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The sixth episode delivers on what was expected, offering the best episode yet! It's full of epic action, drama, character development, a crazy ending twist, and obviously, great music by McCreary!
The episode is divided in three clear sections (pre-battle, the battle, and the aftermath) so instead of going theme by theme, or analyzing each storyline, I will do it per sections, as I think it will be better for the analysis overall. So without further ado, let's get right into it!
By the way, Bear is releasing weekly albums with complete score for each episode, so I definitely recommend to give it a listen while you read this, so you can better understand the narrative and the thematic development I analyze. And in case you need it, I'm working on a spreadsheet comparing the tracks on the complete releases to the tracks already released in the first soundtrack album.
SHORT DISCLAIMER: The transcriptions are not always in the same key as the pieces I put as example, and sometimes they are simplified to make it clearer and more concise
The first 20 minutes of the episode, after a short action sequence where Adar and his army are ambushed at an empty Ostirith, follows the people of the Southlands getting ready for the inminent battle againts the orc army, which are getting closer and closer. This opening sequence is scored with a complete presentation of Adar's theme, joined by the Nampat chant, as Adar gives his speech to his army, and they march towards the tower. During the ambush, fragments of Adar's theme battle against references to the Bronwyn and Arondir theme, here used as an action theme for Arondir (3:41, 4:00 or 4:14 of "March of Orcs"). The apparent victory of the people of the Southlands is then scored by an energic statement of the theme at 4:55 of that cue.
The soldiers of Númenor are getting closer to Middle-Earth by sea, and this moments of calm before the storm allow McCreary to present some emotional statements of the Elendil and Isildur theme, during the two minutes of "The Coming of Night" (a similar variation of the theme plays at 2:15 of "Sorrow, Water and Flame", during the father and son conversation after the battle). At 2:26 of "The Coming of Night" a mysterious variation on the Númenor theme plays against their characteristic percussion, as Elendil talks to Miriel about their battle plans.
The Southlands theme then gets extended treatment as the people ready for the attack, while Bronwyn and Arondir rally them to be brave and corageous. "Defiance of Death" contains that theme for the first part, until it derivates into a gorgeous vocal lament, that accompanies Bronwyn's reading of the poem she used to read to Theo, which gives all this moments before the battle a sense of impending doom. The choir, joined with some references to the Southlands theme really remind me of the more emotional sections of the Two Towers, at Helm's Deep, which really speaks of McCreary's talent.
Then, the second half of the cue, which accompanies Bronwyn and Arondir's promises of a bright future together are scored beautifully with a complete variation on their joined theme, both sections developed greatly, culminating in their long-awaited kiss.
And then, the battle begins. "The Siege of the Southlands" is a huge 20-minute powerhouse cue, where McCreary allows all of his themes for this storylines to shine. The Southlands, Bronwyn and Arondir, Adar, Númenor, Galadriel, Elendil and Isildur, all of this different themes are featured in some way or another during this battle sequence, which might be one of the best achievements in McCreary's career, and definitiely an entire highlight of the show. Luckily, most of the music for this sequence had already been featured on the album release, so I will also reference that for more clarity.
Some tense orchestral passages build to a menacing variation on Adar's theme, which develops during the first 3 minutes of the cue (one of the statements can be heard at 0:28 of "For The Southlands"). Then, a heroic statement of the Southlands theme enters the battle, played on hardanger, as the people stand their ground, and face their foes. The action continues as the battle roars on, including some references to the Bronwyn and Arondir theme at 4:53, before the theme turns emotional and romantic, at 6:12, when Bronwyn rescues Arondir. This leads to a mildly heroic statement of the Southlands theme, as the villagers celebrate their apparent victory. But soon, at 7:00, they realize something is not quite right, and the orc's cruel actions are revealed, as they realize the people they had been killing were just their friends, who had been captured and enslaved, and forced to battle against them with no other way of escape. Over this horrendous revelations, McCreary introduces a choral lament which then develops into a tragic statement of Bronwyn and Arondir's theme, as arrows fall all over them, one of them striking Bronwyn. The take shelter inside the tabern, but suddenly, their short-lived happiness has been brutally crushed, and hope starts to seem lost, with some dark statements of Bronwyn and Arondir's theme, as Arondir tries to save Bronwyn from certain death.
Bronwyn and Arondir's Theme
The Southlands Theme
It is here that Adar's theme grows more powerful, as he approaches the tavern, being the apparent winner of this confrontation. The theme gets menacing and sinister, accompanied by female voices and sinister strings which build and build until everything suddenly goes quiet, and the rumble of the horses begins to present itself in the middle of all this darkness.
The "Cavalry" has arrived, and McCreary uses this moment to proclaim his themes in epic, orchestral glory, allowing them to sweep over the dark material of Adar and his army, letting the brass enunciate the themes, together with percussion and fast string runs. Of particular interest are the consecutive statements of the Númenor theme and Galadriel's theme right at the beginning of "Cavalry" (at 12:55 of "The Siege of the Southlands"). I'd like to mention something to build upon what I analyzed in episode 3, about the connections between Galadriel and Halbrand's themes. In that timestamp I mentioned, Galadriel's theme plays in its entirety, and the part of the theme that reminds me of the first notes of Halbrand's theme plays over a shot of Halbrand riding his horse. This might be a coincidence, but I think this also strengthens the conexion between this two characters.
Galadriel's Theme
Halbrand's Theme
Elendil and Isildur's Theme
This whole section is a showcase of McCreary's great action skills, in how he manages to write compelling action music, which also helps the story move forward, like for example, the different statements of Elendil and Isildur's theme, when we see one of them during the battle (like at 16:14 or 17:16), or how Halbrand's theme becomes heroic and regal when he saves Elendil from certain death at 17:56. A final statement of Galadriel's theme at 18:32 builds to the introduction of an entirely new theme, "Nolwa Mathar"
As Galadriel starts to chase Adar, an ostinato enters the scene, which soon will introduce the Nolwa Mahtar theme (which can be translated to something like "Noble Warrior"). This choral theme of inmense force and energy is introduced in here to represent Galadriel's strength, and driving purpose, a noble cause for which she is willing to risk even her own life.
The theme builds on choir as she gets closer and closer to Adar, finally being knocked down not by her, but by Halbrand, who manages to stop him, and puts an end to the battle, victorious, altough with some damage.
Now begins the third act of the episode, following the aftermath of the battle. The interrogation to Adar is scored with some unnerving references to Sauron's theme (at 0:22 of "Transformed by Darkness"), and a dark twist on Galadriel's theme (at 2:49).
The second half of that cue ("The Promised King" available as an Amazon exclusive), starts with a gorgeous rendition of Galadriel's theme on harp, and then warm orchestral passages underscore her conversation with Halbrand about their feelings during the battle.
Halbrand's theme makes an appearance in its standard setting, which slowly builds as the people of the Southlands realize who he really is. He finally accepts his role and is proclaimed King of the Southlands, with a triumphant, complete statement of the Southlands theme at 7:12 of "Transformed by Darkness" (2:57 of "The Promised King"), before Bronwyn and Arondir's theme closes the cue.
And when it seemed like peace had returned, darkness lurks back once again. "Sorrow, Water and Flame" starts with some dubious orcehstral passages, which then let Sauron's theme (and its ostinato) loose, as the blade is revealed to be at the hands of one of Adar's adepts. He introduces it on the secret keylock, and when he turns it, all hell breaks loose.
"Water and Flame" bursts with choral and orchestral might, presenting ideas entirely new, which break through the previously established themes, destroying everything in its path, culminating in a full throated choral and orchestral crescendo, which accompanies the culmination of Adar's purpose, the transformation of the Southlands into a land of shadow, ashes and lava. It begins with the collision of the water and the flames, which originates the infamous Mount of Doom, and makes all the land around it a decaying wasteland.
Not the Southlands anymore, but something closer to the Land of Mordor.
This is such a huge cliffhanger, and I'm afraid that the 2 remaining episodes will perhaps slow down the pace and be more laid back than this one, but Udûn certainly delivered, and while it can be argued that previous episodes suffered pacing issues, and apparently wheren't going nowhere, this episode offered what I think all of us where expecting, with a great, epic battle, and an insane closing twists which will change many things in upcoming episodes. And McCreary managed to deliver with a vibrant score, full of thematic development, orchestral passages full of energy and emotion, and a final cue which manages to fit the chaos happening on the screen with raw power and grandiosity.
So this is it! I hope you enjoyed this episode (and my analysis), which is my favorite one so far. Be sure to stay tuned for the upcoming episodes, and meanwhile feel free to check out my analysis of previous episodes, as well as my analysis of the episodes of House of the Dragon. Feel free to share it and see you next week!
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