Partings is the fifth episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. It aired on September 23, 2022 on Prime Video. It was written by Justin Doble and showrunners J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay and directed by Wayne Che Yip.
The episode's title refers to the Númenórean ships parting from Númenor to join the battle in Middle-earth.
Synopsis[]
Nori questions her instincts; Elrond struggles to stay true to his oath; Halbrand weighs his destiny; The Southlanders brace for attack.
Plot[]
Nori brought a bowl of snails to the Stranger to eat while they overlooked the view. She taught him the term "migration" and explained where they migrate each year, what a peril was, and what killing was. He worried he was a peril because of what he did to the fireflies, but she convinced him he wasn't peril, but rather, he's good. Goldie shouted for her daughter, so Nori rejoined her family as the Stranger mused over being good.
Largo and Goldie bickered lightheartedly as the Stranger helped prepare the wagon. He sided with Largo about Goldie's snoring. Poppy was eager to continue the migration, and Nori suggested she sing her mom's walkin' song to help the time pass. They passed through the Grey Marshes where their wagons become stuck in the murky waters, Trout Bend with its deep hills and waterfalls, into Thistlebell, and across the twisted waters of The Braids where the family took up camp. Nori noticed the Stranger watch the constellations and moongaze that night.
The Mystics arrived at the Stranger's crash site. The Dweller held her hand over the crash site as her companions, The Ascetic and The Nomad looked on from high cliffs.
Adar basked in the morning sunlight. Grugzûk limped over to tell him it the tunnel was completed. Adar asked for the Orcs arm and exposed it to the sun, which sizzled like fire. Adar wished Grugzûk could feel the sun the way he did. He mused that the sun would be gone soon, and with it, the part of Adar that knew the warmth. He covered Grugzûk's arm and instructed him to summon the legions.
Bronwyn climbed the Watchtower with Arondir to address her people. She told them of their enemies plan to attack and proposition. She wanted them to stand with her so the tower would be a symbol of their strength and not their fealty. One at a time then all at once, the people agreed to stay until Waldreg intervened. He wanted to take his chances bowing to their enemy. Arondir promised Adar was not their deliverance. Waldreg knew their ancestors had lived, and promised that if they followed him, the would all live. Dozens of people followed, including Rowan. Waldreg requested Theo join them, but the boy stayed behind.
In Númenor, the ships prepared for the arduous journey ahead. Isildur confronted Elendil over not being chosen for the expedition. He decided not to go West until he had done something worthy of Númenor. Elendil couldn't provide support for his son as half the city wanted a spot on the boat. He wouldn't slip his son to the front of the line because Isildur didn't have any qualifications - he didn't belong to the Sea Guard, the Queen's Guard, or any guild. The others of the island found ways to contribute and serve while Isildur did not. Elendil would be proud to have his son serve, but it was Isildur's choices that were already made.
Pharazôn walked through an angered Númenórean court who felt it was blasphemy for their people help, or die for, an Elf. He ignored their protests. Among them was Eärien, desperate to get his attention. Kemen intercepted her and she pled her case to Kemen. She hoped he could persuade his father to stand against Queen Míriel's decision.
Halbrand, having earned his guild crest, worked as a blacksmith alongside Smithy. The seasoned blacksmith admired the Southlanders work. The Queen's Guard arrived to escort Halbrand to see the Queen.
Halbrand provided intelligence to Míriel about the path the enemy took, with their destination being the Watchtower of Ostirith. Pharazôn left to inform the Sea Guard. Míriel was hopeful that Halbrand's knowledge would prove useful when they made landfall, as Galadriel had made his aspirations to unite his people known. Galadriel interrupted Halbrand before he could negate her vow. She promised that Halbrand would come through in the end. The Queen exited to see her father. Halbrand confronted Galadriel about using him, but she was upset her handed her over to the Queen for a guild crest. He had begged her to let him be. She had over 500 soldiers to help his people and give him a crown. He slammed his necklace on the table and told her to find another head to crown.
The Harfoots migration led them into a barren forest that unnerved the Brandyfoot's and Poppy. Largo comforted a fearful Dilly while Poppy wondered what made the Trailfinders go this way. Nori surmised Rockfoot Path was blocked in. Nori noticed wolf prints in the dirt near camp.
Malva confronted Sadoc about the trees being bare this time of year. She believed the Stranger was responsible and wanted Sadoc to leave the Brandyfoot's behind before someone was made a widow or an orphan. Vilma brought her sister a basket to help fetch food for the community. Sadoc told her to stay close. Malva picked fruit and fungus from the trees. Poppy and Nori accidentally started Malva as they rushed out their spotting of wolf prints. They heard the screeches of the creatures in the distance. Sadoc ran to the front of camp. Malva, Poppy, and Nori screamed as wolves chased at their heels. They clambered into a tree as Nori tried to break off a branch to use as a weapon. The Stranger grabbed the wolf mid-air and threw him aside. The pack circled him so he slammed his fist to the ground, a gust of air blast them away. The creatures ran off with a limp while The Stranger was injured by the blast.
Elendil supervised a sword match between Valandil and Ontamo. Galadriel critiqued their methods as they were untested against their foe. They spoke in Elvish as Elendil invited her to teach them how to defeat an Orc. The prospective soldiers formed a line as Galadriel spoke to them of how to kill an Orc. Anyone who could cut her would be promoted to Lieutenant. Valandil was the first to step forward and duel her. She outmaneuvered him easily, and Ontamo joined the fight. News of her duels spread as everyone rushed to the square to witness it. She took on the whole line with minimal difficulty. Ultimately, Valandil knicked her arm and was promoted. Halbrand handed the sword back to Valandil. Galadriel remarked on his swordsmanship.
Kemen tried to convinced Pharazôn to assert his influence over the people to put a stop to Númenor's aide of the Elf. Pharazôn knew it was folly to kick against the current as the current was too unpredictable. Kemen knew Pharazôn all-but single-handedly stopped the old King from reverting them to the old ways, and wanted Pharazôn to do it again. He knew his father would sooner die than take orders from an Elf. Pharazôn's demeanor shifted with the accusation. He believed the Elves would take orders from them in the end. They would save the low-men of Middle-earth and give them a King who would be indebted to them. The benefit of that far outweighed the political risks.
Tar-Palantir was uneasy as he believed the kingdom was in danger. Míriel assured him the danger had passed as she was restoring their connection with the Elves. She shared her travel to Middle-earth with her father, who asked her not to go as only darkness awaited her there.
The Stranger chanted in another language as he held his arm over a well of water. Nori was ecstatic to find him as the community had finally taken a liking to him. She noticed the water turn to ice around his burns. She grabbed his arm to stop him and the ice covered her hand. She begged him to stop as she cried, and he accidentally released a blast that knocked her away. She hid under her cloak while whimpering. He approached her apologetically, but she ran away from him in fear. He gazed at his healed arm.
In Lindon, Elrond led a toast to the union between the Khazad and Noldor. Gil-galad commended Durin for Khazad-dûm being so active despite it being the quietest of the Dwarven kingdoms. He inquired about the invigoration of the people, though Durin turned the question back to the King, as the Lindon had shipped off its warriors and expanded its cities recently. Durin began to accuse the Elves of taking weeks to decide on anything, but Elrond intervened to remind his Elven peers of the years of their differences in the perception of time. Tensions remained high and Durin inquired about the table they dined on. He claimed the stone only grew at certain depths. The Dwarves viewed each deposit as sacred and reserved its use for the most sacred of purposes - monuments or tombs, to their honored dead. Gil-galad apologized for their sacrilege and would send it home with Durin so it could be treated with proper respect. Durin was glad their was still honor among the Elves. Celebrimbor led another toast to the union of their peoples.
After dinner, Gil-galad confronted Elrond about lying, though Elrond believed the king had lied to him. He went to the Dwarves with a proposal of a friendship, but Gil-galad sought something else. The King commanded Elrond to recount The Song of the Roots of Hithaeglir. Long ago, a battle - not over honor or duty, but over a tree - was fought atop highest peaks of the Misty Mountains. The tree was believed to have hidden the last of the lost Silmarils. On one side fought an Elven warrior, with a heart as purse asManwë, who poured all of his light into the tree to protect it. On the other, was a Balrog of Morgoth, who channeled all his hatred into the tree to destroy it. Amidst their duel, unending lightning ensnared the tree. A power was forged from their conflict as pure and light as good, and as strong an unyielding as evil. The power seeped down the roots into the mountain depths, where it waited for centuries to be found. Elrond realized Durin was right about Gil-galad's intentions, and the King took that as an admittance of the Ore's discovery. Elrond refused to betray the promise of his friend - not even for his King. Gil-galad brought him to the Great Tree so he could witness its decay. Gil-galad had hoped that if he sent Galadriel away the could bring an end to the last vestiges of war and arrest the decay, but the decline has only quickened. The blight of the tree was an outer manifestation of an inner reality. The light of the Eldar, their light, was fading. Only a precious few knew of their decay. Gil-galad asked again if the Ore had been found, but Elrond valued the oath he swore to Durin as he believed their souls were bound by such things. He wouldn't risk that on the basis of mere hope. Gil-galad reminded him that hope was never mere, even when it was meager. If the Elves abandoned Middle-earth, the armies of darkness would march over the Earth and be the end of all peoples. He suggested Elrond find a reason to break his oath. When the king left, Elrond gazed upon a piece of Mithril.
The people of Númenor have a celebration to send-off their troops. Ontamo assures his fiancée Mairen that he'll be okay, as he believes it will all be over by the time he gets off the boat. They are about to kiss when Valandil interrupts. She spots Isildur across the room and suggests he might sing with them.
Ontamo and Valandil joined Isildur in the halls, though Valandil already knew what his friend would ask. He knew Isil would come with a lavish apology that Ontamo would, of course, accepted instantly but Valandil wouldn't. He didn't want to be used as a means of getting Isil on the expedition. Isil does apologize again and asks to be brought with them. He wanted to make things right and offered up two free hits for Valandil. His friend accepted the offer with two swift punches, but he still couldn't stake his name on recommending Isil for a duty he might abandon. Isil promised it would be different this time, but Valandil couldn't take the chance. He hoped his friend would find something he was willing to sacrifice everything for. Ontamo promised to take care of Berek for him as the horse master had recruited him.
Kemen snuck onto one of the ships to sabotage the mission by setting a fire. He discovered Isildur stowed away near the hay. Isil realized Kemen was about to burn the boat and they fought for the lantern. It smashed into the liquor and they both fled to escape. Kemen was knocked out by a falling weight, which gave Isil pause. The ship exploded and Elendil rushed to the pier alongside others to pull Kemen and Isildur from the waters. Isil lied that Kemen was on a fishing boat when a cask went up. Kemen attributed his safety to Isildur.
Elendil spoke with Míriel, Galadriel, and Pharazôn about the incident. Galadriel didn't want this to kindle the Queen Regent's doubts, but Pharazôn disagreed with the Elf. He worried they acted in haste as kingdoms should be led and not dragged. He wanted to wait until more joined the Queen Regent's cause. Galadriel reminded the Queen of her faith, the three remaining ships, and the King's blessing. Míriel disbanded the counsel until morning to make her final decision. She wanted Halbrand at the next meeting.
Back in Lindon, Celebrimbor apologized to Elrond for not telling him of the Great Tree's decay earlier. He begged the High King to allow Elrond into their confidence sooner, but Gil-galad refused. Elrond confirmed with Celebrimbor that the mithril was their only salvation. Celebrimbor tested it under and duress and nothing diminished its light. If they could procure vast quantities quickly, they could saturate every last Elf in the light of the Valar once more and save their race. Elrond felt torn between his oath to his friend, or saving his people. Celebrimbor was there the night Elrond's father, a mortal man, set sail to convince the very Gods to come to war in their air. He heard Elrond's mother plead with his father to not go and implore why it must be him. His father had said it was because he was the only one who could do it.
Galadriel visited Halbrand in the blacksmiths. She apologized for using him and asked him to attend the meeting with the Queen in the morning. She wanted his help but Halbrand believed he had helped her enough. Exasperated, she asked him to help himself so they could join forces and fight together. He recalled men like him fighting alongside the enemy, but she corrected it was mean like him, not himself. He claims she's wrong as he did things before he ended up on the raft to survive - how they all survived. He knew the Númenóreans, and Galadriel, would cast him out when they discovered it. She knew that to find the light, they must first touch the darkness. He asked who she lost in the war. She lost her brother in a place of darkness by servants of Sauron. He accused her of only being in the fight for vengeance, but she disavowed that. He wanted to know why she wanted him to return to the one place he swore to never return. She kept fighting because she cannot stop. The company she led mutinied against her, her closest friend conspired with the King to exile her, and she believes each of them acted as they did because they could no longer distinguish her from the evil she fought. He apologized for her brothers death and everything she had been through. She knew no peace would be found for either of them here, only in the path across the sea. She returned his necklace and left.
Rowan and Waldreg lead a group of Southlanders to the Orcs where they bend the knee to Adar. Waldreg proclaimed his long wait for the Orcs return to lift them from the muck and filth. He pledged his undying service to Sauron. Adar confronted him as he was not Sauron. He dragged Waldreg across the ground by the throat as the Southlander swore to serve whomever he was. Adar dragged Rowan from the crowd and threw a knife to Waldreg with the order to kill Rowan to prove his loyalty.
Theo practiced his archery with guidance from Arondir. It took the Elf 200 years to find the bravery that Theo found in 14. Theo wondered why Arondir would stay and be buried in the tower with them after spending years demeaning their lives. Arondir had come to know, and care, for the hands and voices of those behind the whispers and knives. Even though half left, half of them stayed including Theo. He handed the boy an arrow with the instruction to lift his aim. Theo then told him about the hilt. Arondir had seen it before and walked to the top of the tower where he discovered a hole in the tree perfectly fit for the sword.
Arondir told Bronwyn it was a key conjured by some forgotten craft of the enemy to enslave her ancestors. He wasn't sure what it was key too, as the enemy commander only spoke of becoming a God and giving the Orcs a home in the lands. Arondir was certain the enemy knew Theo had the means to enact their plan. It would only be days or hours until the enemy arrived. He assured her they could survive this as there must be a way. She knew of one and prepared to bow to the enemy. He stopped her as if she did this, she would take away the virtue her people had spent an age earning back. She would condemn her son and future descendants to a life of ridicule. She begged him to name another way, but he didn't know of one. She thought he was right to watch them as her people were destined for the darkness. He reminded her more was at stake then their lives. When Morgoth attacked, whole continents sank. There was no telling what horrors the key might unlock in the hands of their enemy. Bronwyn felt powerless to stop him as the tower would fall. They both realized the tower might be their saving grace.
The Orcs and Adar marched on Ostirith as they sounded their war chant.
Elrond and Durin traveled through the Misty Mountains with two Dwarven guards and a group of Elves, the latter of which carried the table gifted to Durin by High King Gil-galad. Elrond saw his friend chuckle and realized his friend made it all up. Durin admitted Disa had been wanting a new table for years. He knew something burdened Elrond and demanded he come out with it, though Elrond was reluctant as it might double the burden. Durin climbed on a rock so he was eye-level with his friend. He invoked Aulë's name and demanded Elrond give him the meat and give it to him raw. Elrond admitted he unknowingly came to Dwarven kingdom for mithril. Without it, his kind must abandon the shores by Spring or perish. Their immortal souls will dwindle into nothing, slowly diminishing, until they are but shadows swept away by time forever. Durin sat on the rock as he mused over the fate of the entire Elven race being in his hands. Elrond joined his friend on the rocks as Durin asked him to repeat the statement. The Dwarf gave an amused smile and told his friend to thank him after they convinced his father. He wanted to get a move on as the sun had soured his stomach. Elrond requested they tell Disa the table was from him, but Durin warned him not to press his luck. Unbeknownst to them, Gil-galad watched them from afar.
Halbrand stared at the necklace when he was summoned by the Queen Regent. He left the necklace on the table then returned to snatch it up.
Halbrand, adorned in Númenórean armor, rode atop a horse as the crowd cheered for the departing soldiers, which included the Queen Regent, Elendil, Valandil, and Galadriel. Eärien tearfully watched as Isildur walked amongst the army. The ships departed the island. Valandil accused Isildur of using his father to secure the post. Elendil gave Isildur his post with the horse master where he would serve as a stable sweep. His friends laughed from behind him and they hugged in a rekindlement of friendship. Galadriel climbed aboard the top deck and the army watched her in awe. She joined Halbrand and they shook hands. Elendil declared their departure to Middle-earth.
Cast[]
- Markella Kavenagh as Nori Brandyfoot
- Daniel Weyman as The Stranger
- Sara Zwangobani as Marigold Brandyfoot
- Dylan Smith as Largo Brandyfoot
- Megan Richards as Poppy Proudfellow
- Beau Cassidy as Dilly Brandyfoot
- Joseph Mawle as Adar
- Nazanin Boniadi as Bronwyn
- Ismael Cruz Córdova as Arondir
- Ian Blackburn as Rowan
- Geoff Morrell as Waldreg
- Peter Tait as Tredwill
- Tyroe Muhafidin as Theo
- Lloyd Owen as Captain Elendil
- Maxim Baldry as Isildur
- Trystan Gravelle as Pharazôn
- Ema Horvath as Eärien
- Leon Wadham as Kemen
- Charlie Vickers as Halbrand
- Morfydd Clark as Galadriel
- Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Queen Regent Míriel
- Sir Lenny Henry as Sadoc Burrows
- Thusitha Jayasundera as Malva
- Maxine Cunliffe as Vilma
- Anthony Crum as Ontamo
- Alex Tarrant as Valandil
- Ken Blackburn as Tar-Palantir
- Robert Aramayo as Elrond
- Owain Arthur as Prince Durin IV
- Charles Edwards as Lord Celebrimbor
- Benjamin Walker as High King Gil-galad
- Edith Poor as The Nomad
- Kali Kopae as The Ascetic
- Bridie Sisson as The Dweller
- Edward Clendon as Grugzûk
- Phil Vaughan as Smithy
- Mana Davis as Worker One
- Winham 'Mu' Hammond as Worker Two
- Ella Hope-Higginson as Mairen
- Justin Doble as Milky-Eyed Patron
- Jed Brophy as Orc
- Luke Hawker as Orc
- Phil Grieve as Orc
- Robert Strange as Orc
- Michael Morris as Guardsman One
Appearances[]
| Characters | Creatures | Events | Locations |
| Organizations, factions, and groups | Objects, artefacts, and weapons | Races | Miscellanea |
Characters
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Creatures
Locations
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Organizations, factions, and groups
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Objects, artefacts, and weapons
Races
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Miscellanea
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Gallery[]
