The Rings of Power season two is now well over halfway through its run and it seems danger lurks around every corner. The latest episode doesn't pull any punches either, being one of the darkest instalments in the Lord of the Rings series so far. However, with so many stories and characters to navigate, you'd be forgiven for being a little confused as to where we are in all the corners of Middle-earth.
Below, we break down all the major developments from episode five, from what Annatar's latest plan means to the true danger facing Khazad-dûm. Then there's what's happening in Númenor, which could have big implications for the rest of Middle-earth.
However, before we delve deeper into one of the best shows on Amazon Prime Video, take this as your Spoiler alertWe will delve into The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 5 Key Details Below So make sure you are up to date before continuing reading.
The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 5 Recap
The latest episode of the fantasy epic begins in Khazad-dûm, where the influence and power of the new rings come to light. King Durin is opening up the mountain realm to the light, using the power of his ring to be able to tell his men where to dig. Not everyone is so thrilled with his approach, however, as Disa tells Prince Durin that she's worried that her power may be too tempting for the leader to contain. And as we see a little later, it's already causing trouble as the king tells the other dwarven lords that they must pay a reward in order to use the rings.
Later in the episode, Disa purchases a tuning crystal, but ends up losing it in the mine tunnels. As she ventures deeper into the darkness, she sings to find it, but something terrifying answers deep within the mountain. This sets off alarm bells for Disa and Prince Durin, as the King vows to ignore her restrictions and continue digging deeper into Khazad-Dum to find more gold. What could possibly go wrong?
Meanwhile, in Eregion, Sauron in the form of Annatar continues to manipulate Celebrimbor and the work at the Elven-forge. Celebrimbor also has a surprise for them: the Doors of Durin, which are covered in Ithildin. Annatar is trying to convince Celebrimbor to make rings for men, as they suffer the most in Middle-earth. “It is a game you play, isn’t it? Planting seeds in the minds of others,” he asks Annatar at one point, nearly blowing the entire disguise.
Celebrimbor refuses to be intimidated and gets Annatar to take on the task on his own, after swearing that he will find men of pure heart. “I will make all nine myself,” he says, but it proves to be harder than he imagined. Mirdania faces the hard side of this after trying on one of the rings they have been working on, which takes her to the invisible world. “He was tall and his skin was made of flames,” she warns of a beast she saw hunting them.
Annatar uses this as an opportunity to try and persuade Celebrimbor to help with the making of the rings, as well as leaning on Mirdania to persuade him as well with a cheeky compliment that he resembles Galadriel (calm down, Haladriel fans).
Númenor is not immune to political machinations either, as tensions mount between men. Now that Pharazôn has taken the throne, he has made the decision to cement his reign with an iron fist. Speaking to his son Kemen, he orders him to crush all potential traitors. Ominously, he also tells him that his mother had a prophecy that he would “come to a bad end.” If he does his dirty work, Pharazôn will make it clear to him how.
Elsewhere, Elendil tries to advise Míriel to stand firm, as the Sea Guard will protect her. However, she is now so concerned about the fate of Númenor, and that it may have changed, that she wants to maintain the status quo. This leaves Elendil in a difficult position, especially as his daughter Eärien has declared herself a member of the Pharazôn crew, as to whether to show loyalty. He ultimately decides against it and hands over his captain's robes to Kemen, as do his men as well.
It is a decision that has bloody consequences in the final act, as while praying in the temple for the souls that have been lost, Kemen's men enter and overthrow him and Valandil. Kemen destroys a priceless artifact, while Valandil challenges him, pointing his sword at his neck, but does not kill him on Elendil's orders. Kemen is not so noble, stabbing Valandil in the back and murdering him in a most cowardly manner.
The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 5 Easter Eggs
Doors of Durin: After Celebrimbor invented Ithildin early in Season 2, it was perhaps inevitable that we'd see it in its most famous use at the Doors of Durin. The design of the doors is revealed in the final episode, where Narvi explains that they'll be “protected by a password known only to friends.” Now, if you know The Lord of the Rings, you'll know exactly what this password is because Frodo and the Fellowship have to use it to get into Moria. It's the Elvish word for friends: mellon.
Palantír: Míriel and Elendil discuss the vision he had in Palantír, one of the crystal balls used in JRR Tolkien's novels to predict future events. Elendil's vision was of himself riding lost from a city he doesn't know. Given the fate that awaits Númenor, it seems pretty clear that it can't mean anything good, though it does reassure Míriel.
Rings for men: Annatar’s grand plan in the final episode of The Rings of Power is to get Celebrimbor to make rings for men – nine of them to be exact. These are the final rings that Sauron oversees before ordering Celebrimbor to make the One Ring to rule them all. He suggests that they find trustworthy ring-bearers, from Númenor to Rhûn. In The Lord of the Rings we never find out who these men were, aside from the Witch-king of Angmar, Khamûl, and the unnamed Ringwraiths. Could we learn more about the Nazghûl here?
The One Ring: At one point Mirdania puts on one of the rings they are working on that has been made using more Mithril than ever before. It makes her invisible and she enters the “invisible world.” It certainly seems like this could be an early prototype for the future One Ring, given her familiarity with the realm.
The Balrog: Deep in the depths of Khazad-Dum, Disa discovers something. When she uses her voice to locate her tuning crystal, a moaning sound is heard from beneath the water. What is lurking there? Well, it seems pretty certain that it's the Balrog, since we know that the creature lives beneath the mountains in The Lord of the Rings. and even appeared in the season 2 trailer.
For more information, check out our guide to The Rings of Power season 2 release schedule and our The Rings of Power season 2 review.