The first three episodes of the second season of Amazon Prime’s The Rings of Power have been released, and much to the fans’ excitement, it seems to have found a perfect rhythm for plot progression from the get-go. With the creation of the Rings of Power, Dark Lord Sauron’s grand plan of taking control of the entirety of Middle-Earth has started taking shape, and along with that, the second season expands upon world-building as well. Intriguing developments are underway in the Southlands, where a primordial evil has emerged once again. As a natural counter, the uprising of a benevolent guardian race has been hinted at as well. At Númenor, major shifts in political power spell doom for humankind, and all these events will have a significant impact on the upcoming war(s) for the fate of Middle-Earth in the near future. Highlighting some of these key issues, we will answer some of the crucial questions raised by the premiere of the second season of The Rings of Power.
Spoilers Ahead
Who captured Isildur?
In the previous season of The Rings of Power, with the eruption of Mount Doom and the creation of Mordor, numerous lives were lost in the severe cataclysm resulting from the rise of dark forces, and Isildur, the son of Númenorean Captain Elendil, was supposedly one of them. For viewers who are acquainted with the lore of Middle-Earth, Isildur quite obviously didn’t die, as he’ll go on to have a much more significant purpose to serve later in his life. In the second season, it is shown that Isildur had been captured inside a cave, in the grim depths of Mirkwood, and a giant spider turns out to be the captor. The spider is fearsome enough to have preyed on not only humans but orcs as well, and as a result, Adar’s dark forces avoid venturing into its territory as well. Isildur is able to break free from his captivity with the help of his loyal steed, Berek—but this is not the last time viewers will meet this arachnid monstrosity.
The giant spider of Mirkwood seems to indicate the presence of Ungoliant, the first giant spider, a manifestation of the primordial evil and a formidable ally to the Dark Lord, Morgoth. Ungoliant’s origin can be traced back to Ainulindalë, and even though none of the Valars are aware of her true form or history, the all-consuming darkness emanated by Ungoliant is a complementary contrasting aspect of Valar’s light. Ungoliant assisted Melkor after his fall from grace, and at some point, the duo had a falling out regarding the possession of Melkor’s stolen Silmarils. By then, feeding on the sources of light in Valinor, Ungoliant had become strong enough to almost go toe to toe with Melkor, but facing multiple Balrog associates of the Dark Lord, she had to retreat. Ungoliant seemingly passed away during the First Age, while in the Second and Third ages, her daughter Shelob terrorized various parts of Middle-Earth. The giant spider in Mirkwood might be one of many descendants of Shelob and Ungoliant, which implies that with the creation of Mordor, the ancient evil will let its presence be felt on Arda once again.
What Was the Significance of the Eagle?
Meanwhile, at Númenor, during Queen Míriel’s coronation, a crooked ploy is put in effect by Isildur’s sister, Eärien, and Pharazôn, who are unwilling to see Míriel ascend the throne of the kingdom as a successor to her father, Tar-Palantir, due to her newfound tolerance for the elves. Eärien reveals the mystery of Palantir to the court, blaming Míriel for using Elven magic to jeopardize the lives of her subjects, and Pharazôn, with his political ambition, incites the court further, which results in a massive outcry among the people, ensuing a chaotic situation. However, with the sudden appearance of a Great Eagle, the hue and cry stopped, and Pharazôn seized the moment by approaching the divine beast, which was suddenly interpreted as a sign to make him the ruler instead of Míriel. The Great Eagles of Manwë, the leader of the Valars, are seen as revered figures in Arda, who are taught in the language of Valar and act in opposition to the dark forces. Their presence at the coronation festival is seen as auspicious, and the Great Eagle had most probably arrived to support Míriel’s cause as well. But with her blindness and the opportunistic intentions of Pharazôn, the history of Númenor shifts towards a different trajectory—one that ends up resulting in the fall of the kingdom as well. Without spoiling much, we can share the fact that Pharazôn isn’t the wisest of rulers in the lore of Middle-Earth, and a number of his decisions and alliances with dark forces result in humanity getting plunged into great peril.
Did the Ents Save Theo From the Wildmen?
In the third episode, Isildur’s horse, Berek, gets stolen by a bunch of Morgoth loyalist Wildmen, and Theo, son of the late Bronwyn the healer, agrees to help him find his steed. While distracting the Wildmen as Isildur releases Berek, Theo gets chased by the barbarians, but all of a sudden, a series of devastating attacks by unseen forces completely overwhelm the Wildmen. Theo is seen confronting one of his rescuers, whose appearance isn’t revealed yet, but the giant stature of the being is easily noticeable as they effortlessly pick Theo up and move somewhere else. From the telltale signs of cutting down trees during the scene and vicious axe attacks as retaliation, it doesn’t take much imagination to ascertain the fact that Ents have finally appeared in The Rings of Power. Known as the guardians, shepherds of the forests, Ents are an ancient, wise plant-humanoid species dwelling in the wilderness of Middle-Earth and were given knowledge by Elves after gaining sentience. Morgoth and Sauron’s dark army, who lay waste to the world of Arda, engulfing everything in fire and ash in their wake, are a natural enemy to the Ents. In the Third Age, the last of the Ents waged war against Saruman’s army as well, as viewers who have enjoyed Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy will surely remember.
The machinations of the Wildmen in the Southlands and the formation of Mordor seem to have finally awakened the Ents from their slumber, and their joining in the battle against Sauron’s army will act as a major assistance for Galadriel and her forces.
