The Rings of Power season 2 episode 8 ending explained: Is Galadriel dead?

The finale of The Rings of Power season 2 was released on Amazon Prime Video on October 3, 2024. While the finale answered some questions that fans have had throughout season 2, it also left many others unanswered, paving the way for season 3.

The synopsis of episode 8, titled Shadow and Flame, reads:

“Season Finale. The free peoples of Middle-earth struggle against the forces of darkness.”

Episode 7 of The Rings of Power season 2 showed that Galadriel had the nine rings Celebrimbor had made for men under Sauron’s influence.

In the finale, Sauron wants them back from Galadriel. This results in a fierce battle between the two.

Sauron stabs Galadriel with his crown and takes away the rings from her. This blow from Sauron sends Galadriel to the dark realm. However, her fellow Elves arrive in time and rescue her.

By the end of episode 8, Galadriel is once again up and preparing for the next battle against Sauron.

---

The Rings of Power season 2 finale shows Galadriel facing off against Sauron

Celebrimbor was taken captive and brought to Sauron in episode 7. In the finale, Sauron asks him to hand the rings over to him. Celebrimbor not only refuses to divulge the current location of the rings, he also prophesies that one day Sauron will be brought down by a single man, and the rings will be the cause of his undoing.

As expected, Sauron tortures and kills Celebrimbor. The Orcs, meanwhile, have changed their allegiance, and they now serve Sauron, not Adar. They have tracked down Galadriel and brought her to Sauron.

She refuses to surrender the nine rings to him. A fierce battle ensues between the two in which Sauron takes up several disguises to catch Galadriel off-guard.

It is evident from Sauron’s demeanor that he does not really want to harm Galadriel. However, the latter is absolutely unwilling to arrive at any compromise with him.

Thus, he stabs Galadriel with his crown. She, however, protects her own ring by throwing herself off a cliff.

The concluding moments of The Rings of Power season 2 finale show Galadriel hovering around in the dark realm thanks to the injury inflicted upon her by Sauron.

However, her Elf-friends rescue her in time and use her ring to revive her. The Elves strategize and conclude that they must fight Sauron at any cost before he becomes too powerful.

---

Why do the Orcs betray Adar?

Adar has been a competent leader throughout The Rings of Power season 2. At the same time, his unrelenting pursuit of Sauron and the harsh means he adopted from time to time to that end have often irritated several Orcs.

In episode 8, this brewing frustration among the Orcs is amplified by Sauron’s manipulation and false promises. He assures the Orcs that he genuinely cares for them, and proposes that they fight for him instead, not Adar.

Thus, as Galadriel had predicted, Sauron steals Adar’s Orc-army through his schemes.

In the finale, Adar tries to strike a deal with Galadriel. Himself originally an Elf, he promises that he would help Galadriel and company defeat Sauron, after which he would take his army and retreat and never show up again.

However, before Adar and Galadriel can shake hands, an Orc fatally stabs Adar.

---

King Durin dies, and the Stranger emerges as the 'Grand Elf'

As the episode opens, King Durin is busy intensifying the mining operations in Khazad-dûm. At one point, his aggressive mining policies seem to pay off since a huge pile of treasures is revealed.

However, King Durin also has to pay for his greed; the non-stop mining has woken up the Balrog underneath the mines.

In what is one of the most poignant moments of The Rings of Power season 2, King Durin realizes his mistakes, and asks his son to take over in his absence. Then, he sacrifices himself and takes on the Balrog alone. This move kills him but saves his son from certain death.

Meanwhile, the Stranger finally meets the Dark Wizard in the finale. The latter offers immense power to him but he refuses. When the Dark Wizard unleashes his wrath upon the Stranger and the others in the surroundings, the Stranger uses his magical abilities to save them.

He earns the moniker ‘Grand Elf’ after this. Any Tolkien-fan would know that ‘Grand Elf’ and Gandalf are the same person.

---

The Rings of Power season 2 episode 8 leaves plenty of elements to warrant season 3, which has not been formally greenlit yet. Stay tuned for all updates.