The Rings of Power: S1, E3 Adar Review

[Note: Full spoilers for The Rings of Power: S1, E3 Adar.]

The Rings of Power: Season 1, Episode 3 Adar is the first episode of the series to be handled by a different director. While Episodes 1 & 2 (A Shadow of the Past & Adrift respectively) were directed by J.A. Bayona (A Monster Calls & Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), Episode 3 was directed by television director Wayne Che Yip. It’s noticeable that there is a cinematic dip in Adar as opposed to the two episode premiere. Here the series will be settling into what can be expected week to week. The map transitions between locations no longer appear and Elrond’s story is absent from this episode. I expect that some stories will be left out week to week as Game of Thrones tends to do from time to time. 

It’s clear from the very beginning that Numenor is at the center of Adar. As Galadriel and Halbrand are guided through the island of Numenor, it is a sight to behold. From the overhead vistas of human accomplishment to a point of view shot of the pair entering one of these structures, Amazon spared no expense in wanting to capture the magnificence of Tolkien’s vision of Numenor. 

Unfortunately the beautiful CGI rendering on Numenor is the most impressionable aspect of Galadriel and Halbrand’s adventures on the island. Galadriel searches for answers with Elendil, father of Sauron destroyer Isildur, as she’s held captive by the Queen Regent Miriel. Halbrand makes an extremely short sighted attempt to finagle a guild crest. All that happens between both of these stories and their characters feels incredibly weak. There’s a veil of mystery surrounding the island of Numenor and its residents that The Rings of Power still feels like it should still be in the premiere week. I, like any viewer, have various questions after this episode. Why is Numenor not willing to send Galadriel back to Middle Earth? What is happening on the western shores of the island? Did Halbrand really think no one would question his quick acquisition of a guild crest? Why did Galadriel look so happy on that horse?

These are questions that I do not believe the show is inquiring with me about. Instead, they feel like various hooks that are intended to continue to bring back the viewer and after countless additional hours of streaming, their investment will be paid off. At this moment, the mystery surrounding each of these stories are not particularly compelling as very few characters are actually compelled to seek answers. Even Nori, the character currently helping the most mysterious figure of The Rings of Power by far, is only interested in figuring out where he needs to go. 

Speaking of Nori, the Harfoots and her by far had the best story in the episode by far. Arondir’s capture and subsequent escape attempt in the Orc tunnels was equally compelling and exciting. Yet, the Harfoots’ story allowed me to finally connect with Nori on an emotional level.

In Adar, the Harfoots are introduced celebrating before their migration while singing a song about nobody going off trail and nobody walking alone. In the meantime, Nori is sneaking around trying to get her hands on some star maps that could point to the location of where The Stranger’s constellations may be seen. Following this is a heartbreaking scene that informs why Nori may be so insistent as to helping The Stranger. Sadoc Burrows proceeds to read through a list of names of Harfoots who have been left behind during previous migrations. Upon an inevitable reveal of The Stranger, Nori’s family is punished for her transgressions of helping the outsider. The Harfoots settle on having her family’s caravan at the very back of the migration. With Largo Brandyfoot’s broken ankle, there is no way they will not be left behind.

As Sadoc reads through his book of lost Harfoots, their losses and possible deaths almost seem like they could have been avoidable if the caravan would have slowed down or stopped. This to the imagery of Poppy Proudfoot loading up to carry her cart alone speaks to a cliquey and hypocritical environment that Nori and Poppy have grown up around. While not everyone who was lost in these migrations may have had avoidable deaths, it’s clear that Nori is doing something her tribe wouldn’t normally do: help one another.