The catastrophe of Mount Doom erupting caused massive devastation inThe Rings of Power. Many of the Southlanders did not find shelter before the cloud of ash and fire covered them. If the flying molten boulders didn’t crash down on them, the fires consuming the buildings and forests around them killed or injured most of them. Every Númenorian and Southlander had their lives permanently altered or ended in this cataclysm.
The Soldiers That Died, Presumably
Isildur (Maxim Baldry) was told by his good friend Ontamo (Anthony Crum) that he’d rather never see another battle again before the volcano erupts. As Isildur tries to rescue Valandil (Alex Tarrant), Queen Míriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) helps pull him out, and Ontamo’s lifeless body rolls to where Valandil had been. As the Queen, Isildur and Valandil help others evacuate a building, Isildur goes further in to check for more people as the Queen leads some children out to Valandil. Suddenly, the burning roof and stone walls collapse on top of Isildur. He is presumed to be dead after Valandil calls out for him with no response. Later in the episode, though, Isildur’s injured horse Berek shows that he believes Isildur is still out there when he refuses to board the boats going back to Númenor.
Some That Survived Were Badly Injured
Many who survived the volcanic blast were injured during the aftermath. While Queen Míriel helps evacuate the building Isildur gets trapped in, embers from the falling ceiling crash into her face and cause her to go blind. She admits to Elendil (Lloyd Owen) that all she can see is gray. Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) suffered a massive wound to his abdomen. He made his own way toward the Númenorian encampment, but collapsed on the road and was later found by Southlanders also making their way to camp. Bronwyn (Nazanin Boniadi) describes the wound as “souring overnight” when Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) is brought to see him. The wound was left untreated too long and is now festering. When Galadriel says that only Elven medicine is capable of healing Halbrand, they get him ready to ride a horse to Lindon with Galadriel.
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Even the Harfoot’s apple orchard was nearly destroyed by Mount Doom’s eruption. As they arrive at the orchard they migrated to, they find that great burning boulders shot from the mouth of the volcano have landed on many of the apple trees and other berry bushes. Sadoc (Lenny Henry) tells them that his great-grandpa would tell of mountains that “spit fire-rock” into the air and then go to sleep. He also mentions that these mountains only wake again “when a new evil is rising”.
Some Wounds Cut Deeper Than Physical Ones
Captain Elendil wasn’t injured physically, but the thought of losing his son seems to have made a deep mental wound. He now regrets saving Galadriel and Halbrand from drifting at sea more than anything and expresses nothing but hatred towards Galadriel. He also is deeply saddened that his son’s horse Berek seems to be suffering from a severe depression without Isildur, and Elendil is crushed that he has to let him go instead of taking him back home. Galadriel is also terribly guilt-ridden after Adar (Joseph Mawle) successfullycreated a homeland for the Uruk. She blames herself for the change and feels it’s her people’s fault that all this started in the first place. When she arrives at the encampment, she heaps even more guilt on her own shoulders by blaming all the death and injury on her decision to ask Númenor to help the Southlanders.
The Southlands are Covered in a Sickening Darkness
The greatest casualty of Mount Doom’s eruption was the entirety of the Southlands. Any of the people, plants or animals that used to live there are now homeless or dead, and the land itself is covered in a permanent darkness. Any that survive and aren’t able to leave will be hunted by the orcs that will now make this land their home. Because the entire land is in shadow, the orcs won’t have to stay in the darkness during the day, but can travel as easily in day as they always had at night. The Southlands weren’t just attacked, the land is destroyed, and from this moment on will always be known as Mordor.
