The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power actor Tyroe Muhafidin breaks down filming of the impressive and explosive episode 6 ending. Based on J.R.R. Tolkien's works, the Amazon Prime series includes a few select characters from the original The Lord of the Rings trilogy and plenty of new faces, starring Morfydd Clark as Galadriel, Tyroe Muhafidin as Theo, Robert Aramayo as Elrond, Maxim Baldry as Isildur, and Ismael Cruz Córdove as Arondir among many others. Serving as a prequel of sorts to the events of the original LOTR trilogy, Rings of Power reveals some key details about how Middle-earth became the place viewers saw in the Tolkien novels and Peter Jackson film trilogy.
Rings of Power has been praised by critics and audiences for its cinematography and impressively immersive production, as well as performances by the lead actors. In episode 6, viewers were treated to an especially tragic - but visually arresting - sequence as, just after an assumed victory for the forces of good, a massive explosion featuring flames, water, smoke, and earthquakes rocked the Southlands. Clark herself has mentioned being blown away by the "terrifying" Orc prosthetics created by the crew, which is a mark of the series creators' dedication to the show's realism despite the fantasy setting.
In a Screen Rant exclusive interview with Muhafidin, the actor detailed the filming process of the explosive episode 6 sequence. According to Muhafidin, the water shooting out in the midst of the devastation was real and caused realistic performances from the actors due to the chaotic environment they created. Check out what he had to say below:
It took ages to shoot that because we had the little water cannons going off, and I think we only had three or four attempts at it. And it was like almost a half an hour setup each time. So it took ages to film. And we had to get absolutely perfect every single time. And it was insane. Like, we had real water shooting up. Those shots of the water coming up on the ground, that was real, then the bits of debris flying everywhere. That was real. I mean, obviously, they were fine. But like, it was real. So it was so easy to play the person experiencing this when you actually are experiencing it. Coming from the experience that I had beforehand, which is kind of nothing, it's just mind-boggling.
How The Episode 6 Ending Impacts The Rings Of Power Going Forward
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Muhafidin's response highlights Theo's shaken reaction to the explosion in episode 6, but one reaction, in particular, stood out from all the rest - that of Galadriel. With nearly everyone in the scene running from the darkness and fire, Galadriel stands still and watches everything unfold with an inscrutable expression, likely devastated by her defeat by Sauron's forces. With Galadriel's victory - and the Southlands - turning to ash in her mouth, fans may wonder where the series will go from here. Up to this point, viewers have seen Galadriel possess a single-minded dedication to revenge against these very dark forces. It's fair to say that her failure to secure the Southlands is a blow to that goal, and perhaps will see Galadriel change her course, or at the very least, take some time to regroup. Either way, fans will surely see a new side of the beloved LOTR character in subsequent episodes.
Muhafidin's comments about the practical effects used for filming clearly made it easier for the actor to put himself in the shoes of his character, which is one marked benefit of the method. The massive events at the end of The Rings Of Power episode 6, which, while unconfirmed, may serve as an origin story of sorts for Mordor and Mount Doom itself, will only serve to bring Sauron forward in the minds of viewers even more. With Rings of Power drawing out the Sauron reveal, it seems like episode 6 is the latest step to revealing his eventual return.