The Rings of Power Episode 8 Review: Reminds Us of The Pleasure Of Adventure, Of Sharing, Of Empathy
Episode Title: Alloyed
Cast: Morfydd Clark, Robert Aramayo, Charlie Vickers and Markella Kavenagh
Director: Wayne Yip
Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 4.5/5 (four and a half stars) [yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
After a long and difficult climb, capable of bringing spectators and fans from all over the world in a swing made of some ups and many lows, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has reached the end of its first season. As much as showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay were able to commit themselves to spread their passion for the Tolkien universe, the result of their work has done nothing but highlight the flaws of a product artfully built to exploit a rich intellectual property, but poor in surprises.
The lack of experience of two authors who have been entrusted with the most important work of recent television history inevitably weighs like a boulder on the final judgment, even in the face of the majesty of a budget never seen before. The Amazon Prime Video operation (do not miss the Amazon series of October 2022), while resisting criticism in the past weeks, has failed to raise its fate even with the ending in which many placed their last hopes. While surprising with its own aesthetic and thrilling in a few moments, the series shows only a few flashes of grandeur: Surprisingly fragile characters, choices out of the canon, and forced solutions to move the narrative forward led the show to lean incredibly towards insufficiency.
The Rings of Power Episode 8 Review: The Story
Taking up the narrative not far from the events that occurred in the last episode (here is our review of The Rings of Power Episode 7) the characters of the series have now reached the halfway point. As widely estimated, unfortunately, most of the hypotheses of the fans turned out to be correct and the evolution of the characters could only be affected by a too-sudden sequence of developments without actual explanations. While the Stranger finds his inner strength in the clash with the three Priests, supported by the help of the Pelopedes, the Elves gather in the Eregion to find a solution that can guarantee his salvation in the face of the impending darkness. The arrival of Halbrand and Galadriel in the elven realm will lead to a definitive showdown: between grueling research and work, the shadow of evil will begin to reveal itself until it recognizes its true master once and for all.
Leaving aside the characters of Arondir, Bronwyn, Theo, Adar and the stories of the Southern Lands, as well as those centered on the dwarves of Khazad-dûm (somehow concluded, in this first phase, with the last episode), focuses on the other narrative lines, giving revelations and changes. Galadriel joins Elrond and Celebrimbor in Eregion, to heal a battered Halbrand. Together they will try to make the best use of the fragment of mithril donated by the dwarves, which could cure the evil that afflicts the elves. A discovery made by Galadriel, however, will reshuffle the cards. Meanwhile, three priestesses join the wandering Stranger in the woods, bowing to him and finally giving him a name: Sauron. Nori and the other Pelopedes will witness a great change.
Short space is also granted to the events of Numenor with a handful of short scenes that lay the foundations for the second season. Thus ends the first season of The Rings of Power. A season that, now we can say without delay, was similar to a long prologue, certainly spectacular and successful, which had the task of accompanying the viewer back into Middle-Earth, introducing him to an era never told before and presenting new ones. characters who took time to make themselves known. Arriving at the end of the season there is a double result: the feeling of having witnessed the epilogue of this long, but necessary, introduction and the feeling of having reached a point of no return. A new phase of the story opens and we are sure that the second season will show a decisive change of pace, expanding the scope of events and being able to count on a greater bond between characters, still in evolution, and spectators.
The Rings of Power Episode 8 Review and Analysis
The entire episode immediately shows its nature, explaining several times and leaving room for a very little action. After all, it had already been budgeted: the season finale plays all on the dichotomy between the Stranger and Galadriel’s situation, trying to intrigue until the end without ever succeeding in his intent. The show had already laid too many foundations and too many clues for an expert fandom like Tolkien’s, and although the solutions adopted may create a slight surprise for the most casual fans, any attentive spectator will have already guessed the direction of every choice made in the phase of writing well before the revelations of this episode. The result, net of some heartening moments and good situations regarding the Stranger, is far from expectations and leads the show to fall just when he had to show all his strength.
Some ideas find logic in the scriptwriters’ internal design, but in addition to destroying any semblance of connection to the canon, they even leave room for incoherent and obvious plot twists. Some sequences, in particular a couple involving Galadriel and Halbrand, are disgusted by the banality in the management of the dialogues and the lack of inventiveness. In a series that should stimulate the highest reasoning, explanations and sequences already seen in any contemporary mediocre production should not get the slightest space. The latest episode, again diligently directed by Wayne Che Yip, offers visually interesting solutions that make viewing enjoyable as a whole; however, the ideas underlying the entire draft find gaps and deficiencies in almost every part.
The very idea of telling a futile Galadriel causing her evil is laughable, as well as showing a fragile and inept Dark Lord and then upsetting her character in a cold ascent. The Rings of Power has always given the impression of wanting to counter criticism with the strength of its ardor, distancing itself from the mere commercial operation, yet this last episode does nothing but falls into the same errors seen in recent weeks. Forcing and lack of justifications give the impression that the plot proceeds because it must and the attempt to condense a numerous series of unresolved issues into a few sequences has proved to be an unfortunate choice. Aware of the “growth” experienced by the entire production sector, we can only postpone more positive judgments to the second season of the series.
More than anything else, it is the characters who make up the soul of the project. The Rings of Power has no interest in giving life to a final episode full of spectacle and fireworks. It does not intend to upset its visual system (also because, at this point, it no longer needs it and, on the contrary, uses the necessary means to carry on the narrative instead of showing off the production means) or with sudden twists (even the most important revelation – and that we all expected – is almost already digested and learned before being announced, giving up the pathos that these events usually bring with them). Almost opposite to the first episodes, The Rings of Power works by subtraction, giving life to another type of story.
That of the inner epic, the show that The Rings of Power offers is linked to emotions. A very difficult undertaking, made possible only thanks to the slow progress of the past episodes that allowed us to get to know the characters, understand their vision of the world, as well as appreciate their defects, until we find a direct outlet, like the flames of Mount Doom, in this extraordinary season finale. Because the simple succession of events is less important than we think. What matters is why we cling to that fantasy world. The reason that here becomes even twofold: the emotional weight of the fate of Middle-Earth experienced by Galadriel and the elves, composed of black clouds on the horizon, is contrasted by a solar lightness full of hope in the relationship that binds Nori and the Stranger.
And in the end, one could enclose all the meaning of The Rings of Power in those hugs between Pelopiedi, in those gigantic eyes of Nori (what an actress, Markella Kavenagh!) In constant search of wonder and adventure. In those scenes where everything seems to reach a zenith on the verge of perfection, between Bear McCreary’s soundtrack, directing, writing and acting, we discover the true, precious and hidden mithril of the series. And that, in some way, we have always held in hand: with the discussions between viewers that took place week after week, the desire to continue even if not everything convinced us, the theories and hypotheses on the mysteries that the series had reserved for us and those moments of surprise and wonder to share.
This is how everything returns to make sense, in a word – sharing – which has known a new meaning precisely with social networks which, instead, now seem to proclaim more the dominant voice of Sauron than the simplicity of the Pelopiedi. The eighth episode of the first season of The Rings of Power is a story about the importance of sharing because this is the only way we can call them adventures and not just journeys. The Rings of Power, in just over eight hours, held out his hand to us, inviting us on this journey, perhaps imperfect, perhaps not equally exciting for everyone, at times easy and downhill, at times capable of putting a strain on the resistance of the feet. But what a fresh and bright new feeling to have done it anyway.
The Rings of Power Episode 8 Review: The Last Words
The Rings of Power Episode 8 closes the first season of the Prime series with revelations and twists that do not want, however, to be brutally upset. By working on subtraction and focusing everything on emotions, the story involves the viewer and repays him for all the patience placed. The result is a work that reminds us of the pleasure of adventure, of sharing, of empathy. The Rings of Power is the perfect series of our time, which pushes us to constantly look with eyes filled with wonder. Because that’s what the stories that matter do.
