Editor's Note: The following episode contains spoilers for Episodes 1-5 of The Rings of Power. In the fourth episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, “The Great Wave,” the epic journey of the Númenor sailors to Middle-earth was teased. However, that voyage was nearly delayed thanks to the events of the fifth episode, “Partings.” The night before Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) is set to sail alongside Elendil (Lloyd Owen) and the volunteers who’ve joined the mission, Kemen (Leon Wadham) sneaks aboard the ships and sets them on fire. Kemen believes that if the fleet is destroyed, the expedition to Middle-earth will be abandoned and the Elves will be cast out of Numenor.

However, Kemen’s vengeful plan is discovered by Isildur (Maxim Baldry), the young son of Elendil who is desperate to prove his merit. Isildur wants to join his father in the expedition, but he has been forbidden. When he sees Kemen burning the ships, Isildur sneaks aboard and confronts Kemen. As the flames burn around them, Isildur brings Kemen back to the shore. Isildur’s heroism is enough to earn him a place on the upcoming expedition, but surprisingly, he chooses not to reveal Kemen’s plan to anyone else.

Kemen’s Family and Motivations

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Kemen is an original character that was created for The Rings of Power, but he is the son of Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle). Pharazôn is an advisor to the Queen regent, Miriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), and does not approve of any alliance between the Elves and men. He openly questions Elendil’s motivations, and is able to draw some local residents to his cause. Kemen seems to hold that same resentment for the Elves that his father does.

However, Kemen is not the tactful politician that his father is. While Pharazôn bides his time and rests assured that everything is going to plan, Kemen demands that his father take action. Pharazôn explains that once they reach Middle-earth, they will be able to strip the land of its resources. Ultimately, he foresees a future where the Elves will be taking orders from them. Aiding the people of the Southlands would allow the people of Numenor to have political control over the region.

Pharazon's Ambitions Eventually Lead to the Demise of Númenor

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In the section of The Silmarillion that describes the “Fall of Numenor,” it’s revealed that Pharazôn ultimately weds Miriel against her will. Since she is the Queen of the island, Pharazôn is able to take the throne for himself and amasses grand amounts of wealth. However, he ultimately falls under the influence of Sauron. Sauron convinces the new King of Numenor to worship Morgoth, and launch an attack on the Elven paradise of Valinor. This battle is what ultimately causes Valinor to separate from Middle-earth, so that mortals can no longer find it.

It’s unclear how much of this story will be adapted for The Rings of Power, as Amazon Studios does not have the rights to original characters and events from The Silmarillion. While Pharazôn clearly looks like he will be one of the major villains in the series, Kemen’s role is less cut and dry. Will he go down the same route that his father does?

RELATED: Does 'The Rings of Power' Do a Good Job of Depicting How Old the Elves Are?

Kemen, Eärien, and Isildur’s Lie

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Kemen can’t get over the fact that his father would be taking orders from an Elf, and decides to take matters into his own hands when he burns the ships. This is in part due to an ongoing relationship that he’s been having with Elendil’s daughter, Eärien (Ema Horvath), another original character created for the series. Unlike her father, Eärien has a strong resentment for the Elves. During the rioting scenes, she screams at Pharazôn to halt the expedition.

Although Eärien may see their alliance as an advantageous one, Kemen is clearly romantically attracted to her. His decision to burn the ship is both an act of defiance for his father and an attempt to gain Eärien’s favor. This suggests that The Rings of Power may be filling in some of the gaps in J.R.R. Tolkien’s mythology; Eärien won’t be around when her father and brothers are in Middle-earth, and she mentions that she’s been studying architecture. Could she end up helping Pharazôn construct his temples in service of Sauron?

Isildur’s decision to not reveal Kemen is an interesting one that has a few possible explanations. In all likelihood, revealing that he was trying to stow away on the ship would draw his father’s wrath. Since Isildur is granted a place on the mission, it seems like he walked away benefiting from the situation. However, Isildur also knows what is on his sister’s mind. He may suspect that she was involved with Kemen’s plan.

The Rings of Power and Kemen's Radicalization

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Unfortunately, a large part of the conversation around The Rings of Power has revolved around the racist and sexist backlash that the series has received. Any true “fan” of Tolkien’s work would recognize that inclusivity is an inherent theme of his work, and this is seen within the text in The Rings of Power. The seeds of distrust and hatred that brew between the Elves and men is a timely commentary on how generational hatred can lead to disastrous circumstances. Ultimately, Tolkien’s stories have faith that if all the creatures of Middle-earth are able to set aside their differences, they can come together to defeat the ultimate source of evil.

However, we’re seeing parallels to real-world radicalization in the action of Kemen. Kemen is willing to place his people in danger because he can’t get over his bigotry towards the Elves; the rioting scenes in the streets are eerily reminiscent of stories in today’s news cycle. It will be interesting to see how Kemen’s journey goes forward, and if he continues down his path of malevolence.