The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power/Disney+

After weeks of preparation, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power delivered perhaps its biggest twist, when a seemingly triumphant battle for the Southlands of Middle-earth turned into a catastrophic tragedy. The penultimate episode of the inaugural season, “The Eye”, explores the immediate aftermath of this twist and at the same time controls the other main plot lines in other parts of the continent. 

With every series of stories and characters having their moment of glory, “The Eye” is one of the most balanced episodes of the series to date and hints at major implications for the upcoming and epic season finale.

The episode opens in the aftermath of the massive volcanic eruption that engulfed the Southern Lands, with a major ISDA location created in the ashes, Galadriel and his surviving companions must regroup and retreat as the enemy regains strength. Meanwhile, beneath the mightiest mountains of Middle-earth, the fate of the fragile alliance between elves and dwarves is debated over the recent discovery of the rare and powerful mineral mithril. 

The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power/Prime Video

As the Piedirosso nomads continue to roam the countryside, they discover that their role in the future of Middle-earth is about to become even more important than they can imagine. If the previous episode was the great battle that the public was clamoring for since the beginning of The Rings of Power, “The Eye” is the hangover after the party. 

No longer galloping majestically while wearing shimmering armor, Galadriel and her allies are very defensive and the episode mixes tragedy and tension as they flee the South Lands. Cynthia Addai-Robinson (Queen Regent Míriel) and Morfydd Clark ( Galadriel) excel at giving these layers to their performances, while the episode marks the strongest work in the series by Tyroe Muhafidin (Theo).

The real highlight of the episode, however, comes from the depths of the realm of the dwarves, between King Durin and his son. Owain Arthur (Durin IV) and Peter Mullan (Durin III) get busy with their portrayal, exposing all the uncomfortable familiar elements of the relationship between their characters as they oppose. The fact that this topic stands out in such an emotional episode is proof of the work of Arthur and Mullan who, apparently, will continue to explore this family divide by the end of the season.

The Rings of Power Episode 8: Prime Video

After spending most of the season capturing the natural beauty of Middle-earth, “The Eye” is an inexorable exploration of its newborn dark side. Art design gave birth to a hellish vision for The Rings of Power, as the original Prime Video series takes a sharp tonal turn in the penultimate episode of the season. From ravaged groves to the unexplored depths of mithril mines, “The Eye” enjoys shifting the stakes and gives the series a welcome change from its usual shimmering majesty.

With just one episode to go, The Rings of Power is picking up the pace and offering many important moments that are sure to please Tolkien fans who have been waiting for more familiar elements. No longer chasing Sauron and hunting orcs, heroes are struggling to survive. Cornered as evil grows, The Rings of Power has found new strength in embracing its sinister potential.

Developed for television by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power comes out with new episodes on Fridays at 12 on Prime Video.