Udûn is the sixth episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. It aired on September 30, 2022 on Prime Video. It was written by Nicholas Adams, Justin Doble and showrunners J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay and directed by Charlotte Brändström.
The episode's title refers to the land of Udûn.
Synopsis[]
Adar and his army march on Ostirith.
Plot[]
Adar buries a handful of Alfirin seeds as he recites a phrase in Quenya. He turns to face his army of Orcs to deliver a rousing speech about their endurance. They must face their final trial against the people of the Southlands, this time, as brothers and sisters to claim the lands as their own home. Adar and his army march on Ostirith with some of their human companions such as Waldreg in tow. They enter the tower to find it abandoned. Bazur, on the orders of Adar, commands his fleet to search the tower. Atop a peak, Arondir waits as his enemy fills the tower. Adar gazes upon the keyhole as Waldreg questions what happened to Sauron. Bazur and his crew come up empty in their search, but Adar can smell the Elf. Arondir shoots arrows at the Orcs then a flaming arrow at the ropes holding the tower together. He seals the gates and flees the tower as it crumbles atop the Orcs. The raining debris impales, crushes, and kills the remaining Orcs.
Bronwyn and the Southlanders cheer from safety as the tower kills large portion of their enemy. Bronwyn, knowing they didn't have long, encourages her people to hurry so they can prepare Tirharad.
The Númenórean ships sail across the seas as the soldiers sleep. Isildur, unable to rest, leaves the sleeping quarters to the notice of Halbrand. Isildur visits the stables to share an apple with Berek, then moves to the upper deck to gaze at the waters. Galadriel joins him and shares her understanding of his desire to watch landfall. She could see the land for over an hour, which impresses him. She hasn't seen him before and he bashfully admits he is a stable sweep. Galadriel encourages him mot to lose heart, but rather, maintain his humility. He only left Númenor to get away from the island, for he didn't view it as the real Númenor. She assures him the real Númenor did exist once, and it exists still, if only in the heart of the lowliest stable sweep. He introduces himself and she recognizes him as Elendil's son. The sun peaks over the waters and he basks in the beauty of the land. Elendil startles his son who returns below deck. Galadriel inquires about what happened to Isildur's mother, and Elendil merely muses over the different position of the son in the sky. He then sharply answers that his wife drowned. Now alone, Galadriel turns her sights to the land.
Queen Regent Míriel receives a debriefing on their travel plans from Elendil. She instructs him to tell the other ships to make haste in joining them.
Arondir attempts to destroy the hilt with every means available to him, but the attempts are futile. He resorts to hiding it some place no one would ever find it, not even Bronwyn. Meanwhile, the Southlanders fill the tunnels with dirt, seal them with rocks and wood, place Orc heads on pikes, and fashion weapons to stand against their enemy.
Arondir and Bronwyn explain the plan to their people, which includes waiting for each Orc to cross the bridge. Those who can't fight would seek shelter in the tavern. Arondir promises he has seen smaller forces win and rouses them before they take their positions. Theo wants to join the fight with his mother, but Bronwyn wants him inside to protect those who can not fight. He brings up his having bad dreams as a child and what she would say. She speaks of finding the light so the shadows would not find him.
Arondir and Bronwyn sit by the well to prepare for the battle. She doesn't feel ready. He removed his necklace that holds the alfirin seeds she gave him. He gave her some and shares his tradition of planting seeds before a battle, which she instantly understands as "a new life in defiance of death". He explains how one of the Valar watches over growing things and those who tend them. He places her hand on the bark of a tree. They make a plan to plant the rest of the seeds when the battle was over, together, in a garden of their own with Theo. He kisses her beneath the tree.
By night fall, the Southlanders brace for the arrival of Adar's army. They notice flecks of torch light growing larger in the distance. Theo tells the tavern villagers that the army is here. Bronwyn and a Southlander woman attempt to light the wagons they've fashioned, but fail. An Orc approaches their point which forces Bronwyn to stab him, ultimately killing him and using his torch to light the wagon. The Southlander woman is killed by the Orc, but the wagons successfully pin the Orcs in a secluded area to allow the archers to take out several of their kind. The Orc archers return fire and they head for the tavern as the Southlanders attempt to keep them at bay. They attack the tavern door with a log, but the Southlanders, led by Tredwill, file out of hiding to attack. Arondir is left to battle a hulking Orc whose brute strength and resilience proves a worthy opponent. Bronwyn saves him in the knick of time. They rejoin their people who celebrate the defeat of their foes, and Tredwill commends Arondir for fighting alongside them. However, the Elf notices the red blood of their foes, and everyone comes to the horrifying realization they had fought their defected people who had been dressed up as Orcs. A surviving Orc touts over having taken their people for this reason, and promises the rest will pay the toll too. Arrows shoot into the village, hitting Tredwill. Arondir grabs a makeshift shield and watches as Bronwyn is struck with two arrows. He and Theo rush to her side as Arondir shouts for everyone to head for the tavern. The villagers flee as arrows pick them off one at a time.
Once inside, Theo watches as dozens of Orcs storm the village. He seals the door then rushes to his mother's aide. Tredwill dies on the table which breaks her heart. She instructs Theo to stem her bleeding, ultimately forcing Arondir to pull out the arrows. She's losing copious amounts of blood. She grabs at his necklace to tell him to seal her wound using fire. He creates a paste with the seeds out of her blood and they burn her wounds shut with a piece of wound. She passes out from the experience as Theo shouts for her to wake-up. Arondir holds her hand until she comes too again. The Orcs war chant fills the air.
Adar watches as his army breaks through the tavern doors.
The Númenórean army, led by Galadriel, Halbrand, and Míriel, gallop across the Southlands.
Arondir and the Southlanders try to fight back against the invasion, but they hold knives to Theo and Bronwyn, forcing him to concede. Adar enters the tavern, asking Arondir in Quenya for what he seeks. Arondir tries to bargain, but Adar instructs his Orcs to kill villagers until Arondir complies. He chooses Bronwyn as his next victim, but Theo stops him to give up the location of the hilt.
Adar leaves the tavern to give Waldreg a task, just as the Númenórean army arrives on horseback. The tavern villagers turn on the Orcs and chase them into the light. A second round of battle ensues with the Númenóreans easily taking the upper-hand. Valandil notices Ontamo being overwhelmed by an Orc and helps save his life. The second fleet of forces, led by Míriel, watch from a cliff. She sees Isildur's eagerness and sends him into battle. He gallops into the center of the fight, watching as Elendil is overwhelmed by an Orc. Halbrand throws a spear to save his life, just as Isildur reaches Elendil. Galadriel asks Arondir to point out their commander, and he tells her the item he posesses must not escape with him. She sheathes her sword and gallops off as Theo watches in awe. Arondir knows her as the Commander of the Northern Armies, Galadriel. Halbrand sees Galadriel pursuing Adar and grabs a spear to join the chase.
Galadriel is hot on Adar's heels, with Halbrand approaching from the opposite direction to trip the horse Adar rides. Galadriel rides past, unable to slow her momentum. Adar crawls for the hilt, but Halbrand impales his hand before he can. He asks if Adar remembers him, but he doesn't. Halbrand prepares to impale him, but Galadriel stops Halbrand as they all need him alive. Halbrand has personal history with Adar, but lowers his spear after coaxing from Galadriel.
By day, the Orcs are in chains as the Númenóreans assist the Southlanders in repairing their homes and treating the wounded. Ontamo asks Isildur what he thinks, and Isil jokes about liking the mountains. Valandil reveals they will get a closer look at them, as Commander Galadriel is putting together a company to hunt the Orcs who fled, and he got them a spot. Ontamo opts to stay behind so he can lend the people a hand. He's seen enough battle for a lifetime. Valandil won't know when they set out until Galadriel finishes her interrogation of Adar.
Inside Waldreg's barn, Galadriel interrogates Adar. She recalls stories of Elves taken by Morgoth. They were tortured and twisted until they were made into a new and ruined form of life. She believes Adar is one of those creations, a Moriondor, Son of the Dark, and the first Orcs. He prefers the term Uruk but she ignores him. She seeks his master, Sauron. She threatens to bring her prisoners into the sunlight, and he finally caves. After Morgoth's defeat, Sauron devoted himself to healing Middle-earth bringing its ruined lands together in perfect order. He sought to craft a power not of the flesh, but over flesh. A power of the Unseen World. He bid as many as he could to bid him far North, but try as he might, something was missing. A shadow of dark knowledge that kept itself hidden, even from him. No matter how much blood he spilt in its pursuit. She recalls her findings at Forodwaith. Adar believed he sacrificed enough of his children for Sauron's aspirations, so he killed Sauron. Galadriel doesn't believe him or that Adar is the army's only master. He insists his children have no master. Each one has a name, a heart, having been creations of The One, the Master of the Secret Fire, just as she is. He believes they are all worthy of life and a home. She coldly calls his kind a mistake made in mockery. She vows to eradicate every last one of them, even if it takes her the rest of the Age. She will keep Adar alive so that one day, before she kills him, she can whisper in his ear that all of his offspring are dead and the scourge of his kind ends with him. He muses over not being the only Elf alive who has been transformed by darkness. He suggests her search for Morgoth's successor should have ended with her reflection. She decides to kill him then, but Halbrand stops her. She gathers her things and leaves the barn. Adar asks Halbrand who he is, but the man ignores him.
Galadriel is sitting on a fallen tree when Halbrand joins her. She thanks him for pulling her back, but he was only returning the favor. She tells him to be free of what he did and what Adar did to him. Halbrand didn't believe he could be until today, fighting at Galadriel's side, he felt something he wanted to hold on too. He wanted to keep it with him and bind it to his very being. She felt it, too and they share a long look. A Guard summons Halbrand for an audience with the Queen Regent.
The Southlanders sit for a feast with the Númenóreans. Arondir brings Bronwyn to Míriel. Bronwyn thanks the Queen Regent for her help and feels indebted to her. Míriel acknowledges that Bronwyn is a leader now, but offers her relief in Lord Halbrand. She sees the necklace on his hip and the Southlanders mutter in recognition for their promised King. Galadriel nods to Halbrand, who accepts the position as the King of the Southlands. They toast to the true King of the Southlands. Arondir tells Galadriel the people have awaited this moment for a long time, though she knows the Elves have waited longer. She hands him the hilt, still wrapped in cloth, then walks away. He notices Theo off to himself and checks on him. He tells Theo not to torment himself. Many would have done the same as Theo in his place. Theo doesn't think Arondir understands, as he doesn't just feel guilty, but loss. When the hilt was in Theo's hands he felt powerful. Arondir tells Theo to rid himself of it once and for all, handing the hilt over with instructions to give it to Númenor to toss in the sea on their voyage home. Theo looks at his scars and then, when alone, unwraps the hilt to discover only an ax.
Waldreg arrives at Ostirith using his blood to activate the sword. He presses the sword into the stone and twists the key to unlock the surface below. The dam lowers and plummets water into the dried ravines.
Isildur tries to quell an uneasy Berek. Elendil arrives and speak to the horse in a foreign language, soothing him instantly. It wasn't Berek's pain that bothered the horse, but that of Isildur. When a horse of Westernesse rides into battle, he forms an unbreakable bond with the soldier. Even knowing the innermost feelings of each other's heart. Berek knows Isildur's feelings now. Elendil learned the knowledge from Isildur's mother, agreeing to teach Isildur the knowledge with time. He embraces his son until a rumbling in the distance catches their attention. The tunnels previously sealed by the Southlanders erupt with water. The Orcs chant Udûn and Adar presses himself low to the ground. The water from the dam fills the tunnels carved by the Orcs, flowing through Tirharad through the regions of the Southlands until it flows into the volcanic pits of Orodruin. The collision causes the volcano to erupt, unleashing a seismic blast. The Orcs turn against their captors as giant pieces of volcanic rock, lava, and ash rain down on the village. Elendil races into the village after the Queen, Isildur searches for Berek, while Ontamo shouts for Isildur. Arondir and Bronwyn try to find Theo, while Halbrand ushers Southlanders to safety. Galadriel, however, stands still amongst the chaos. A wave of ash, fire, and lava rushes toward her. She closes her eyes, seemingly accepting her fate.
Cast[]
- Joseph Mawle as Adar
- Geoff Morrell as Waldreg
- Ismael Cruz Córdova as Arondir
- Nazanin Boniadi as Bronwyn
- Peter Tait as Tredwill
- Tyroe Muhafidin as Theo
- Maxim Baldry as Isildur
- Charlie Vickers as Halbrand
- Morfydd Clark as Galadriel
- Lloyd Owen as Captain Elendil
- Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Queen Regent Míriel
- Anthony Crum as Ontamo
- Alex Tarrant as Valandil
- Phil Grieve as Bazur
- Miranda Wilson as Southlander Woman
- Rob McKenzie as Archer
- Jesse Turner as General Orc
- Mike Homick as Skirmish Orc
- Justin Doble as Milky-Eyed Patron
- Robert Strange as Dying Orc
- Jed Brophy as Tavern Orc
- Kimo Houltham as Númenórean Soldier
- Edward Clendon as Fighting Orc
- Luke Hawker as Fighting Orc
- Ellyce Bisson as Fighting Orc
- Rob Mackinnon as Fighting Orc
- Hori Ahipene as Fighting Orc
- Tim MachLachlan as Fighting Orc
Appearances[]
| Characters | Creatures | Events | Locations |
| Organizations, factions, and groups | Objects, artefacts, and weapons | Races | Miscellanea |
Characters
Creatures
Events
Locations
|
Organizations, factions, and groups
|
Objects, artefacts, and weapons
Races
Miscellanea
|
Gallery[]
