The Rings of Power Episode 4: The Great Wave [SPOILERS]

[Eldy Dunami]

We are now at the halfway point of the first season of The Rings of Power!

Queen Regent Míriel’s faith is tested; Isildur finds himself at a crossroads; Elrond uncovers a secret; Arondir is given an ultimatum; Theo disobeys Bronwyn.

Written by Stephany Folsom and J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay. Directed by Wayne Che Yip.

[Eldy Dunami]

I enjoyed this one a good deal. It's diverging ever more from the source material, but more importantly, I've had enough time now for the show's characters and plot to start to establish themselves as their own thing in my mind. (Also, the show finally feels like it's wrapping up the set-up portion, which makes me excited for next week.) Halbrand, for example, is starting to grow on me, and I look forward to seeing more of his and Galadriel's interactions. On the other hand, I'm not looking forward to seeing more of Elrond. He really comes across as a slimy politician type, and while that doesn't preclude him having hidden depths, the next episode preview suggests that...

**he immediately betrays Durin's trust and tells Celebrimbor about mithril**

...so he can take a hike. On the subject of the Eregion/Moria plotline, they seem to be foreshadowing the Balrog pretty heavily, which makes me think the odds of the Stranger being Durin's Bane are lower now. The Southlander who previously owned the hilt considered the meteor an omen of Sauron's return, implying there might have been some prophecy or bit of folklore about that. Possibly a red herring. I definitely don't think Adar is Sauron, though. Still waiting to see if the show will manage to become the first officially licensed screen adaptation since Rankin/Bass' animated Return of the King to depict Orcs having culture and the desire to do literally anything than kill and destroy things. Given what we've seen so far, I suspect I read things I wanted to see into the IGN preview article about Orcs that weren't necessarily in the text.

Intriguing to see the famous wave dream given to Míriel. I'm gonna have to come back to the topic of Númenórean politics and society in another post, but seeing that visualized was probably the highlight of the episode for me. Well, maybe a tie with the closed caption "[orcs grunting respectfully]" during Adar's first appearance.

[Silky Gooseness]

I also really enjoyed the visualisation of the great wave - and especially that it appears to Miriel as a vision and a dream, as it did to Tolkien?

[Eldy Dunami]

a dream, as it did to Tolkien?

Yeah, Tolkien had a recurring dream of a "Great Wave, towering up, and coming in ineluctably over the trees and green fields" (Letters, no. 163), though as of 1955 it had not recurred since he wrote the story of the fall of Númenor. The first two versions of this tale, The Fall of Númenor from the 1930s and The Drowning of Anadûnê from the 1940s, are each associated with modern narratives, set in the 20th century, focusing on inherited memory and mental time travel. Years after writing those stories ("recently" as of the writing of Letter 163), Tolkien learned that his son Michael experienced the same dream, despite never hearing his father mention it. This led JRRT to speculate that his son had inherited the dream from him, and he in turn might have inherited it from his parents, who of course died when he was young.

This is all pretty esoteric stuff, but casual audiences are most likely to know the dream of the Great Wave from The Lord of the Rings, where it was had by Faramir in the book and Éowyn in the films.

[The Good Hunter]

A few stray thoughts on the episode:

1) The dwarven scenes in this episode almost make up for not having them in last week's; it all felt very serious and meaningful, a stark contrast to the Hobbit's characterizations. While I think that film series is still having an effect, overall I think it is lessening and the dwarves of ROP are stepping into their own. Timeline is all squishy which still makes me uneasy about how certain events will be handled, but it's a minor concern.
2) Elrond in this episode looked very uncomfortable, I'm not sure what's going on in his head or what Celebrimbor has planned, but it is safe to say that I too am uncomfortable. I'm not sure if it's because of the writing or the acting or if it's a good thing or bad thing, but it's reassured my investment in what's going on there.
3) Adar. Hmmm, could this be a Maeglin stand in? We finally see who Joseph Mawle is playing though and he's pretty good in his limited screen time. I'm thinking now that Slim Shady Sauron was a teaser misdirect and if it's true praise be the Valar.
4) Theo is definitely becoming a Nazgûl, but I don't think it's going to be by choice.
5) No Harfoots. Second week in a row where one of the main storylines is absent from an episode. I'm not a fan of this.

Overall I liked it. There are issues with some of the directing in my opinion but that could be personal preference rather than a real misstep.

[Eldy Dunami]

I'm thinking now that Slim Shady Sauron was a teaser misdirect and if it's true praise be the Valar.

You don't need to worry. Some fan blogs reported at the time that the Eminem doppelgänger in the trailer was Sauron, played by actor Anson Boon, but they turned out to be wrong on both counts. While Amazon was pretty tight-lipped for most of the run-up to the premiere, executive producer Lindsey Weber confirmed to Time that the character is actually played by actress Bridie Sisson, depicting a woman from Rhûn. My interpretation of the trailer was that she (and the similarly clothed and haired man, whose picture did not go viral as he looks a bit less Slim Shady-ish) is a priestess in some sort of Sauronian and/or Melkorist cult, but I have no special insight there.

I'm with you on the Dwarves; they're my favorite plotline of the show so far. I was very happy to see them back after their absence last week.

[Boromir88]

For me this episode took a step back from the previous two. I think mostly because like @Eldy Dunami I dislike this portrayal of Elrond. Anytime he talks with a supposed "friend" (Galadriel in Episode 1, Durin and Disa) it feels insincere and manipulative. I'm not sure if it's the direction they want to take the character, or if it's the way Robert Aramayo is delivering the lines. But he's being lurky and creepy, more like Grima Wormtongue, less like the Elrond introduced in The Hobbit as being wise, strong, venerable and "kind as summer." Having said this, I'm trying to keep the thread I created in the back of my mind when watching adaptations. We're not even close to the end product yet, so perhaps he goes through events that change him, or maybe not. But I do believe any alteration can work in an adaptation if remains consistent with itself.

-We get 1 palantir...but why are the others lost? I am interested in the series exploring the palantir more, I always enjoyed the lore topics on the old plaza about them!

-I concur with the others about the dwarves. And filled with angst as we know what lurks deeper in the mine.

-I also like Pharazon the populist. His stump speech was very clever, appealing to the valor and pride of Numenor and using the guildmembers dislike towards Elves. Contrasted with Miriel's plea to keep the faith and the Valar's blessings. These factions will go on to rip Numenor apart and that is one of the more fascinating stories to explore, in my opinion.

-And I just realized in this episode Isildur's friends are named Valandil and Imrahil. So, I'm curious to see if they get expanded roles, or what part they have to play in future seasons. (I don't get these shortened names though...like his friends calling him "Isil" and there's "Theo," "Nori" -for Elanor Brandyfoot)

[Boromir88]

Watching the episode again this morning (yesterday was very exhausting for a Friday, so I was kind of not all with it when I finally was able to sit down and watch it). Watching it again this morning, I do like it more than the first time. I think I still have more problems with this episode than previous ones. The bouncing around to different areas feels...choppy? I'm not sure how to describe it, there wasn't a good flow? Like where they decided to cut to a different location, or character, doesn't seem to fit together.

One of the things I think Jackson handled well in The Two Towers and Return of the King is the multiple storylines. For the most part, I felt like the scenes flowed together. It was edited in a way that the time for a break in the Frodo/Sam/Gollum storyline was correctly chosen and then we go into the Three Hunters. That's a difficult thing to do to handle multiple storylines. I imagine it's even harder in 1-hour episodes. I mean to end each separate storyline on these mini-cliffhangers throws me off. For example, Theo escaping the orcs by hiding in a well, I'm anticipating seeing a conclusion to that part of the story. But then we cut to Elrond snooping around Durin's house and then it's somewhere else. I'm not sure if this ramble is making much sense at the moment, but I think Jackson edited the separate storylines better after the Fellowship split apart, than what the Amazon show is doing at the moment. I don't mind bouncing around, but I don't like being built up with anticipation and suspense then getting left with a mini-cliffhanger and cut to a different location/character. It messes with my head and makes the episode feel poorly edited.

That is more of the technical side of I think what troubled me about the episode. The characters and how the story is developing is keeping my interests piqued though. So, to expand a bit more on what I liked most is the dwarves and particularly Durin. When Durin makes Elrond swear an oath, that is a defining moment for dwarves. I agree that the dwarves are getting a distinct portrayal, separate from other Tolkien adaptations. One that is fitting with their beliefs. In the Appendices, Tolkien describes them as a tough race, that is hard to tame (hence why Sauron could never quite understand dwarves, or control their wills like he was about to with the 9 rings fro Men). They remember their hurts, as well as their friends.

[Fuin Elda]

-And I just realized in this episode Isildur's friends are named Valandil and Imrahil. So, I'm curious to see if they get expanded roles, or what part they have to play in future seasons. (I don't get these shortened names though...like his friends calling him "Isil" and there's "Theo," "Nori" -for Elanor Brandyfoot)

I'm glad I wasn't the only one that caught Valandil and Imrahil I will admit Iwasn't sure if my brain was making things up because I WANT to see them there and I want to see the Princes of Dol Amroth come into being and I feel like Imrahil is an excellent start to that....

As for the shortened names I'm not against it. After all we have Merry and Pippin in the LOTR and those certainly aren't their whole names. Nori also rolls off the tongue faster and most people DO have nicknames IRL (and it's not as off as say Richard turns into Dick.... Like where in the sweet hell does that come from?)

Still very much disliking Elrond I wasn't the biggest fan of him in the LOTR either but like I'll take Hugo's portrayal over this one any day. The man needs more grease in his pompadour to match his demeanor.

Still displeased at the Celebrimbor not being shown as a smith, it's 4 episodes in half way there and this man hasn't been shown making a single bloody thing in a smithy. Master smiths are ALWAYS working and creating to perfect things, all he's been lately is a politician and it's very meh as a smith myself (I have smithed more in the last year since moving out of Winnipeg than that charcter has smithed in his entire life given how he acts and walks and holds his hands.)


the dwarves - yes. Yes please continue with the dwarves. With the Mithril and the Disa (loved the singing bit with Elrond seeing the sands shifting while she was singing to the mountain)

Adar - Honestly was thinking Sauron when I saw it mostly because it states that he falls from being beautiful and can't be anymore... This sort of reads as that however Maeglin is a fantastic take on this as well and had wondered about it as well. I am not sure Maeglin would work with the orcs though? If it's not Sauron though it's certainly my second favourite theory mostly because I feel like Celebrimbor will be less likely to team up with him in order to create the rings.

[The Good Hunter]

@Eldy Dunami Ah good! I usually take it upon myself not to read a lot of articles of the who's and what's of a show or film before I see it. Usually it helps the experience of watching but sometimes, like this one, it hurts it. I am glad though, as interesting as this character could be, they didn't feel like Sauron or anything close to him. Apropos of that, I'm thinking that we are going to see more than one actor play Sauron. We have to believe that Annatar is someone altogether new and different, right? Best way to really portray that is to have two different actors later revealed to be the same person.

Another thing I wanted to point out upon further reflection, was how much I like Pharazon so far. I mean, I hate him, but I like him. He didn't do much in this episode, but what he did do spoke volumes of things to come. Tolkien lived and wrote during the rise of fascism and bigotry and we are still seeing it crop up in places. It's recognizably both pre-WWII 20th century and modern day. I think the showrunners played that perfectly. It's scenes and characters like that that give me faith these showrunners know more about Tolkien than we gave them credit for.

And alas I am forced to defend my Elrond! I loved Hugo Weaving in his role, but I am embracing Robert Aramayo and his puffy haircut. He is meant to be an Elrond we've never seen before, to think and act and behave in ways we aren't used to seeing elves behave and actor and think. While I understand how people think he's manipulative and deceptive I think that they are missing the nuances. He's an elf being made to sus out dwarven secrets (something dwarves are very, very, very good at keeping) and he's threading the line between friendship and loyalty. Celebrimbitch (the counterpart to Conanbrimbor) put him in a terrible, terrible position to start the episode yet Elrond did his duty and learned what the secret was. He also made a very serious oath to Durin that I don't think he has any intention of breaking. Also, the scene in which he talks about wishing he could just talk to his father, no matter if it were in praise or disappointment told me he wasn't being tricksy or deceptive, he was being honest. If he were being manipulative, he would have surely exploited that break between father and son, not try his best to heal it.

[Eldy Dunami]

Apropos of that, I'm thinking that we are going to see more than one actor play Sauron. We have to believe that Annatar is someone altogether new and different, right? Best way to really portray that is to have two different actors later revealed to be the same person.

I think there's a decent chance we haven't seen Sauron onscreen at all, yet, in any guise, though it could also be that he is one of the known suspects while moonlighting with another identity offscreen. I'm not sure if the show will able able to call him Annatar—depends on whether that's one of the posthumously published things they can get case-by-case permission to use, though I'm not sure if that arrangement was ever officially acknowledged—but there are hints he might already be up to something like his "canonical" activities. Celebrimbor's strict deadline for his special forge seems ... concerning, at least to Gil-galad, who has already found evidence of someone's evil corruption in Lindon (h/t to Narvi on TORn for drawing this connection).

He also made a very serious oath to Durin that I don't think he has any intention of breaking.

I hope this is the case, and that the next episode preview was edited deceptively, though I'm not holding my breath. Like you, I really enjoyed the scene of Elrond talking about Eärendil, and I would rather that not be undercut by a reveal that Elrond only told that story to earn Durin's trust for the purposes of future manipulation.

[Eldy Dunami]

As for the shortened names I'm not against it. After all we have Merry and Pippin in the LOTR and those certainly aren't their whole names. Nori also rolls off the tongue faster and most people DO have nicknames IRL (and it's not as off as say Richard turns into Dick.... Like where in the sweet hell does that come from?)

I'm in the same boat RE: nicknames; I think they're a reasonable writing choice, and believable in the context of Middle-earth worldbuilding. Tolkien himself provided diminutive forms for a number of Quenya names of First Age characters (HoMe XII, The Shibboleth of Fëanor), and while his method was different than just chopping off the first part, I don't think ROP is going out of bounds with its approach.

[Boromir88]

@Metatron Omega, I agree with you about loving Pharazon (or well loving his portrayal, not the person ).

I liked his stump speech to the crowd. He masterfully pivoted from the guild member's mob rabble rousing about "Elves never sleep or tire, they'll take our jobs," to appeal to the valor and pride of Men. "Come now, the elves are no threat to our lives, because we are the Edain, we are a Kingdom of Men."

I've heard others say during Galadriel's jail break and Halbrand tells Pharazon "I wouldn't do that," it's a clue that Halbrand is Sauron. It purposefully looked like a captive advising his captor situation. I rather think that "advice" to Pharazon from within a jail cell scene, was foreshadowing and revealing more into Pharazon's character, than figuring out the Halbrand mystery. My current theory after Episode 4 is Halbrand becomes acclimated in Numenor and to Pharazon. Maybe becoming an advisor/general/captain under Pharazon and becoming a future Nazgul. I can see a future Nazgul being formerly important members of the King's Men. Anyway, I think this episode to be more revealing into Pharazon's character ("there isn't a name he doesn't know or a person who doesn't owe him a favor") than answering the question "Who is Halbrand?"