The Rings of Power Season 2 Ending Explained: What Happened to Galadriel, Who Is The Stranger, and More?
Shadow and Flame, the eighth and final episode of The Rings of Power Season 2, was released on Prime Video on Thursday, October 3. A finale packed with revelations, important events, and details to catch. So, if you’ve seen the episode in question and want to make sure you haven’t missed anything about this season finale, we invite you to read our summary, which also contains all the explanations and references to Tolkien’s literary works. Available from August 29, 2024, on Prime Video, The Rings of Power Season 2 has once again transported fans of the world created by JRR Tolkien, to stage some dramatic and tragic moments that have affected the general history of Arda. Following what we had seen in the previous season, here some fundamental pawns begin to move and find their place in a very broad and famous design among fans, aware of the weight of what is narrated and of the various poetic liberties taken in the creative and narrative phase. The Rings of Power Season 2 develops in a climate of uncertainty in which the protagonists will have to deal with the rise of some famous shadows and with what they have always represented in the immortal imagery of The Lord of the Rings.
Thus, the idea of the Rings becomes something tangible, as well as the consequences of such a move by Sauron and his manipulation, for all this to happen, of the legendary eleven blacksmith Celebrimbor. In parallel, we see Middle-earth facing some important changes and clashes, fundamental transformations and evolutions that will push events further forward towards entirely new dangers (for further information we refer you to our review of The Rings of Power Season 2). It all culminates in a finale suspended between light and darkness, between good and evil, between visions, manipulations, and what seems to be a new strength found following some fundamental defeats. In explaining the ending of The Rings of Power Season 2 we will stumble upon some major spoilers for the series on Prime Video. Therefore, we invite you not to continue reading this article unless you are caught up with the entire second season.
The Rings of Power Season 2 Ending Explained: Multi-Front Battles
The finale of The Rings of Power Season 2 is characterized by clashes, both direct psychological and emotional. The events of Khazad-dûm open the dance, showing us Durin King completely lost and subjugated by his own ring. His hunger for riches will awaken the Balrog, pushing him to make a sacrifice to save his son and, perhaps, also the future of his dominion (although we all know how it will go). The possibility of seeing one of the greatest and most prosperous kingdoms of the Dwarves slowly being consumed is not to be underestimated, as is the awakening of the Balrog which, as fans know, directly ties into a key event in The Lord of the Rings. The events that follow will focus on the legacy of Durin King and the things his son will have to go through to legitimize his claim to the throne.
The events of Nùmenor, instead, will see Ar-Pharazôn try again to discredit Queen Miriel in the eyes of the people, inventing from scratch her alliance with Sauron and pointing her and her followers out as traitors. This will also have consequences on the story of Elendil who we see fleeing from the city alone, after Miriel herself pushed him towards this path by entrusting him with Narsil, the legendary sword. We do not know how these twists will affect Isildur, a character in this case rather sidelined, except for his return to Nùmenor after some disagreements with Kemen. Eregion also becomes the scene of some fundamental turning points that will affect the future beyond The Rings of Power Season 2. After the defeat of the Elves, Adar obtains Galadriel’s ring and a meeting with her, culminating in his death at the hands of his orcs who choose to betray him by following Sauron. Such a turning point is connected to the so-called “plan” of the new Dark Lord himself who, after the creation of the Rings, probably had the aim of gaining control of Adar’s men by taking revenge for what he had suffered at his hands.
At this juncture, we have the opportunity to further grasp Sauron’s vision and his goals for Middle Earth. Unlike Morgoth, he is interested in “healing” those lands in function of a perfection that passes entirely through himself and his absolute power over the races that inhabit them. The duel with Galadriel makes everything clear in the most direct way possible, outlining the contours of a shadow that has won on all fronts, for now… The Rings have been forged and the influence of the Dark Lord creeps even into the most distant lands (Nùmenor above all) behind the backs of those who would like to erase his power. Not all, however, seems to be lost, especially for the elves who have survived the recent battles. In the Adventures of the Stranger, instead, we find some readings that, in the previous season of The Rings of Power, had practically intuited everyone. His encounter with the Dark Wizard will push him to make a fundamental choice, pushing him on the path of good. From here he discovers his staff and the name that distinguishes him from all the other Istari: Gandalf.
Readings and Hypotheses Towards the Future of The Rings of Power Season 2?
The finale of The Rings of Power Season 2 connects directly with the shadows that have gradually taken control of Middle-earth in the Second Age, setting up some clashes that, shortly, will most likely lead to the famous Battle of Dagorlad, indelible in the memory of all fans of Tolkien’s world. The creation of the Rings and their undeniable power is a key element in the Prime series’ narrative, as are the first results of such a breakthrough, and all that it will lead to. The fact that “the nine” have been accomplished clearly foreshadows what will happen to the human kings and their subsequent transformation into Nazgûl, foreshadowing a very dark period that will lead to the War of the Last Alliance and the events of The Lord of the Rings. The revelation of the stranger was the most predictable thing in The Rings of Power Season 2, already anticipated by some dynamics present in the first season. Of course, the intervention of the Dark Wizard is certainly fascinating, as is the speculation on who he really is… even if the ways and aesthetics could lead back to Saruman.
The Identity of the Stranger?
Among the big revelations of the season finale is the identity of the Stranger. As anticipated by actor Daniel Wayman in our interview, throughout the series we learned some particulars of his character that gradually became clearer: the Stranger is Gandalf the Grey, the wise wizard played in the Lord of the Rings trilogy by Ian McKellen. However, his presence raises another important question: how is it possible that Gandalf exists in the Second Age of the Middle Ages? It is also unclear whether the Dark wizard who tries to convince the Stranger to join him in the battle against Sauron could be Gandalf’s nemesis, Saruman.
Who is the Demon that Faces Durin III at the beginning of the Episode?
The Rings of Power cloud people’s minds, causing them to become selfish and manipulative. This is what happened to King Durin III. The king of the dwarves opened a passage in the mountain where he discovered a treasure, the powerful Mithril. In doing so, however, he awakened a long-hidden creature, the Balrog, an ancient demon that is said to have brought ruin to the dwarves. In a moving dialogue between father and son, the King admits his mistakes and bravely faces the creature, throwing himself into the flames, but not before giving his ring to Durin VI. Given the importance of the Balrog in the story, it is likely that we will see him again in the third season.
What Do the Nine Rings Mean to Sauron?
The nine rings that Sauron takes in the finale of the second season of The Lord of the Rings – The Rings of Power are those intended for men. The objects will be used to subjugate the rulers of Middle-earth to his will, and this plot will probably play an important role in the third season. As shown in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the power will wear down the nine men to the point of transforming them into the Nazgûl, the Black Riders, and faithful servants of the Dark Lord. It will be these spectral creatures who will then hunt down Frodo Baggins in The Fellowship of the Ring.
Where Is Galadriel, Elrond and the High King?
In the final battle, the elven city of Eregion is destroyed, but many of its inhabitants have managed to escape and save themselves. Led by Elrond, Gil-galad, Arondir, and Galadriel, the elves have retreated north, hiding in the Misty Mountains. In this valley will arise Rivendell, the stronghold of Elrond that we see in the trilogy of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The image with which the season closes is very significant and echoes the words of the wise Celebrimbor: it will be light, not force, that will defeat Darkness (and therefore Sauron). After the siege of Eregion, the elves find new hope in this lush valley that is the source of life and therefore of light, and is the only way to defeat the evil represented by Sauron in Middle-earth.
How The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 8 begins: Durin III Dies Facing the Balrog?
The episode begins in Khazad-dum, where Durin IV arrives at the bottom of the mine where his father Durin III has massacred the men of Narvi and is digging just a stone’s throw from the Balrog. The prince threatens in vain to cut off the king’s hand that bears the ring and then tries to soften him by telling him about how his father used to pretend to struggle with him at arm wrestling when he was little. But this story doesn’t work either, and Durin III continues to dig until he breaks a rock wall and accesses a cavity with an infinite number of precious stones.
No time to think about what to do, and the Balrog arrives with its flames. Finally, the king comes to his senses and takes off the ring to give it to his son, naming him heir to the throne (and saying that he wasn’t pretending to be arm wrestling). Then with a final burst, he throws himself, axe in hand, against the fiery monster while a pile of rocks collapses to enclose the Balrog again and save the dwarves. Only for now, because we remember that in the era of the Lord of the Rings, Khazad-dum will be abandoned by the dwarves for a long time and known by the name of Moria. It will be here that Gandalf will face the Balrog and tell him the famous phrase “You cannot pass”.
The Meeting Between the Stranger and the Dark Wizard (who is not Saruman)?
We move to Rhun, where the Stranger (let’s still call him that, for now…) has chosen to look for Nori and Poppy instead of finding his staff in the place where Tom Bombadil had taken it. He therefore arrives in the village of the Stoors, where the Dark Wizard is waiting for him, who says he has been waiting for him for a long time, calls him an old friend and tells him that there are five beings like them. And there are five Istari, as Tolkien fans know. There’s Saruman the White, Gandalf the Grey, Radagast the Brown, and two dark blue wizards. Now we know who the Stranger is, and we’ll get to that later, but who is the Dark Wizard? Many have thought it’s Saruman, but The Rings of Power authors JD Payne and Patrick McKay said in an interview with Vanity Fair that they think it’s highly unlikely, if not logically impossible, that the Dark Wizard is Saruman.
Anyway, he tells his “friend” that it was he who convinced him to leave the Far West to go to Middle Earth to defeat Sauron together. “But I knew you wanted to ally yourself with Sauron,” the Stranger points out, to which the friend promises answers and his staff. The Stranger wants to see Nori and Poppy again first, and the Dark Wizard brings them before him, and in fact, to prove himself good he kills the masked gaudrim who holds a blade to their throats. With the remaining villains gone, the girls are free and the Stoors come out into the open, with Gundabal saying she is surprised by the Dark Wizard and the latter saying he does not like the name given to him out of fear and ignorance. Nori points out that killing his collaborators, no matter how evil, does not help his fame, but “mercy will not defeat Sauron” the wizard replies. Then the Stranger tries to understand what his colleague’s intention once Sauron is has been defeated, and when he understands that the proposal is to join him to succeed him, our friend categorically refuses, triggering the reaction of the Dark Wizard who, while he leaves indignantly, has all the rocks detach from the mountains to make them fall on the halflings. Luckily, Gandalf, ahem the Stranger, intervenes and blocks the stones and saves them all.
Elendil Runs Away Miriel Gives him the Famous Sword Narsil?
In Numenor, Earien has summoned all the leaders of the Faithful to court, to whom Pharazon communicates that, since he has learned that Miriel was saved thanks to the help of Sauron (he did not understand anything of what he saw in the Palantir), all the followers of Queen Miriel are arrested. Luckily Earien has a shred of dignity and goes to warn his father Elendil, who thus manages to hide and escape capture. Elendil then goes to Miriel, proposing that they escape together, but the queen wants to stay in the city and makes him leave alone, but not before giving him Narsil, the legendary sword that in the future Elendil will break in a clash with Sauron, and Isildur will use a fragment of it to cut off Sauron’s finger that bore the One Ring.
Celebrimbor Dies Calling Sauron?
In Eregion the siege of the army of Adar’s orcs continues, who as we noted last week no longer fear the light of the sun unlike in the first season. Galadriel manages to save a group of women and children, but when they think they are safe outside the city they run into more orcs. Galadriel offers herself as a hostage for Adar, bringing with her the 9 The Rings of Power for men that Celebrimbor gave her. By the way, the great elven blacksmith is meanwhile acting as a target for Sauron, who tortures him to make him tell him where the 9 rings are. Sauron offers Celebrimbor a quick death if he tells him, but the Elf does not give in, and instead predicts to the Dark One the end he will have, the fact that someone will defeat him forever, and above all the fact that he is a prisoner of those rings, and not the creator. As he dies, Celebrimbor curses Sauron calling him, yes, the Lord of the Rings. Sauron sheds a tear, and in the meantime a group of orcs led by the usual Glug arrives, asking him if he is Sauron. “I have many names,” he replies as usual.
In Pelargir Isildur Finds Kemen Again?
Life in Pelargir is quiet for now, with Theo having returned home with Isildur. But Elendil’s son is restless because he still feels something for Estrid. And she has the same feelings, as she confesses to Isildur that she cannot return Hagen’s love for her. Finally Isildur and Estrid kiss, and he asks her to follow him to Numenor. And just in time comes Kemen (still with his arm in a sling from the fight with Valandil). At first, there is a warm embrace between him and Isildur when Pharazon’s son discovers that he is still alive, but things soon change. Because Kemen has not come to keep the promises of help made by Miriel, but to declare Pelargir a military base of Numenor to which the residents will have to pay tribute in wood (and we predict that the Ents will not take it well). And then not only does he deny Estrid’s passage (to Hagen’s relief) to Numenor, but he informs Isildur that Pharazon is now king and the faithful like Elendil are considered criminals.
The Clash Between Sauron and Galadriel
Galadriel arrives before Adar, who has his back turned and when he turns around he shows that he is wearing the ring and that his face is clean again. The Elf says she is now ready to accept the offer to help him destroy Sauron in exchange for an end to the massacre. The cleansed Adar mentions that when he looked like that he had another name, but it is not important because Adar (“father” in the language of the Uruk) is “the name I have earned”. Adar returns the ring to Galadriel, and as he reverts to his hideous form he asks her to defeat Sauron and he will call back his sons and retire in peace to Mordor, even forgiving Galadriel for killing so many of his children.
But while the Elf is thinking about it, a small group of orcs arrives, with Glug on a stretcher almost dead. They say they resisted Sauron, but it is only a trap because when Adar approaches Glug stabs him and kills him, as we had easily predicted when Adar did not want to listen to their reasons. Sauron/Annatar arrives on the scene, takes back Morgoth’s crown, and greets Galadriel. Sauron sends those who are now his orcs to kill the remaining elves and capture the leaders to bring them before him and then speaks with Galadriel. Sauron again proposes to Galadriel to join him, but for her “the door is closed”, as he will also tell Frodo. A duel with the Dark Lord then begins. Meanwhile, in Eregion, Gil-Galad, Elrond, and Arondir (yes, he is still alive) are captured and forced to watch the burning of Celebrimbor’s archive. But the duel between the Elf and the Dark One continues, with Sauron changing appearance and transforming into Halbrand, Galadriel herself, Celebrimbor, and finally Annatar again. In the end, he manages to wrest the Nine Rings from her and seriously wound her with Morgoth’s crown, but when he is about to succumb, Galadriel throws herself off a cliff rather than hand over her ring.
The Dwarves Arrive in Eregion, Galadriel is Saved?
Luckily for our Elven friends, a legion of Dwarves finally arrives to help. But Durin is not there, because – as Narvi tells Elrond – he stayed home to commemorate his dead father. Arondir and Gil-galad see Galadriel fall to the ground, and while Sauron ponders what to do, Glug arrives again to inform him that with the arrival of the dwarves, the forces of the orcs are unable to prevent the escape of the Elves. Sauron reacts by skewering and killing Glug, and at least now the orcs know what a good choice they made in betraying their father Adar for this Dark Lord. Gil-Galad, Elrond, and Arondir have reached Galadriel’s body, and the High King tries to heal her with the strength of his ring, but to cure those deep wounds Elrond must also intervene, using the power of Galadriel’s ring.
Nori and Poppy Say Goodbye to the “Great Elf” and Go With the Stoors?
In Rhun the Stoors count the damage after the destructive fury of the Dark Wizard. Nori would like to fix everything, but Poppy explains to her that some things are lost forever and cannot be repaired. And while Poppy speaks we see the funeral of Durin III, Elrond who looks at the destroyed Eregion, the Elves who leave, Theo who sees Isildur leave, Hagen who takes Estrid by the hand, Miriel who listens to Pharazon’s lies, Elendil who rides away as in his vision in the Palantir and, finally, Sauron who picks up Feanor’s hammer thrown out the window by Celebrimbor. And so it is time for the Stranger to say goodbye to her friends, who join the Stoors in their new nomadic life since they are experts as Harfoots. The Stoors greet the Stranger by calling him “grand elf”, a sound that tells our friend something, ready to say goodbye to his friend Nori. Shortly after, in the ruins of the Stoors’ village, our Istar finds a stick on the ground that is just his size. And he understands…
Yes, the Stranger is Gandalf?
He understands that Tom Bombadil’s was a test, to see if he would follow friendship instead of power, so as to truly find his staff. Old Tom neither confirms nor denies, but alludes to the fact that like the staff, his name will also be found when he is ready. And the moment has come, because finally, the Stranger understands that his name is… Gandalf, as everyone had predicted. Tom does not confirm directly but invites his friend to join him in singing. Not far away, the Dark Wizard scans the starry sky.
Does Durin IV still have to wait to Become the New King?
In Khazad-dum, Narvi informs Durin that they have managed to save the Elves. But there is no reason to celebrate because Disa and Narvi inform Durin that other Dwarf-lords are demanding to collect after having paid large tributes to the now-deceased king. In addition, Narvi reveals that Durin’s ascension to the throne is threatened by other pretenders, including some dwarf princes and even a brother of Durin IV. In short, in the third season, we will see our dwarf friend engaged in political matters…
The Surviving Elves Gather in Rivendell: The Season Finale
Galadriel recovers and finds herself in a kind of forest (probably where the city of Rivendell will be built), with Gil-galad, Elroind, Arondir, and the other surviving Elves of Eregion. The high king asks the commander what she thinks should be done now, whether to continue attacking with the few remaining forces or return to Lindon and prepare to defend. Galadriel does not answer directly but quotes the speech made to her by Celebribor according to which darkness is not defeated by strength but by light. The speech breaks through everyone’s hearts and everyone raises their arms and swords in exultation: does this mean they are ready to continue the battle? We will see in the next season because this one ends here.
