Charlotte Brändström, who directed the incredible sixth episode, returns to the series to craft the haunting aftermath of her epic battle scene. Her grasp of visual storytelling and mastery of the fantasy genre remain key assets to the strength of her episodes.
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“The Eye” picks up moments after the massive emotional shift and shocking spectacle at the end of “Udûn.” Though the Númenórean army seemed to claim victory over Adar’s forces, a simple act of subterfuge allowed the Uruk to enact his goals while captured. As a result, Adar is able to cause the eruption of Mount Doom, bathing the victorious army in pyroclastic ash. Many are killed in the disaster. Even more are left missing, including the notably important soldier Isildur, and though many fans know he has to survive, others were not so lucky. The eruption and the after-effects are some of the most striking visuals yet depicted in a series that has been glorious to look at since the beginning.
The eruption of Mount Doom leaves the heroes in shambles, but Galadriel leaps into action. As soldiers aid each other and try desperately to survive, Galadriel winds up escorting Bronwyn’s son Theo across the dangerous territory. One of the benefits of an ensemble cast is getting to pair off characters from wildly different worlds and hear them interact. This is a staple of Tolkien’s work, and it works well here. Theo is a dynamic and evolving character who displays the influence of the surrounding heroes. Much of Galadriel’s dialogue over the series has been either providing exposition or attempting to drive the plot forward. She hasn’t gotten a ton of time to explore her character through conversation, so this time with Theo is welcome and well-handled.
The Númenórean army isn’t the only group negatively impacted by the sudden eruption of the great volcano. The Harfoots’ long migration finally comes to an end, only to discover their new home has been struck with some flaming stone. The elder Sadoc insists that Nori and her family reach out to the man who fell from the sky for aid, and he very nearly offers it. Unfortunately, the Stranger’s magic backfires yet again, endangering Nori and a young child. It kind of seems like the Stranger trying to help, his magic going awry, and the Harfoots getting scared has been done multiple times already. This one has some consequences, however, as Sadoc sends the Stranger away to find answers elsewhere. The Stranger leaves, but, as he does, he offers his magical aid. Unfortunately, this leads new and powerful forces to the Harfoot camp. The Harfoots are left scrambling, and even the most charming aspect of this series finds itself at its lowest point in the penultimate episode.
This episode packs in the content. On top of the A and B plot, “The Eye” makes time to check in on Durin and Elrond in the Mines of Moria. The ongoing political struggle about the fate of Elves reaches a fever pitch as the kind prince of Dwarves brings the issue to his stern father. Durin and Disa have been consistently one of the most pleasant and emotionally satisfying relationships in the series, and every time they’re on-screen is a joy. Elrond’s relationship with the Dwarves continues to be fascinating as well. As the ages-old between the two civilizations rears its ugly head, the friendship between individual Elves and Dwarves seems to be the only thing saving the day. The end of this episode reveals several interesting developments, all of which is terrible news for the characters. This series seems to be heading toward a fairly nasty conclusion as the first season comes to an end, but there’s so much more Middle-earth history to explore as the show goes on.
Rings of Power dragged its feet in its first few episodes, but it’s up and running as it comes into its season finale. The pacing now reveals itself to be the long process of setting charges and lighting fuses that comes before the explosions. The bombs have gone off and “The Eye” is an episode about people dealing with shell shock. It’s a powerful exploration of the effects of war, from the heroes that claim the glory, to the grunts that win battles, to the villains that use underhanded tactics, to the happy civilians caught in the crossfire. The final episode has a lot on its shoulders, and fans will have to wait and see how Rings of Power pays off everything it’s built up.
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