As a Lord of the Rings Fan, These Are the 10 Best 'Rings of Power' Episodes

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Published Mar 17, 2026, 4:30 PM EDT

Born with Autism (formerly classified as Asperger syndrome), Tyler B. Searle has been obsessed with storytelling since he was old enough to speak. He gravitated towards fairy tales, mythology, the fantasy genre, and animated movies and shows aimed at family audiences. When not writing, Tyler enjoys watching more cartoons and reading fantasy books in his home in Ontario, Canada.

Amazon's The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power is both the most expensive television show ever made, and one of the biggest disappointments in fantasy media. The show is an adaptation of the appendices of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien, and chronicles the events of the Second Age, such as the fading of the elves, the rise and fall of Númenor, and the forging of the 19 rings of powers. However, the show failed to draw audiences in thanks to baffling writing choices, lore contradictions, and scatterbrained characters, resulting in only 37% of viewers completing the first season.

That said, even the worst pieces of media have their diamonds in the rough, and while the whole does not equal the sum of its parts, Rings of Power does have good moments thanks to its high production values, the strength of its actors, or because its poor writing results in unintentionally hilarious situations. Thus, this list will try to highlight the best episodes of the show based on a "best of the worst" philosophy. It's always fun to break down why a piece of media does not work, but when you acknowledge the parts that do, it helps make one's arguments stronger.

"Adrift"

Season 1, Episode 2

After leaping into the sea, Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) is picked up by some human survivors of a sea beast attack, and makes a tenuous alliance with a mysterious man named Halbrand (Charlie Vickers). Meanwhile, Elrond (Robert Aramayo) travels to the dwarven kingdom of Khazad-dûm to request their help in building a forge for Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards), but must repair his friendship with Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur). Elsewhere, Elanor "Nori" Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh) discovers a mysterious Stranger (Daniel Weyman) with tremendous powers, and Bronwyn's (Nazanin Boniad) home is infiltrated by an orc.

With the establishment of the first episode out of the way, "Adrift" can focus instead on moving the characters where they need to go, and opening up the world. Khazad-dûm is the highlight: the city looks exactly like you would expect the capital city of the Dwarves to be, and the interactions between Elrond and Durin IV highlight the vast differences between Elven culture and the rest of Middle-earth. The orc attack in the Southlands is also effective, starting off with elements of horror as Bronwyn and her son, Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin), try to hide from the orc before transitioning into a mad fight for survival.

"Adar"

Season 1, Episode 3

Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova) has been taken prisoner by Orcs and is forced to dig a massive trench for their mysterious leader, Adar (Joseph Mawle and Sam Hazeldine), while the Stranger reveals himself to the rest of the Harfoots with disastrous consequences for Nori and her family. Across the sea, Galadriel and Halbrand are rescued by Elendil (Lloyd Owen) and taken to the island nation of Númenor. Galadriel hopes to convince the Queen Regent, Miriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), to send her armies to Middle-earth to battle the orcs, while Halbrand tries to make a new life for himself.

"Adar" is our first proper look at the Orcs of Rings of Power, and they are by far some of the best practical effects we've gotten in recent years. Subsequently, Arondir's storyline is the best in the episode: the Orcs look and feel like the vicious representations of the inhumanity of war and conflicts that Tolkien envisioned them to be, and there's even a good bit of character building when Arondir sacrifices his morals and cuts down a tree for the sake of his fellow prisoners. Númenor is a close second thanks to the detail put into making the city look grand and resplendent, and Owen has a strong first outing as Elendil, especially with how he interacts with Galadriel.

"The Great Wave"

Season 1, Episode 4

As the Southlanders find their food stores dwindling, Theo sneaks back to his village of Tirharad to collect food, but has to hide from marauding Orcs looking for a broken sword in his possession. In Númenor, Galadriel's attempts to convince Miriel to give her an army do little to convince the Númenóreans to trust Elves again, while Elendil's son, Isildur (Maxim Baldry), gets himself and his friends kicked out of the Sea Guard. Coincidentally, just as Elf/Dwarf relationships are looking good in Eregion, Elrond investigates Durin IV's suspicious behavior and stumbles upon a great discovery.

"The Great Wave," is an episode meant to set up the trajectory of the second-half of the show, and it does this pretty well. Adar is finally revealed and leaves the audience eager to learn more about him, the mystery behind Theo's sword becomes more engaging due to the Orc's quest and revelations concerning the old inkeeper Waldred (Geoff Morrell), and we get some more impressive visuals through Miriel's vision of the sinking of Númenor. It also has one of the funniest moments of Season 1, when Galadriel gives her infamous "There is a tempest in me!" speech, only to smash-cut to her in prison.

"Partings"

Season 1, Episode 5

Galadriel holds two swords at human soldiers

As the Númenóreans gather volunteers to attack Middle-earth, Isildur attempts to secure a position despite his past actions; Kemen (Leon Wadham), son of Chancellor Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle), tries to stop the expedition; and Galadriel attempts to convince Halbrand to accept his destiny as king of the Southlands. Elsewhere, Elrond is forced to choose between his loyalty to Durin IV and the future of his people, while Bronwyn is unable to keep the Southlands unified as Adar's forces draw closer. In the north, the Stranger saves Nori and Poppy Proudfellow (Megan Richards) from wolves, but mysterious figures begin following their trail.

"Partings" has plenty of faults, but it does succeed at raising the stakes and delivering on some good character interactions. These include the back and forth between Elrond and High King Gil-Galad (Benjamin Walker) concerning the Elves' future, Galadriel opening up to Halbrand concerning her hunt for Sauron, and the defection of Waldreg and many Southlanders to Adar, emphasizing how doomed they are without outside help. This episode also has the memable line "Give me the meat and give it to me raw," from Durin IV, followed by the perfect reaction from Elrond to such a suggestive phrase.

Collider Exclusive · Middle-earth Quiz Which Lord of the Rings
Race Do You Belong To? Hobbit · Elf · Dwarf · Man · Orc

Middle-earth is home to many peoples — the courageous, the ancient, the stubborn, the ambitious, and the wretched. Ten questions will determine which race truly claims your soul. The answer may surprise you. Or it may confirm what you already suspected.

🌿Hobbit

🌟Elf

⚒️Dwarf

⚔️Man

💀Orc

What does your ideal day look like? How we rest reveals as much as how we fight.

How do you feel about the passing of time? Our relationship with mortality shapes everything we value.

Danger is approaching. Your first instinct is to: Fight, flight, or something in between — it's more revealing than you'd think.

You stumble upon a great treasure. What do you feel? What we desire — and what we do about it — is the true test.

How important is community and belonging to you? No race of Middle-earth is truly alone — but some prefer it that way.

How ambitious are you, honestly? Ambition is neither virtue nor vice — it depends entirely on what you want.

Where do you feel most at home in the natural world? Middle-earth is vast — and every race has its place within it.

What kind of strength do you most respect? Every race defines strength differently — and they're all at least a little right.

What do you want to leave behind when you're gone? Legacy is the story we tell ourselves about why any of this matters.

Be honest — what do you actually want most out of life? The truest question always comes last.

Middle-earth Has Spoken You Belong To…

The race that claimed the most of your answers is your true kin. If two tied, both are shown — you walk between worlds.

◆ A TIE — YOU WALK BETWEEN TWO RACES ◆

🌿

Your Race

The Hobbits

You are, at your core, a creature of comfort, community, and quiet joy — and there is nothing small about that. Hobbits are proof that heroism does not require ambition, that the bravest heart can beat inside the most unassuming chest. You value good food, warm hearths, close friends, and a world that stays largely untroubled by dark lords and quests. When adventure does find you — and it will — you rise to it not because you sought it, but because the people you love needed you to. That is not ordinary. That is the rarest kind of courage in all of Middle-earth.

🌟

Your Race

The Elves

Ancient, graceful, and carrying a weight of memory most mortals cannot fathom, you are one of the Elves. You see the world in its fullness — its beauty, its impermanence, the unbearable ache of watching everything you love eventually fade. You pursue perfection not from pride, but because excellence is how you honour the time you have been given. Others may see you as remote or melancholy. They are not wrong, exactly. But they mistake depth for distance. You feel everything — which is precisely why you have learned to carry it so quietly.

⚒️

Your Race

The Dwarves

Stubborn, proud, fiercely loyal, and possessed of a work ethic that would exhaust most other races before breakfast — you are Dwarf-kind through and through. You do not ask for approval and you do not offer it cheaply. Your loyalty, once given, is given for life. Your grudges last longer. You love deeply and defend ferociously, and the things you build — with your hands, with your sweat, with generations of accumulated craft — are made to last. Not for glory. Because anything worth doing is worth doing properly, and you have never once done anything by half measures.

⚔️

Your Race

The Race of Men

Mortal, ambitious, flawed, and magnificent — you belong to the most complicated race in Middle-earth, and that complexity is your greatest strength. Men are capable of cowardice and extraordinary bravery, of cruelty and breathtaking sacrifice, sometimes within the same breath. You feel the urgency of your finite years, and it drives you. You want to matter. You want to leave something behind. You fall, and you rise, and the rising is what defines you. Tolkien called mortality the Gift of Men — not a curse, but a fire that burns bright precisely because it does not burn forever. That fire is you.

💀

Your Race

The Orcs

Brutal, survivalist, and contemptuous of anything that can't defend itself — you answered with the instincts of an Orc, and there is a certain savage honesty in that. You do not dress up your desires in polite language or pretend you want things you don't. You want power, survival, and to never be at the bottom of any hierarchy ever again. Orcs are not evil by nature — they were made from something that was once good, and broken into this shape by forces they did not choose. What remains is fierce, territorial, and deeply aware that the world is not kind. You've made your peace with that. The question is what you do with it.

"Udûn"

Season 1, Episode 6

Though Arondir manages to kill many Orcs by destroying the Elven tower of Ostirith, Adar's army still vastly outnumbers the Southlanders. Bronwyn leads the humans in fortifying Tirharad, while the Númenóreans fleet draws closer. Unfortunately, even with their preparations, the defenders are vastly outmatched by the Orcs, and nobody is prepared for Adar's true plan, which is linked to the broken sword held by Theo.

"Udûn" might not hit the same highs as other fantasy TV battles, but it still offers an effective mix of great visuals and a roller coaster of emotions. The battle is pretty well-structured in how the tide shifts between the defenders winning and the Orcs winning, and after the battle we get the tense scene of Galadriel interrogating Adar, where he points out her own growing darkness. Then Waldreg causes Mount Doom to erupt, and the episode ends not with the heroes triumphing over evil, but screaming as they are consumed in a violent display of the destructive force of nature.

"The Eye"

Season 1, Episode 7

Galadriel and Theo walking together in 'The Rings of Power' Episode 7

In the wake of Mount Doom's eruption, Galadriel and Theo try to re-connect with the surviving humans at the Númenórean camp. Further north, the volcano's eruption damaged the grove the Harfoots were migrating to, and the Stranger's attempt to use magic to heal the trees results in more danger. Meanwhile, Elrond and Durin IV try to convince King Durin III (Peter Mullan) to let them mine mithril.

Ignoring moments like the show teasing Isildur's death when we all know he survives to cut off Sauron's finger, "The Eye" is a breather episode after the intensity of "Udûn," and focuses more on character interaction than action. Some of the best include Galadriel warning Theo about the path of vengeance, Elendil and Miriel supporting one another in their individual moments of grief, and the two Durins getting into an impassioned argument regarding the ethics of leaving the Elves to their fate. It's also a treat visually, as the newly-created Mordor looks like the characters have been transported to the pits of Hell itself.

"Alloyed"

Season 1, Episode 8

Galadriel takes an injured Halbrand to Eregion for healing, and begins working with Celebrimbor and Elrond to restore the light of the Elves and forge items to combat the growing evil in Middle-earth. However, she discovers that Halbrand is not the King of the Southlands, but the dark lord Sauron. As she confronts him, Nori sets off with Poppy and Sadoc Burrows (Lenny Henry) to save the Stranger, while Elendil's daughter, Eärien (Ema Horvath), has a chance conversation with the dying king of Númenor, Tar-Palantir (Ken Blackburn).

"Alloyed" does exactly what a finale should: conclude the major storylines and leave the audience interested in coming back for Season 2. This is done through the climactic shot of the forging of the three Elven rings of power—Vilya, Narya, and Nenya—and the confrontation between Galadriel and Sauron, which sees the Dark Lord tries to sway Galadriel to his side or break her if he can. Other standout moments include great nonverbal acting from Robert Aramayo when Elrond gives Galadriel a knowing look regarding Sauron's identity, and Daniel Weyman finally getting to have proper conversations as the Stranger.

"Where the Stars are Strange"

Season 2, Episode 2

Amidst the falling out between King Durin III and Prince Durin IV, Mount Doom's eruption causes seismic tremors that destroy Khazad-dûm's sun shafts, making it impossible for them to grow food. Galadriel's ring, Nenya, shows her a vision of Celebrimbor in danger, and she tries to convince High King Gil-Galad and Elrond to help her warn him. Far to the east, Nori, Poppy, and the Stranger search for water while being chased by servants of a Dark Wizard (Ciarán Hinds).

The best parts of "Where the Stars are Strange" come from the Dwarven storyline. Along with the main conflict effectively showcasing how the rise of evil is affecting all the people of Middle-earth, the emotional conflict with the Durins' both being too stubborn to talk to one another, and Durin IV's wife, Disa (Sophia Nomvete), trying to get them to reconcile, is by far the most empathetic storyline thanks to how grounded it is despite the fantastical elements. Outside the Dwarves, the elves also have a good story regarding the ethics of using the rings of power, and with how frustrating Galadriel was in Season 1, it's cathartic to see both Gil-Galad and Elrond call her out for her actions.

"Doomed to Die"

Season 2, Episode 7

Trapped in an illusion created by Sauron, Celebrimbor works dutifully to create nine rings of power to be given to men, while outside, Adar and his Orcs lay siege to Eregion. The Elves of Lindon, led by Elrond and Gil-Galad, arrive to reinforce the city, but they are still outnumbered, and Adar has Galadriel hostage to further tie their hands. Elrond hopes that the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm will arrive to catch the orcs off guard, but with King Durin III falling deeper into madness, this is not a guarantee.

"Doomed to Die" offers an even grander battle than "Udûn," and captures the desperation of the elves against such insurmountable odds. While the action is impressive, the episode belongs to Charles Edwards' Celebrimbor. His character is put through an arduous roller coaster of emotions as he realizes the extent of Sauron's manipulations and the consequences it has for Eregion, but he still manages to defy Sauron in his own small way, inspiring Galadriel to keep fighting, before selflessly facing Sauron one last time so Galadriel can escape with the nine.

"Shadow and Flame"

Season 2, Episode 8

With Eregion fallen to the Orcs, Galadriel is brought before Adar, who has healed himself with the power of her ring. Shortly after he tries to offer an alliance with her, the Orcs defect to Sauron, who battles Galadriel for the nine rings of men while Adar is killed by the Orcs. In Rhûn, the Stranger confronts the Dark Wizard, while in Khazad-dûm, Durin IV tries to stop his father from awakening an ancient evil, and Númenor's political situation reaches its boiling point.

While not as good as "Alloyed," "Shadow and Flame" is a serviceable finale with some standout character moments. Celebrimbor, Adar, and Durin III all get one final moment for the actors to flex their talent before their deaths, with Edwards once again standing out thanks to how he captures Celebrimbor's defiance even after enduring so much pain. There's also Galadriel's showdown with Sauron, which again plays up Sauron's manipulation skills as he shapeshifts into different people mid-fight, and makes use of Morgoth's Crown as an atypical offhand weapon, which is creative if nothing else.

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As a Lord of the Rings Fan, These Are the 10 Best 'Rings of Power' Episodes