Season 1 Episode 2 of The Rings of Power Discussion written by the Elf and Hobbit on September 7th, 2022. This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Discussion Questions & Episode Guide
Season 1 Episode 2
Background Info: Rings of Power Season 1 Episode 2
**SPOILERS INCLUDED IN REVIEW**
Show: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Episode: Season 1 Episode 2 Adrift
Air Date: 9/2/22
Streaming Service: Amazon Prime Video
(Available to Amazon Prime Subscribers – You can Subscribe today)
Length: 1 hr 10 min
Genre: Fantasy, Drama
Warnings: The series has been consistent with the movies so far in terms of violence/gore/language. The only significant change in this episode is that there is a pretty intense looking sea beast and one cliff hanger grab scare.
**SPOILERS INCLUDED**
Quick Season 1 Episode 2 of The Rings of Power Summary:
We continue to be introduced to Middle Earth as it was thousands of years before the movies. And what we see is a world deeply divided and desperately clinging to the idea of perfect, divided, and peaceful communities without evil. Galadriel faces down a new threat and might have found a new ally in the sea. We don’t know who the stranger is who landed dramatically near the harfoots, but Nori is determined to help him. Prince Durin is not as thrilled to see Elrond as he anticipated he would be- can they make amends or will they be splitting rocks forever? No one takes Bronwyn seriously when she races back to save her village before the orcs take over. And we are left on the edge of our seats with a handful of these characters.
3 Rings of Power Discussion Questions for S1 Ep2
**Slight spoilers included**
1) Who do you think the stranger is that Nori is trying to help?
2) Are you more like Nori or Poppy in strange situations?
3) Bronwyn could not convince anyone there was danger until she brought them the head of an orc. What sources are you quick to believe and what sources are you more skeptical of?
Our Commentary on Season 1 Episode 2 of The Rings of Power
Nori’s World:
Nori, against Poppy’s better judgement, has been feeding the Stranger and trying to communicate with him. But WHO is it?! I don’t think they are valar. And I do not believe it’s Tom Bombadil as some seem to be hoping, for two reasons. One because of the dead fireflies and two because Tom was around before the first age. This is one of the more intriguing storylines for me because of this mystery.
Galadriel’s Quest:
It was really beautiful how they portrayed Galadriel’s intense struggle with deciding to stay in Middle Earth. Literally basking in the glory of light and the painful choice to turn around and try to facedown the darkness. We still don’t know who exactly this person is who rescued her. I’m curious to see whether or not this is a more significant and possibly main character. There are a lot of complaints about her character but I think it’s fabulously done and that Morfydd Clark is doing a fantastic job with the portrayal.
Durin’s World:
This was our favorite part of the second episode. You never really get to see the beauty of the dwarves lands in the original three movies. And goodness I loved the part where Elrond and Durin are arguing about why Durin is upset and he actually tells him. And then that Princess Disa tells them to get over themselves and hash it out. Just a really fantastic introduction there. Now as to the stone Durin and his father are hiding… Is it the arkenstone, one of the elves creations, or something entirely different?
Bronwyn and Arondir:
We knew that their story wouldn’t be easy from the start. But sheesh. They’ve already parted paths in a painfully quick and unexpected way. Arondir is headed toward what we now know is the orc group underground. The cliffhanger at the end with him was good. Do the orcs have home now or was he perhaps taken by the trees or someone else? Bronwyn runs home to save her son and convince the village to high tail it outta there. I definitely want to know the significance of the sword piece Theo has found and if just touching it will negatively impact him. I hope they’ll be reunited but am not expecting it anytime soon.
Season 1 Episode 2 Conclusion:
Fantastic first two episodes. We were pleasantly surprised and are excited to see where the series goes. It is slow character and world building. If you are not a fan of these fantasy movies for the story and just like the action, you will likely be disappointed with this one. I also acknowledge that there will be a fair number of Tolkien fans who did not like any of the movie adaptions. If you disliked all of the movie adaptions, this probably will not thrill you either. It looks however, like a majority of the screen critics really enjoyed the release as well. Those reviews are positive.
The Complaints About The Rings of Power:
There are a lot of people that are complaining about the casting and female leads saying that it’s not because of racism and misogyny-but it is. It’s difficult to even realize how influential those things are in our society or in your own worldview/interpretation if you are not aware of it. The source material is fantasy. There were racist and sexist things in it. We’re huge Tolkien fans but I wish they would have addressed those things better in the original three movies and am very glad they are being addressed now. The Inklings all had different perspectives on fantasy but encouraged it and part of the reason they all loved fantasy was because it could transport you to a different world that meant something different and could look different for everyone.
I really liked what this NY Times article said about it, “What is especially vexing about the race- and gender-focused gripes is that the story this series is telling — similar to the one J.R.R. Tolkien told in his books — is largely concerned with how different groups overcome their biases and superstitions for a higher cause. In other words: The various ways these multihued creatures look and act is kind of the point.“
There were some big cliffhangers here, and I’m sure that is how the rest of the episodes and series will be. Excited to see what happens in the rest of the first season. There is a lot going on, a lot of storylines to follow. The Rings of Power discussion has been really interesting too, hoping it gets kinder and more hopeful.
Thanks for reading our Season 1 Episode 2 of The Rings of Power Discussion Guide and Review!
You can also find our thoughts on Episode 1 and Episode 3 of The Rings of Power
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