Doomed to Die

Hands down, the best episode of this series. Until this episode I was painfully forcing myself through the slow pace and some irritating stories and dialogues. But this episode was a gem. I will probably rate it 10 after a re-watch.

This episode for the first time brings this series to somewhat near to the LOTR trilogy. Elrond (Hugo Weaving) and Adar were great. The others have also improved compared to their portrayals in the previous episodes. Especially, Galadriel has done a lot better in this episode. I hope the characters not shown in this episode will also have improvements as some of them are still very disappointing.

I wanted to talk a lot about it but in the fear of spoiling, I am stopping.

Finally, "Highly RECOMMENDED"

It's the Best episode of the two seasons so far.

Has been building to something as grand as this.

Dark and brooding - this was a visual spectacular.

I Can't wait for the season finale. I hope rumours of the cancellation of the show are false.

It's a storyline that can't be told quickly. It has to build and grow.

Unexpected twists, betrayals, action, great acting and superb cinematography - this episode has it all.

I hope the finale isn't a letdown after this visual epic.

The Rings of Power has been bashed up a lot by critics, but it truly stands alone as a fantastic fantasy that is beautifully told.

The episode was okay, but I didn't feel fully connected to it. While it focused heavily on war and fighting, I never felt genuinely worried about what would happen to my favorite characters. The action scenes were visually impressive, but the tension just wasn't there. There were also some plot issues that didn't make sense-like, why would two enemies suddenly want to negotiate in the middle of a war? It seemed out of place and made me wonder what the writers were thinking.

Sauron's power was displayed well, but at times he came across as more foolish than intimidating in this episode. The death scene of a supporting character at the start was well done, but since I didn't even know her name, it lacked emotional impact for me.

The episode really needed to develop its characters more, especially the supporting ones. For instance, when women and children were running for cover and being attacked by fireballs, the scenes were intense, but I wish they had shown more of their fear and struggles. It could have really increased the tension if their stories were explored further.

Overall, it was a good episode and definitely exciting leading up to the finale. This season has been much better compared to the last one, and the recent episodes have shown significant improvement. I'm looking forward to seeing how it all concludes in the finale.

The episode strikes an impressive balance between character-driven drama and large-scale action. The depth of the individual stories adds emotional weight to the conflict, a significant improvement over the lackluster pacing and dull subplots that plagued much of season one. Gone are the meandering dialogues and colorless characters-this episode is all about power, chaos, and the looming shadow of war in Middle-earth.

This episode finally delivers the kind of grandeur and intensity that fans of *The Lord of the Rings* have long awaited. This episode feels like a direct homage to the original trilogy, and that's a high compliment. Visually, the episode hits epic heights, reminiscent of the sweeping battles and mystical landscapes that defined Peter Jackson's films. The tension is palpable as the characters, particularly Celebrimbor and Sauron, are drawn deeper into the growing conflict over the Rings.

The battles are brutal, the stakes are high, and the production design is stunning. This episode marks a turning point, as the series approaches the epic finale with all the momentum it needs. The hunger for power is palpable, and the stage is set for a thrilling conclusion.

See how things improve when you cut out the harfoots and numenor?

This show can actually be good when meaningless threads are removed and they prioritize one story arc.

This episode was refreshing because it was literally the first time I've the series was fully focused on what works.

The harfoot and numenor storylines are both the weakest and most unnecessary links in the series. Harfoots being blatant og trilogy fan service / rip off, while Numenor seems to exist in its own show while still constantly inventing new ways to convolute itself.

Thai episode is a straightforward battle episode, where the core characters choices and motivations are all in clash with each other in an appropriately climactic explosion. Also things actually happen, which if you've watched the show you'll probably find refreshing.

Series still mid, but this episode is a fun peak into a universe where it could've been good.