"A Shadow of the Past" is the premiere episode of Season One of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. It aired on September 2, 2022 on Prime Video. It was written by showrunners J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay and directed by J.A. Bayona. Along with the second episode it had the most viewers of any Prime Video premiere within 24 hours. It is named after the second chapter of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring.
Synopsis[]
Series Premiere. Galadriel is disturbed by signs of an ancient evil's return; Arondir makes an unsettling discovery; Elrond is presented with an intriguing new venture; Nori breaks the Harfoot community's most deeply-held rule.
Plot[]
A young Galadriel created a boat out of fabric and sailed it on the riverbank as skeptical children watched. They chased after the boat, pelting rocks at it despite her protests. A larger rock crushed the blossoming creation, and a boy mocked her as he knew it wouldn't float. She attacked him until her brother Finrod intervened from afar.
They sat under a tree as he praised her ship making. She made it just the way he taught her. He explained a ship can sail while a rock cannot, because the stone can only see downward. He spoke to her of the ship mastering the darkness in the water by looking up, fixed upon the light that guided it. She noted how the light reflects in the water just as brightly in the sky as they do in the water, wondering how to know which light to follow. He whispered the simple truth in her ear. She must learn to discern those truths, as he won't always be there. She questioned his statement and he walked off to meet their parents in the shining Valinor.
The Two Trees of Valinor shined with light until darkness from the Great Foe, Morgoth, destroyed the light. The Elves resisted by raising a legion who went to war, led by Finrod. They sailed out from Valinor for a distant realm, across the Sundering Seas, to one filled with perils and strange creatures - Middle-earth. Dragons took flight in the sky as bursts of fire brought them crashing down. The Great War was meant to be over quickly, but it ruined Middle-earth and lasted centuries. In the middle of the fallen Elves, Galadriel picks up a helmet and carried it to the ever-growing pile.
Morgoth was defeated, but his tyranny brought sorrow as his Orcs spread to every corner of Middle-earth under the command of a cruel and cunning sorcerer, Sauron. Finrod vowed to seek out and destroy Sauron, but Sauron killed him first. He carved an unidentifiable sigil in Finrod's flesh. In the darkness, Galadriel took Finrod's blade and vowed to finish her brother's journey. She led her army across the realms to hunt Sauron. As centuries passed, the trail for Sauron grew thin, and many believed the sorcerer was just a memory - Galadriel was not one of them.
In Forodwaith, the Northernmost Waste, Galadriel led her company of Elves up an icy mountain. The company, composed of Thondir and others, watched her scale higher and faster than anyone else. Thondir advised her to give up her pursuit as the Orcs had not been seen in years. He suggested they camp at the top of the mountain and then journey home in the morning, but she dismissed his idea.
The weather turned treacherous as the blizzards began. One of the soldiers collapsed which forced the company to stop. Galadriel realized they had already arrived at the fortress Dúrnost - a place so evil their torches gave no warmth. They searched the fortress and discovered a sealed-off door that Galadriel commanded they bring down. They found evidence someone had been meddling with the forces of the Unseen World, including an Orc corpse fused into a wall. A flake of snow melted on an altar, and when Galadriel poured water on the stone, it revealed the sigil from Souron. She recognized it as the one carved into her brother. She wanted to continue their search further North, believing the mark was a trail left for the Orcs to follow. Thondir didn't want to continue - they exceeded their orders months ago and should return home to take counsel with the High King. She yearned for home more than the others, but cannot rest or return until every trace of their enemy is vanquished. A Snow-Troll attacked Rían, which forced the company into battle, where many lost their lives. Galadriel, with aid from Thondir, expertly slew the creature. Galadriel insisted on pressing on in search of Sauron, but the rest of the company laid down their weapons in defiance of her orders.
Across the map in Rhovanion, the Wilderlands East of the Anduin, two hunters crossed the plain in search of animals. The younger of the two paused, thought to have seen a fox, but the elder surmised it was a dangerous creature known as a Harfoot. They walked off in pursuit of a lake. From the ground, hidden in shrubs, are Harfoots who blew a flute to alert the others; it was safe to emerge. The encampment emerged from rocks, cliffs, trunks of trees, grass, and the ground to reveal their homes. Goldie searched for Nori while Sadoc consulted his texts, identifying the hunters as pre-determined signs. Sadoc consulted Malva and her sisters about the early travelers. The last time travelers came this early was the bleak season of the Great Frost. He surmised they just got lost. Goldie shared her concerns about the children's whereabouts with Largo, who wasn't worried as they were with Nori.
Poppy nervously shared her fear of exploration with Nori, who ignored her completely. She pulled her friend through the fence and face-first into the mud. They ran to the other children who had found the berry bushes. They picked, gathered, and ate the berries while playing happily. Dilly found a giant paw mark in the ground and excitedly showed Nori, who played it off as belonging to a dog who wouldn't eat their berries if it didn't see them. She told the children it was time to leave. She only shared her discovery with Poppy, who helped Nori collect everyone. The wolf emerged behind them and sniffed the air.
In Lindon, the Capital of the High Elves, Elrond lounged happily in a tree as he wrote a speech in his journal. An Elf emerged from the tree line, relieved to find him. The Council won't permit him to attend the next session as it's Elf-lords only. His friend had also arrived, which delighted him as he hurried away, stopping only to hand off the speech. He found Galadriel gazing fondly at a painting, and they greeted each other with grace. He mused over the light the painting depicted, and how everyone who passed through it was said to hear the same song and feel the same feeling. It was the only feeling she knew as a child. He wanted to hear everything about her travels. She showed him the mark as proof that Sauron survived. She intended to ask the King for a fresh company. He didn't want her to leave so soon. She demanded to speak with the King directly. He revealed that she defied the High King when she refused to heed any limit placed upon her. The King has chosen to honor her accomplishments instead of dwelling on her insolence. But if she continued down this path, the King might not be so magnanimous in the future. She still wished for an audience, and he agreed to give her that after the ceremony - if she still wanted it.
Nori returned to her village and greeted her father Largo, who mused over her many findings “by the river bank.” He told her about the travelers who passed by the ridge. She shared a berry with him and then emptied the snails across from Goldie, who knew Nori had been to the old farm again. Her concerns were with the children not being careful. Nori wondered if there was trouble down South that caused the travelers to arrive early. She yearned to explore beyond their wandering. Goldie reminded her that while Elves have the forest to protect, Dwarves their mines, and men their fields of grain, the Harfoots are free from the worries of the world. Nobody goes off trail and nobody walks alone. They survive by being with each other. She encouraged Nori to help her father instead. The girl began to walk and then returned to share a berry with her stepmother.
In Lindon, the High King Gil-galad bestowed crowns upon the returned company as he delivered the speech Elrond wrote. Galadriel is the last to receive the crown, and for a moment, it seemed as though she might refuse, but she relaxed into acceptance. As a measure of their gratitude, Gil-galad granted them an escort to the Gray Havens to dwell for all eternity in the Blessed Realm, the Undying Lands of Valinor.
Fireworks exploded over Lindon while Galadriel visited her brother's memorial. Elrond brought her wine and they discussed the honors of the day. She mused over the likeness of one fallen preserved upon a living thing. She thought she would be at rest there one day. She has decided to refuse the King's gift to finish her brother's hunt for Sauron. He understood her feelings of conflict. She told him about the Evil she had seen. Elrond reminded her that if she stayed, she might never get the chance to return home again. She would be an outcast among her people on a journey that may only add to the statues carved in trees. He encouraged her to put down her sword and allow herself to be healed spiritually by returning to Valinor. He promised that if any whisper of the Evil she had fought remained, he would not rest until he put it right.
Across the map in the Southlands, the Lands of Men, two Elves arrived in the village of Tirharad. Inside a tavern, the butcher Waldreg commented to Tredwill about a pig being poisoned. Arondir entered the tavern and everyone fell silent. Waldreg lied about not having a lot to report as Bronwyn gathered her belongings and left. Arondir asked about the poisoning they just discussed, but Waldreg covered it up by saying it was bad grass. A fellow from the East passed through to complain about his grazing gone bad. Arondir pressed for more information which annoyed Rowan, who angrily insulted the Elves' ears. He was mad the Elves kept their past alive and blamed them for actions made a thousand years ago. He knew their true King would arrive and pry them out from under the Elves' pointy boots. Arondir stopped Waldreg from landing a punch on Rowan. He collected the fallen cup as Rowan was escorted away by a friend.
Arondir left the tavern and joined Bronwyn at the well. She gave him a vial of Alfirin seeds, a flower he hadn't seen since childhood. She traded with another healer for the seeds. They crushed the petals to form a salve. They have healers among the Elves called Artificers. Since most Elven wounds heal on their own accord, their labor is to render hidden truths as works of beauty. Their secret conversation was cut short by Waldreg's emergence. Arondir rejoined Médhor to discuss their findings. He reported nothing new, though Médhor asked about the well. Médhor complained about Arondir's fraternization with the human girl. He felt he had to watch over both the humans and his companion. Arondir ignored his worries and they returned to Ostirith. Médhor continued to lecture his friend about the pairing between Elves and humans, reminding him the two previous attempts in history ended in tragedy and death. An elf ran down the bridge to give Arondir and Médhor a decree from the King that the war was over. It meant all far outposts have been disbanded, so the Elves must leave.
Arondir climbed the watchtower to overlook Tirharad. The Watchcommander Revion joined Aronidr, who was reminiscing about the seventy-nine years he spent there. Though the grounds had changed much, Revion believed the people hadn't, with the blood of those who stood with Morgoth darkening their veins. They discussed the honors and titles that Arondir would return home with, far outweighing his duty as a grower before the war. They don't watch over Tirharad to punish the actions of those who came before, but because of who the humans still are. Arondir should be grateful he never had to see them again.
Bronwyn and her son Theo ground petals as he complained about the mice that kept him awake. Arondir visited her backyard to discuss his impending leave with Bronwyn. He said what he wanted to say a hundred times over in every way but words. They are interrupted by Theo, as a man is at the front door for her. She crossed through the house to see Tredwill, who brought a sick cow for her to treat. Arondir emerged from the backyard to ask about the animal, who wandered East a few days ago, as far as Hordern. Arondir milked her and black muck poured out. He gathered his belongings to travel to Hordern and Bronwyn insisted she join him.
Theo and Rowan ran to a stable where Theo removed a creaky floorboard he found earlier. Rowan asked if the rumors about his mom and the Elf were true, though Theo called it a lie. Rowan blamed their affair on why Theo's father ran off since no one knows what happened. Theo opened a box and removed a broken sword-hilt to show his friend, who was scared off by the noise. Theo stared at the hilt and the Sigil triggered a vision of it in flames accompanied by whispers of Black Speech.
Galadriel and her company sail on a ship to Valinor. Elrond watched the ship pass out of his sight. Gil-galad shared that if Galadriel had continued her search, she might have inadvertently kept alive the very evil she sought to defeat. Elrond wondered if Gil-galad believed the evil was out there, but the King told him to put his mind at rest. He did what was right for Galadriel and Middle-earth. While Galadriel sailed to the sunset, the King and Elrond must look to the sunrise. He reassigned Elrond to Lord Celebrimbor for a new project of singular importance. Celebrimbor emerged from the tree line to explain the details.
Sadoc looked to the stars. He remarked on them coming after the big people like they were watching for something. Nori scared him to ask what he meant. He ridiculed her for being too nosey for a Harfoot, but rather a squirrel. He cautiously told her the skies were strange.
Arondir and Bronwyn began their trek to Hordern, her birthplace. He was apprehensive about the people since they were strong in their loyalty to Morgoth. This offended her as those people were her friends, her close kin, and there were good people there. He was here with her instead of the Watchmen for that very reason. She was the only kind touch he had known in all his time in the land. Their moment was cut short when they spotted dark smoke billowing from a burnt Hordern.
On the Sundering Seas, Galadriel and her company are stripped of their swords and armor. Galadriel struggled to release her brothers dagger but eventually did. A flock of white birds flew over the ship as everyone stared in awe. The company sang a beautiful song as the clouds parted to reveal a bright golden light that washed over them. Rian walked to the bow where he stretched out his hand. Galadriel looked back at her brother's dagger as she recalled his words about a ship floating while a stone cannot.
Gil-galad and the Elves watched as a comet shot across the sky. The king picked up a fallen leaf and turned it over to see the darkness spread across it as voices whispered in Black Speech.
Galadriel stepped away from the light. Thondir called out for her to take his hand. She reached out for him but looked back at the dagger. Galadriel thought back to when Finrod said to her that they could not know which light to follow until they had touched the darkness. The light washed over everyone on the ship. Galadriel leapt off the boat and into the water. She watched the light disappear and the gateway close as she floated back toward shore.
The comet streaked past Arondir and Bronwyn and through the woods. The comet rushed past Nori before slamming into the ground. Nori investigated the crater site and stared in shock at the stranger in the center.
Cast (in order of appearance)[]
- Amelie Child Villiers as Young Galadriel
- Will Fletcher as Finrod
- Morfydd Clark as Galadriel
- Fabian McCallum as Thondir
- Kip Chapman as Rían
- Sir Lenny Henry as Sadoc Burrows
- Sara Zwangobani as Marigold Brandyfoot
- Thusitha Jayasundera as Malva
- Maxine Cunliffe as Vilma
- Dylan Smith as Largo Brandyfoot
- Markella Kavenagh as Nori Brandyfoot
- Beau Cassidy as Dilly Brandyfoot
- Megan Richards as Poppy Proudfellow
- Robert Aramayo as Elrond
- Benjamin Walker as High King Gil-galad
- Ismael Cruz Córdova as Arondir
- Geoff Morrell as Waldreg
- Peter Tait as Tredwill
- Ian Blackburn as Rowan
- Nazanin Boniadi as Bronwyn
- Augustus Prew as Médhor
- Simon Merrells as Watchwarden Revion
- Tyroe Muhafidin as Theo
- Charles Edwards as Lord Celebrimbor
- Daniel Weyman as The Stranger
- Jagger Serafin as Elf Child
- Eva Gardner as Elf Child
- Oscar Beszant as Elf Child
- Ashlee Fidow as Elf Soldier
- Carl Van Roon as Elf Soldier
- Sean Neary as Elf Soldier
- Cameron Brown as Elf Soldier
- Andrew Cottle as Veteran Elf
- Kenneth Ransom as Younger Hunter
- Tom McCathie as Ornery Hunter
- Paula Nazarski as Malva's Sister
- Shelley Waddams as Elf Attendant
- Graham Ralls as Whiskery Old Man
- Justin Doble as Milky-Eyed Southlander
- Nicholas Foustellis as Short-Haired Elf
Appearances[]
| Characters | Creatures | Events | Locations |
| Organizations, factions, and groups | Objects, artefacts, and weapons | Races | Miscellanea |
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Organizations, factions, and groups
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Objects, artefacts, and weapons
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Miscellanea
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