The Rings of Power: Episode 3 Review

By Ben Wright (@iamzavagno | www.xgeeks.co.uk)

This review is spoiler-free.

Before I begin the review, I want to make our stance very clear. We stand shoulder to shoulder with the cast and crew of The Rings of Power against the abhorrent racist abuse being peddled online. We will call those out who seek to limit who has a voice and representation in Middle-Earth. #YouAreAllWelcomeHere

Onto the review…

In the Southlands, we learn the fate of Arondir (Ismael Cruz Cordova) and are introduced very quickly to the name Adar and his possible identity. We find out more about the tunnels and who is fellow captives are. The orcs’ costumes and prosthetics were exceptional, and you could hardly see the digital touch-ups, as the practical aspects were so well done.

The Harfoots are preparing to migrate, and we get a fascinating insight into their migration customs and rituals. I love learning about cultures in general, even more so in a fantasy setting. We progress Nori and The Stranger’s story further in the second half of the episode which I am really enjoying.

We last left Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) unconscious and about to be rescued. The ship’s captain is Elendil (Lloyd Owen) and his rescue leads them to the city of Numenor.

We have seen glimpses in the trailers and promotional material, but we finally make it to Numenor. Everything about this sequence was outstanding. The visuals, the music… it was breathtaking and gave me instant goosebumps! It was a very emotional experience, something which I hadn’t expected. There was also another breadcrumb left in regard to Halbrand, in a very subtle scene involving a blacksmith, it was merely a glancing look, but is either an indication of his past (or who he really is, thus confirming my theory) or it is just another possible red herring. With that said, as more details are revealed later in the episode, my theory is starting to crack a little.

Once inside Numenor, we meet a host of new characters including Queen Regent Miriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) and her closest advisor, Pharazon (Trystan Gravelle). The Queen Regent was not as I expected, so that took me by surprise! We are also introduced to another very familiar name, Isildur (Maxim Baldry). Once back on land, Isildur is reunited with his sister Earien (Ema Horvath), and exploring their relationship looks set to be very interesting, especially as Earien has been created for the show.

Across the board, the performances were incredible, but as for the new characters, Elendil is probably my favourite pick. Lloyd Owen’s performance was just so composed, and his character already feels like a great addition to the series.

I have already mentioned the orcs, but once again all of the costumes and locations continue to impress, as do the stunning visuals and music. I know they have put a lot of money into this, and you sort of expect high quality, but films and TV shows don’t always spend wisely or invest in the right areas. The Rings of Power has no issues here!

In terms of winks and nods to The Lord of the Rings, we have a few familiar flavours. There is an amusing moment when one of the ship’s sailors shouts out Isildur’s name and it is obviously a call back to the Mount Doom scene, which really put a smile on my face! At Numenor, after witnessing the White Tree for the first time, Queen Regent Miriel talks about the petals falling and that it is “no idle thing”. This is obviously a reference to Aragorn saying “Not idly do the leaves of Lórien fall” in The Two Towers. I, personally, don’t mind these types of playful recycling of words or moments, as they were done in a subtle way and were never too on the nose.

I think this was an outstanding episode in regard to character and story progression. I was sold on the show after the first episode, but now we are really getting into the (plant-based) ‘meat’ of the stories and characters. There is not a single thing about this show that, so far, has not warmed my insides, brought tears to my eyes, or filled my heart with joy.

What did you make of the latest episode of The Rings of Power? Let us know in the comments or find us on social media.