The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power 2×02 “Where the Stars Are Strange” already sees the payoff from the first episode “Elven Kings Under the Sky.” There is a lot of world building admittedly. There’s no escaping that with a property like this. But already we see relationships starting to shift and plans being laid out that will eventually explode by the end of season 2. Because Elrond is right. This is Sauron’s maze. But people solve mazes. They do it all the time. They’re a puzzle like anything else and only together can they figure it out.
Disa Is That Girl
Another season and another episode to prove that Disa is that girl. Or that dwarf. Every single time I see her on my screen she makes me feel the same way I did when I saw Pepper Potts in the Marvel Universe. She was the it girl who knew how to take care of things. And the entire Iron Man run could have avoided a lot of problems if they just let Pepper handle things. I feel the same way for Disa. Not only is she rearing her young children, she’s trying to save her people from starvation with her voice, supporting a husband who is just as stubborn as his father, and then telling the King off for being just as stubborn as his son. She’s got a lot on her plate.
For some, it might seem like wasted screen time to show Disa shopping, Disa/Durin having dinner, or Durin working in the mines. But these small moments with the dwarves are essential world building that bring this community to life. “Where the Stars Are Strange” feels like there is depth added to the dwarfs in a manner that makes them feel like a community outside of what we’ve learned about them previously. Because if you’ve only watched the movies, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogy, you know the dwarves as warriors or either remnants of a great society. The Rings of Power is giving us an opportunity to see that they are fighters, lovers, friends, families, parents, and so much more.
Centering Disa in The Rings of Power 2×02, is also a way for the show to continue chipping away at this void of women in the Tolkien space. Because as much as I loved The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, I can count on one hand the amount of women who are essential parts of the story. And even then, none of them have had the development and complexity that Disa and Galadriel have had. With these two characters we get to see women who are righteous, joyful, determined, tired, and a whole multitude of other things that just enriches this story across multiple episodes and seasons. And that makes the show all worthwhile.
Galadriel and Elrond Are Both Annoying :p
Galadriel and Elrond are annoying again in “Where the Stars Are Strange.” It’s not something that I thought would go away easily considering what happened in the first episode “Elven Kings Under the Sky.” Like I said previously, they were going to go through some growing pains. And I like the pace of season 2 already because these growing pains are paying off. We saw an Elrond who was resigned but also righteous in his stance now that he was working at the hot elves Círdan’s boat making workshop. He was right in being cautious about The Rings and how Galadriel was way too willing to use them without showing fear of repercussions. He was also right that Galadriel was played by Halbrand aka Sauron. And if she doesn’t steady herself, she’s going to do something stupid in her righteous anger to prove that Sauron won’t get to her again.
On the Galadriel side of things, she was pompous and just as righteous as Elrond. Don’t think I don’t see you Miss Galadriel, coming to beg at Elrond’s door not because you’re sorry or understand his concerns, but because you need his help. And I would rather avoid these fake little pleasantries and get to the meat and potatoes of things. Which she does after some difficulty. She admits that Sauron got to her. And when they don’t find a middle ground, she walks away and he stays there. But the fact that she opened up about her struggle, made what happens next in Elrond’s court.
Elrond going to the hot elf Círdan for advice and listening was a defining moment for him; not only for his friendship with Galadriel but for us as a viewer because there’s nothing hotter than admitting your fault, getting it together, and moving forward. (Did I just call Elrond hot? We might as well since hot elf is no longer hot elf. See bottom of post for rant on beard.) Círdan was right. If our friends have fallen into a trap or specific place of darkness, isn’t it our job as friends to help guide them. Because it’s when things get hard that your real friends prove themselves to be true. And I love that The Rings of Power 2×02 showed an Elrond and Galadriel that were willing to try together and be there for each other even if things are shaky. Because friendships aren’t easy. And I think that they probably get even more complicated when a great evil is looming over everything and ready to destroy Middle Earth for funsies.
Sauron Continues Being a Messy Queen
Looking back at The Rings of Power season 1, I didn’t care much for Charlie Vickers Halbrand. He felt like a knock off Aragorn. But looking back now, it was a sneaky way to disarm me as the viewer. And when Vickers transformed from Halbrand to Sauron in the final episode of season 1 “Alloyed,” I think I got to see the actors true capabilities with a clear lens. Vickers portrays a Sauron that is menacing, disarming, patient, and terrifying. And he does it with such an ease, calm, and poise that I can’t stop analyzing every single tick and move that he makes while playing Sauron. Because all of it is a chess game. And even Sauron playing the patient, helpful, and hurt little human as Halbrand at Eregion, it’s part of the game.
You don’t realize it until you finish the episode that appearing to Celebrimbor as Annatar is one of the most finely tuned but essential moves for Sauron. Helping him build the forge in season 1 was a step in the right direction. But he used this opportunity with Celebrimbor to basically give the elf a religious experience. He set the scene and everything with the dramatic storm and wind. And that fire and the dramatic entrance with a new fit? It was all part of a play. He was the man on stage and Celebrimbor was in the audience absolutely lapping it up. And I think, no I know, that he caught Celebrimbor hook, line and sinker.
This is going to be the grand stage of season 2 of The Rings of Power. Not Khazad-dûm or Lindon. This forge and Eregion is the stage. In the previous episode of “Elven Kings Under the Sky,” he had Adar convinced that Sauron was in Eregion making big plans to take him and the orcs out. And by killing the messenger that was to be sending warnings to Celebrimbor, Sauron guaranteed that the elves would come. And by the time that the orcs and the elves get to the city, Sauron will have what he wants: The Rings and two opposing forces that will destroy each other and the forge so no one else can remake the power that he is seeking.
Altogether, this is masterful planning in The Rings of Power 2×02 that shows the complexity of the show itself but an understanding of Tolkien’s world.
The Stranger, Nori, and Poppy Doing Stuff & Things
The weakest part for me at the moment when it comes to The Rings of Power 2×02 is The Stranger, Nori, and Poppy. Not because I hate their journey or think that it lacks substance. It’s because I can’t see the clear picture of what the endgame is with these three. The Stranger is trying to find his way back home and Nori and Poppy are there for the ride. But I’m having trouble pinning down how The Stranger plays into the bigger picture that we have here. Because the elves and the dwarves, we know what part they play in Sauron’s game. But I don’t know where these three fit.
It doesn’t mean that all hope is lost for The Stranger, Nori, and Poppy when it comes to how they fit into everything. If I had faith in Galadriel and Elrond in episode 1, I can do the same thing with these three. I just don’t want to repeat of season 1. They are in a different setting but I don’t want endless wandering. I want a little bit more pointed development and direction. And I think them being separated is going to give them that direction. The Stranger has only been able to define himself or his experiences as tied to Nori. She’s been his companion and friend this entire time. But him being separated gives him an opportunity to figure out who he is.
On the flip side of things, I think that Nori and Poppy being separated from The Stranger is also a good thing. They have had their families there to help guide them and protect them. And they had The Stranger there to help guide and protect them while they were out in the wild. Now they don’t have that. They just have each other. And I hope that The Rings of Power takes this as an opportunity to develop both of these harfoot hobbits as individuals but as friends. Because they’re not going to be the same people they were in season 1. I don’t think they are already. But by the end of season 2 I think that these best friends are going to be facing some tough decisions that bring them closer but also that try to tear them apart. And that’s the kind of writing that I want to see.
By the way, I talked about this journey that they’re about to go on with the three actors in upcoming exclusive interview. Keep an eye out for it.
Now…a Space to Mourn the Hottest Elf
In my previous review “Elven Kings Under the Sky” I spoke of the hottest elf that I have ever seen in the existence of the Tolkien cinematic verse: Círdan. His beard hypnotized me and I felt like I had had my mind blown. All elves should have beards and all of our lives would be better for the beards. So color me shocked and surprised when the hottest elf shaved the said beard in The Rings of Power 2×02. It’s his face and his choice just as it is my choice to mourn the beard and think of better times aka the previous episode when he walked onto the scene and our lives with the beard. *muffles sobs*
And before you leave, don’t forget to check out Prime Video’s inside look at episode 2×02 below!
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power drops new episodes every Thursday on Prime Video.
