We ended the last episode with several different groups embarking on separate journeys. They all have their own purpose, but they are all a result of the fires of Mount Doom being ignited. The season finale of Rings of Power brings audiences a major villain reveal as well as kicking off the actual Rings storyline. 

Rings of Power Season Finale

The giant man comes into contact with the people that were hunting him. They seem to be some form of shapeshifters as the main one took the form of Nori. And the biggest of bombs is dropped when Nori’s giant friend is revealed to be Sauron! That is definitely a season finale level reveal. 

The Forging of the Rings

Galadriel comes riding home, Halbrand in tow. Elrond and Galadriel reunite and catch up on the season’s adventures. Seeing them together again, after many trials apart, really shows how sweet their bond is. 

Halbrand is going to be the drive behind forging these rings. His interaction with Celebrimbor is really the first time that we see how truly smart he is. His experience as a smith, someone who actually works with his hands, is going to make him a great king. This Rings of Power season finale is going to set up season 2 very well. 

We are taken back to Numenor where the king’s health is fading and his people are all getting their turn to say goodbye. Earin is sent by the king into the queen’s quarters where she pulls the drape over.

This Elven high king is really difficult. He wants no actual solutions. He just wants to argue. Galadriel is connecting what Celebrimbor is saying with what she heard from the leader of the Orcs, and she has a very stern look on her face. This girl is always ready to fight, and she looks so determined to get any information she needs from him. She has Halbrand investigated and watches Celebrimbor closely. This season finale is going to leave her very suspicious, and we are going to see the actual Rings of Power storyline kick off. 

“Hope is never mere, not even when it is meager.” This is the perfect Rings of Power line. That line holds within it every major theme and thought Tolkien put into his works, and it was beautiful.

Celebrimbor and Elrond are trying to forge the Mithril into a crown, and Halbrand seems to be the only one who knows how to use it. Galadriel also seems very distraught by whatever she found out about Halbrand. She confronts him about it, and we find out that the man we’ve been rooting for all season is, in fact, Sauron. These twists are written brilliantly. The Rings of Power writing staff is incredible. Sauron is now messing with Galadriel, getting into her head and making her think of her dead brother. This season finale was wild. The way that they balance reveals and new questions is amazing. 

Sauron and Gandalf

These followers of Sauron are trying to awaken his memories, yet somehow possess the power to knock him out? I doubt the extent of how this group works is going to be revealed before the end of the season finale. The hobbits are following very closely behind, but they definitely do not understand the danger of the group that they are tracking. The likelihood of one of them dying is pretty high. And their leader does, in fact, get stabbed. Nori hands the staff to who we think is Sauron, who extinguishes all of the fire, therefore saving the hobbits. The group then realizes that they had the wrong man. They say, “He is the other,” which leaves an even bigger mystery for the audience to stew in after the season finale. 

Elrond pulls Galadriel out of the water and she breaks down in front of him. And when brought back to the workshop, she is forced to sacrifice her brother’s dagger so that they can forge 3 rings for the elves. 

Nori’s friend is Gandalf! Which was something I predicted early and got no back up for from the internet, but my theory was validated in the season finale. 

We end season 1 of Rings of Power with Gandalf and Nori headed out together, the rings being forged, and Sauron approaching Mount Doom. Season 2 is going to be even more wild. The showrunners have commented that they want the shortest amount of time possible in between seasons. They are already hard at work on season 2, and we can’t wait until the world of Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power is brought back. 

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