Cast:
Morfydd
Clark,
Charlie
Vickers,
Lloyd
Owen,
Maxim
Baldry,
Ismael
Cruz
Córdova,
Markella
Kavenagh

Director:
Wayne
Che
Yip

There’s
plenty
of
conflict
in
Episode
5
of
The
Lord
of
the
Rings:
The
Rings
of
Power,
and
the
lead
players
appear
to
be
grappling
with
individual
moral
dilemmas.

LOTR
Episode
5,
“Partings”,

picks-up
where
Episode
4
left
off,
but
is
heavier
and
deeper
and
we
get
to
experience
a
sense
of
what
is
to
come.

The
murkiness
helps
us
get
an
inkling
about
some
of
the
answers
we
were
expecting
from
the
show
by
now
–
the
Orcs
pursuit
of
Theo
(Tyroe
Muhafidin),
the
Meteor
Man/Stranger’s
uncanny
powers,
Waldreg’s
choice
of
serving
Sauron,
Míriel’s
(Cynthia
Addai-Robinson)
wavering
on
the
merits
of
a
war
to
save
the
southlands,
Elrond’s
(Robert
Aramayo)
conflict
regarding
duty
to
his
friend
versus
his
obligation
to
save
his
people,
Bronwyn’s
(Nazanin
Boniadi)
resolve
to
stand
and
fight
when
genocide
is
imminent,
and
Nori’s
(Markella
Kavenagh)
continued
faith
in
the
Stranger
(Daniel
Weyman).

This
episode
is
particularly
high
on
drama,
and
the
uncertainty
that
the
characters
experience
is
quite
palpable.
It’s
a
hook
that
the
writers
know
the
audience
will
thrive
on.

Director
Wayne
Che
Yip
and
writer
Justin
Doble
amp
up
the
intensity
while
putting
all
the
lead
players’
life
at
risk.

We
also
get
to
see
Galadriel’s
skills
at
length
as
the
Numenoreans
prepare
to
engage
in
war.
Halbrand
also
shows
himself
to
be
much
more
than
a
Brigand
–
is
he
the
man
who
could
possibly
be
king?

The
overall
characterisation
and
tone
appears
to
have
shifted
from
that
of
JRR
Tolkien’s
tomes.
The
evil
festering
in
this
other
world
is
slowly
exposing
itself.
The
rot
is
now
from
within.
The
immortal
Elves
are
now
fighting
for
survival.
Gil-galad
(Benjamin
Walker)
and
Durin
IV
(Owain
Arthur)
are
yet
to
crest
the
wave
of
friendship.
It’s
clear
also
that
Yip
and
Doble
are
purposefully
diverging
from
Tolkien’s
established
norm.
The
Mithril
story
is
key
to
that.
The
manner
in
which
it
is
presented
though,
is
well
in
keeping
with
Tolkien’s
value
system.

The
Southlanders
defecting
to
a
questionable
savior
has
real
world
undertones
–
an
allegory
that
Tolkien’s
works
may
not
have
figured.
The
Stranger’s
presence
with
the
Hobbits
is
the
most
intriguing
part
here.
His
powers
are
coming
to
light
and
the
reveal
on
how
he
is
going
to
use
them
is
certainly
looked
forward
to.

War
is
imminent
and
we
are
also
looking
forward
to
some
great
action.

The
cinematography
continues
to
be
beautiful
all
through
the
darkness,
implied
and
visualised.

The
helming
seems
much
more
assured
and
the
performances
continue
to
be
gravitating.
Episode
5
of
LOTR
is
certainly
more
satisfactory
than
the
previous
one.