Peter Jackson's acclaimed The Lord of the Rings movies and author J.R.R Tolkien's source material. Although filled with moments of whimsy and hope, The Rings of Power also features a number of highly emotional scenes.
After the shocking and action-packed events of episode 6, which included a volcanic eruption that demolished much of the Southlands and created Mordor, episode 7 toned down the action spectacle for a series of more intimate moments between characters. As was revealed in earlier episodes, the Elves require mithril in order to survive, and Durin takes it upon himself to convince his father, King Durin (Peter Mullan), to mine for more. Prince Durin finds himself caught between his family and his desire to save Elrond and the Elves in The Rings of Power episode 7, which leads to a tense argument with his father in which Arthur's character is stripped of his royal title.
In a recent interview with EW, Owain Arthur breaks down the tense argument between Prince Durin and King Durin in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episode 7. Both father and son make strong arguments regarding their role in the survival of the Elves in the emotional scene, which Arthur believes is part of what makes the moment so powerful. Check out Arthur's full comment below:
"I thinking that this scene has never happened between father and son in the past, and this is definitely the first time it's happening. That's the kind of overall feeling I had with Peter. I mean, shooting with Peter was an absolute treat because he's a phenomenal actor, and everything happens in the moment with him. As an actor, you're almost improvising with what's happening right in front of you. We all know the script and what's going to happen, but he really does keep you on your toes, which is really exciting.
Yeah, there's a nice little hand on the shoulder from Dad that kind of says, 'I'm with you, son, but this is too far.' I don't know who's right in this scene. Who knows? Am I going too far with what I want, or am I putting Khazad-dûm in danger? Is my father right? Is my father wrong? Is it the old way, or the new way? Who knows? I like how it's left to interpretation. But I also like the connection Durin has with Elrond and how committed and how invested he is in his best friend."
Is King Durin Right On The Rings Of Power?
Despite King Durin stripping his son of his royal title, Durin ends up going against his father's wishes and mining for more mithril with Elrond anyway, coming across a massive deposit of the rare element. The Rings of Power episode 7 sees King Durin order the deposit to be shut off from the rest of the mine but, in doing so, he accidentally awakens a massive Balrog. Although both characters make sound arguments, King Durin was ultimately right that mining for more mithril could put the entirety of Khazad-dûm at risk.
That being said, it's likely that the Dwarves eventually would have encountered the Balrog anyway. The fact that Prince Durin and his father are both right and wrong at the same time is ultimately what makes the father and son scene so powerful and conflicting for audiences. Durin and Elrond's bond in The Rings of Power is strong enough, however, that it's easy to root for the two characters and hope that they emerge victorious, regardless of what consequences it might have. It remains to be seen how the Balrog will affect Moria in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, but Prince Durin and King Durin will likely have to put aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom.
Source: EW