The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 4 Recap and Spoiler Review — What Makes Galadriel’s Sacrifice So Inspiring?

This article from the Prime Video series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022) Season 2 Episode 4 contains significant spoilers.

The fourth episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power begins with Elrond leading a mission to Celebrimbor. He, along with Galadriel and four other Elves, finds that a bridge has been destroyed, causing a fortnight’s delay in their travel. Nenya tells Galadriel that this is a trap set by Sauron.

Elrond decides to travel south, much to the chagrin of Galadriel, who questions him with a slight alveolar trill on the “R” in his name. The commander berates her, asking what Galadriel’s intentions are. She tells Elrond that her only intention is to avoid getting anyone killed, including him.

However, Elrond chooses expediency over safety. The friction between them is turning into a deeper fire—by that, I mean romance. At some point, Galadriel asks Elrond to make her a promise: That defeating Sauron is more important than her own life and to sacrifice her if need be.

Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 4: Who is Tom Bombadil?

Tom Bombadil is a fictional character in The Lord of the Rings. In the novels, Tom Bombadil is a mysterious figure, well-known in the Third Age. Typically, in the literature, he lives in the Withywindle valley within the Old Forest, dangerously close to the Barrow-downs.

This appears to be the name of the person whom “The Stranger” (Daniel Weyman) initially meets on his journey, but the man is mysterious. While searching for Nori and Poppy, he encounters a goat. Additionally, a mysterious person provides wisdom while remaining ambiguous.

For instance, Tom (Rory Kinnear) states that what you are looking for and what you find are two very different things. While talking to this stranger, the wind causes Poppy’s map to fly away from him. The Stranger locates the map on the top branch of a tree.

Who is “The Old Man Willow?”

Old Man Willow is an ancient willow tree that inhabits the Old Forest near the Shire. It is known in the books as wicked and spiteful. For instance, in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, it swallows Hobbits like Pippin and Merry. However, in the series, the tree swallows our Stranger.

His foot doesn’t become just stuck in the willow’s roots; it traps his ankle. Then, suddenly, the tree opens up, almost rotating in opposite directions, sucking him in. The map then falls off the branch and flies away again. Tom pats the tree bark and charms the willow into letting our Stranger out.

Tom (Rory Kinnear) tells the Stranger that the men roaming the land (which looks like Arizona) work for the Dark Wizard (Ciarán Hinds). The Stranger then asks if his task is to stop the fire and Sauron. Tom, on cue, turns to his guest and tells our Stranger that he believes it will be to defeat both.

What are the “Barrow-downs”?

The Barrow-downs are near the Old Forest. The area is a burial site of lost kingdoms, long forgotten, and an eternal home for ancient Arthedain Kings. The Elvish group walks in an area filled with ancient burial tombs and mounds, known as “barrows.” As soon as the group enters the ominous atmosphere, they feel a dangerous presence and a wind that carries like whispers.

Elrond (Robert Aramayo), who will later regret his words, tells the group not to fear the dead. The bones of the dead kings then emerge, attacking the group. One of the lieutenants has a chain wrapped around his legs and is pulled toward a barrow. Galadriel grabs his hand but is pulled along with him. He begs her not to let go, but she does. He is pulled below, and a sickening crunch is heard.

The creatures are impervious to the group’s weapons. Elrond, however, opens a tomb and grabs one of the King’s swords. Galadriel is dragged toward one of the barrows by those pesky chains. Elrond frees her by chopping at a ghostly hand reaching for her. He announces that the weapons they were buried with can only defeat these beings. The group wonders what has awakened these ghosts; however, Galadriel knows it is Sauron.

Who are the “Ents”?

Ents are ancient guardians of the forest. They are tree-like beings who have suffered significant losses from Adar and the Orcs. In the last recap, while trying to guess what was happening at the moment, I thought an ancient spider-like being, the Ungoliant, had taken Theo. However, it appears to be the Ents.

First, Estrid (Nia Towle) is found to be part of the “wildmen,” a group of people burned by the mark of Adar, known as the Dunlendings, by Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova). This comes as a shock to Isildur (Maxim Baldry). They take Estrid in handcuffs to find Theo. However, they encounter a hungry being that looks like a giant centipede yet somehow survives.

Later, the Ents corner the three after Estrid grabs Isildur’s sword, a sign of a threat to the Ents, who think the group will chop down the forest trees. Arondir convinces the beings that they mean no harm and that Adar and the Orcs (excellent band name) are tearing up the roots of trees across the Old Forest. The Ents let Theo and the Wildmen go, including Estrid’s husband.

Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 4 Ending Explained: Why Does Galadriel Sacrifice Herself?

Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) sacrifices herself so Elrond and the group can take Nenya. She was afraid Adar and the Orcs would take the Ring of Water under their control if she didn’t. Moments earlier, they saw the Orcs marching through the forest, with some coming up behind them. They began shooting arrows, one of which hit one of Elrond’s companions.

Galadriel heals his wound with the power of Nenya. She then gives Elrond the ring, jumps on her horse, and attacks the group of Orcs herself. While the rest of Elrond’s command vocally praises Galadriel’s selflessness, Elrond has a different theory. He thinks she was protecting the Ring of Water, not the whole group.

While that seems awfully passive-aggressive, they leave, and The Rings of Power’s fourth episode of the second season ends with Galadriel’s capture by Adar.

Who Do Poppy and Nori Meet?

Poppy and Nori meet a young man, Merimac (Gavi Singh Chera), who is part of the “Stoors,” a minor group of Hobbits from The Lord of the Rings. These people came before our beloved Fredo and friends who lived near the river. These Hobbit-ish ones live in Eastern Middle-earth, in the desert of Rhûn.

The leader of the group is Gundabel (Tanya Moodie). She shows the Halflinks community drawings outlining their history. A group left to find an area with a river. Nori recognizes that it looks similar to the Shire. The cave drawings are also unmistakable for Poppy’s “walkin’ song.”

It appears that Nori and Poppy may have found their ancestors.

You can stream the new season of The Lord of Rings: The Rings of Power only on Prime Video.

9/10

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