‘The Rings of Power’ Season 2, Episode 3 Recap: Forging Ahead

Amazon released the first three episodes of Season 2 of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” at once; read the recaps for Episode 1 here and Episode 2 here.

Season 2, Episode 3: ‘The Eagle and the Scepter’

One of the central themes in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” is the alliance. Given the inspiration the author reportedly drew from his personal experiences fighting in World War I — and given that World War II was raging during the years he was working on the books — it’s not too difficult to read into his story a strong endorsement of the idea that brave men and women of different backgrounds should come together to thwart a common enemy. Their cause then becomes a bond that holds, even after the battle is over.

But because “The Rings of Power” is more of an origin story, it makes a related but distinct point to Tolkien’s, which is that alliances are never easy. Even if everyone can agree on what they oppose — armies of orcs, for example — that may not be enough for them to overcome their old grudges. If, say, the humans resent the elves, the elves distrust the humans and the dwarves would rather be left alone, that’s a big gap for these various factions to bridge before they can take up arms together.

And that’s not even taking into account all the factions within factions: the rural humans who struggle to get along with the rich city-dwellers, the half-elves who feel disrespected by elfin aristocrats and so on.

In the third episode of Season 2, the last of the main Season 1 characters who had yet to be seen this season finally reappear; these are the “Rings of Power” story lines in which the acrid aroma of racism and classism sours the air. They will come together some day, we know. But it will be a long, winding road.

Here are four takeaways and observations from Episode 3:

Numenor is for the birds

The wealthy and sophisticated island kingdom of Numenor was one of the most stunningly opulent locations in Season 1 and the source of a lot of political intrigue that, frankly, did not get its full due in that season’s eight episodes. As soon as Numenor’s queen regent, Miriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), made the controversial decision to lead an expedition to the Southlands, her home became more or less an afterthought in the season until the finale, when she returned — blinded from battle — to find her father had died.