One of the most interesting locations in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been the Dwarves’ realm of Khazad-dûm. Fans of the LOTR novels and movies would later know it as the Mines of Moria. But in The Rings of Power, set centuries before, it’s a bustling, thriving kingdom run by Durin III and not a desolate cavernous region yet.

As its history is shown, the king had issues with his son, Prince Durin IV, in Season 1 of Rings of Power. As Season 2 begins, their relationship is healed. But it comes at a cost, as there is going to be danger resulting from the bond being remade. Ironically, it hints that this mending of fences might actually be temporary, and that new chaos and disagreements will ensue.

Rings of Power’s Durin IV and Durin III Make Amends

King Durin III & Prince Durin IV Want to Heal Khazad-dûm

Durin III fell out with his son after the latter wanted to share their precious mithril ore with Elrond and the Elves. Elrond knew it could help his species with weapons and other evolutionary practices. It has magical properties, not just scientific ones, in its metallurgy. It’s a treasure and something that can unlock power as well. But Durin III didn’t accede. He is still cynical of the Elves.

He booted what he perceived to be a distrustful Elrond from the realm. This drove a wedge between him and his son, as Durin IV considers Elrond an ally, and Rings of Power Season 2 widens the chasm. The prince’s wife, Disa, tries to get the men to look past their stubbornness. But the king sees a weak successor who’d make them vulnerable to enemies. While the prince sees an old man set in his archaic ways. The sad thing is, the mountain is suffering.

Following Adar and the rise of Mount Doom, earthquakes have been damaging the mines. Disa and the stone-singers can’t even find the spots for the workers to chip away at. With all these cave-ins, the mines have no “windows.” No sunlight means crops and other vegetation will struggle to grow. Life has literally been blind, but the king and prince aren’t coming together to brainstorm a strategy and lead in a more fruitful manner.

The final act in this chapter does have Durin IV coming with a peace offering. Both men apologize, as the prince reveals there is an invitation from Celebrimbor and the Forge at Eregion. There is the offer of rings that could grant the Dwarves power, not just for an army, but to heal the mountain and prosper again. The desperate king wants his realm to thrive, so he is grateful for his son’s astute work. However, if he does partake, it will come at a dire cost.

Rings of Power’s Durin III Ignores His Son’s Warnings

King Durin III Is Being Corrupted By Power

The prince doesn’t have faith in Celebrimbor and Annatar (Sauron in disguise). When Durin IV visited earlier, he picked up many red flags. Annatar was all about aggression and greed. He also lied and said that Elrond spoke highly of the prince, hence why he sought to meet Durin IV. The prince knows this is not true. Elrond is his friend, but he’d never compliment him in public. Durin IV is skeptical. He passes this concern on to his father, but the king ignores him. Durin III is enchanted by words alone.

It goes to show how powerful and corrupting these rings can be, even before they’re made. It reinforces how Sauron is a master manipulator who can predict the selfish king’s every move. In the conversation, Durin IV doesn’t want to make the deal of giving the Forge their mithril. Elrond is an automatic “yes,” but Annatar is a resounding “no.” Unfortunately, Durin III takes a piece of the ore over so Celebrimbor can make the first Dwarven ring. Annatar takes it and drops it into the melting pot, which hints he has indeed placed Sauron’s poison in it.

This was done to the three rings that King Gil-galad, Círdan and Galadriel are wearing. Now, Sauron plans for the nine to go to Men and seven in total to Dwarves, all to bind their minds the same way. The episode ends with Durin III looking on greedily. His son is worried. But Sauron and Celebrimbor don’t care. They are practicing their artistry and saving the realm via these corollary acts. That’s what Sauron keeps telling everyone. He has played them all like a fiddle. With the mithril in place, he is shaping exactly what he wants. Rings to make everyone obsessed, giving him more pawns on the chessboard.

Rings of Power’s Disa Could Be the Key

Disa & Durin IV May End Up in Danger

Disa is falling for the trap, but not as much as the king. He wants power and weapons. His daughter-in-law, however, wants a means to save their home. Should Durin IV convince his wife that something is off, she could find the king’s ear and let him know this is wrong. He does listen to Disa more than Durin IV, but of course, the opposite could happen. Annatar knows how to play politics. For example, he told Celebrimbor that Gil-galad wants to dictate who can get these regal rings.

He says that their king wouldn’t want the Dwarves getting any, which only encourages Celebrimbor to start forging them earlier. Celebrimbor is a rebel and will resist anyone who tells him when to make his art and who to give it to. Annatar may well try to get into Disa’s ear like Game of Thrones’ Littlefinger. If she resists and learns the truth, she can get the citizens to protest back home with her. She is respected and has a powerful voice.

Durin IV needs allies and his wife is the perfect one. Sadly, this would make them both targets Annatar may want dead. Sauron has ways of killing outsiders. He has been sneaking around to Mordor to manipulate Adar as Halbrand. He had Gil-galad’s emissaries killed outside Lindon as well, ensuring no word came in to Celebrimbor about his lies. Silence is golden, so he has what it takes to hunt and murder Durin IV and Disa if need be.

Rings of Power’s Khazad-dûm Is Having Its Own Civil War

Durin III & Durin IV May Butt Heads Again Over the Ring

The chain of events surrounding Durin III & Durin IV gives Khazad-dûm a civil war like Númenor. Men with fragile egos aren’t listening. Toxic masculinity and power trips are at the wheel. Hopefully, Disa doesn’t find everyone turning on her like they did Númenor’s queen regent, Míriel. Now is the time that everyone should be uniting, as evil is rising up across the land, below and above the mines. Durin IV’s people need to get their houses in order soon.

Apart from infighting in the mines and the royal council, Sauron will make the Dwarves cogs in a much larger machine with these rings and have them anxious against Elves and Men who have rings, too. It’s a classic yet effective divide and conquer approach. Rings of Power has deviated from the books at key intervals, so there is room to add to ramp up this civil war in Khazad-dûm in big ways. Disa and Durin IV must show the king the light, otherwise the Dwarven realm may be doomed quicker than expected.

In the end, Durin IV will feel guilty. He followed protocol, did the ethical thing and took the message to his father. Ultimately, he thought he was falling back into the king’s good graces, and that the king would be disinterested like him. Instead, the king wants to buy in, which will endanger all their citizens and possibly place them on the brink of war. Durin IV should have kept the secret, but by being a good son, he may well have doomed them all.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 debuts new episodes Thursdays on Prime Video.