The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power “Adar” was a rollercoaster of feeling for me as a fan and fangirl. As a fan, it’s easy to see that the Falling Man is Gandalf. That friendship with Nori is the beginning building blocks of it. Also, 1×03 did the impossible by actually making me like Isildur, while giving me the realization that he was just a young man trying to find his place in this big and wild world.
But then there’s the fangirl part of me. You know, the part that saw Galadriel and Halbrand circling each other and went, “Am I shipping this? Are they going to baddies together?” Because Halbrand getting the knife for Galadriel, that was a move. And you can tell by the look in her eyes that she was surprised and intrigued. Like sure, she wants to keep him near because he can help in the upcoming battle. But something about him intrigues her and she’s going to find out what it is.
And I support it all.
Galadriel with Her New Besties in Númenor
The Rings of Power “Adar” has legit given me the best Galadriel content yet. I feel like before, she was constrained by the “good and obedient” elf act she had to put on when surrounded by her people. She doesn’t have to do that in Númenor. She is the warrior, scholar, and baddie who definitely puts her foot in her mouth in front of the Queen Regent because she’s not yet the polished and wise elf we know and love from The Lord of the Rings. And I love it.
I especially love the friendships that she’s making along the way. Halbrand was a happy accident that stopped her from floating in the sea for god knows how long. And in the span of a couple of days, she knows this man will go to bat for her, wants to live his own life, and maybe just redeem his bloodline. That’s attractive to Galadriel as a warrior who needs someone to partner up with to take on the darkness that is coming for them all.
The same thing could be said about Galadriel and Elendil’s relationship. She just met him, and he’s already helping her solve the puzzle of what that mark on her brother’s chest really meant. Sure, I’m a little bothered that he put on this “dad act” when she was looking at ships, ignoring the fact that she’s hundreds of years older than him and could be his mom seven times over. But he didn’t do it maliciously, and you know he’s going to help her.
Another person who Galadriel hasn’t “met” yet on screen is Isildur. But he…he’s absolutely going to help her escape. He knows there is something bigger out there for him, and he’s going to follow it. I sincerely hope that his sister Eärien steps up to the plate as well because The Rings of Power isn’t just led by strong men. It’s led by strong women who step up, do what has to be done, and change the world for the better or just shake things up, aka the Queen Regent, who definitely has a huge plan up her sleeve.
Basically, I just want to see all the women being baddies together and show me something I’ve never seen in a world I love.
Everything Our Boy Arondir is Going Through
Arondir’s pain and his journey is honestly what hurts the most in The Rings of Power. He’s always had a team behind him, a family. And even when he strayed from that family, he had Bronwyn. Now, stuck in those tunnels, he has no one. And that has to be painful, knowing that you’re one of the only ones left and that you need to survive to warn the rest of what the orcs are up to.
Keeping all of that in mind, I think that Arondir is going to make it out alive. He has the patience, drive, and heart to reach his goal. It doesn’t matter that he’s going to face Adar, aka the next big baddie who everyone thinks is Sauron. Which, I don’t think it’s him because it’s too obvious. And I am a bit bitter that they didn’t show us his face, because you know he’s going to be a hot baddie.
But…I got off track.
Back to Arondir.
He’s going to get out of there. He is going to warn people of the coming orcs. Question is, who is he going to go to first? Because it makes sense for him to warn his fellow elves. He has a sense of duty, and they are his family. But he clearly loves Bronwyn, she is in that path of danger and doesn’t have his mad flipping through the air skills, and her kid has the sword the orcs are looking for. Not that he knows the last thing.
But you know what I mean. Danger is coming for them all and uniting is the only way to survive.
That Man Has to Be Gandalf
The Rings of Power “Adar” really did everything in its power to convince me that the Falling Man is Gandalf. In the last episode, it was the whole talking to bugs thing that reminded us of Gandalf talking to moths that helped him escape Saruman. In this episode, it was how he followed Nori and her family at the end there and how he said her name when he was discovered as if she’s the only one he trusts because she’s his friend.
Gandalf always had a fondness for the Hobbits. He returned to their lands, over and over. He made sure they were ok, entertained them with his fireworks and knowledge, and when things got tough, he knew to come to them for help. One doesn’t just put blind faith into a collective group of people for fun. They do it because they have a connection. And what bigger connection than, “Yeah, remember that time I fell from the sky and I was all confused and stuff and you helped me, even though it put your family in danger?”
Which, let’s talk about the whole “those left behind” nonsense. Like…I understand that the Harfoots are a nomadic community, and they move from one place to the next; part of it due to safety reasons. But sometimes it isn’t because of that. Sometimes it’s because Harfoots get left behind, and they keep moving. And for such a “loving community,” they really didn’t do anything to help Nori’s family feel like she wasn’t going to be left behind when dad got injured.
The Falling Man is going to help Nori, Poppy, and her family. As much as he can anyway. And when they do fall behind, because they will, he’ll help them settle down into a place that will become the future of Hobbits. Hopefully, Poppy will be included in this because the fact that she was pulling her own little cart, with no family in sight, hurts my heart. She needs family and support, and I hope she stays with the Brandyfoots and isn’t turned away as the caravan did to the Brandyfoot’s in general.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premieres new episodes each Friday on Prime Video.
