Rings of Power Season 2 Finale: A Messy but Mostly Satisfying Conclusion
Amazon’s The Rings of Power has consistently navigated a precarious balancing act: honoring the legacy of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings while forging its own unique narrative within the Second Age of Middle-earth. Season two, fueled by millions of dollars in investment, finally reaches a turning point, leaning heavily on recognizable moments and iconography from Tolkien’s works and the Peter Jackson films. Whether this reliance on familiar elements ultimately benefits the show remains a complex question, as evidenced by the season finale, "Shadow and Flame."
The episode’s structure is somewhat fragmented, bouncing between various plotlines to tie up loose ends. While this approach lacks a cohesive narrative flow, it allows certain individual scenes to shine. The episode’s strength lies in its ability to deliver incredibly powerful moments, particularly in its handling of the Khazad-dûm storyline. This plotline, arguably the season’s unsung highlight, showcases the tragic downfall of King Durin III. The episode excels not just in its portrayal of the discovery of the Balrog, thus fulfilling the expectations set by the episode’s title, but also in its emphasis on the emotional weight of the father-son relationship between Durin and his son. The focus on character relationships over mere symbolic imagery gives the season a tangible emotional cost, contrasting sharply with other plotlines that prioritize grand, sweeping spectacle.
This focus on emotional depth is, unfortunately, largely absent in other storylines. The Númenor plotline, plagued by constant power struggles, feels particularly weak. Ar-Pharazôn’s consolidation of power through religious persecution, a blatant display of fascism, lacks depth and fails to generate compelling narrative satisfaction. The attempt to draw parallels to Aragorn receiving Anduril in Return of the King falls flat, lacking the emotional context and character nuance that made the original scene so powerful. The scene feels hollow, merely paying homage without substance. The sub-plot involving Pharazôn’s son, Kemen, bullying Theo and Isildur in Pelargir, is equally underwhelming, a forgettable and dull climax to their established arcs.
Similarly, the Stranger’s storyline in Rhûn feels rushed and unsatisfying. After building up a narrative of defense and conflict, the episode abruptly throws Nori, Poppy, and the Stoors into a confrontation with the Dark Wizard. The resolution is swift and somewhat bizarre. The Dark Wizard’s plan, and subsequent retreat, lacks clarity and impact. The subsequent decision by Nori and the Stoors to abandon their homes and embark on a sudden migration feels jarring and unearned. Nori’s farewell to the Stranger lacks emotional resonance, primarily because the focus shifts to the reveal of the Stranger’s identity as Gandalf, a reveal that feels unearned and devoid of meaningful emotional closure. The casual revelation, coupled with Gandalf’s sudden discovery of a perfectly formed staff, further undercuts the emotional impact of the scene.
In contrast, the Eregion storyline generally unfolds more successfully, delivering emotionally resonant moments alongside impactful visual displays. The siege of Eregion provides the backdrop for a series of impactful scenes. The capture of Elrond and Gil-Galad by orcs, Galadriel’s decision to become a captive, and Celebrimbor’s tragic demise all contribute to the overarching narrative. Charles Edwards delivers a powerful performance as Celebrimbor in his final moments. However, the way the series delivers Celebrimbor’s death, and his final lines designating Sauron as the Lord of the Rings, feels clunky and forced, prioritized more for its direct connection to Tolkien’s narrative than emotional weight.
Adar’s demise is another example of the show struggling to balance dramatic emotional impact and the established narrative. While Adar’s character, an orcish leader seeking peace, presented an interesting departure from typical Tolkienian portrayals, his ending feels abrupt. The moment Sauron’s influence subsumes Adar’s orcish followers, the series loses the carefully crafted nuance of Adar’s character. This transition removes agency from the orc characters, reducing them to mindless, faceless antagonists, and diminishes the potential emotional weight of Adar’s failure. Even the parallel to events in the First Age, while thematically relevant, feels somewhat hollow and unable to generate sufficient emotional resonance.
Finally, the episode culminates in a visually stunning battle between Galadriel and Sauron. This sequence, while entertaining, features Sauron’s display of shapeshifting as an odd choice, particularly considering he briefly utilizes the appearance of Celebrimbor, a scene that might lack overall meaning if it is not revisited in subsequent seasons. The confrontation ends with Galadriel’s defiant self-sacrifice, setting the stage for Gil-Galad and Elrond’s use of the rings to heal her. This scene represents a turning point for Elrond, enabling him to embrace the rings’ power. This pivotal moment leads to the season’s closing scene, a powerful image highlighting the hope that persists even in the face of overwhelming evil.
In conclusion, "Shadow and Flame" is a flawed yet compelling season finale. The episode’s fragmented narrative and uneven pacing are offset by moments of intense emotional power, particularly in its handling of the Khazad-dûm plotline and some scenes in Eregion. The season reveals the show’s capacity for thrilling visual spectacle and profound emotional drama, but also highlights its struggle to find a cohesive balance between honoring the source material and developing its own original narrative. Moving forward, The Rings of Power must prove that it can maintain its heart and emotional depth even as it embraces a heavier emphasis on familiar elements from the Lord of the Rings canon. The war is paused, but the true test for the show lies ahead.
