outrageous 100% “ring tax” that the king has placed on all trade. That’s the sort of thing that causes rebellions, though presumably he gets a pass for having just saved them all from starving in the dark. The amusing bartering gives way to some goofy physical humor as Disa chases the rolling tuning crystal into an ominous cave, shattering that expensive rock as she realizes what the king is close to unleashing on his people.
The dangerous influence of the dwarven rings is also demonstrated when Durin III shows them off to a group of emissaries, one of whom can’t even resist reaching out to them. The king pitches the rings as the answer to the darkness rising through Middle-earth, but in truth they’re accelerating that peril. (They’ve already inspired him to disregard both the restrictions he placed on digs decades ago and the warnings of his own son.) Mullan does a good job channeling a bit of Bilbo and Gollum as he immediately becomes paranoid and covetous when he realizes the ring’s not on his finger.
Back in Eregion, Sauron’s experiments yield the first glimpses of the One Ring’s power to make a wielder invisible as Celebrimbor’s protege Mirdania (Amelia Kenworthy) puts it on and panics at what she sees. Edwards really sells the pantomime of taking it off her, before his character almost falls into the trap of helping give Sauron key insights.
Vickers is playing a much more subdued version of Sauron this season, but he shines in moments like this. His eyes light up with anticipation and also a bit of nervousness, showing that the character is wondering if his cover is going to be blown. He collects himself quickly, dismissing Mirdania’s fears and even using them to further place Celebrimbor’s team under his own control. The most powerful lies have truth in them, and he’s not wrong that crafting the rings has taken a toll on Celebrimbor, but Sauron is the one who’s breaking the smith by continuously pushing him. Sauron’s interactions with Mirdania are deeply creepy: He charms her while viewing her as a substitute for his relationship with Galadriel (Morfydd Clark).
Durin IV seems to see through Sauron better than anyone else, immediately blaming him for how the ring has twisted his father. But Sauron is slippery, using abuser tactics as he redirects blame back onto Celebrimbor. He understands Celebrimbor’s pride is his fatal flaw and he’d rather commit to greater evil than confess and accept punishment.
It’s devastating how short lived Celebrimbor’s happiness over the success of the dwarven rings is as he slips into despair, hands shaking after delivering an ultimatum to his craftsmen that their work on the rings for men “must redeem us all.” Edwards does a phenomenal job conveying his inner torment as Sauron coolly takes control of the project, which he needs to rush because he’s running out of time.
Gil-galad’s concerns are proven right when Elrond (Robert Aramayo) finally arrives to warn him about Adar (Sam Hazeldine) marching on Eregion. The High King says he can’t fight both Adar and Sauron, though that doesn’t really make sense given Sauron doesn’t have an army and Adar also hates Sauron. In fact, he’s got a pitch to make to Galadriel that would certainly be in everyone’s best interests, though we’ll have to wait to see what happens next week.
The most devastating scene of this episode happens between Durin III and Durin IV, as the king deflects his son’s concerns by giving him what he desperately wants: his approval. After so much time trying to get her husband to reconcile with his father, Disa is horrified when Durin IV returns home wearing the regalia of a prince again. He promises not to ever don a ring himself, but he’s shaken by the damage he’s done in the hopes of saving both the elves and his own people. He’s also no closer to finding a way to actually get through to his father.
This episode is the best of the season so far because it doesn’t involve the Southlands or Rhûn at all, though the Númenor material is significantly weaker than the plots involving the rings. Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle) has fallen under the influence of a different magical artifact, the Palantir, quickly deciding that being king is insufficient and setting his eyes on the immortal realm of the elves. He ominously tells his failson Kemen (Leon Wadham) that his mother prophesied he’d meet an ill end, offering to share more if he serves him well or replace him if he doesn’t.
That service involves consolidating his power base, which he does with little resistance given that Míriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) thinks Pharazôn might be able to prevent the disaster she’s seen befalling Númenor and encourages her loyal captain Elendil (Lloyd Owen) not to act against him. The tender unspoken love between them is sweet, but Míriel certainly seems to be lending credence to the criticism of Elendil’s daughter Eärien (Ema Horvath) that she’s guided entirely by the Palantir.
Kemen is deeply annoying and antagonistic; he interrupts a show of respect from Elandil’s men after he gives up his sword and command, which only seems to make the sailors more eager to show their devotion. “How do you think this ends?” Kemen asks, a question answered with an all out brawl in the shrine of the Faithful. The setting, and the ritual of sending memorial candles floating on seashells, create an absolutely gorgeous scene, enhanced by the haunting music. It’s unclear if Kemen really wanted to start an incident or if he just has terrible instincts: He bursts into a somber service in the shrine to declare the space condemned to make way for an aqueduct.
The fight that follows has some fun moments, with Erandil finally losing his cool and his loyal soldier Valandil (Alex Tarrant) asking for forgiveness from the Valar before wailing on Kemen. (Kemen shows just how much of a pathetic worm he is by clumsily fighting back and sniveling on the floor.) Still, the cowardly backstab is predictable. These guards seem absolutely loyal to Pharazôn for some reason, even though this performance from his son is so pathetic. Like so much of the Númenor plot, this feels so thin compared to House of the Dragon, where even minor characters react to their leaders behaving badly, as opposed to the flat, dull obedience on display here.
