'The Rings Of Power' Season 3 Episode 2 Recap: Is Earien Dead?

Sauron’s machinations continue to threaten peace on Middle-Earth, while Numenor plunges further into dismay due to Pharazon’s schemes. Previously, it was revealed that, in the five years since the fall of Eregion, and Celebrimbor’s death, Sauron was able to consolidate significant strength by expanding his territories around Mordor, while trying to obtain the Elven rings, which are the only things preventing him from seizing the Elven strongholds. Sauron also struggled with creating the One Ring, as memories of Celebrimbor taunted him in visions. Durin IV faced a personal crisis with his estranged brother, Thrain, returning to Khazad-dum, with disgruntled Dwarven warlords who want the promised Dwarven rings despite knowing their potential for corruption. Through the trial of survival, Sauron created Nazgnagols, aka prototype versions of the Witch-Kings, out of descendants of kings of Men, one of whom, Lossoth Nazgnagol forces Galadriel and Arondir to retreat from the battlefield. Marnukh, an ambitious orc has presumably defected from Sauron’s army and met Durin to share some secretive intel with Galadriel. In the meantime, Theo, who was being forced to serve Kemen’s enforcers, joined the Numenorean rebels and was sent to Mordor, where he was put into a trial for survival by Sauron.

Spoiler Alert

Numenor’s Crisis Worsens

The episode opens in Armenelos, capital of Numenor, where an assassination attempt led by Isildur is made on the despotic ruler/usurper, Ar-Pharazon. The attempt fails, leading to capture of a co-conspirator, Haleth, a member of the Faithful. Earien, who has been trying to make amends for betraying Miriel ever since her brother, Isildur’s return, helps Haleth by putting him out of his misery, keeping him from getting tortured by Pharazon’s men. However, while doing so, Earien frames an apparently innocent Faithful-hating elderly maidservant, who is hanged to death on suspicion of being involved in the assassination attempt. Earien and Isildur venture to Bay of Elros, the refuge of the Faithful in the Western Havens, where Miriel has kept the faith alive, and upon learning about their recent actions, the former Numenorean queen chastises both of them. 

The siblings reveal Pharazon’s plan to attack Faithful bases in the Western Havens, and it is an immediate necessity for them to inform Elendil, the last major figurehead of resistance against Pharazon’s forces, who needs to be prepared for the upcoming crisis. They plan to use Palantir to send the message, by stealing the key from Belzagar, one of the lords who shares close ties with the usurper. Miriel is sceptical about letting them use the Palantir, but desperate times call for desperate measures. 

The Identity of Theo’s Father

As Theo and his fellow Numenorean rebels are pitted against each other in a battle of survival, to be chosen to be worthy of one of the rings of Men, Sauron takes notice of the strange mark on his arm and kills the only remaining survivor who was brawling with the teenager. Upon being questioned, Theo reveals it was made by the hilt of a weapon which belonged to his late father, whose identity he doesn’t know, and Sauron offers him a chance to speak with him by using necromancy. Persuading Theo to cut off the tongue of the orc who killed Bronwyn, his mother, Sauron uses it as sacrifice and speaks Black Speech with departed souls to learn the identity of Theo’s father. 

Sauron reveals the identity of his father to be Faldred, son of Hammerthreg, who descends from a noble lineage of Southlanders who used to be sworn stewards of Mordor, and Theo has inherited certain powers which is why he was drawn to the black sword in the first place in the first season. Sauron further mentions that, contrary to Theo’s assumption, his father didn’t abandon him; Bronwyn, his mother, apparently killed him after learning about his true allegiance. This shocking revelation makes Theo wary of Sauron’s true intentions and deceitful nature, and the Dark Lord almost immediately starts to manipulate him with the allure of the power granted by one of the rings of Men. 

Marnukh’s Intel and Thrain’s Ploy

Having Marnukh appear at his doorstep to surrender, Durin IV is in jeopardy as his plan to keep the Dwarven kingdom out of the conflict between Elves and Sauron’s forces is foiled. Even after he hands the renegade orc to Elrond and his Elven comrades, the situation remains dire, as two Nazgnagols arrive at Khazad-dum under Sauron’s command to search for the traitor. Just when it seems the malevolent entities are going to overpower Durin by inflicting psychological dread, Thrain comes to his brother’s aid and manages to fend them off by threatening to incite a war. Relieved, Durin lets go of his reservations against his brother and embraces him. However, Thrain turns out to be a scumbag after all, after he is revealed to be in cahoots with Sauron, as he craves the high seat of Khazad-dum, for which he is willing to betray his brother as well. To prove his loyalty, Thrain reveals to the Nazgnagols that Marnukh has been taken to the Elven stronghold of Rivendell.

Meanwhile, reaching Rivendell while remaining shackled by Elrond and his forces, Marnukh meets with Lady Galadriel and reveals Sauron’s plans to craft the One ring, which will rule over all the other ones. Having seen the corruptive power of Sauron’s rings of Men, Galadriel is alarmed by this update. She takes note when Marnukh further reveals that the only thing which is stopping Sauron from crafting that master ring is the fact that he is oblivious of the existence of an Elvensmith named Maitalle, who knows Celebrimbor’s secrets of crafting Elven rings, and she is currently imprisoned in the treacherous, fearsome Orc dungeon in Gundabad. Upon being questioned, Marnukh reveals his desire to keep himself protected from Sauron’s diabolical plan to end all of creation has prompted him to betray his master. Arondir is not at all convinced by Marnukh’s words, as he believes it is Sauron’s plan to deceive them. However, Elrond reminds them of the urgency to act fast, as Marnukh’s warnings about Sauron consolidating forces around the ruins of Eregion are true indeed. 

In the end, Galadriel decides to take a leap of faith and venture to Gundabad with a captive Marnukh, in order to find Maitalle and foil Sauron’s chances of creating the One Ring. Arondir decides to accompany her in the journey, and Elrond is tasked with venturing to Numenor to convince their king to join hands against a common enemy. It seems Galadriel is once again going to fall in Sauron’s trap by handing him the very thing he wants, and Marnukh doesn’t seem to be the kind of Orc who can be trusted. 

Earien Is Dead

At Numenor, Pharazon, who is eager to venture to Middle-Earth and lock horns with Sauron, meets with his son, Kemen, as he returns from his conquest of Southland settlements. Pharazon assigns him the duties of taking control over the Western Havens of the Faithful, promising to officially announce him as his heir upon successful completion of the mission. In the meantime, Earien sneaks into Belzagar’s quarters to steal the keys to the room where the Palantir is kept locked away. Unbeknownst to her, Belzagar, who was on the lookout for a possible mole in the royal family, discovers her betrayal. Earien hands over the key to Isildur, who manages to communicate with his father, Elendil, and warns him about the impending attack by Pharazon’s forces. 

The news of Earien’s betrayal reaches Pharazon, who has her summoned and threatened with severe consequences unless she reveals Miriel’s whereabouts. To make things worse, it is revealed that Belzagar planted the lies about the impending attack to have Miriel and Isildur warn Elendil, and Pharazon intends to extract intel about Elendil and Miriel from her by any means. Having no other options to turn to, Earien takes a drastic step to protect the resistance, and takes her own life to keep Pharazon’s cronies from extracting the intel from her. The tragic part is, after seeing his sister’s lifeless remains, Isildur has to pretend not to know her to keep his cover from getting blown.

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