**Spoiler Warning 2: Electric Boogaloo** Rings of Power S1E2 - "Adrift"

[Formendacil]

Well, with Hui not having done so, and having just watching Episode 2 (look at that: I'm caught up!), I shall continue this mad streak of thread-starting and get something up for Episode 2, "Adrift." Once again, my content is nothing more than stream of consciousness blather:

• Wait, is this a different intro, or did I just not pay any attention last time?

• Still like the music, I think.

• Not sure I needed "Merry, Pippin, and the fall into trouble" recapitulated with Norry and Poppy?

• Did the Hobbits just say the word "human"--that sounds very wrong. Just say "man" if you want to be Tolkienian!

• I have it! I have the origin! This is the Man in the Moon come down too soon! Eureka!

• "ground shake" Was "earthquake" too modern? I am now genuinely curious what Shakespeare would have called it.

• Is Eregion new? Old? I guess old, but it feels almost out of nowhere.

• Why by spring, Celebrimbor? You're an Elf--what's the time crunch for?

• Why is "aged parent" an Elven metaphor? How would Celebrimbor OR Elrond know it?

• Pre-Narvi gates! I suppose that makes sense... but why--HOW--does Elrond have history with Durin?

• Underground greenery? I need to digest this...

• I suppose "Mahal" probably was Silm material, alas...

• This Dwarven ritual thing is... corny?

• Is that escargot? I think Tolkien would have hated that. :-P

• Well, the Man in the Moon is properly frightening, that's for sure.

• Okay, half-drowned sailor, you are clearly supposed to be our Aragorn-expy.

• Okay, so do they have the rights to the Adventures of Tom Bombadil? First the Man in the Moon, now we have Fastitocalon?

• Did Durin saying something about the Moon coming down? I didn't understand a word... I think I'm obsessed.

• "Children" plural? I like the gap of understanding between Elves and Dwarves here, but 20 years is still not to a Dwarf what it is to a Man! It's like being missing 3-4 years.

• Whose beard?

• Honestly, the worst part of Dísa is that "a" on the end of her name.

• Wait, is that a mallorn is or it the Laurelin version of the Gondorian mirrors of Telperion?

• You pursued him before the sun? Since when did you give a thought to Sauron before you reach Middle-earth? Wasn't it all Morgoth then?

• "Baldrick" Does everyone have a misplaced name in the Southland?

• Okay, we've definitely got some claustrophobia horror here!

• Actually, this whole Southland story seems like a slightly different genre. I'm not sure what genre it is, but it's definitely something different for now.

• There are too many stories--it feels like an age getting back to the Man in the Moon.

• Leaning into the "Arkenstone is a Silmaril" idea?

• Theo is going to be a Nazgûl, isn't he? I mean... nine of the characters are, right? Halbarad is the Witch-king, right? Elrond, Galadriel, and Durin are all Ring-bearers... so we need the Men too.

• Aaaaaand hello, Númenor, I assume.

Overall... I'm kind of enjoying myself. Despite knowing the big picture of how this must end, I really have very little idea where this is going in the small or medium scale. I definitely didn't think very much about the canon in this story other than the, erm, pedantic points above, whereas Episode 1 did have me thinking quite a bit about the legendarium. So I'm not sure what that says exactly.

But I am, generally, excited to see Episode 3 now, and I was DREADING the series a week ago... so, success? Good job, Amazon? Considering you had my household's Prime account before and will likely retain it after, I'm not sure this was worth your $150 million, but it was worth my two hours so far.