‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ Recap: ‘Adar’

Written by Joel T. Lewis

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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​In Episode 3 of Rings of Power we follow Arondir’s enslavement by his orc captors, who have also taken one of his comrades and his former commander. Made to dig the orc’s tunnels during the daylight as they sweep across the land, the elves plan to escape capture. The cruelty and efficiency of their hosts results in the painful felling of an ancient tree and the murder of both Arondir’s commander and fellow soldier. Arondir is spared so that he might be brought before the orc father Adar (one of the secret names of Sauron). 
 
The arrival of the first Elf in several generations to the shores of Numenor is not met with the warmest of receptions as Queen Regent Miriel (in power after the rumored insanity of her father the king sent him into personal exile in one of the palace towers) is cold and standoffish in response to the unbending Galadriel and her call for aid back to Middle Earth. Confined for the time being as her request is deliberated, Galadriel finds an unexpected ally in Captain Elendil, father of the rebellious and wayward sea cadet Isildur and the newly apprenticed Earien.
 
Elendil rides with the elf to the hall of lore where she discovers that the symbol she’s been following is a map of the southlands of Middle Earth, and it signifies Sauron’s plan to make that place the new seat of his power and home to the forces of darkness. She also discovers that her shipwrecked companion Halbrand is the wayward heir to the throne of those southern lands.

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​Through Halbrand we discover the all too familiar themes of “Numenor First” ethnocentrism as the citizens of the Elf gifted island antagonize and finally attack him. This does not go well as Halbrand is fiercer and more capable than he appears at first glance, and he lands himself in a prison cell. Here Galadriel calls on him to shake off the shame of his people’s past alliance with Morgoth and help her unite the southern kingdom against the returning threat of darkness. 
 
As much as I am enjoying the map-spanning stakes unfolding in the other segments of this series, there is so much to love about the Harfoot world-building, especially in this episode. Part of the immediate charm of reading The Fellowship of the Ring is the opening, “On Hobbits” section, where cakes and warm, dry underground holes, and unassuming stout creatures are described in warm detail. These scenes evoke that very same spirit as we discover the ritual of the “we wait for you ceremony” honoring those who passed since the last migration, and the rich culture these road hobbit forebears have developed. 
 
And even as we admire and marvel at the way of life the Harfoots have made to keep themselves safe, we butt up against its confines as Nori sees and chases after the destiny the star-fallen stranger seems to signify for her and for Middle Earth. Unfortunately, Nori’s friendship with the stranger is revealed to the whole of the tribe as he stumbles into their campsite, resulting in Nori’s family being assigned to the very back of the caravan. This is almost certainly a death sentence for the family with her father’s twisted ankle, but as the tribe moves on, the stranger lends a hand and things seem brighter. 

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I’m just going to say it, I’ve hinted at it too many times and I just have to get it out of my system: the stranger is Gandalf. That’s what they seem to be hinting at, and it seems really obvious, but they haven’t outright said it and I just have to say that if it is the case, it's the sweetest origin story for why he has the fondness for hobbits that he does. It’s just thoughtful storytelling and I’m really enjoying it. 
 
Also, the way this series portrays elves is so excellent. There is a weight and a grandiose to the sequences where Arondir laments the death of the tree he’s forced to cut down, and the slow-motion joy we see from Galadriel in the saddle alongside Elendil. The slow-motion shots and the lingering drama of these sequences was at first jarring in comparison to the pacing of the rest of the narratives, but the more I see them and think about them, I appreciate their function as an extension of the characterization of the elves. You get a sense of their age, their wisdom, and the great depth of their emotions that I think even Peter Jackson only really hinted at in his films. 
 
I’ll conclude this episode’s recap with more praise for the incredible production design of Adar’s tribe of orcs. The practicality of the animal skull armor and helms as the shields from the sun, and the size, organization, and ruthlessness of those creatures; those elements just work. They look incredible, they are chilling and frightening, and their reverence for, and subservience to Adar (Sauron) is fascinating and I can’t wait to learn more about that power dynamic. Brilliant world building. Stunning execution. More Rings of Power please!

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