Editor's Note: This article contains spoilers for 'The Rings of Power' Season 2 three-episode premiere.With the return of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power this past week, among all the reunions with favorite duos -- Nori (Markella Kavenaugh) and The Stranger (Daniel Weyman), Elendil (Lloyd Owen) and Míriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) and even Sauron (Charlie Vickers) and Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), in her imagination anyway -- there was one friendship that was noticeably missing: Elrond (Robert Aramayo) and Durin (Owain Arthur). Circumstances might have prevented this beloved bromance from appearing together in the first three episodes, but fear not. Because there, in the fires of Mount Doom (sort of) was forged a new bromance: that of Arondir (Ismael Cruz Cordova) and Isildur (Maxim Baldry).
How Do Arondir and Isildur Meet in 'Rings of Power' Season 2?
Presumably, the pair met sometime during the events of Season 1, as the Númenóreans arrive in the Southlands to help in their fateful fight against Adar and the Orcs. But as Cordova pointed out in an interview with Collider's Carly Lane, the two really hadn't shared screentime prior to the events of Season 2.
In Season 2, Episode 3, "The Eagle and the Sceptre," the pair meet just outside Pelargir, where the survivors from the Southlands have taken up refuge in an old Númenórean settlement. Isildur and his new companion Estrid (Nia Towle) are set upon by wild men who rob them and nearly kill them before Arondir shows up to save the day. He expresses relief at seeing Isildur alive, as he was presumed dead when he didn't return after Mount Doom erupted. Arondir invites Isildur and Estrid to Pelargir with him, where the pair attend Bronwyn's funeral before Arondir and Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin) patch up the Estrid-inflicted wound in Isildur's thigh.
Why Is Arondir and Isildur's Bromance So Great in 'Rings of Power'?
Though the two haven't shared a significant amount of screentime yet, their bromance is already shaping up to be one of the greats. As Cordova jokingly pointed out in his interview with Collider, he is already pushing for theirs to stand in direct competition with Elrond and Durin's iconic friendship. As great a duo as they are, Arondir and Isildur -- Isildir? Arondur? We'll workshop it -- are already making a mark all their own in the Lord of the Rings prequel series.
What unifies this duo, and what makes their growing friendship so strong, is their shared grief, and determination to persevere in the face of such pain. For Arondir, he is reeling from the sudden loss of his love Bronwyn (Nazanin Boniadi), who succumbed to infection from an Orc arrow that struck her during the battle for the Southlands. Despite his grief, Arondir must also rally for those who depend on him, namely the displaced residents of the Southlands, and most especially Theo, who just lost his mother. His grief must make space for Theo's as well, as he tries to forge a bond with Bronwyn's son, however unwelcome that overture might be.
For Isildur's part, he has merely been separated from his family, and while he can comfortably live with the knowledge that his father Elendil at least survived the battle, he must also live with the fact that they sailed home for Númenor and left him behind, presuming him dead. There's a particular kind of grief in knowing that your family believes you dead, and that they mourn you, but not possessing the means -- be it financial or technological -- to let them know you're alive. Add to that, as well, his assumption that they sailed home without waiting for him, or looking for him, adding a layer of abandonment to his existing grief.
Arondir assures Isildur that he'll be reunited with his family one day, but with all the uncertainty in Middle-earth, who's to say that that's even true? We, the audience, know Isildur is destined for more. We know the One Ring is going to be calling his name one day. But what happens between now and then is a relative mystery. In the meantime, he has Arondir, someone he can lean on in his grief, and someone who can lean on him in turn. In Arondir, Isildur will hopefully find the qualities to help him become a better leader, while Arondir can, in turn, find a way to not shoulder the entirety of a burden by himself.
Related How Is 'The Rings of Power's Isildur Related to Aragorn?
This family tree goes back almost 40 generations.
1 But What About Elrond and Durin? Close
Though we don't see them together, that's not to say Elrond and Durin's friendship doesn't persist in Season 2 in some capacity. They might not appear on-screen together, but that doesn't mean their friendship isn't top of mind for them. One moment in particular comes to mind, when Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) invites Durin and Disa (Sophia Nomvete) to Eregion to pitch them on the idea of forging rings for the Dwarf lords. The invitation is made at Annatar's bidding -- really, Sauron in disguise -- and though the idea of having rings that will make life in Khazad-dûm easier is appealing, it gives Durin pause.
He confesses to Disa that he doesn't trust what they're promising, but he also insists to Celebrimbor that he be allowed to confer with Elrond before agreeing. This isn't to say he puts no stock in Disa's opinion, far from it; the two remain a steadfast, rock-solid couple in Season 2. Rather, Durin acknowledges that he and Elrond hold different perspectives on a variety of matters, and he values his friend's expertise in something he himself is not particularly familiar with.
Though we love all our bromances equally here, there's truly something to be said for the unique nature of Isildur's and Arondir's -- a new friendship born from pain and blossoming in the throes of grief, and one that can only continue to strengthen as Season 2 continues.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power AdventureFantasy
Epic drama set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings' follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth.
Release Date September 1, 2022 Cast Morfydd Clark , Ismael Cruz Cordova , Charlie Vickers , Markella Kavenagh , Megan Richards , Sara Zwangobani , Daniel Weyman , Cynthia Addai-Robinson , Lenny Henry , Lloyd Owen , Nazanin Boniadi , Dylan Smith , Alex Tarrant , Tyroe Muhafidin , Robert Aramayo , Geoff Morrell , Thusitha Jayasundera , Maxine Cunliffe Seasons 2 Website https://amzn.to/3LT5k4R Story By Patrick McKay, John D. Payne Writers Patrick McKay , John D. Payne , J.R.R. Tolkien , Justin Doble , Jason Cahill , Gennifer Hutchison , Stephany Folsom , Nicholas Adams Network Amazon Prime Video Streaming Service(s) Amazon Prime Video Franchise(s) The Lord of the Rings Directors J.A. Bayona , Sanaa Hamri Showrunner John D. Payne , Patrick McKay , Louise Hooper , Charlotte Brändström , Wayne Yip Expand
The first three episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power are streaming on Prime Video in the U.S.
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