Original release date : October 7, 2022
Surviving villagers flee the burning village. Miriel has lost her eyesight and Isildur has disappeared. Miriel promises Galadriel more Númenórean support. Galadriel escorts a wounded Halbrand to Lindon for Elvish medicine. Elsewhere, Nori’s caravan finds their destination grove has been destroyed by the eruption of Orodruin. The stranger’s attempt to mend a tree appears to fail and after nearly injuring Nori, leaves. The next day, the entire grove has regrown. While the Harfoots rejoice, they encounter a mysterious trio who are in search of the stranger. After a failed attempt by Nori to mislead them, the trio burns the Harfoots’ caravans. Realizing the danger, a group of Harfoots set off to warn the stranger. Meanwhile, in Khazad-dûm, Elrond offers a deal for the Dwarvish mithril, but King Durin III declines, stating the Elven Age has ended. As Elrond departs, Durin IV witnesses mithril’s ability to cure the Elven blight; he brings Elrond back and begins to mine for the ore himself. Just as he strikes a large mithril vein, King Durin arrives. He banishes Elrond, strips Durin IV of his royalty, and seals the mine not realizing a Balrog has now awakened. In the destroyed Southland, Adar renames the land Mordor.
* * *
[Nori] And at the first blush of the oak leaves, we head to the Grove.
The only trouble is there’s a hundred perils between here and there.
I’m peril.
Stop!
[shouting echoes]
[groaning]
[panting]
[Nori exclaims, grunting]
[Gil-galad] Our light is fading.
[Elrond] And this mithril… It is our only salvation?
So the fate of the entire Elven race… is in your hands.
Hmm.
[Orcs chanting] Nampat!
[Galadriel] Sauron was once your people’s enemy as much as mine.
[arrow whooshes]
I call on you to reforge the alliance between Númenor and Elves.
[neighing]
To save the men of the South lands.
[villagers screaming]
[in Quenya] Give it to me.
[in English] It’s under here.
[Númenóreans shouting]
All hail to the true King of the South lands.
[all] All hail!
[cranking]
[explosive eruptions]
Take shelter!
The Queen!
[Arondir] Theo!
[thunder breaking]
[rumbling]
[theme song playing]
[gasps]
[wind whooshing]
[groaning]
[fire crackling]
[breathing heavily]
[horse neighing]
[gasps]
[horse screaming]
[breathing heavily]
[fire crackling]
[wind whooshing]
[man shouts in distance]
[people coughing]
[woman] Help!
[man groaning]
[baby wailing]
[Galadriel] Halbrand!
Elendil!
[thunder breaking]
Halbrand!
[Theo] Mother? Mother?
[woman gasping]
[Theo screaming] Mother!
Over here.
[men shouting in distance]
Come here.
[footsteps approaching]
[Theo panting]
Are you hurt?
No.
Stay with me.
Come on.
[people shouting]
[people coughing]
[people shouting]
[Valandil coughing]
[grunting] Where’s Ontamo? Ontamo was with me.
[Isildur grunting] Crawl.
Crawl. I won’t leave you.
Soldier, over here!
[breathing heavily]
Valandil.
[both panting, grunting]
[people coughing, groaning]
[gasps]
Soldier, he’s gone.
He’s gone.
This way!
[Valandil] He’s gone…
Come on!
[woman] Help! Please, help!
[Queen Míriel] Soldiers!
[woman] Over here! We’re inside!
[Queen Míriel] That roof’s about to come down.
[man] Can’t get out!
[Queen Míriel] Quickly, clear a path.
[debris crashing]
[Isildur coughing]
[people shouting]
[grunting]
[Queen Míriel] Over here. This way.
Take hold of my hand. You’re all right.
Go forward. Stay together.
[Isildur straining] Hurry, my Queen.
Go.
[crashing]
Go towards the bridge.
Get them out of here!
[flesh burning]
[screaming]
[Isildur grunts]
[Queen Míriel] No!
[whooshing]
[exclaims]
[whooshing]
[Valandil] Isildur!
Isildur!
[Poppy singing] Old Bolgerbuck went snailing
One autumn day so fine
He found a hundred big ones
I wish that they were mine
[Largo] Up ahead.
The Grove! I think this is it.
Said that three days ago.
No, no, he’s right. I remember this.
Come on.
Do you smell that? Wood smoke! The others must’ve started bakin’.
[both chuckling]
[both laughing]
[both panting]
[Poppy] Mr. Burrows.
What happened?
My great-grand used to speak of mountains to the south that could spit fire-rock.
He said they go to sleep.
Sometimes for hundreds of years.
Only to wake again when a new evil is rising.
Hmm.
[Sadoc] Brandy foot.
Your friend up there. The big fella.
You don’t suppose…
Suppose what?
[Sadoc sighs] Maybe he could fix it.
Go on, Nori.
[Vilma] Yes. Like he fixed those wolves.
Uh, I don’t know… I don’t know if he…
What you waitin’ for?
He’s done so much for us.
It’s a mite rude of us to ask more of him.
I see.
I’ll ask him, then.
[gasps]
Sadoc!
[Sadoc] Out the way, little ones.
[wind whooshing]
[The Stranger sighing]
[in other language] Á keuta…
Á envinyata…
[breathing heavily]
Envinyata…
Lótë na…
Lótë na…
[Malva in English] What’s he mutterin’?
Likely little words, so the tree’ll understand.
Sadoc, trees don’t talk.
Some do.
[shushes] Don’t distract him.
[chanting in other language]
[wind whooshing]
[gasping]
Envinyata!
Lótë na!
[in English] Great-goats. It’s working…
[rumbling, creaking]
[shouting] Á kuita! Á kuita! Á kuita!
[gasping]
[in English] He’s fixin’ it.
Just like Sadoc said he would.
[shouts] Á kuita!
[snaps]
[gasps] Dilly, get back!
[Dilly yelps]
[Harfoots exclaim]
[screams] No!
[Dilly] Nori!
My sweet girls! My babies!
Nori! Dilly! Dilly.
[exclaiming] Dilly, Nori, are you all right?
[crying]
[Largo] There you go.
[Marigold] Are you all right? Are you all right?
I’m all right. I said. [panting]
I’m all…
[Marigold sobs]
[breathing heavily]
[sighs]
[wind whooshing]
[Elrond] We ask for something sacred from this mountain.
And so we offer something sacred in return.
In exchange for access to your mithril mines, the Elves are prepared to furnish this city with game, grain, and timber from the elder forests of Eriador for the next five centuries.
[in Khuzdul] Five centuries?
Quite a promise, if they can keep it…
[in English] I never made a promise I didn’t.
I see you’ve learned a few words of stone-tongue.
Impressive.
Tell me, why should we trust any Elf?
You should not.
But you can trust me.
For I am no common Elf, but Elrond Half-elven.
And I see in Elves that which they cannot see in themselves.
That is why I stand before you now, alone…
Pleading.
For you to save my people.
Please, noble King. Help us.
I will speak to my son now.
[door creaks open]
[door closes]
What is to be your answer, Father?
It is said that when Aulë created our people, he crafted us of two elements.
Fire and rock.
The rock that lives within us hungers for the eternal, resisting the pull of time.
But the fire embraces truth.
That all things must one day be consumed…
[sighs]
…and fade away to ash…
Father…
We do not dig in earth that cannot support it.
[sighing]
Delving into depths beyond the darkness.
Tempting shadow, rock, and mine to bury us all beneath the mountain.
I will not risk Dwarven lives to help the Elves cheat death.
[exclaims] Cheat death?
Father!
My friend is drowning, reaching for me to pull him to shore.
You expect me to swat his hand away because you’re afraid of a bloody rock fall?
The fate of the Elves was decided many Ages ago.
By minds much wiser, much farther-seeing than our own.
[sighs]
Defy their will, and this entire kingdom might fall.
Perhaps the entire Middle-earth.
[sighs]
I am sorry, my son.
But their time has come.
Lice-bearded, uncaring, old fool!
[clanking]
What if he’s right?
You’re not thinking of lettin’ this happen!
[Prince Durin sighs] What choice do we have?
You said the other Dwarf-lords were open to the proposal.
If we reopen the mine ourselves, prove to them there’s a safe way to gather mithril, perhaps they’d make him listen.
Perhaps we could force your father’s hand.
[sighs] He’s more than just my father, Disa.
He’s our king.
What kind of father would I be if I teach our children the will of a king should be counted as dross to be cast to the wind?
[Disa sighs]
All right, fine.
[hissing]
I shouldn’t have said he had lice in his beard.
[chuckles]
Or called him a fool.
Yeah.
No.
[sighs] No, I detest it when you heap slag on my mother.
Uh, well, in your mother’s case, she actually does have lice in her…
I’m joking. I’m joking.
[door opens]
[sighing]
[Prince Durin] Don’t suppose I can elbow you into staying for dinner?
Gil-galad must be informed.
And soon, he will no longer be a king, for there will no longer be a Lindon.
So this is goodbye, then?
We do not say goodbye.
We say namá…
Namárië.
It means more than simply “farewell.”
[breath trembling]
It means… “Go towards goodness.”
[sniffling]
[crying]
[door closes]
[sighs]
[sighs]
[clinking]
[crying]
[gasps]
[shouts] Elrond!
[thunder breaking]
[Orcs grunting, growling]
[Theo] Why’d they do this?
[Galadriel] To make this their home.
Their Shadow Land.
So we take it back, and drive them off.
[Galadriel] We have neither position, nor reinforcement.
These lands are dead.
We must rally to the living.
Or put steel down their throats!
[Theo grunts]
It is over.
Not for me. I won’t allow it!
We must!
[both panting]
We must.
What are you so bothered about? It isn’t your fault.
Yes, it is.
[man] Keep moving. That’s it.
[people coughing]
Help those people at the back there.
Isildur?
[horse grunts]
[man] The Queen!
[woman] She’s alive.
[man 2] Is she hurt?
[woman 2] Save us!
[man] Is she hurt?
[woman] Is she all right?
[woman 3] Thank goodness!
My Queen.
Take my horse.
[sighing]
[voice breaking] Captain, you…
Captain…
Where is he?
Where is my son?
They’re dead, aren’t they?
Arondir. My friends. My…
[voice breaking] My mother. Everyone.
What cannot be known hollows the mind. Fill it not with guesswork.
[Theo] Where are we even going?
[Galadriel] Númenor set their camp upon that ridge line, beyond that far peak.
That is where they shall hie to, along with any survivors.
[wind whooshing]
Your mother included.
And be wary. The Orcs will move in daylight now.
[Theo] I’ve killed Orcs before, you know.
[Galadriel] When I was your age, there was no such thing as Orcs.
[Theo] And now? How many have you killed?
[Galadriel] Many.
Good.
I would not use such words.
Why not?
It darkens the heart, to call dark deeds “good.”
It gives place for evil to thrive inside us.
Every war is fought both without and within.
Of that, every soldier must be mindful.
Even I. Even you.
[Theo] Am I a soldier, then?
Perhaps we can make one of you yet.
[horse snorts]
How much further until we reach the encampment?
It’s just beyond this rise.
How much further until we’re clear of this smoke?
[man] Hold here.
How long have we been clear of it?
Nearly a mile.
[sighs]
[Queen Míriel] I see.
Do you?
Only gray.
Keep walking, both of you.
Guide my horse. No one need notice. [breath trembling]
Elendil?
Elendil, please.
Keep walking.
[indistinct chatter]
They call it Greenwood the Great.
Keep your head down and your eye on that line of cliffs.
You’ll find the big folk settlements on the far side.
With any luck, the people there can help you find your stars.
[breathing heavily]
‘Cause all I can tell you is, Harfoot-folk haven’t seen ’em since the days our ancestors lived in parts unknown
over a thousand years ago.
And that’s a long time to wander. Even for a fellow with big legs.
[breathing heavily]
[sniffling]
[sighing]
[sniffling]
[Nori] Should’ve just stayed on-trail.
When I saw that star falling, I should’ve just let it alone.
Elanor…
You tried to tell me, Mother.
But now I understand.
I’m just a Harfoot.
That’s all I’ll ever be.
[scrapes]
Off to bed, Nori.
We can tend to the rest in the mornin’.
[Theo] Have you ever lost someone close?
To them?
Kin, I mean.
My brother. Finrod.
And my husband.
Husband?
Celeborn was his name.
We met in a glade of flowers.
I was dancing and he saw me there.
You were dancing?
The war seemed so very far away then.
When he went to it, I chided him.
His armor didn’t fit properly.
I called him a silver clam.
I never saw him again after that.
[inhales] My lady.
[panting]
What you said before…
You’re wrong.
It isn’t your fault.
It’s mine.
You did not intend for this to happen.
I gave power to the enemy. So that makes me responsible.
Some say that is the way of things.
But I believe the wise also look upon what is in our hearts.
And this was not in yours.
Do not take the burden of this day upon your shoulders, Theo.
You may find it difficult to put it down again.
But how am I to let it go?
[breathes deeply]
There are powers beyond darkness at work in this world.
Perhaps on days such as this, we’ve little choice but to trust to their designs.
And surrender our own.
My home is gone.
Where’s the design in that?
[softly] I cannot yet see it.
[footsteps approaching]
[Orcs grunting]
[Orcs grunting]
[Orcs grunting]
Stop.
[Orcs chattering]
Shut it.
[footsteps approaching]
[panting]
[breathing raspily]
[breathing raspily]
[sniffing]
[Orc] What is it? What do you smell?
Huh?
[growls]
[sniffing]
[Orc 2] Ashes.
Nothin’ but ashes.
Come on. We’re wasting time.
[sheathes]
[sighing]
[Galadriel] Rest while you can.
We move at first light.
What light?
[wind whooshing]
[Prince Durin grunting]
[clanking]
[Prince Durin grunting]
[clanking]
[clattering]
[loud rumbling]
[Prince Durin panting]
Another tremor.
[Elrond] We need to give the rocks time to resettle.
[clangs]
[panting]
No. [panting]
Self-discipline, master Elf.
Think that’ll bring you success?
[chuckles]
It did in our contest.
Did it?
[breathing heavily]
[Prince Durin] No.
You lost on purpose?
My aim was never to defeat you, but to gain your ear a while longer.
Elf lies.
[chuckles]
I was…
Winded.
[groans]
Blast it.
I always thought you were a mite Dwarvish for an Elf.
And you are a rather Elvish Dwarf, Durin.
Son of Durin.
[exhales]
Grandson of…
Scoff if you like.
The mightiest thing a Dwarf can do is to be worthy of the name of his father.
[Prince Durin chuckles]
We do have our secret names, for use only amongst ourselves.
And we reveal them only to family.
Wives, parents, sisters, brothers.
[softly] Elrond…
Save it, Durin.
For the far side.
Aye.
[clanking]
[rocks clattering]
[loud rumbling]
[breathing heavily]
[clanking]
[gasping]
[wind whooshing]
Durin…
[Prince Durin breathing heavily] Father…
It’s more than we ever imagined.
King Durin, there is a…
[shouts] Enough!
Father, just look at it.
Seize the Elf.
[gate whirring]
[Dwarf grunting]
[Dwarf shouts]
[gate slams]
[gate whirring]
[sighing]
[sighs]
[King Durin] When your mother bore you, something inside you was ill-formed.
Your breathing was ragged and dry.
A tiny, pitiful sound, like scraping chalk stones.
Folk said you’d never see your first winter.
And every night, after your mother’s weeping eyes had found refuge in sleep, I held you to the firelight, kept your chin up all night long.
Seemed to ease the burden a little.
And one night, I gazed down on your tiny, naked face, and I saw upon it the great gray beard of an old Dwarven-king.
Mighty and terrible as an army with banners.
And when your mother woke, I told her, she need cry no more.
Our son would live and he would move mountains!
[Prince Durin sighs]
How do you expect me to move mountains, Father, if you fall to pieces when I dig a single hole?
You speak of greatness for me, but you suffocate in me any ambition, any desire, any thought that does not originate in you.
The iron that must bear the most heavy of burdens must also endure the most rigorous tempering!
Consigning your allies to death is not tempering.
Elrond is as much a brother to me as if he’d been fired in my own mother’s womb.
How dare you…
[yells] How dare you!
Invoke your mother’s memory to defend your decision to betray your own kind?
No! It’s you that’s betrayed our kind!
Squandering our future so you can cling to the past!
You profane the crown you wear!
[clinks]
[clinks]
[clanks]
[sighing]
Leave it.
It’s not yours anymore.
[sighs]
[apple crunches]
[Poppy singing] And while he was a snailin’
Upon that autumn day
His babe he left a-wailin’ The stream took her away
Poppy?
[Poppy] Hmm?
What are you doin’?
[chewing]
Fetchin’ a pail, what’s it look like?
No, the vittles. Stop eatin’! We have to save those.
Why don’t you take a look outside, and then we’ll talk.
[Harfoots chattering]
What…
[lively chatter]
[Largo] Look at that! Oh, wow!
[Sadoc] We’ll go to market with that crop, won’t we?
[sighs]
[woman] Here you go.
I don’t understand. How?
How do you think?
He fixed it.
[Largo] Can you believe it, Nori?
There’s enough bounty here to feast tonight and still have enough left over to last to Frozen Fish.
[Poppy] Malva’s sayin’ she gonna make somethin’ called apple-sausage.
[Malva] Applesauce.
[Poppy] That’s what I said.
[lively chatter]
From Father.
Thank you, Malva. Where’s your sister gone?
[Malva] We got it. Is there more space in there? We’re done.
[laughs]
[Poppy singing] …floated down it So loudly she did wail
The King of the Frog Fishies
Turned her into a snail
Old Bolgerbuck he caught her So juicy and so sweet
They say his little daughter He could not help but…
[rustling]
[breathing heavily]
Wait!
[gasping]
You’re going the wrong way.
He went that way.
Go on, now.
[gasping]
[gasps]
Nori!
[gasps]
[Marigold] Leave her alone!
[Sadoc] You heard her.
Off with you now!
[Marigold] Begone!
[panting] You harm a hair on her foot, and I’ll brain the lot of ya.
[hissing]
[gasping]
[blowing gently]
[fire blazing]
[Harfoots exclaiming]
[screaming]
[Harfoots shouting]
[gasping]
[wind whooshing]
[man] Come on. All right. Keep your hands on.
[Berek grunting, neighing]
Together now.
[grunting, neighing]
Whoa!
[Elendil] Give him to me.
[Berek grunts]
No!
You’re going home. Do you hear me?
You’re coming with us.
[grunting, neighing]
Please. Berek.
Please.
[Valandil] He won’t listen to you.
He won’t listen to any of us.
[Berek grunts]
[Berek neighing]
[Berek neighing]
[wind whooshing]
I should never have pulled the Elf on board.
I should’ve left her in the sea, where I found her.
[sighs]
[wind whooshing]
[neighing in distance]
[indistinct chatter]
[Theo breathing heavily]
[people coughing, groaning]
[gasps]
[Bronwyn shudders] Theo?
[gasping]
The Queen Regent. Is she here?
[wind whooshing]
Preparations are nearly complete.
We can depart within the hour.
[Queen Míriel] What of the Southlanders?
One garrison will remain behind to escort them to a safe settlement.
And search for our missing.
Galadriel.
No one kneels in Númenor.
You are not in Númenor.
Neither of you are.
A fault that is mine alone.
Our ships are waiting, my Queen.
Let us put this land behind our sails.
[Galadriel sighing]
Do not spend your pity on me, Elf.
Save it for our enemies.
For they do not know what they have begun.
For I, Míriel, daughter of Ar-Inziladûn, vow this.
Númenor will return.
Then the Elves will be ready.
Captain, we sail with the tide.
Captain?
[sniffles]
[Harfoots chattering]
[Sadoc] I got it.
On your feet now, girl. Stand up. Help me gather what we can.
Nori, now.
Don’t let this splinter your spirit, it’ll be all right.
Don’t lie to her, Largo. She’s too old for that now.
I wasn’t lyin’. It will be all right.
Pity’s sake, Brandy foot.
Give us a moment to weep.
Weepin’?
Is that all you think we have left in us?
We’re Harfoots!
Look, we don’t slay dragons.
Not much for diggin’ jewels.
But there’s one thing we can do, I warrant, better than any creature in all Middle-earth.
We stay true to each other.
No matter how the path winds, or how steep it gets, we face it, with our hearts even bigger than our feet.
And we just keep walkin’.
[chattering]
[gasps]
Nori. Where are you goin’?
To help my friend.
Warn him what’s comin’. He deserves at least that.
Goin’ off-trail? Now? Alone?
[Poppy] She won’t be alone.
We’ve left enough folk behind, we’re not leavin’ him.
[Marigold] You girls aren’t goin’ anywhere.
Not without me.
You sure about this, Goldie?
You go into those woods, you might never come out alive.
They might if a trail-finder were to go with them.
Brandy foot girl was right to help him. Was right all along.
And if you think Malva Meadow grass is too proud to admit it, well, what’s the good of livin’, Sadoc, if we aren’t livin’ good?
You know, Malva, just once…
Once, it would be grand if you weren’t right all the time.
I’ll fetch provisions and get me stick.
I’m comin’ with ya.
[Harfoots chattering]
It doesn’t matter anyway, we’re all gonna die.
Come on, otherwise we’ll be here all day.
[Nori] Think we’ll be able to find him?
[Sadoc] He’s a bloody giant. How could we miss him?
[birds chirping]
[people chattering]
[Arondir] You believe she’ll keep her promise?
[Galadriel] No.
I’m certain of it.
Bones have been set, [sighs] wounds bound. We can travel.
Where will you go?
[Bronwyn] An old Númenórean colony by the mouth of the Anduin.
Pelargir, they called it. They say there’s fresh land, fresh water.
A fresh start.
[Galadriel] Then I will report to our High King.
To face whatever awaits me.
But what of our king?
Your king?
Has no one informed you?
Informed me of what?
Halbrand.
I thought you had died.
Better for me if I had done.
[sighs]
Southlanders found him on the road like this yestereve.
[Bronwyn] The wound soured overnight.
I thought to try and treat him on the road, but…
[breathing heavily]
This wound needs Elvish medicine.
Can he ride?
I’ll have the healers gather what provisions they can.
Well, my friend.
It seems fate has in store for us one more raft.
This is not over.
I will not abandon these lands and condemn them to burn.
Nor will you.
[indistinct chatter]
Strength to the king!
[all shouting] Strength to the king! Strength to the king!
Strength to the king! Strength to the king!
Strength to the king! Strength to the king!
[grunts, gasping]
Keep it… Soldier.
Commander.
[shouts] Strength to the South lands!
[all shouting] Strength to the South lands! Strength to the South lands!
Strength to the South lands!
Strength to the South lands!
Strength to the South lands!
I failed him.
It’s all my fault.
No.
No, it isn’t.
Whose is it, then?
It’s your father’s.
He’s grown too old, too suspicious.
His mind, too feeble.
His eyes too dim to see that no matter how many crests he hurls to the floor, one day this will be your kingdom.
Durin IV’s.
Not your brother’s.
[clanks]
Not some other Dwarf-lord’s. Yours.
And mine.
And together, we will rule this mountain and all others before our time is done.
That mithril belongs to us.
To you and me.
And together, one day, we are going to dig.
[both sigh]
[King Durin echoing] Seal it up.
[wind whistling]
[blazing]
[growling]
[blazing]
[roaring]
[crackling]
[Adar] My children.
Cast off your sun-cloaks and your helms.
You are no longer to be burdened by the day.
This is our land now.
[Orcs grunting]
It is our home.
[Orcs agreeing]
[Waldreg] Hail Adar, Lord of the South lands!
[Orcs shout] Hail Adar, Lord of the South lands!
[Waldreg] Hail Adar, Lord of the South lands!
[Orcs shout] Hail Adar, Lord of the South lands!
No…
That is the name of a place that no longer exists.
What should we call it instead, Lord-father?
[Orcs grunting]
[chanting] Adar! Adar!
[Orcs chanting] Adar! Adar!
Adar! Adar!
Adar! Adar!
[thunder breaking]
Adar!
[loud rumbling]
