Cynthia Addai-Robinson can relate to the trepidation her Rings of Energy character, Míriel, encountered when she walked into the ocean in episode 6, “The place Is He?” The previous queen enters the water throughout a sea trial in Elendil’s stead, following an outdated religious Númenórean custom: a sea monster passing judgment (learn: devouring you, or not). For Míriel, the second comes as a check of her religion: She needs to spare Elendil and places her belief of their historic faith, regardless of what the new Númenor management may say.
For Addai-Robinson, filming the scene was equally an act of religion and conviction.
“I had by no means labored underwater earlier than, and it was terrifying,” Addai-Robinson tells Polygon. Nonetheless, she endured, hoping her alarm wouldn’t register on display screen. “I’ve had many assessments like this. Using a horse, being in a helicopter — these are all issues that remind you that you simply’re mortal, and also you’ve received to type of get previous your individual precise feeling round it and keep in mind that you’re in service to this character and this second and what it represents.”
The scene was technically shot in two components: on location within the Canary Islands, and in a tank at Pinewood Studios in the UK. Addai-Robinson needed to get licensed to make use of the respirator in an effort to movie, and (by way of no fault of the crew she was with) felt “completely terrified” as she tried to method the identical calm as Míriel.
In the end, they each emerged out of the water triumphant. However, Addai-Robinson notes, their journeys weren’t similar — in any case, she was placing her belief within the very completed crew of The Rings of Energy. Míriel wasn’t precisely making a reckless selection, however she was definitely at peace with a dangerous choice. But, whereas the previous Númenórean queen may not have been optimistic she would emerge from the ocean trial, Addai-Robinson knew that she was making this selection not for herself, however for the larger good.
Picture: Prime Video
“The most important factor that Lloyd [Owen, who plays Elendil] and I talked quite a bit about was the concept of blind religion versus what your coronary heart and your instincts let you know is correct or flawed,” Addai-Robinson says.
For Míriel, the push and pull is sophisticated: She has been ousted by the Númenórean folks in favor of Pharazôn. However as soon as she hears that Elendil noticed a extra promising imaginative and prescient within the palantír, she’s satisfied Pharazôn’s rise to energy is one thing they need to belief in — even because it’s clear he’s dismantling Númenórean traditions (and presumably… worse).
A lot of the previous queen’s plotline this season has been driving to this second, and in regards to the ideological division between her and Elendil over her perception in what serving “the larger good” is. In the end, Addai-Robinson pointed again to a second all the best way again in episode 3 of this season — a beat she particularly requested the showrunners to vary to strengthen Míriel’s characterization: When a grieving citizen of Númenor slaps the queen in entrance of her courtroom over final season’s dropping battle, Míriel was initially supposed to handle the folks in a stirring speech.
“I bear in mind speaking about it with the showrunners, as a result of I believed, to me, this isn’t actually about interesting to the plenty on this second,” Addai-Robinson mentioned. “That is about particularly addressing this one particular person girl who’s clearly in ache, who’s clearly deep in grief — as is Míriel.
“I believe what’s extra highly effective and extra fascinating is that if she appeals to this girl instantly, that this isn’t about having a second, so to talk; that it’s actually about individual to individual, particular person to particular person.”
It’s the sort of management that may encourage folks. It may additionally presumably fall flat in entrance of a populist like Pharazôn, who’s busy enjoying to the baser instincts of the inhabitants. The ocean trial payoff needed to hit as the final word reframing of her instincts over his: divine anointment that’s exhausting to fight.
In the end for Addai-Robinson, the euphoria at being spared by a sea creature paled compared to lastly getting out of the tank and the “state of panic” that filming the scene left her in. And whereas she’s comfortable for Míriel, she notes that it isn’t going to be easy crusing from right here.
“On the opposite aspect of that trial is a reaffirmation — not simply of her religion, however I believe a lesson to herself for her. That to truly be victorious on this, there’s something to know about herself and her energy, and one thing to be gained from that,” Addai-Robinson says. “After the ocean trial, the place we go away off with issues, we don’t instantly see the aftermath of that; we don’t get to see her take a ‘victory lap.’
“However the query stays: Regardless that she’s triumphed and the general public has witnessed this — primarily witnessing a miracle — Pharazôn isn’t just going to let that journey.”
