Lord of the Rings Series -- Amazon

guidomerkinsrules said
For me I think it was the Numenor plot was just off - I get what you’re saying about Southlands, but at least there was dynamism about character interaction and key plot movement
But I still don’t know what purpose Numenor served (obviously there will be a payoff eventually, but this was season long table setting)
All other stuff I dug

It is table setting. I think instead of doing this in season 2 or later, they planted some seeds. Ar-Pharzon has a desire to exploit middle earth. That will likely be a key trigger later.

Also, He's familiar with Halbrand and has already seen his council to be wise and serving his interests. So, it will make that future corruption easier. And he still has his 'fair' visage.

I think Halbrand was a useful comparison for Galadriel. How she takes that darkness and converts it to want justice. Whereas he is seeking dominion.

Looking back on the reveal, which was pretty well tipped off, you really can see all of the clues pretty obviously. To me, it's always been about that fight for the smith's token.. he was just too brutal. But when Adar first saw him and had terror in his eyes.... you don't get scared like that over any human. I do wonder if that line about taking someone from him was just a lie to divert the truth, or a jab at something he did.

Now, in the books, Galadriel, Elrond, and Gil-Galad don't trust Annatar (and I think eventually Celebrimbor realizes it after he makes the rings), so they never fully fell for it and when Sauron eventually makes his own ring, they felt it and took theirs off immediately. So, in the show, that's mostly shown by Galadriel who starts to piece together that something is off.

Now, I do think one question is that if Halbrand is really Sauron, why did that blade injure him so badly, and how was he healed by Elvish Medicine. But perhaps Maia in human form just are that way?

I don't recall exactly where this is from, but in this One Wiki article on Eonwe, it discusses that Sauron originally asked Eonwe for forgiveness (real or maybe a ploy) and he was told to ask the Valar.

When Morgoth was defeated, Eönwë took the two remaining Silmarils and held them for safekeeping. The two remaining Sons of Fëanor took them and fled, yet Eönwë did not let them be slain, hoping they would see the folly of their ways.[2] After the War of Wrath, Sauron emerged from hiding and approached Eönwë seeking forgiveness, but Eönwë did not have the authority to pardon him alone, and told him he would have to return to the Valar to receive judgment, but Sauron fled from him instead.[3]

https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Eönwë
So, I think that's a reasonable explanation for why he's out on the sea. Maybe the big monster in the water was their response. Maybe he also saved Galadriel for two reasons.. 1, he did want to corrupt the elves, but 2, maybe in that moment he thought that was the best chance to not be destroyed by that monster.

Overall, I did enjoy the story, minus the compression which just confused me. However, putting that off to the side, I think the story was well done. It doesn't move us fast, but it sets up a world, the main characters, the motives, and answered some mysteries and kept a few others. To me, this is basically like how the Fellowship of the Rings reads... a lot of details, not much motion. It's also similar to Season 1 of Babylon 5, which is one of my favorite shows from back in the day. The first Season was hard to get through, because it was mostly 'questions'.