The Rings of Power season two marches on with episode five, Halls of Stone. This episode perfectly exemplifies what this season understands so well: focus. While the overall narrative taking place this season is epic and expansive, individual episodes understand when to contract the story and hone in on a few key story threads. This episode spends the majority of its runtime covering three main plots: the impact the Rings of Power for the Dwarf-Lords are having, Sauron (Charlie Vickers) posing as Annatar on his mission to have rings for men forged, and the continued schism forming in Númenor.
The episode opens on the Rings of Power gifted to the Dwarves, showcasing how, seemingly instantly, all their plights are solved with the help of the Ring. King Durin III (Peter Mullan) becomes increasingly protective of the Ring, developing a penchant for greed and an even shorter temper than usual. Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur) begins to suspect something is terribly wrong with the Ring. Every sequence here carries a heavy sense of foreboding, with dread just underneath the surface, a drop and then a wave of paranoia, and the feeling that catastrophe might be avoided if a different path is taken.
The doubt that Prince Durin carries about the Rings intersects with arguably the main focus of the episode - Sauron manipulating Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) into helping forge the nine Rings for men. This is far and away the show at its peak. Sauron feels like a genuine force of nature, living up to his title as the Deceiver. His manipulation of Celebrimbor and the other Elves of Eregion is a masterclass in cunning, half-truths, implied understandings, and turning trust against someone. The show's earlier emphasis on Sauron needing genuine trust to fully deceive someone makes his schemes in Eregion even more heartbreaking.
On the other side of the Middle-Earth map, Númenor continues to fracture under shifting political allegiances. Pharazon (Trystan Gravelle) maintains a firm grip on much of the populace, removing supporters of Queen Regent Miriel, including Elendil (Lloyd Owen). Númenor hasn't broken into a full-scale civil war yet, but a population can't sustain rising tides of unrest forever. While Númenor offers engaging characters and jaw-dropping locales, it does feel somewhat disconnected from the rest of the series, though its importance to the bigger picture is clear.
The stacked cast continues to deliver top-notch performances, complemented by stunning cinematography, impeccable set, and costume designs, and a score that routinely elevates the story. Motifs creep into prominence at perfect moments, delivering eerie or hopeful feelings precisely when needed.
The Rings of Power handles the challenge of pacing a sprawling tale across distant locations excellently. By maintaining focus on a particular set of characters in each episode, storylines feel like they make substantial progress. Though there's a lot to love across the board, it's clear this is the Sauron show, and the dread and tragedy he brings is impossible to look away from.
Rating: 4/5
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