**Spoiler Warning** Rings of Power S2E2 - "Where the Stars are Strange"

[Huinesoron]

Okay, episode 1 was surprisingly okay, so what about episode 2? I can't remember the order of any of this, but:

• Some beautiful interior views of Khazad-Dum. They have hanging gardens, how lovel-- NOPE they're gone.
• I'm glad the Dwarves are back, but the feud stuff is kind of dull.
• Whyyyyyy did Cirdan shave?? He looks weird now.
• Gil-Galad really can't decide if he trusts Galadriel. I mean... in context he is completely right, she is thoroughly under Sauron's influence. So why did he go immediately with her response to the military question? Why is she still Commander of the Northern Armies at all - surely someone else got the job when she sailed to Valinor!
• My wife was annoyed that Celebrimbor's fall seemed to be starting because he showed mercy. They pulled back slightly from that, but the show does do it a fair bit, starting with Galadriel helping someone who turned out to be Sauron. I don't think Tolkien would approve of "mercy is a weakness to be exploited".
• Why... is Saruman in this? That's blatantly Saruman. I mean, it obviously can't be, but!
• Do you think Peter Jackson is happy to have permanently added "magic moths" to the Middle-earth bestiary?
• Okay I actually did love "is this my stick? Nope, it disintegrated and I killed my friends, oops!". It was very silly. The Harfeet have been lacking in silliness this season.
• The Annatar reveal was... good, but a bit odd. Sauron went to great lengths to convince Brim he was there as a partner, a friend, a cool buddy... and then named himself "Lord". Brim looked distinctly unimpressed, as I recall.

Overall thoughts: I liked this one as I watched it, but looking back it did make some weird decisions.

hS