The third episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power continues the sprawling introduction to Middle earth’s Second Age with a mix of grim captivity, political intrigue on a grand island kingdom, and the quiet determination of a migrating community of small folk. It expands the canvas considerably, revealing new locations and characters while building on the opening two episodes. The production values remain impressively high, the sets and cinematography often striking, yet the episode struggles with uneven pacing, lots of stiff dialogue, and a lack of focus. The result is impressive to look at but the leisurely pass makes the story seem stretched out, even at this early stage.
The episode opens in the darkness of the Southlands, where the Silvan elf Arondir has been dragged into an orc labour camp. Prisoners, both human and elven, including several of Arondir’s former comrades, are working in trenches and tunnels, forced to dig passages that will allow the orcs to move by day without suffering the sun’s burning light. The orcs repeatedly invoke the name Adar, an Elvish word meaning father, and the captives speculate that this figure may be Sauron himself under another guise. The atmosphere is oppressive and suitably grim. Dirt walls, gnarled roots, and the constant threat of violence create a sense of confinement that contrasts sharply with the open landscapes seen elsewhere. One particularly brutal moment occurs when an orc offers water as a supposed reward for defiance, only to slash the throat of the elf Médhor as he drinks. Arondir steps forward to fell a tree the orcs demand cut down, hoping to spare further bloodshed. These scenes convey the methodical cruelty of the orc operation effectively, and the physical performances, particularly from Ismael Cruz Córdova as Arondir, carry a weary intensity.
Later the prisoners attempt a coordinated escape. Chains become weapons in a desperate tug of war. Arondir leaps and brings down a sun shelter, exposing some of the orcs to daylight. A snarling warg is unleashed upon them. Arondir manages to trap and kill the beast, yet the bid for freedom ends in tragedy. The elf leader Revion reaches the surface only to be struck by arrows and fall. Arondir is hauled back down. As he lies pinned, the orcs prepare to finish him until one orders that he be taken to Adar. The episode closes on this with the orcs parting and chanting the name while a dark, long haired figure, human in appearance and wearing a distinctive clawed gauntlet, steps forward in soft focus. The reveal is withheld, creating a cliffhanger, though everything that has come before feels somewhat superfluous for the limited progress it ultimately delivers.
Meanwhile, far across the sea, Galadriel and the enigmatic Southlander Halbrand are rescued from the waters by a Númenórean vessel captained by Elendil. The ship carries them to the island kingdom of Númenor, a place of towering white architecture, cascading waterfalls, and a proud yet isolated people. The arrival in the capital Armenelos provides some of the episode’s most visually impressive moments. Statues of past kings, intricate streets, and the scale of the harbour convey a civilisation of considerable sophistication and wealth. Relations between Númenor and the elves have grown distant and distrustful over centuries. Queen Regent Míriel receives the newcomers with measured caution. Elendil, who speaks the elven tongue and shows a measure of respect for the old alliances, becomes an important intermediary. His family, including the young Isildur and his sister Eärien, is introduced, hinting at future divisions within the island’s politics.
Galadriel, restless and determined, seeks a ship to return to Middle earth and continue her pursuit of Sauron. When that request is denied, she turns to the Hall of Lore with Elendil’s assistance. There she examines scrolls and accounts, including one from a human spy. The symbol she has long associated with Sauron is revealed not merely as a mark but as a map of the Southlands. It outlines a plan, devised in the event of Morgoth’s defeat, for his successor to establish a permanent realm where evil might endure and thrive. This discovery ties the scattered plot threads together more tightly and gives Galadriel a clearer sense of the threat’s geographical focus. At the same time, Halbrand becomes entangled in a tavern brawl after attempting to blend in and secure work. He fights with surprising skill, ends up imprisoned, and is later confronted by Galadriel. She has uncovered evidence that he is the rightful heir to the Southlands, a king in exile whose family lost a long ago war. Halbrand expresses reluctance to reclaim that role or join her cause, preferring a quieter existence free of old conflicts.
A third strand follows the Harfoots as they prepare for their seasonal migration. The community moves carefully, adhering to rules that no one walks alone and that the trail must not be left. Nori Brandyfoot’s family lags behind because of her father’s injury. The mysterious Stranger, still largely silent and struggling with language and memory, assists by pushing their cart. Nori continues to teach him about the stars and the world around them. The scenes emphasises themes of community, secrecy, and cautious kindness. It provides a gentler counterpoint to the brutality of the orc camp and the formality of Númenor, though the mystery of Stranger’s identity is moving at a snail’s pace.
Across these multiple stories the episode demonstrates both the strengths and the limitations of the series at this stage. The design of Númenor stands out as a genuine achievement, giving the island a distinct character that feels rooted in Tolkien’s descriptions of a mighty seafaring realm while remaining cinematic. The orc labour camp succeeds in creating a tangible sense of dread and physical hardship, harking back to the author’s First World War experiences. Performances are generally solid. Morfydd Clark’s Galadriel remains driven and somewhat abrasive, Charlie Vickers brings a watchful ambiguity to Halbrand, and Lloyd Owen’s Elendil projects quiet authority and underlying conflict. The final image of Adar, however brief and obscured, effectively raises questions about the nature of the orc leadership and whether an Elvish name signals something more complex than simple evil.
The problem is the pacing feels deliberate to the point of sluggishness in places, particularly during extended conversations that restate information already apparent from the visuals or earlier scenes. The escape sequence in the trenches, while energetic, stretches beyond the point of maximum tension before resolving in expected failure. The Harfoot scenes, though charming in its attention to small details of communal life, risks feeling peripheral when set against the larger, more epic threads. World building is prioritised, which is understandable in an early episode of a complex adaptation, but a lot of the show comes across as cold.
In the end Adar is effective in how it continues to build out the world, it’s just taking a lot of time doing it. It places Galadriel and Halbrand within a living political culture, clarifies the strategic importance of the Southlands, and presents the orc threat as coordinated under a mysterious leader whose true nature remains hidden. It also allows space for smaller, more intimate moments among the Harfoots. It just doesn’t quite get the balance right. Some scenes start to drag and there is way to much exposition. The overall it is competent and nice to look at, with enough intrigue to sustain interest, yet it not gripping and lack the emotion the films generated very quickly. The foundations continue to be laid for later developments, and the introduction of Númenor in particular suggests richer possibilities ahead, you just want something to happen now.
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Where to watch The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power – Season 1, Episode 3: Adar: