A look at every episode 7 Easter egg in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’

Following the explosive ending of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Episode 6, Episode 7 was left picking up the shattered stories scattered throughout the gloomy terrain of the newly-forged Mordor. While some of those parts began to reassemble slowly, the viewer was treated to several stunning revelations regarding unexpected backstories and new plot twists, all leading up to what promises to be an intriguing and twisty season finale.

For The Stranger, your guess is as good as mine.

Every week, the trail of breadcrumbs on the Stranger’s (Daniel Weyman’s) identity appears to take a different turn. This time, however, the hints point in an other way. The Stranger was seen healing dead trees and reviving the life of the grove devastated by Mordor’s fires before disappearing into “Greenwood the Great” at the conclusion. The forest in issue is another name for Mirkwood, the forest through which Bilbo and the dwarves journey in The Hobbit.

Khazad-dûm Teases Its Wealth Once More

While the veins of mithril in the dwarven kingdom’s tunnels were impressive, Khazad-dûm included a few repeat Easter eggs from Episode 2. Durin’s two ceremonial heads are prominently displayed in the background of the conversation between Durin (Owain Arthur) and Elrond (Robert Aramayo) in Durin’s home, as is the Dragon Helm of Dor-lomin.

A fierce-looking axe is also shown in the background of Elrond’s meeting with King Durin (Peter Mullan) early in the episode. This also appeared in a prior episode, but it is probably Durin’s Ax. Durin’s Ax was a fabled dwarven heirloom borne by King Durin I, also known as “Durin the Deathless.” It was retained in Khazad-dûm until the kingdom collapsed in the Third Age, and it even appears briefly in The Lord of the Rings novel.

Mriel’s situation is quite bad.

When Muriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) fell blind in the raging aftermath of Mt Doom’s eruption, it was a moment that had no basis in canonical material. Tolkien never mentioned Mriel going blind, but her reaction and resolve at the end to return to Middle-earth with a vengeance hints at Nmenor’s more extraordinary past.

While the time frame is different in Tolkien’s chronicles, Nmenor does begin to engage with the continent more and more, and that relationship becomes more predatory. While the Nmenoreans came to aid and maintain Middle-earth, they soon came for tribute, wealth, servitude, and an empire. Mriel’s final remarks amplify this sentiment. When she speaks of her revenge, she invokes her father’s name, but not the Quenya name “Tar-Palantir.” Instead, she refers to him as “Inziladûn” in Adûnaic.

There is Still Reason to Be Positive About the Future

Despite the queen’s seemingly grim turn and indications of a Numenorean empire, a few additional references offered hope for the future. For one example, Bronwyn (Nazanin Boniadi) indicates that the survivors will travel to Pelargir, a port settlement that was unexpectedly important in the Second and Third Ages. For one thing, during and after the Fall of Numenor, Pelargir serves as a haven for The Faithful who have been driven from their homes, and it preserves some of the memories of what was best about Nmenor.

In Elvish, a Linguistic Pun

The dialogue between Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin), in which Galadriel relates the story of her (apparently) dead husband, Celeborn, was one of the more endearing moments in the darkness of Episode 7. While this revelation will undoubtedly spark a flood of new fan theories, one of the lighter moments in the text is when Galadriel mocked Celeborn, calling him a “silver clam” for his ill-fitting armor.

The internal joke here is that Celeborn’s initial name element, “celeb-,” means “silver” in Sindarin. Celebdil (meaning “Silverhorn”), one of the Misty Mountains’ summits, also has this element. Galadriel’s remark about her spouse was a joke and a play on his name. It’s unknown how he’ll play out in the plot, but it was endearing to watch Galadriel have a more thoughtful and humorous moment in the middle of Mordor’s darkness.