The Eye

"The Eye"

Season	Episode
One	Seven

Air date

October 7, 2022

Writer

Jason Cahill
J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay

Director

Charlotte Brändström

Episode guide
Previous	Next
"Udûn"	"Alloyed"

The Eye is the seventh episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. It aired on October 7, 2022 on Prime Video. It was written by Jason Cahill and showrunners J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay and directed by Charlotte Brändström.

The episode title refers to The Eye of Sauron, a symbol for Sauron.

Synopsis[]

Survivors of a cataclysm try to find safety; The Harfoots confront evil; Durin is torn between friendship and duty; Adar considers a new name.

Plot[]

Galadriel stirs beneath the red ash that covers her body. She stands in the burning village, taking in the death and destruction surrounding her. She shouts for Halbrand and Elendil. She hears Theo shouting for his mother and ushers him over. He's unharmed so she keeps him close as they navigate the ruins.

Isildur and Queen Regent Míriel pull Valandil from underneath rubble. Once he's free, they discover Ontamo's corpse. Valandil pulls Isildur away as Míriel directs them to a collapsing home where a family of Southlanders are trapped. Isildur holds up the roof while the others bring the family to safety. Míriel returns to help Isildur, but a spray of fire crosses her face. The roof collapses on top of Isildur.

The Brandfoot's, Poppy, and the Stranger continue their migration and hurry ahead as the smell of smoke grows nearer. Nori helps Poppy pull her cart, but they both stop when they see the Grove greatly destroyed. Sadoc's great-grand spoke of mountains to the south that could spit fire-rock. The mountains would sleep for hundreds of years, only to wake again when a new evil is rising.

The Harfoots attempt to pick the scorched apples and burnt herbs. Sadoc asks Nori if the big fellow can fix it, with Malva encouraging her to ask him to fix it like he fixed the wolves. Poppy believes it's mite rude to ask more of him, and Sadoc decides to ask himself. The Stranger admires one of the dead trees, running his hands over it while speaking in another language. Sadoc surmises he's is speaking in small words so the tree understands. The Stranger grips the tree and chants as his power flows through the tree, fracturing the ash and shaking it off. Dilly moves closer to the tree seconds before a branch snaps off, collapsing on Dilly and Nori. The Stranger approaches them, but is met with looks of fear and distrust.

Elrond and Durin bring their offer to King Durin. They request access to the mithril mines and, in exchange, the Elves will furnish the city with game, grain, and timber from the elder forests of Eriador for the next five centuries. The council believes it's a good deal if the Elves can keep their word. Elrond surprises everyone by understanding stone-tounge. King Durin is reluctant to trust any Elf. Elrond swears they can trust him as he's half-Elven, so he can see in Elves what they cannot see in themselves. He bends the knee to the King to plead for him to save his people. The King dismisses everyone so eh can speak with Durin privately. The King speaks of Aulë crafting their people of fire and rock, both elements longing for different things. He knows all things must come to an end and doesn't want to dig in Earth that cannot support it. He won't risk Dwarven lives to help the Elves cheat death. Durin is dismayed as his friend is drowning, reaching for Durin to pull him to shore. Durin can't swat his hand away because his father worries for a rock fall. King Durin believes the fate of the Elves was decided many Ages ago by minds much wiser and farther seeing than their own. He can't deny their will and risk the fall of Middle-earth. He apologizes for his answer.

Disa takes out her frustration on a hot pick. She wants to reopen the mine themselves and force his father's hand. Durin reminds her that King Durin more than his father, but also their King. Durin can't teach their children the will of a King should be dismissed. Disa apologizes for saying the King is a fool who has lice in her beard. She hates it when Durin slags on her mother, so she won't do it to his father. Durin concedes that her mother does have lice in her beard, though, he insists it's a joke. Elrond arrives and looks to his friends with hope, only to realize the answer has come down against his favor. Durin invites him to stay for dinner, but Elrond must inform Gil-galad he won't be a king as their soon won't be a Lindon. Durin struggles with saying goodbye. Elrond doesn't say goodbye, reminding Durin of the Elvish phrase Namárië which means "go towards goodness". He returns the shard of mithril to a crying Durin, before leaving the home. Durin cries as he sits at the table. He slides the ore away and it lands beside a corrupt leaf, healing it in second. Durin stares in awe alongside Disa, then shouts for his friend.

Galadriel and Theo take shelter from the Orcs, who have successfully created their Shadow Land. He wants to fight more, but Galadriel knows they have neither position, nor reinforcement. The lands are dead so they must move on, even though the will to fight is strong within him. She blames herself for the darkening.

The surviving Southlanders and Númenóreans make for the rendezvous point. Elendil watches the survivors, searching for his son. He sees Berek being led by someone who isn't Isildur. The people spot Queen Míriel who is led by Valandil. They tearfully tell Elendil of Isildur's demise.

Theo and Galadriel move through the woods as Theo fears the worst about his friends and mother. She tells him not to fill his mind with guesswork. Númenor set camp on the ridgeline, so they are traveling there to meet with any survivors. They have to stay vigilant since the Orcs can move in daylight now. He's killed Orcs before and finds it a good thing that she has killed many. She doesn't video it that way, as it darkens the heart to call dark deeds "good" and gives room for dark to thrive inside them. She advises him to remain mindful in battle. He wonders if he's a soldier, so she hands him her sword, musing they can make one of him yet.

Valandil, Elendil, and Míriel near the ridge and she asks how much further it is until they're clear of the smoke. They stop their travels and she tearfully realizes they have been clear of it for nearly a mile. Elendil holds her hand to ask if she can see, but everything is gray for her. She asks them to keep walking, guiding her horse, so no one will notice.

In the Grove, Sadoc explains to the Stranger how to reach Greenwood and the big folk settlements. He hands him a drawing of the constellation, though the Harfoot-folk haven't seen in over a thousand years. It's a long time to wander, even with big legs. The Stranger silently thanks Sadoc then begins his departure. Neither one of them notices the new blossom of a flower from a tree.

The Stranger pauses to look at Goldie, Largo, Dilly, and Poppy one last time. Nori approaches him and offers a fresh apple that is unharmed by the destruction around them. He carefully takes the apple and she tries to hold back her emotions as he leaves.

That night, Nori wishes she would have left the star-fall alone as Goldie warned. She understands now that she's just a Harfoot, and that's all she'll ever be. Goldie tells her to go to bed as they can tend to the rest in the morning, but Nori ignores her to keep working. Once alone, she gazes at the moon.

Theo asks Galadriel if she's ever lost kin to the enemy before. She lost her brother Finrod and her husband Celeborn. They met in a glade of flowers. She was dancing and he saw her there. Theo is surprised to here she was dancing, but the war was so far away then. She chided Celeborn for going to the war as his armor didn't fit properly. She called him a silver clam and never saw him again after that. Theo tells her that she's wrong about this being her fault. He gave power to the enemy, so that makes him responsible. She believes the wise look at what's in their hearts, and this was not in his. She tells him not to take the blame as he may find it difficult to put it down again. He asks how to let it go. She tells him to trust to the designs of power greater than him. His home is gone and he doesn't see the design in that. She can't see that yet. They're interrupted by approaching Orcs and she pulls Theo down to hide with her. She stops him from unsheathing his sword. The Orcs stop to investigate the noise, luckily not finding the stowaways as they can't smell beyond the ashes.

Prince Durin and Elrond continue their secret pursuit of mithril, pausing only when the tremors come. Elrond offers Durin water, but the Dwarf has self-discipline that won him the contest before. Elrond questions if it did, and Durin realizes the Elf lost on purpose. His aim wasn't to defeat the Dwarf, but gain his ear a bit longer. Durin calls him out on the Elf lies, and Elrond slowly claims he was winded. Durin finally accepts the water, muttering that Elrond was a bit Dwarvish for a an Elf. Elrond believes he was a rather Elvish Dwarf, beginning to tease him for the long history of sons named Durin. Durin tells him to scoff if he wants, but the mightiest thing a Dwarf can do is be worth of the name of his father. The Dwarves do have secret names, shared only amongst themselves and revealed only to family - wives, parents, sisters, and brothers. He prepares to tell Elrond his secret name, but the Elf asks that he save it for the far side.

The duo returns to mining as the rocks continue to rumble with unease. Durin breaks through the wall and finds huge quantities of mithril beyond the wall. It runs deep within the rock and into the roots of the ground. King Durin learns of their expedition and puts a stop to it, not caring that there was a more than they imagined below. He shouts for Elrond to stop speaking. He has his guards seize the Elf and remove him from Khazad-dûm. Elrond sits on a rock outside the entrance, feeling the weight of his loss. He clutches his one piece of mithril in his hands.

King Durin speaks to his son privately. When he was born, something inside him was ill-formed as he breathing was pitiful. He wasn't meant to live past the first winter, but every night after Durin's mother cried herself to sleep, the King held him by fire light to hold his chin up all night. One night, he gazed down at the tiny naked face and saw the great gray beard of old Dwarven-king; mighty and terrible as an army with banners. When Durin's mother woke, the King told her that she shouldn't cry anymore, as her son would live and move mountains. Durin doesn't understand how he can be expected to move mountains when King Durin falls to pieces when he digs a single hole. He speaks of greatness for his son but suffocates any ambition, desire, and original thought within him. He doesn't seen consigning his allies to death as tempering. Elrond is as much a brother to Durin as if he'd been fired in his own mother's womb. The invocation of his mother's name enrages the King, as he sees it as Durin defending his decision to betray his own kind. Durin accuses the King of betraying his kind by squandering their future so he can cling to the past, profaning the crown he wears. The King rips off Durin's golden crest, instructing Durin to leave it, thus, disowning him as heir.

Nori wakes up to the sound of Poppy singing and eating apples. She tells Poppy to stop eating the apples as they have to save them. Nori, at Poppy's insistence, looks outside to find the Grove alive with a fresh harvest and a healed tree. The Stranger's magic worked in fixing the Grove. Largo surmises there's enough to feat tonight and have enough left over for Frozen Fish. Malva plans to make applesauce. The Harfoots pick the fruits and vegetables, packing them away in huts for later.

Poppy continues to sing as she fetches a pail to catch fish. She spots a large footprint in the mud and flees to warn her people. Her pail is washed downstream where the Mystics pick it up.

That evening, the Harfoots take shelter in hiding as they watch the Mystics arrive at the apple tree. The Dweller touches the tree, finding the floral sprout that the Stranger created. They look over the ridge to the distantly flaming Orodruin, beginning to travel there. Nori leaps out of hiding to tell the Mystics they're going the wrong way, pointing in the opposite direction. The creatures disappear and reappear behind Nori. Largo, Sadoc, and Goldie leap to save Nori. The Dweller snuffs the torch with a touch of her hand, absorbing the flame and using it again to light their carts ablaze. Malva and Vilma wail in distress as their crops and carts are destroyed.

The Númenóreans and Southlanders finally reach the ridge. Elendil notices Berek acting up and takes his reigns, telling the horse he's coming home with them. The horse neighs in rejection, refusing to calm despite Elendil's pleads. Valandil knows the horse won't listen to any of them. Elendil solmenly pets the horse while removing his harness, setting the creature galloping into the woods. Elendil wishes he never pulled the Elf on board. He should have left her in the sea where he found her.

Galadriel and Theo reach the encampment, with him running ahead to search for his mother. He sees the Númenórean performing rituals over the dead. He slowly enters the tent of the wounded, seeing several who are dismembered or dead. He finds the corpse of a woman with brown hair, covered in a sheet. Before he can pull back her cloth, Bronwyn calls for him. They tearfully embrace and Arondir emerges from the other end of the tent, accepting a hug from Theo. Galadriel enters the tent and Arondir bows to her. She requests to see the Queen Regent.

Outside, Elendil sits by Míriel who wears a blindfold. They will set sail for Númenor shortly, with one garrison remaining behind to escort the Southlanders to a safe settlement and search for their missing. Galadriel and Bronwyn join them, with the Elf kneeling before the Queen Regent as neither of them are in Númenor any longer. She blames herself for the events of the day, and Elendil coldly reminds Míriel their ships are waiting. He wants to put the land behind them. Míriel touches Galadriel's face, holding her chin to instruct her not to spend pity on her, but saving it for their enemies. She makes her intention to continue the battle clear. She vows that Númenor will return, with Galadriel promising the Elves will be ready. For now, they sail with the tide. Elendil turns away from both of them to cry.

The Harfoots clean up their settlement. Largo tells Nori to stand up and help them, not letting this splinter their spirits. Goldie doesn't want him to lie to Nori, but Sadoc is hopeful they can recover. Sadoc tells him to give the people a moment to weep. Largo believes they have more left in them than weeping. They don't slay dragons, dig jewels, but they stay true to each other no matter what, more than any other creature in Middle-earth, and they just keep walking. His words inspire the Harfoots to continue their collections. Nori stands up, grabbing a remaining sack to find her friend and warn him of what's coming - she owes him at least that. Sadoc doesn't want her to go off-trail alone. Poppy volunteers to go with Nori - they've left enough folk behind, she won't leave him too. Goldie refuses to let them go without her. Largo asks if she's sure, with Vilma worrying they won't come out of the woods alive. Malva believes they'll have a chance if a trail-finder were to go with them. She isn't too proud ot admit that Nori was right all along about the big man. There's no point in living if they aren't living good. Sadoc would like it if just once if she weren't right all the time. He decides to go with the walkers as they're all going to die anyway. The foursome set off on their adventure.

The Númenórean ships leave the shores of the Southland. Arondir and Galadriel watch them depart. He wonders if Míriel will keep her promise, though Galadriel is sure of it. Bronwyn walks up to tell them the wounded can travel. They will go to an old Númenórean colony by the mouth of the Anduin called Pelargir. There's fresh land and water with a fresh start awaiting them. Galadriel must report to their High King to face whatever awaits her. Bronwyn asks what will happen to their king, with Galadriel having believed he perished in the battle.

They bring Galadriel to a wounded Halbrand who had been discovered by the Southlanders. His wound is greatly infected and Bronwyn can't treat him. Galadriel decrees that he'll need Elvish medicine to live, and prepares to take him with her to Lindon. He won't abandon the lands and condemn them to land, nor will she. They face the remaining villagers who bow for their king, shouting "strength to the king" as he mounts a horse next to Galadriel. She nods a farewell to Arondir. Theo returns her sword, but she tells him to keep it as he's a soldier now. Theo leads them people in cheers for "strength to the Southlands" as they watch the duo ride off.

Back in Khazad-dûm, Durin feels he's failed Elrond, blaming himself for the results. Disa doesn't blame him, but instead, the King as he's grown too old and dim to realize this will be Durin's kingdom. It will not be his brother's or some other Dwarf-lords, but theirs, together. They will rule the mountain and all others before their time is gone. The mithril belongs to them and together, one day, they will dig. Durin kisses his wife.

Down in the mines, the King has his people seal up the mithril mines. He picks up a leaf and tosses it into the pits. The leaf floats down the mountainside into the depths, where it lands on the floor. It burns away and a monstrous Balrog awakens with a vicious roar.

Adar walks the fiery scorched earth of his new homeland. He calls his children together, telling them to cast off their cloaks and helms as they are no longer burdened by the sun. This is their land now, their home, and Waldreg leads them in a chant to "Hail Adar, Lord of the Southlands." Adar takes a seat and declares the Southlands no longer exist. Instead, they shall it Mordor.