Heartwarming / The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Season 1

Episode 2 - Adrift

• Halbrand deciding to dive down into the water after Galadriel to save her life when she is knocked off the raft and nearly drowns in the storm, with the two of them coming to a shared understanding from this point on after all their previous bickering.
  • This becomes all the more so upon the revelation that Halbrand is really Sauron, in an uncertain, possibly repentant stage of his life. He had seemingly nothing to gain in diving down to save her, a being he considered his lesser, doing it despite his evil past, and in so doing even helps set up his eventual fall.
• Elrond is confused as to why Durin is so cold and hostile towards him. Once Durin explains how hurt he was by Elrond not contacting him for twenty years Elrond sincerely apologises for his lapse and asks to meet Durin's family. Durin complains the entire time but Disa greets Elrond warmly and is glad to finally meet him.
  • From this episode forward we see very clearly just how good of friends Elrond and Durin really are. Despite Durin's initial anger, they mend bonds fairly quickly and stay strong friends throughout the rest of the season.

Episode 3 - Adar

• Halbrand takes the time to steal back Galadriel's dead brother's dagger after it is taken from her by Elendil, returning it to her along with some gentle words and Held Gaze, encouraging her to try to find some peace for herself.
• The Brandyfoot cart is sent to the back of the caravan as punishment for Nori helping the Stranger. With her father's broken leg, they will almost certainly be left behind (which is basically a death sentence for the primitive nomadic tribe) until the Stranger shows up and helps them.
  • Poppy lags behind the rest of the caravan when it becomes clear the Brandyfoot clan aren't keeping up. Nori tells her to keep going so she doesn't "fall behind" but Poppy doesn't move. Earlier in the episode it was revealed that Poppy's entire family were lost in an accident on a prior migration, and even though she and Nori bicker it's clear Poppy doesn't want to lose anyone else.
• When Galadriel attempts to escape Númenor, Elendil not only anticipates her, but offers sincere (albeit slightly mocking) counsel on her plans. When she coldly states that Númenor is no place for her as an Elf, Elendil responds to her in Elvish, stating that some on the island still fondly remember their elven friends. He then goes out of his way to help her obtain the information she's been looking for on the mysterious sigil left by Sauron, proving that not all the people of Númenor have forgotten their friendship with the elves.
• Galadriel delving into Halbrand's backstory, deducing part of his identity and gently attempting to convince him that there is more to him than meets the eye, that he is special, and that they are bound together by something even greater than fate, seeing a kindred spirit in him and wanting him to be at her side in retaking the Southlands from Sauron's forces and redeeming himself along with her.

Episode 4 - The Great Wave

• In a strange way, Adar's Mercy Kill of a wounded orc is very sweet, from the visible affection Adar and the Orc show to one another and the utter reverence the other Orcs show to the moment. It appears like Adar is indeed A Father to His Men in the most literal way possible, and this is one of the rare times that Orcs actually show any kind of decency.
• After Elrond realizes that Durin is hiding something, Durin entrusts him with the secret of newly discovered mithril and gives him a small piece as a token of friendship.
• After his recklessness causes a mining accident, Durin goes to beg his father's forgiveness. His father immediately forgives him and reaffirms his support for his son.
• Queen Regent Míriel chooses to personally accompany Galadriel to Middle-Earth and liberate the Southlands. Several of her people agree to accompany her.

Episode 5 - Partings

• Elrond decides to be honest with Durin about the Elves' pressing need for the mithril, despite knowing that in doing so he's putting the fate of his people in the hands of someone with little reason to love them. Durin thinks it over for a moment, and then promises to try to convince his father to gift the Elves this insanely valuable Dwarfen resource to try and save them.
• At first, Isildur's fellow soldiers dismiss him on the ship as his father once more showing favor. When his dad orders him to work in the stables, the others laugh, and after a moment, Isildur joins in with them as he's accepted as earning his place after all.
• Halbrand and Galadriel gradually opening up together about their feelings and respective troubled pasts, lowering their guards a fair bit at last. It ultimately culminates in Halbrand deciding to go through with Galadriel's wish and plan for him to retake the Southlands alongside her, despite his misgivings, reluctance, and wish to start over in peace and quiet. The ending sees the two of them armored up, smiling at each other fondly and clasping one another's wrists on the bow of the ship as it sets sail to take them back to Middle-earth.

Episode 6 - Udûn

• Galadriel thanks Halbrand for pulling her back from crossing a line. Halbrand then thanks her for doing the same to him.
• Arondir tells Theo not to feel bad about handing over the hilt in exchange for his mother's life.
• Adar's speech to Galadriel, revealing he rebelled against Sauron after he got tired of seeing so many orcs sacrificed for his dark magic. He also argues that orcs are as worthy of life as any other race. He genuinely cares about his people.

Episode 7 - The Eye

• Though it's crossed with the Tear Jerker territory, Durin is brought to tears when Elrond tells him farewell, mourning that he couldn't help not just his friend, but an entire race of people who will soon die out without help. For all of the Fantastic Racism between Elves and Dwarves, the thought of all of them dying is what fuels Durin's rage at his father and brings on his tears. Seeing proof that the Mithril is the cure the Elves hoped for by tossing the ingot of it near the withered leaf ignites Durin's determination to dig for the Mithril in secret anyway.
• While digging for Mithril, Durin tells Elrond that Dwarves have secret names they only tell to family members such as spouses, children and brothers. He's obviously about to tell Elrond his secret name but Elrond cuts him off and tells him to wait until they're on "the other side" of their search.
• Theo obviously wasn't comfortable with Bronwyn's relationship with Arondir, but in the aftermath of Mount Doom's eruption he's just as concerned for Arondir as he is for his mother. When he reunites with them at the Númenoran camp he greets Arondir with a hug.
• All their supplies and food were burned by the Mystics, but Largo insists everything will be fine. When the others push back, Largo gives a speech both heartwarming and bordering awesome.
  Largo: Weeping? Is that all you think we have left in us? We’re Harfoots! Look, we don’t slay dragons, not much for digging 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 walking.
• Nori, Poppy, Marigold, and Sadoc break with Harfoot tradition and go off-trail to find the Stranger and warn him about the beings pursuing him.
  Poppy: We left enough folk behind, we’re not leaving him.
• Galadriel's relief at the end of the episode to find Halbrand still alive but injured after the eruption of Mount Doom after thinking he was dead, calling out his name first after she woke up from the blast, insisting he come with her back to her home to be treated by elvish medicine, along with plenty of Held Gaze and fond smiles shared between them.
• Halbrand's vow not to leave the Southlands to burn, and that they will return to retake it from Adar together, by now having lost his apathy for the Southlands from Galadriel's influence, with his people in turn wishing him well in his departure with Galadriel.
• Theo being gifted Galadriel’s sword, where he previously took up a sword that doomed his home, this time the sword comes from someone who reminds him to do good.

Episode 8 - Alloyed

• Elrond apologises to Galadriel for talking her into boarding the ship to Valinor and promises to trust her in the future.
• After the Stranger is convinced he's Sauron and driven to despair, Nori snaps him out of it with a You Are Better Than You Think You Are speech and he defeats the Dweller, the Nomad, and the Ascetic with a simple declaration of "I'm good".
• During what they believe to be their farewell, after the Stranger decides to go no matter the danger.
  Nori: Sounds a bit like an adventure.
  The Stranger: Alone, it’s just a journey. Now adventures, they must be shared.
• As the Stranger prepares to leave, Nori's family packs her a backpack full of supplies without her even asking, knowing that she wants to go with him.
  Nori: I’ll be careful.
  Marigold: No, you’ll be bold.
  • As they begin their adventure, the Stranger tells Nori to follow one's nose when in doubt, with the sun shining on his face, giving him that reassuring prescence which is a cornerstone of Gandalf's character.