The Rings of Power Episode 5 Ending Explained

The Rings of Power Episode 5, titled Partings, finally made Galadriel lead the Numenoreans, but that isn’t exactly what stole the thunder. The episode included quite a few major reveals and left us with many unanswered questions.

We got a lot of insight about “The Stranger” who could possibly be Sauron! We also got introduced to three weird ladies with blonde hair (very Shakespearean, if you remember Macbeth) who could be worshipping Sauron (or not!) and tracking The Stranger.

All in all, Episode 5 was quite packed with a lot going on. For your convenience, I have tried to answer the most asked questions and explain the interesting ending of the episode. So, it goes without saying that there are major spoilers ahead!

So, if you’ve not already watched Episode 5, this is your cue to go watch it and come back again. With that being said, let’s go.

Who are the three cult ladies in Episode 5?

The Episode 5 end credits introduce us to a trio of strange, blonde-haired ladies called The Nomad, The Ascetic, and The Dweller. The Nomad is one with long red hair and a cool helmet, the Ascetic is the one holding the plate, and the Dweller is the one people think might just end up being Sauron.

These ladies have white hair and ice-cold eyes and we see them surrounding the meteor site where The Stranger crashed. In this scene, we can also hear whispers in a dark language that reminds us of the Eye of Sauron. What is more interesting is that Janet Roddick, the voice behind the Eye of Sauron, gets vocal credit in the episode.

While we are still not clear about who exactly these women are, they could possibly be a part of one of the cults that worship Morgoth. In J. R. R. Tolkein’s Silmarillion, he mentioned how Sauron presented himself as a representative of Middle-earth for his fallen mentor. He then eventually realized that it is he who should be in charge.

The orcs and people who subscribed to Morgoth worship believed that the worship of the Valar was holding people back from exploring their true potential. Now, the scene that introduces these people starts with The Stranger’s arrival, which largely resembled the Eye of Sauron, which could be a hint that this is a Sauron-worshipping cult.  

In fact, we also know that many Southlanders are already wishing for Sauron’s return so that their dreams and aspirations are fulfilled. But what matters is that these people are hunting The Stranger, so they’re no good.

We already know that many followers of Sauron, especially Waldreg, believe that the starfall indicates Sauron’s return. This could mean that The Stranger is Sauron. But Waldreg has already been proven wrong about Sauron when he assumed Adar to be Sauron.

So, it could still be possible that Nori is right about The Stranger, that he is actually good and these cultists are wrong, just like Waldreg.

How is the new Mithril origin story tied to the Silmarils?

Episode 5 throws new light upon Mithril’s origin story. Apparently, Mithril is directly tied to the mythic Silmarils.

The Silmarils, from where Tolkien’s novel The Silmarillion draws its name, refers to three gorgeous gems forged by the elf Feanor. This elf was able to capture the combined light of the sacred Trees of Valinor within these gems.

Tolkien himself described them as living things that filled everyone who looked at them with wonder, including Morgoth, then known as Melkor. Morgoth was the one who destroyed the Trees of Valinor and stole the Silmarils, leading to the war that Galadriel described in the initial opening of The Rings of Power.

In this episode, Gil-galad reveals to Elrond that the obscure legend called “Song of the Roots of Ithildir” talks of an elf warrior who fights a balrog over a tree on top of the Misty Mountains. It is said that one of the lost Silmarils was hidden in the said tree.

So, the elf poured all his good into the tree while the balrog poured all his hate into it. Lightning caught the tree, pouring a mysterious power through its roots, within the Misty Mountains. This power is “as pure and light as good, as strong and unyielding as evil” referring to Mithril, of course.

Gil-galad believes that Mithril, the ore that contains the light of the lost Silmarils, is the one thing that can keep the light afflicting the elves from dimming the light of the Eldar. So, Elrond now has to convince his buddy Durin to give Mithril to the elves to save them.

So, now The Rings of Power has a backstory that connects the Mithril to the Silmarils.

The episode ends with Arondir trying to teach the people how to fight, when Theo reveals the dark sword to him. From this, Arondir concludes that the sword could be a key and might open something inside the tower. This in turn could become their only salvation from the incoming Orc attack.

Let’s wait and see what the next episode has in store for us.

About The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is an American TV series, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, developed by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay for streaming on Amazon Prime. 

Set 3,000 years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the show will be set in the Second Age of Middle-earth. Beginning with a time of peace, the series will follow the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron and the forging of the rings of power.

The cast includes Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Nazanin Boniadi, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Markella Kavenagh, Joseph Mawle, and Dylan Smith among many others.