This week, Rings of Power continues its downward spiral into self-destruction. Episode 7 is titled “The Eye” and focuses on the aftermath of the eruption of Mount Doom at the end of episode 6. The Numenorians and Southlanders try to get survivors together, while Elrond and Durin struggle to convince the king of Khazad-Dum to reopen the mining of Mithril. The Harfoot’s also find themselves affected by the eruption. They decide to entreat The Stranger to help them restore a beloved apple orchard.

Somehow, this episode manages to be one of the dullest things I’ve seen in recent years. I care little for any of the characters at this point. Even Elrond and Durin’s relationship, which I have praised in the past, has simply been ruined by the utter disregard for the source material. Mithril has never once been a substance that acts as a pseudo fountain of youth for Elves. Clearly, the writers felt the racial conflict didn’t have nearly enough stakes compared to the other plot lines.

As a result, the audience is left with a poorly contrived familial conflict that not only feels generic but completely undercuts the role that Elves fulfill in Tolkien’s work. For example, one of the biggest interpersonal conflicts present in Lord of the Rings is the love between Arwen and Aragorn. Elrond hates the fact that his daughter will remain centuries after her husband has passed on from the world. As a father, nothing causes him more pain than leaving his daughter to a lifetime of grief and loneliness as her people leave for the Undying Lands. However, if Arwen could simply die by not having enough Mithril to sustain her immortality then she could simply share a mortal lifespan with her human lover.

When plot details raise more questions than answers, it only serves to further emphasize the weakness of a narrative. It’s quite disappointing to see this happen to one of the better aspects of this show.

This episode also features some of the worst character writing so far. Elendil has gone from being one of Galadriel’s biggest supporters to hating her very existence in the span of a single scene. Disa, Durin’s wife, suddenly evolves from being friendly and supportive to a scheming manipulator who channels the cruelty of Lady Macbeth. These sudden changes only serve to further enhance the narrative dissonance I feel every time I dive back into this world.

I also find that some of the characters have begun to feel incredibly pointless now that they have come together. Both Bronwyn and Arondir seem to fulfill the same roles that Galadriel and Halbrand occupy, and as a result, they are now treated as simply accessories with excessive plot armor. It would have been interesting if one of them had been killed off at this point to help enforce the severity of their situation or provide weight to the feelings of guilt that everyone seems to harbor now. Instead, Isildur is “killed off,” an extremely pointless choice given everyone already knows how exactly how he will meet his end years down the line.

The one thing I enjoyed about this episode is the mysterious robed figure who is tracking The Stranger. They have some nice eerie musical accompaniment and utilize magic in a visually interesting way that coincides with the soft magic system of this universe. Apart from that though, I can’t really say this show is worth spending your time on anymore. I will be finishing this season, but overall am highly disappointed. I’ve seen other fantasy TV shows with half the budget manage to deliver a more entertaining product.

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.

Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!

The Rings of Power

2

Score

2.0/10

Pros

• Magic

Cons

• Every Character is a Puppet
• Mithril, Mithril, and Mithril
• Fake Outs Galore
• Tolkien Who?