Season 1, Episode 7, “The Eye”

Anything worth doing takes a long time to do it, and Lord Of The Rings’ slow-burn approach to fantasy ended in the eruption of the Southland volcano last week. However, the audience’s patience wasn’t for naught. It imbued our heroes with integrity and resilience and Middle-earth with a logic all its own. These atrocities may be fated by minds greater than the Elves, Dwarves, and Men, but they may have a greater purpose if only we could see through the ash.

Last week’s action-packed blood feast finally delivered Rings fans the epic battles TV viewers crave. But that’s not really what Lord Of The Rings is about. It’s not about betrayals, political maneuvering, or fantasy violence. Those things exist in Middle-earth, but connection and collaboration across borders matter so much more. The darkness only makes the light shine brighter, and this push and pull between heritage and friendship can create division and strength in all forms of fellowship. It is within them to overcome their prejudices and find hope and love in their fellow Middle-earthling. The fantastic, visually striking, and season-best episode “The Eye” doubles down on these themes as Galadriel, Elendil, and Durin attempt to retain hope amid incalculable despair.

An eye is the first image we see in the red-soaked Hellmouth that is the Southlands. Cinematographer Alex Disenhof follows the breathless action of “Udûn” with a landscape that evokes photos of the California wildfires and the orange skies they brought to the west coast in 2020. Galadriel awakes in this ashen land, dusts herself off, and begins searching for survivors, finding young Theo. As the show teases another Bronwyn fridging, Queen Regent Míriel and Isildur search for survivors. The latter finds only death, discovering the lifeless eyes of his friend Otamno (Anthony Crum) staring back at him. As he considers Otamno, a beam breaks, and a house crashes on Isildur, leaving his friends to assume he, too, is lost. Later, when Elendil sees Isildur’s injured horse without a rider, he assumes the worst.

After weeks of wondering and wandering, the Brandyfoots finally catch up to the Harfoots at the Grove, which the volcano left scorched. Atop a nearby hill, The Stranger speaks unfamiliar words to a burned-out tree. As it did in the pool last week, the Stranger’s power explodes and frightens the Harfoots. Still, a flower grows from the tree’s trunk.

The passing shadow is all over this episode, bringing light and dark. Last week, Bronwyn reminded Theo that there is “light and high beauty forever beyond the reach” of darkness. Galadriel, who enlists Theo as a traveling companion, goes one step further, teaching Theo not to let hate into his heart. “It darkens the heart to call bad deeds ‘good,’” she tells him. “Every war is fought without and within.” Theo and Galadriel fight the external loss of life in the Southlands and each soldier’s internal responsibility for it.

Galadriel’s remorse is palpable from the first frame of “The Eye.” She tells Theo that she feels responsible for the explosion, and in many ways, she is. The obvious example is that she didn’t check the friggin’ hilt when she had Adar captured. But Elves have been missing warnings all season. As she rallied Númenor, the Elves in the Southlands missed a whole Orc siege under their noses. Like the Jedi in the Star Wars prequels, the Elves of the Second Age are high on their own supply. That’s what makes Elrond, the half-Elven, such a crucial character; he sees in Elves what they cannot see. He knows the cost of allowing that friendship to wither. Elrond didn’t even notice that he hadn’t seen his best friend in 20 years and is willing to change his thinking and admit when he is wrong.

Galadriel’s war goes deeper, and her distance is understandable. As she and Theo commiserate over the explosion, the Elf reveals that she was once a dancer (and an equestrian). Yes, she danced with her husband Celeborn, whom she lost at war. Unfortunately, the loss of both her brother and husband has left her with nothing else.

She’s fighting the war within, like Durin and Elendil. Elrond makes his play to King Durin (Peter Mullan), bending the knee and making promises of riches in return for the supply of mithril. But Durin rejects the offer, telling Durin that the Elves’ fate and the fate of Middle-earth are out of their control. If this is the Elves’ time, so be it. Durin breaks the news to Elrond, who must return to Lindon to tell High King Gil-galad that they’re screwed. It is a heartwrenching scene as Bear McCready’s Elrond theme tiptoes in as Elrond tells Durin that…