 Did you think that meant the show was over? A bit of the old Toby. I think he must have watched Max recently. So good. Well, these hardwoods, I tell ya, there is something not right about them. ["The Star-Spangled Banner"] Previously on Rings of Power, everyone died. Did you think that meant the show was over? Oh no. In this episode, we follow our characters as they reckon with the fact that their actions landed them in the bad place. It turns out pledging to commit genocide right before dying, not a great idea. Even her horse was condemned for guilt by association. Theo, who notably touched the darkness and did not find the light, also went to the bad place. In fact, many of the Southlanders ended up there condemned to forever relive the stupidity of returning to their village from the fortress. They're not the only ones that made it to the bad place, oh no. It looks like just generally being a dick is also not a great move, because you guessed it, our boy Sildur is down there as well. And he's been condemned to have visions of failing his friends and watching them die in front of him before dying himself for eternity. I'm not sure why the Queen of Numenor is there. I mean, she wasn't a great leader, so maybe that's something to do with it. Yeah, she's being punished for her willful blindness with actual blindness. But back in the land of the living, we check in with the Harfoots, and Poppy, she smells wood smoke, and she's immediately like, the others must have started baking. Obviously a nomadic people would not have ovens, so I'm pretty sure what she was referring to is a bit of the old Toby, but oh calamity. Turns out it's not the Harfoots toking after all. It's actually because the evilness alarm went off. Hoppus Murph explains to us that the mountain over yonder begins to spit fire every time a new evil begins to rise. So I mean, good job to anybody who installed that early warning system, very good idea. But then not Gandalf begins hugging trees, and Harfoots, like all sensible people, are immediately put off by this hippie behavior and banish him. So then we check back in with Durin and Elrond, and we learned that Durin's dad, you know, the king, he doesn't think he can trust elves to keep their word in any bargain that they would stray, and has decided it's best to just let the race of elves die out instead. Meanwhile, Durin's wife, Disa, is enjoying a quiet evening, forging things in her living room, as dwarf wives do. She's dismayed when Durin tells her about the imminent and entirely preventable extinction of the Elven race. But in this scene, we see the true nature of Mithril. And it turns out what they've found is actually just a lodestone, because they place it next to a leaf that they thought was rotting. But it looks like it was actually just covered in iron filings, which are magnetically pulled away by the Mithril lodestone when it's placed next to it. So whew, oh, that's a relief. Nothing's rotting, no one's dying. Oh, speaking of dying, we next head back downstairs, and Theo wants to comfort Galadriel, and he says, what are you so bothered about? It isn't your fault. And Galadriel says, yes it is. I mean, as great as it is to see her taking responsibility for her actions for once, when she picked a bad time, because for once, this isn't actually her fault. But we do get some amazing words of wisdom from Galadriel. Theo is wondering about who might have survived, and Galadriel tells him, what cannot be known hollows the mind, fill it not with guesswork. So if you don't know something, don't wonder about it, don't think about it, just ignore it, got it. But Theo wants to know how many orcs she's actually killed, and she says many, and Theo says good, but this does not please Galadriel. She tells him that she would not use such words. I mean, presumably because nothing less than complete genocide is acceptable, so merely killing many is not sufficient. It's all or nothing. She then tells Theo, it darkens the heart to call dark deeds good. Obviously, doing dark deeds is okay. She tells him that all soldiers have to worry about this, so Theo wants to know if he is a soldier. We know how elves feel about lying, but he's not a total lost cause. So instead of saying, yes, you're a soldier, she's like, uh, perhaps we can make one of you yet and hands him her sword. I mean, she won't need it anymore. The rest of the nominorians seem to be making their way out of hell, presumably into purgatory. Elyndiel's walking beside the queen, and he manages to avoid having a branch hit him in the face. But will the queen avoid this as well? We pan up, and she's getting closer and closer, and it looks like it's gonna hit her in the face, but ooh, she misses it. And the queen is like, are we there yet? Elyndiel explains that they have a bit further to go, and she's like, I see. And sassmaster Elyndiel is like, do you? Sick burn. But anyways, for some reason, the queen doesn't want anyone to know that she's blind. She tells Elyndiel to guide her horse, mums the word. So we go back upstairs to check in with the Harfuz, and it turns out that Nori has been plotting her revenge against Nott Gandalf for that little ice fiasco all along. So just like the evil queen from Snow White, she has crafted a poisoned apple, which she then slowly and dramatically hands to him. Or she's just giving him a snack, which he could more easily reach up into any of the trees and get for himself. So then back downstairs, Galadriel's having another heart to heart with Theo as the two of them continue to try to make their way into purgatory. And here we learn that much like the Ents who lost their Entwives, Galadriel has lost her husband. I mean, she's immortal, so it's not super urgent. She can go look for him later. But then we get a huge bombshell revelation. Theo tells her, you're wrong. It's not your fault. It's mine. And Galadriel says, no, you did not intend for this to happen, which can only mean that she did. Next we get an amazing callback to that splashing scene from episode four. If you remember, Theo got into a well and the Orc heard the splash and then he hid under the water and the Orc didn't see him. So he walked away. So then he made a big splash getting out of the water and the Orc didn't hear it. So here in this episode, above where Galadriel and Theo are, the Orcs are clattering and clamoring in their armor as they march along. And Theo unsheathes his weapon and the Orcs immediately stop because they hear this small sound. So then one of them goes to check it out. Now, something about this scene seems familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on why. Anyway, the Orc decides that he hears nothing. There's nothing there. So he continues on his way. Theo re-sheathes his sword and the Orcs don't hear shit. I mean, between this and the splashing scene, I think we've learned something really important about Orcs as a species. They can only hear a sound once. They're deft to it if it happens again. So I can't wait to see this pay off when our characters use this knowledge, their advantage in a later episode. So then we check back in with Duran and Elrond, where they've decided that they're gonna mind the Mithril themselves, screw dad. But the mind starts to shake and then the quiver in and there's another tremor. And Elrond being the crudiest elf that he is, he tells Duran to give the Orcs time to settle. They need to get used to their new lives situated a little bit lower than they were before. You know, they needed an adjustment period. While they wait, Elrond offers Duran some water and Duran declines and says self-discipline. I think he must have watched Mad Max recently. Duran then tells Elrond that Dwarves have secret nicknames that they only share with their friends and family. And it seems like he's about to share his secret nickname with Elrond, but Elrond quickly shuts that down. He's like, Nabra, I don't know you like that. So Duran then does break through the wall. Don't worry, the Orcs were good and settled by then. And he finds all of the Mithril. Like they're not even gonna have to mine it. It's just like this gaping chasm with the Mithril just sitting there out in the open, right on top. So great, they don't even have to mine it. They can just go grab it, awesome. But Duran's dad is super not cool with this. I mean, he's made his position on Elf Extinction pretty clear. And here's his son going and trying to save the elves anyway. He's so mad that he takes away Duran's necklace. So meanwhile, back with the Harfoots, as they're collecting all of the apples, Poppy starts singing this absolutely horrifying song about Boulderbook, who we all remember. They like to make fun of for dying of bees. In this song, he's left his daughter by a river. She gets turned into a snail and he catches the snail and eats it. I mean, these Harfoots, I tell you, there's something not right about them. Poppy then notices the footprint of a big person. I mean, not Gandalf left pretty recently, but she is certain that this is somebody else, somebody dangerous. So she drops her bucket and runs away. And it turns out that somebody else are those pop stars that we saw a few episodes ago. They are in the middle of another photo shoot and they are not pleased that Poppy is littering and dropping buckets all over their shooting location. And if that wasn't bad enough, Nori starts yelling, interrupting their shoot yet again. And we all know what D.Va's pop stars are. So they overreact a bit and set fire to all of the Harfoots caravans. Meanwhile, back downstairs, it looks like the new Minorians, except for Naughty Isildur, have successfully managed to get to Peruvatory. And Isildur's horse is being a real pest. So Elendil is like, give him to me, you're coming home with us. And the horse is like, nah. And Isildur's buddy is like, he won't listen to you. He won't listen to any of us. And the horse is like, yep. So they just let the horse go and he helps away off to a life of freedom. I'm really looking forward to the spinoff series about Barrick the horse who goes around fomenting rebellion among all of horse kinds, telling them if you just stop listening to your masters, they'll say, you free. I am sad though that in this show, at least we are definitely never going to see Isildur or his horse again. So the rest of the Minorians have set up a camp. They'd be fucked if they were in the land of the living because that charging army definitely did not have supply wagons charging alongside them. Well, luckily they're in Peruvatory. So food, medicine, tents, tables, all that stuff. It just materializes. Galadriel and Theo have also successfully made it to Peruvatory where Theo is reunited with his mom and his mom's boyfriend. Galadriel goes to see the queen who is determined to keep her blindness a secret which is why she is wearing a blindfold because a blindfold on a blind person would be pretty redundant. So when people see her in a blindfold, they'll just assume she must be able to see. She's about to sail out of Pergatory and back to Númenor but she vows that she and the Númenorians will return. Galadriel tells her that the elves will be ready by which I assume she means herself and Erendir. We'll back upstairs with the Harfoots. Nori and all the other Harfoots are really sad that all their caravans were destroyed. So Nori's dad decides to cheer them all up with a bit of stand-up comedy. We're Harfoots. We don't slay dragons or dig for jewels, but if there's one thing we can do better than any other creature in Middle Earth, it's stay true to each other. So good. Then Malva admits that she was wrong that Nori was right all along to help not Gandalf. And then Papas Murph is like, it would be grand if just once Malva, you weren't right about everything. Who knew Papas Murph could be so sarcastic? Then back in Purgatory, we learned that Halbrand was stabbed in the gut by the pyroclastic flow. And whatever was in that flow was toxic as fuck because the wound got infected overnight. Galadriel's like, oh shit, this is an emergency? He needs elf medicine stat. So they immediately begin gathering a pallet and putting it together a wagon. Oh, just kidding. It's like Halbrand can just walk over to his horse and mount it. So it's not an emergency? Anyway, Galadriel likewise mounts her horse and these two depart with absolutely zero supplies for a long and dangerous journey. Theor approaches to at least return her sword to her but she's like, not, I don't need that. I got girl power. And they ride away as the townspeople who met their king yesterday, shout strength to the king as he immediately abandons them. So back in Khazadum, Duran is sad that his dad took his necklace away. And here we get our first glimpse of Dees' villain origin story. She tells Duran that it doesn't matter because he'll be king. This is going to be yours. And mine one day will rule this and other mines before our time is done. Whoa, they cut the laugh out for some reason. But then we see Duran's dad toss the now iron-less leaf into the chasm filled with Mithril. And as it floats down to the bottom, we see that somebody must have fallen in there a long time ago. And that dude has been bathing in the light of Mithril for so long that he became super charged. And then lastly, we check in with the orcs. Adar says, my children cast off your sun cloaks and helms. You are no longer burdened by the day. And these poor guys really aren't bright if they needed that pointed out to them. They shout, hail Adar, Lord of the Southlands. But he's like, mm-mm, that's the name of a place that doesn't exist anymore. And they're like, so what should we call it instead? And they start chanting, Adar, Adar, Adar, Adar. So I guess they're gonna call this place Adar now. Mordor. So yeah, that was episode seven. Bold and unexpected choice to show our characters in the afterlife. I mean, presumably there's going to be some kind of a resurrection because they're gonna have to get back to the land of living somehow. I mean, the queen has found a way to sail back to the land of living. So I'm sure we'll see them back in Middle Earth in no time. Except for Isildur, because he's definitely, definitely out of the story for good. In the next week's episode, I'm assuming we're just kind of gonna wrap things up. You know, the Numenorians will find a way back to the land of the living and go back to Numenor. The orcs now have their own land that they can live in. The half-boots don't have caravans anymore, so they'll just kind of settle down in this orchard and give up the nomad life and maybe change their name to Hobbits and maybe call the land a Shire. The guy that got super charged by the Mithril will bust on out of there and be like, guys, just like pop down here, bathe in the light, you'll be good to go. And then next season, we'll just have to deal with Disa as the villain as she tries to claim power for herself. Yeah, yeah, I'm pretty sure that's just gonna happen. So let me know in the comments down below your thoughts about this episode, your predictions for the season finale. Whatever you wanna let me know. 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