TV Review: Rings of Power S1E6 “Udun”
Although it’s not as single-location focused as some of the battle episodes of another certain fantasy show, writers Nicholas Adams, Justin Doble, J.D. Payne, and Patrick McKay center “Udun” around the battle between the humans of the Southlands and Adar (Joseph Mawle) and his Orcs plus a last minute save from the Numenoreans and Galadriel (Morfydd Clark). At times, “Udun” feels like a cover version of Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, but it distinguishes itself from other Tolkien adaptations by giving psychological depth to one of the Orc characters and its use of the television medium for stronger characterization and long-form mythmaking beyond a feature film. For better or worse, it’s blows Rings of Power‘s storyline wide open and confirms that evil is something that infects the bones of Middle Earth as well as the hearts
Although, at times, he feels like a hybrid of Aragorn and Legolas, Ismael Cruz Cordova continues to nail both the role of action hero and romantic lead with his performance as Arondir throughout the episode. For example, he gets to be part of the big, yet poorly lit opening setpiece where he shoots a flaming arrow and brings down the Elven watchtower. Then, almost immediately he shares a tender moment with the quite badass Bronwyn (Nazanin Boniadi) where they bond over planting a special kind of seed before the battle with the Orcs and save the other seeds for after the battle. This symbolizes them having a future after the war ends. I love that the writers give Brownyn and Arondir a love of growing things in common, and it makes their relationship more organic and believable instead of the usual “crisis bond” in these kinds of movies/TV shows a la Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock’s characters in Speed.
Before they become the literal cavalry saving the day, Adams, Doble, Payne, and McKay use some of “Udun’s” running time to explore the relationship between Galadriel, Elendil (Lloyd Owen), and Isildur (Maxim Baldry). In contrast with the darkness covering the Southlands at the open and close of the episode, the scenes with the Numenorean ships coming to Middle Earth is bathed in the rosy fingers of dawn courtesy of director Charlotte Brandstrom as Galadriel watches Isildur sneak out and look at his first glimpse of land. They have a real general/younger soldier moment with Galadriel reminding him to be humble and the difference between current and idealized Numor. Then, she and Elendil share a terser exchange. The meter of Rings of Power‘s dialogue can be all over the place, but the writers and Owen really nail Elendil’s grief about his wife when asked about her by Galadriel, he mumbles “She drowned”. For now, Elendil is focused on the task at which is liberating the Southlands and installing a quite noble and less roguish Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) as king.
Although, “Udun” excels at the quiet character moments, it falls back on devices and scenarios that appeared in previous Tolkien adaptations. Basically, with the exception of the Orcs dressing up the men of the Southlands as Orcs and using them as cannon fodder and up to the confrontation between Adar and Galadriel, the battle is kind of a Wish.com Battle of Helm’s Deep with a much more TV-budget friendly location and less characters to root for and connect with. For example, Bronwyn telling Theo (Tyro Muhafidin) to protect those who can’t fight is basically verbatim the conversation Theoden has with Eowyn in The Two Towers except Eowyn is a compelling hero, and Theo is a craven brat. And like Gandalf and Eomer, the Numenorean cavalry comes in and saves the day and looks good doing it. The charge isn’t Peter Jackson levels of epic, but Brandstrom does a solid job showing an empire that’s not quite at its peak, yet still pretty glorious. Think the opening battle scene between the Romans and Germans in Gladiator showing the last gasp of imperial power before the decline and fall begins with Marcus Aurelius’ son Commodus.
However, “Udun’s” most powerful scene isn’t a chase scene, cavalry charge, or multi-volcano eruption (Mt. Doom Origins!). It’s an interrogation sequence between Galadriel and Adar where Clark digs into a darker side of her character, and Mawle finds a more sympathetic side of his until it’s undermined by the aforementioned mass murder and environmental destruction. Adar reveals that he was part of the first generation of Elves turned into Orcs by Sauron, but prefers to be called an “Uruk” and still says that he should be treated like humans and Elves instead of something twisted or evil. He just wants a homeland for Uruks while Galadriel wants to exterminate his entire race so maybe she’s the bad guy. The conversation grapples with the problematic aspect of Orcs being “Other” and their one-dimensional characterization throughout the works of Tolkien and its adaptations, but the writers end up back-pedaling once the flames start falling and the episodes wrap up. Still, by the end of “Udun”, Adar is a three-dimensional character who is crafty, yet a father figure to his Uruks and not just a walking fan theory or Sauron Jr. I’d love to see him share a beer with Killmonger, Magneto, and Shylock from Merchant of Venice if he survived the volcanic eruption.
Although not a perfect episode, “Udun” shows that Rings of Power is at its strongest when it digs beneath its surface-level good vs evil conflict and looks at the light and darkness in each major player from revenge-driven Galadriel to unlikely king Halbrand and even Uruk daddy/postcolonial theorist Adar. But, when lit properly (Aka when the Numenoreans arrive), it succeeds on a spectacle/action level as well, especially in its fiery closing moments.
Overall Verdict: 8.0
