The Rings of Power: S1, E2 Adrift Review

[Note: Full spoilers for The Rings of Power: S1, E2 Adrift.]

Premiering on the same day as A Shadow of the Past, Adrift is the second episode of The Rings of Power and the second part of the original 2022 two-part premiere on Prime Video. The quality of Episode One varied as it jumped from character to character to establish their place in Middle-Earth. Once past this necessary setup, the episode began to find its footing. Episode Two, Adrift, has the opportunity to continue this upward momentum while settling on what Arondir, Elrond, Galadriel, and Nori’s stories are going to be. Luckily, Adrift, is far more confident of an episode, even with the concerning additions. 

The episode picks up with Nori by the crater of The Stranger. The opening immediately wants the audience to begin questioning who The Stranger is supposed to be in the greater world of Middle-Earth. Nori, with the help of Poppy Proudfellow, assists the fallen fellow to some shelter away from the rest of the caravan. Attempts to communicate with The Stranger results in shouting and the drawing of symbols that Nori cannot decipher. Only when constellations are conjured through the use of fireflies do the three get anywhere. 

The Stranger is a mystery to us, yet I don’t like where the current answer is being pointed to. Obviously there are concerns as to whether or not this figure is evil. When Nori falls into the fiery crater, she comments that it isn’t hot; harkening back to Galadriel explaining that the fortress they’re in is so evil that their torches will not give off any warmth. Poppy has clear concerns after the fireflies that were used to visualize the constellations all fall out of the air dead.

Possible misdirects aside, The Stranger’s story could very well be the origin of how Gandalf befriended the halflings. Vocal powers that enshroud surroundings in darkness, possible use of runes, and whispering to insects are all qualities that might remind you of Gandalf the Grey. I would consider it pretty poor, for a story that already has so much to do with The Lord of the Rings, if this happens to be the case. Having recognizable characters in each character’s story would only serve to make Middle-Earth feel small.

Elrond has now traveled to Eregion with Celebrimbor. Celebrimbor reveals that when he requested a workforce to build a forge he’s designing, High King Gil-galad provided Elrond as an alternative. Elrond suggests they broker a deal with the Dwarves of Khazad-dum, as Prince Durin IV is an old friend. When the Elves travel to Khazad-dum, we learn that Prince Durin has held a grudge against Elrond for not being in his life for the past 20 years. Elrond proceeds to work his way back into the good graces of his old friend before he will be heard out by the Dwarves.

Aside from the opening of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, there has never been a prolonged depiction of a Dwarven kingdom at the height of its power. The Rings of Power took it upon itself to show the marvel that Khazad-dum was before the unearthing of the Balrog. Adrift succeeds in this endeavor as Elrond is escorted throughout the kingdom. Accompanied by Bear McCreary’s excellent composition, the secret of how a kingdom could be built under a mountain is revealed. The beauty of the imagery and the revelations they contain is a stunning sight that’ll be remembered for a long time.

Unfortunately, this plot ended with a perplexing sequence as Prince Durin IV accompanies his father, King Durin III, as he opens a literal mystery box that’s directed in a similar fashion to Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. The need for cliffhangers to drive future audience engagement is understandable, especially in the two-part premiere. A literalization of J.J. Abrams’ mystery box concept, with overt imagery to a classic movie, feels entirely out of place in this setting and story. Especially since The Stranger could already be categorized as a mystery box style of storytelling as well.

As Arondir and Bronwyn journey through the ravaged town, Hordern, there is a suspicious lack of bodies. Upon the discovery of tunnels dug under the town, the two separate. Arondir enters the tunnels to investigate while Bronwyn rushes to warn Tirharad.

In The Great Sea, Galadriel encounters a raft of shipwrecked humans. After an attack, Galadriel and the human named Halbrand are the only survivors. During this desperate time, Halbrand confirms to Galadriel that he’s seen Orcs who drove him from his home in the Southlands.

With Orcs confirmed to still be in Middle-Earth, we return to Arondir and Bronwyn’s encounters with the creatures. In the series reveal of the Orcs, director J.A. Bayona executes the two best sequences of the episode. With Arondir’s revelation that he’s surrounded by Orcs in the underground tunnels, he desperately attempts to escape in a heart-pounding, claustrophobic trudge through the tunnels before being snatched from the shadows.

The sequence in Bronwyn and Theo’s home is where an Orc is revealed for the first time. A series of close-ups show off the incredible prosthetic work for the creatures, along with how genuinely scary they can be to simple humans. The Evil Dead inspirations are on clear display in the scene, but this directorial callback is far more effective than the one within Khazad-dum. The scout arising through the floor as Bronwyn and Theo cower in their hiding spots strikes terror in the hearts of the viewer. These villagers are not warriors who can defy gravity to fight Orcs. When the Orcs arrive, there will be nothing that can be done. 

The cinematic quality of Arondir’s story demonstrates how unstoppable of a force The Rings of Power can be when executed correctly. I failed to mention Halbrand’s rescue of Galadriel due to how many other excellent sequences I needed to cover. Amazon’s outrageous investment in The Rings of Power certainly has its advantages. Look no further than the introduction of the Dwarves in Adrift. They brought a levity that was sorely missing from A Shadow of the Past while being able to deliver on wish fulfillment for those who always dreamt of seeing Khazad-dum at its height. 

Yet, there is a lack of confidence that permeates with Adrift. Access to the source material to tell a story in the second age of Middle-Earth isn’t enough. The inclusion of mystery box style storytelling reeks of a method to maintain viewership. These sort of tactics seem like they would be necessary for the introduction of a world unheard of, but The Lord of the Rings is already quite familiar in the hearts of many. Amazon video would not be shelling out a billion dollars for the intellectual rights and production of the series if they already didn’t believe in it. 
With that, we have reached the end of the two episode premiere to The Rings of Power. Questionable story decisions and slow start aside, I’m looking forward to where Episode Three will take us.