The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Season 2 – Episode 5
Episode title: Halls of Stone
Original release date : September 12, 2024
Plot: When Durin grows suspicious of the Dwarven Rings, Celebrimbor must reassess his priorities. Amidst Númenor’s shifting currents, Elendil searches for hope.
* * *
Brace yourselves!
Disa!
[Dwarves exclaiming]
[Narvi] A fire-mountain awoke.
The ground-shakes… it spread through the bones of the Earth, collapsing our sun-shafts, our ability to grow crops.
No, no, no.
These Rings will be beyond any power yet devised by Dwarf, or Man.
They shall be Rings of Power.
Power to heal your mountain.
[Annatar] Bringing your father a means of saving his kingdom might be just the way to earn back his respect.
Perhaps, even your inheritance.
Did you just insult my father?
You speak ill of the Queen again, it’ll be you suffers an infirmity.
Have I made myself plain?
[man 1] Queen of lies!
[man 2] She’s unfit to rule!
[Eärien] His dying words, the King spoke to me, and said it was from this… she took counsel.
This Elf-stone is your queen!
Silence!
The palantír is mine. We need it.
[people screaming]
[Elendil grunts]
[man] Murderer!
Dark magic!
[shrieks]
Pharazôn! Pharazôn! Pharazôn!
[people chanting] Pharazôn! Pharazôn!
Your High King believes the Dwarves to be unworthy.
In fact, he has forbidden the forging of any more Rings at all.
We have not the time to bandy words about, convincing him who is worthy of aid.
[Annatar] What are you doing?
I am telling him that I am closing up the forge.
You would lie to your High King?
I would grant us the space to complete our work.
This power in Eregion, I don’t trust it.
You told me once, the fate of Elves is decided by wiser minds than our own.
That to try and alter it, to try and cheat death, might lead to an even greater catastrophe.
I keep wondering…
What if you were right?
[Galadriel] A legion of Orcs have marched into Elvish lands.
That trail.
I gather it leads to…
Eregion, my liege.
Word of this must reach the High King before our host sails for Mordor.
Over there.
[Galadriel] Get to Lindon. I will occupy them as long as I am able.
Take it.
Take it, Elrond.
[Orcs grunting]
[breathing heavily]
[in Quenya] A star shines on the hour of our meeting…
Lady Galadriel.
[opening theme music playing]
[ominous music playing]
[disembodied voices whispering]
[Narvi] This way, sire.
As you can see, we’re attempting to dig a new access-shaft, to try to reach the sunlight.
Uh, but thus far, our every effort has only made the mountain more unstable.
[indistinct chatter]
[Dwarves grunt]
Something the matter, sire?
No.
No, all is shortly to be well.
[Dwarf 2] Yep.
[indistinct chatter]
[King Durin breathing heavily]
[disembodied voices whispering]
Dig here.
Sire. That’s a foundation wall.
Take it down…
Are you explaining Delve-craft to me?
This is where we are meant to dig. Now do as I say.
Give me your axe.
Father…
Axe!
[grunts]
[breathing heavily]
[grunts]
Narvi!
Uh… Shift’s over!
Go. Go!
[Dwarf 1] That’s good.
[Dwarf 2] Tell me twice.
[King Durin grunting]
Sire. Don’t you think you’d better stop for some air?
[grunts]
It’s not air we need, it’s light.
[rumbling]
[Narvi] Sire! Don’t!
[Prince Durin IV] Father, no!
[grunts]
[gasps]
[King Durin panting]
[King Durin chuckles]
[exhilarating music playing]
[King Durin] Next time I order you to dig,
you do so.
[scoffs]
[both laughing]
[disembodied voices whispering]
Here. Here.
[Prince Durin IV] Right. One, two, three, four.
[King Durin] Pity those who dwell above.
Slaves to the sun.
[Dwarves grunting]
Chained to its ceaseless rhythm of waking and sleep.
[all grunting]
In Khazad-dûm, we are free of its tyranny.
Here, we bring the sun to us.
At last, it is daybreak once more
in our mountain!
[all cheering]
Khazad…
[Dwarves] Dûm!
[Celebrimbor] Dwarves and Elves working together.
It was said to be impossible.
But our cooperation has achieved this wonder.
And today, we embark upon a new dream,
to enshrine our friendship in stone.
[indistinct chatter]
[Celebrimbor] Narvi?
[clears throat]
Narvi’s big moment.
[Narvi] Behold…
the Doors of Durin.
[all laughing]
The new West-gate of our mountain.
Unbreachable. Visible only by moonlight.
And guarded by a password, known only to friends.
Now, take note, smiths,
watch Narvi very closely while he’s here.
Not only because he is a masterful artist.
[Dwarf] Mm…
[indistinct chatter]
He’s also a notorious thief. Do not let any jewels go missing.
[Dwarves and Elves laughing]
[Narvi] Yeah, well, try checking his pockets.
[all laughing]
[Dwarf] Oh, no…
To a lasting friendship…
between Elves and Dwarves.
[all cheering]
[Narvi] Hospitality’s much appreciated.
Too much? My remarks. [chuckles]
I encouraged you to keep it short.
Oh…
Do not recall you saying that.
Well, you do not always listen.
Once you have an idea set in your head.
Truth is, I should’ve spoken longer.
To credit your contributions.
[sighs]
Forgive me.
I find it difficult to stay festive,
when those most affected by Mordor’s rise are still suffering.
Rings for Men?
I did not say anything about Rings.
[scoffs]
It is a game you play, is it not?
Sowing seeds in others’ minds and then convincing them
that the fruit is of their own thought.
I thought our minds were as one in this.
Have you had a change of heart?
This is a night for Dwarves. Come. We shall speak of Men tomorrow.
I would prefer to speak of them now.
Much of the misery of Men is of their own making.
And I have been informed that it was the Men of the Southlands
who aided Adar in his conquest in the first place.
Only some of them.
Many of the rest have already been given new homes,
by their own kind, from Númenor.
Have you ever been to Númenor?
[sighs] No.
It is remarkable.
But fractured.
Ever teetering between glory and ruin.
I fear Númenor.
More than any land in Middle-earth.
I had hoped our Rings might make her stable.
We cannot give Rings to Men.
The risk of corruption is simply too great.
Whatever problems we might solve will be nothing
against those we could create.
Yes.
You are right.
Of course. Men are capable of great frailty.
But when the darkness falls,
there are always some who rise forth and shine.
Eärendil, Tuor,
Beren, son of Barahir.
Exactly what are you proposing?
We find Men we can trust.
The wisest, the most noble, the purest of heart.
From Númenor to Rhûn, we identify nine Ring-bearers
of the nine greatest mortal kingdoms.
Nine?
The perfection of the Three.
Thrice perfected.
For our third forging, we will make nine.
We have accomplished great things, my friend.
Let us not tempt failure…
by allowing our reach to exceed our grasp.
I am sorry. My answer is no.
The Rings of Power are complete.
Of course.
You need not apologize. Very well.
I shall make the Nine myself.
[Ar-Pharazôn] Have you ever seen it? Across our western seas.
The white tower of Eressëa…
the very gateway to the Undying Lands.
I have not.
[Ar-Pharazôn] Only the keenest eye can.
And only from the peak of the Meneltarma.
I reckon the Elves placed it there on purpose.
So that every sunset serves as a reminder that our days must end
and theirs will not.
That no matter how high we climb,
some things will be forever withheld from our grasp.
The Scepter is now in yours, Father.
Is that not high enough?
All my life, I believed it was.
The Scepter is what you make it.
The Age of Men is upon us, Father. Let us take it.
Let us build the Númenor you have always seen in your mind’s eye.
Once, when you were at her breast,
your mother prophesied that you would come to ill ends.
My mother?
What did she say?
Impress me in the task that I am about to place upon you
and I will tell you.
Fail to do so, and I shall have to find other places to make use of you.
[Númenóreans chanting] Pharazôn! Pharazôn! Pharazôn!
Pharazôn! Pharazôn! Pharazôn!
[Míriel] Listen to them.
[Elendil] There are other voices out there.
Valandil tells me that in the Old Quarter,
prayers ascend night and day for you.
For their Queen.
Our Queen.
Command us all and together we can put this right.
The Sea-Guard is still loyal to you.
Elendil…
Together we can fight.
Elendil.
It was you, who opened my heart again to the way of The Faithful.
We swore to keep serving.
Now, you wish to be still…
while the wolves are licking the cradle?
What did you see? In the palantír.
[Elendil] I saw myself.
Lost.
Riding from the city to…
I know not where.
Then you did not see it.
See what?
Perhaps it’s changed.
What do you mean?
Not every battle must be fought to be won.
Sometimes maintaining stillness of heart is the greatest victory of all,
the greatest act of faith one can perform.
I don’t understand.
For years, that palantír
has shown me only our island’s downfall.
But when you touched it, that vision was gone.
Changed to a new path.
Pharazôn’s kingship is a part of that path.
And so are you.
You have asked for my command.
Now it is given.
[breath trembling]
No matter how hard they push you, no matter what they try and take,
you must not jeopardize Númenor’s new destiny.
You must remain the calm at the storm’s eye.
Go back to your ship, Captain.
[indistinct shouting]
[Númenórean guard 1] You render it willingly?
[man] I do.
[Númenórean guard 1] You’re no longer a Sea-Guard. Next.
[Númenórean guard 2] Line up.
[Elendil] Lieutenant.
All right. This way.
What’s the meaning of all this?
Anyone deemed loyal to the Queen-regent has been stripped of rank.
On whose authority?
[Eärien] On mine.
I’m sorry. I’d hoped to tell you earlier.
Lord Belzagar wanted the lot of you charged with treason.
And yet, overthrowing a queen has earned you a promotion.
How dare you reduce my grief to petty ambition?
My brother is dead because Míriel peeped into an Elf-stone.
You mock that which is sacred.
[Eärien] I mock that which is absurd.
Ar-Pharazôn is your king.
Accept it, Father. I beg you.
You are walking a treacherous path.
And yours is made of seawater.
Take care to keep your feet beneath you, it’s a long way to the bottom.
[woman] Are you ready?
[Númenórean guard] Is everything there?
[man] Yes.
[Númenórean guard] Next.
It’s all there. This is all from the same. Check him up, now.
Captain leaving deck!
He’s nobody’s captain now.
[dramatic music playing]
[chuckles softly]
He’s right.
I’m not.
Captain.
Thank you, Captain.
The Valar protect you.
[Kemen] That’s enough.
[man 1] Thank you, Captain.
[man 2] Thank you, Captain.
[man 3] Valar bless you, Captain.
[man 3] Captain, thank you, sir.
[man 4] Valar bless you.
[man 5] Thank you, sir.
[man 6] Thank you, Captain.
That’s enough.
[man 7] Thank you, Captain.
[man 8] Thank you, Captain.
How do you think this ends? Silence!
[man 9] Thank you, Captain. Thank you.
[man 10] Bless you, Captain. Bless you.
[man 11] Captain, Elendil.
[man 12] Valar bless you.
[Eärien] Valandil.
Perhaps I can have you taken off the list.
I’ll speak to the king.
You would do that for me?
You’re one of my oldest friends.
I think you’ve made it clear enough who your friends are.
[captivating music playing]
[Celebrimbor] Most noble High King.
I write this letter to convey my deep joy
on hearing of the success of the Three Rings in Lindon.
As requested, the forge is dark and the workshop is empty.
A precious calm has settled over the city, and I foresee brighter days ahead.
I hope you are able to make a visit soon.
Until then, I remain as ever,
your loyal servant, Lord Celebrimbor.
[Commander of the South] Our armada is ready to depart.
What are we waiting for?
All is well in Eregion.
The letter proves Galadriel was wrong.
And whilst we hesitate, Adar’s army grows stronger by the day.
If we are to invade, we must leave now.
[sinister music playing]
[high-pitched trilling]
[trilling dies down]
Our enemy is in Mordor.
Are you truly prepared to wager the future of Middle-earth
on the whispers of that Ring alone?
[dramatic music playing]
You pushed for this.
[Disa] I know.
From the beginning.
I know. I did. I know.
But learning to hear the mountain’s a gift from Aulë,
one that’s honed and refined over a lifetime.
And this it…
It feels somehow like cheating.
Yeah, he’s Durin the Third.
I think he knows a thing or two about wielding power.
That kind of power would test even the most virtuous of Dwarves.
I pray your father keeps his path true.
Oh! It’s perfect.
[Prince Durin IV] Mmm-hmm.
Two hundred for that one.
Two hundred? For a bloody rock?
It’s a tuning crystal.
I don’t care if it’s a cart and six horses. I won’t pay it.
Ah, blame the king’s new law.
For every coin spent, another goes to the crown.
Ring tribute, he calls it.
Ring tribute?
Sir, this is for our wee girl’s birthday next week.
Spare a bit for her sake? We’ll give you 100.
One hundred?
One hundred.
How’s that sound?
Like mine shaft robbery.
[Prince Durin IV groans softly]
[Disa] Mmm!
Hundred and fifty?
[chuckles]
Oh!
[Dwarf] Careful.
Aulë’s beard, excuse me.
It’s rollin’. It’s rollin’.
You seem to have kicked it.
Madam, I’m so sorry to get in your way.
I have it, I have it, I have it. Oof! No, I don’t.
[sighs]
[grunts]
[grunts]
[grunting]
Now then…
Where are you, you little…
Oh! [echoing]
What?
What is this? [echoing]
[gasps]
[vocalizing]
[echoing]
[chuckles]
There you are.
[grunting]
Hmm.
[creature bellowing]
[chuckles softly]
[creature bellowing]
[creature roars]
[screams]
[King Durin] Emissaries of the seven Dwarven realms,
I have gathered you all here today because Middle-earth is changing.
Its limbs are stretching.
Its bones, creaking.
Some dark will threatens all our kingdoms.
But by Aulë’s favor, my people have passed this test.
And soon, yours shall pass it too.
And rise together into a new age for our kind
with the help of a power that will change everything.
[murmuring]
Seven Rings.
Seven lords.
And bound within each… power.
Power over earth.
Power over rock.
Power to shape the destinies of all Dwarves forever.
[Emissary grunts]
The Rings are not for you, but for your masters.
Go back and tell them that each of your realms may share in this bounty.
But it comes with a price.
[ominous music playing]
[King Durin] Khazad-dûm shall never want again.
There is gold right beneath us.
We should be delving much deeper.
But who set these restrictions?
Well, you did, sire. Decades ago.
Then strike them.
Strike… But, sire…
Strike them, Delve-master, or I’ll find them…
Where is it?
You took it off.
Where is it? What have you done with it?
It’s there, sire. You… You took it off.
You said your hand was feeling heavy.
[disembodied voices whispering]
Oh…
Hmm.
It was. It was.
[sighs]
Start to dig, points where I’ve marked.
[Narvi] Sire.
Stop!
[breath trembling]
There’s something under the mines.
Disa heard it herself.
A nameless evil, ancient and powerful.
You mustn’t dig.
You have your orders, Delve-master.
Narvi, I beg you.
Delve-master. You have your orders.
[Narvi sighs wearily]
[door opens]
[door closes]
[King Durin] Stone-singers speak of hearing the mountain.
What?
With this Ring, I can see it.
Every shaft, every ore, every jewel.
In thousands of years,
we have barely taken a thimble from the ocean of her riches.
Disa is mistaken.
There is no danger.
[Celebrimbor breathing heavily]
[Mirdania] My lord.
[objects clattering]
[female Elf] Are you hurt?
[indistinct chatter]
[male Elf] Are you all right?
[eerie music playing]
[clattering]
Do my eyes deceive me?
No.
We were casting a new design for a Ring.
Mirdania was attempting to resize it when…
[clanking]
[all gasp]
Where is she?
[all exclaiming]
Look out!
[female Dwarf] Master!
[disembodied voices whispering]
Get back!
[breath trembling]
[disembodied voices whispering]
[Mirdania gasps]
[Celebrimbor] Stop.
Breathe.
What happened?
I was in a place like this,
but shrouded in mist and darkness, and…
I saw… I…
At first, I thought it was the forge burning.
But it wasn’t.
What was it?
It was tall…
and its skin was made of flames.
It came toward me, breathing, reeking of death,
and I saw… I…
I saw its eyes.
Pitiless and eternal.
I think it’s been here.
I think it’s been here among us, all along!
You are with us now.
There is nothing to fear.
Look around.
All is well.
What did you do differently this time?
The Lord of Gifts shared your worry that Men are too corruptible.
So, we sought to fortify the alloy by adding more mithril.
No, no!
If you’d wanted to do that, you should’ve…
You…
It would save us immeasurable hours of toil
if you would offer this one, single word of counsel.
My lord, Celebrimbor.
You should…
Forgive me, my lord, but Durin the Younger is arrived from Khazad-dûm.
No, tell him to wait.
He says it is urgent. Something about the Rings.
I will see what he wants.
No.
No. I will go.
How do you mean “changed”?
It’s like he’s colder. Quicker to anger.
Now they tell me, he refuses to share the other Rings
unless the Dwarf-lords promise him half a share of their mines!
Now, greed is not his way. It never has been.
I… [sighs]
Is it possible the Ring he’s wearing…
No.
We used the same process, Durin,
the same materials, even the same tools as for the Three.
Now, there simply cannot be a fault in your Rings.
Then maybe, the fault’s in the Ring-maker.
What do you mean?
How much do you really know about this Annatar?
[eerie music playing]
[Annatar] You are very brave.
Some who behold the Unseen world are never quite at home in this one again.
[in Sindarin] Have you seen it?
[in English] Yes.
In its light, things appear as they truly are.
Beings of differing shades of light…
And its darkness.
It pains me to say,
for what you saw, I did not wish for any of you to see
until I had helped him to heal.
You… You speak of… Lord Celebrimbor?
Yes.
The toll that creation has exacted from him
in crafting the Three and the Seven has left him diminished.
Vulnerable to the shadow.
[in Sindarin] Then, what I saw…
[in English] Promise me you’ll speak to none other of it.
Including him.
I promise.
How strange.
When the light caught your hair,
for a moment, you seemed her perfect likeness.
Whose likeness?
Why, Lady Galadriel’s, of course.
[High Priest] The souls of those we have lost yearn for peace.
Tonight, we will help them to find it.
Until we meet again in the far green country
under a swift sunrise.
[speaking Quenya]
[people repeat in Quenya]
[somber music playing]
[speaking Quenya]
[door slams open]
[indistinct chatter]
[in English] This shrine is condemned by order of the king.
Return to your homes.
My son, this is the oldest shrine in Númenor.
It’s in the way of the new aqueduct.
Leave willingly or leave by force.
The King sends his apologies.
How’s it feel to have a daughter who’s ashamed of you?
[Númenórean guard] You heard him, old man. Out!
[Kemen] Get his arms.
Wait. Wait!
I’ll escort him out.
[in Sindarin] If she is not stored, the souls for whom she weeps will be lost.
[in English] Give him the relic.
Give it to him, boy.
I don’t know if you’re aware, but I’ve been promoted to…
[grunts]
[coughs]
[laughs]
Hold him.
[grunts]
This shrine is for The Faithful. King’s men aren’t welcome here.
I don’t see you praying.
May the Valar forgive me.
For what?
No! No!
[all exclaiming]
[both grunting]
[Elendil] Valandil!
[both grunting]
[grunts]
[Elendil] No! Valandil!
[grunting, breathing heavily]
[gasping]
[grunts]
[woman] No!
[grunts]
[grunts]
[screams]
[screams]
[gasps]
No! Valandil, put it down!
Put it down, son.
That’s an order.
[whimpers]
Aye, Captain.
[grunts softly]
No.
[dramatic music playing]
[Elendil, muffled] No, no, no, no, no.
No.
[Elendil whimpering]
Inform the jailer he was the one who started the uprising.
[Celebrimbor] No!
No, I tell you there is something wrong with the Dwarven Rings!
Or King Durin is misusing his Ring and seeking to deflect blame.
[Celebrimbor] No!
No, I do not believe that.
As one who so masterfully manipulates metals,
just be mindful someone is not manipulating you.
You see daggers where there are none.
And you ignore them, until they are right at your throat.
No. Enough.
Did you…
in some way…
alter the Dwarven Rings, yes or no?
No.
[Celebrimbor sighs]
We did.
What are you talking about?
These are matters of spirit, as much as craft.
And this time, we brought deceit into the process.
Deceit?
What deceit could you poss…
The letter.
No.
No, that, that was…
[Annatar] You lied.
That was not a lie. I…
Your High King consented to the Three.
But the Seven we forged beneath a cloak of deception.
You must go to Lindon forthwith,
and confess the truth to your High King.
Or matters will worsen.
No, do that, he would…
He would never permit me to forge anything again.
It is either that,
or we plunge straight on…
even deeper into the maelstrom.
[Prince Durin IV] Father, I have been to Eregion.
I tell you, some devilry has gone into these Rings.
We mustn’t use them anymore.
Time and pressure can shape a Dwarf,
as surely as it can shape a stone.
I had hoped our estrangement would help shape you, my son.
But I did not expect how much it would shape me.
Father…
I am proud of you.
No.
I am proud of you.
Your desire to partner with the Elves has saved our kingdom.
That is why now, now, more than ever,
I need you.
I need your axe, by my side.
Prince Durin.
[dramatic music playing]
[door opens]
[Disa] Durin?
Durin, what did he say? Did he…
I tried.
But… Durin, no.
I tried to tell him.
Durin…
Swear it.
Swear to me that you will never wear one of those Rings.
I swear it.
[Celebrimbor] There is agency uncanny in the heart of stone and ore.
Even when a work is yet within the artist’s bosom, it begins to…
disobey him.
We have failed. Every one of us.
The designs were carried out to the most exacting detail, my lord.
Were they?
Every last hammer stroke done to perfection?
Or did, did hubris and sloth come together to dull your attention?
We must atone for our mistakes in the only way we can,
by completing the Rings together.
The Nine must do far more than bring aid to Men,
they must bring balance to the entire project.
They must draw strength from the Three.
And somehow…
redeem the Seven.
They must redeem us all.
We shall work night and day.
New designs. New alloys. A new process.
I will be with you at every turn.
And any of you who offers so much as a hair’s breadth less
than his utmost effort is a s…
A smith of Eregion no longer.
Have I made myself plain?
[all] Yes, yes, my lord.
It starts now.
[Mirdania, softly] What has gotten into him?
[hushed chatter]
My friends. Do not be discouraged.
Your master may seem unreasonable.
His demands intemperate, or even impossible.
But that is simply because he knows how much depends on your success.
Yet, I know you will not disappoint him.
[breath trembles, sighs]
[Annatar] Or me.
I, for one, am certain
that we will complete the Rings of Power.
[Elven smith 1] Yes.
Shall we begin?
[Elven smith 1] Yes, of course, my lord.
Lord of Gifts indeed.
[indistinct chatter]
[Elven smith 2] Let’s get to it.
[Orcs snarling and growling]
[sinister music playing]
[Elrond] High King!
High King, the Orcs are not in Mordor.
A legion of them are headed for Eregion.
Galadriel was right.
You must send the army to Eregion this moment.
That will not be possible.
I have reason to believe that Sauron is the architect of all this.
High King, Eregion is the very jewel of Elvendom.
If it were to fall, it would be a mortal blow for all in Middle-earth.
You must send aid!
Our armies cannot defeat both Adar and Sauron.
Not alone.
[Orcs laughing and snarling]
[Orc 1] Come on! Come on!
[sinister music playing]
[Orc, in Black Speech] Back away!
[snarling]
[Orcs laughing]
[Orcs exclaiming]
[Orc, in English] Get her out.
[Orcs snarling]
[Orc 2] Look out for her.
[Orc 3] It’s okay.
[Orcs 4] Yeah.
[grunts]
[Orcs exclaiming]
[Adar, in Sindarin] I brought you here not as a prisoner…
But as a potential ally.
[intense music playing]
For we share a common enemy.
[closing theme music playing]
