So we all agree on the most hated ‘Rings of Power’ character, right?
Still the most hated guy, even with a Dark Lord around!
Imagine you exist at the same time as Sauron in his “Deceiver” era and you still manage to become the most hated guy in the story. That’s one tall order, but luckily for Kemen, son of Pharazôn, the men of Númenor were blessed with good height.
Spoilers ahead for TROP season 2 episode 5!
Who is Kemen on The Rings of Power?
Kemen (Leon Wadham) is the son of Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle), chancellor to Queen Regent Míriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) of the island kingdom of Númenor. When we first meet him in season 1, he seems like a decent chap. He lives in his dynamic father’s shadow, and takes things on face value, until his father pulls the curtain behind to show him where his real loyalties lie. You realize that Kemen is one of those passionate young men who harbor political ambitions that in the garb of achieving greatness for their country, are actually about personal glory.
The men of Westernesse may be tall, but Kemen is a small man whose insecurities are on full display in season 2. He is possibly in love with Eärien (Ema Horvath) since season 1 (remember, they go on a date too), and in season 2, when he cannot force the respect of the people after his father usurps the scepter from Queen Míriel, he uses treachery to seize it.
Why is Kemen the most hated on The Rings of Power?
Kemen is the worst, trust me! For some scenes early on in Season 2 episode 5, “Halls of Stone,” you almost pity him because he is just so pathetic. First, in a conversation with his father, Kemen reminds Ar-Pharazon that he needs to abandon coveting the immortality of the elves and focus on ruling Númenor to usher in a glorious age of Men. However, Pharazôn dismisses it and reveals to him that when he was a baby, his mother had prophesied that Kemen “would come to ill ends.” That’s not something you want to hear from your papa!
In another scene, Kemen is doing an errand for his father, where the sea captains and crew that are faithful to the queen have to be discharged from service. And he watches as Eärien, the girl he loves, tells Valandil (Alex Tarrant), her oldest friend, that she’d speak to the king about sparing him from the discharge. A jealous Kemen tries to exercise his power in a feeble attempt perhaps to show-off to Eärien, but with Elendil’s (Lloyd Owen) presence and a “Oh Captain, My Captain” moment, Kemen is left feeling insulted and small yet again.
So, we get where Kemen’s mental health is at when we arrive at this particular scene in the episode. But even then, there’s no excuse for what he does! When the Faithful, including Elendil and Valandil, are praying at the shrine of Nienna (the Vala of grief, sorrow, pity and courage) for the spirits of the departed, Kemen arrives with a small group of the King’s Men to drive them out, and tells them that the shrine is to be broken down since it is in the way of building a new aqueduct for the city.
When one of the priests refuses to leave without taking the idol of Nienna, lest the souls of the dead remain wandering, a drunk-on-power Kemen purposefully drops the idol and breaks it. What a douche, amirite?
A fight breaks out because obviously Elendil wants to punch the smugness out of Kemen’s face (who wouldn’t?), but Kemen has Elendil’s arms held back and is about to hit him, when Valandil intervenes. Next, the two are engaged in a fight, and despite Kemen’s initial advantage, Valandil manages to overpower him, break his arm, and has him at sword point but is commanded to stop by Elendil.
He tells him, “Let it go, son.” And Valandil obeys his captain and throws away the sword. But as he turns his back to walk away, Kemen picks up the sword and stabs him in the back, right through. Valandil dies in Elendil’s arms, the captain having lost not just his son Isildur (Maxim Baldry), but two of his closest friends who were also like sons to him—Antamo (Anthony Crum) and now Valandil.
As Elendil cries over Valandil’s body, we see Kemen wash his blood—the blood of a Faithful—from the sword in the waters of Ulmo at Nienna’s shrine, a symbolic gesture that signals that Númenor’s life force, the sea, is tainted with the blood of those faithful to the Valar.
Fans officially crown Kemen the Criston Cole of The Rings of Power and it’s so apt!
If you wanted to punch Kemen in the face after that scene and scream loudly, you’re not alone. The Rings of Power fandom may be divided over their opinions on the show, but they are all united in their hatred for Kemen right now. He brings a sort of House of The Dragon fandom uniting to hate on Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) energy to The Rings of Power fandom that instantly makes him public enemy number 1!
We have to give a huge shoutout to the acting prowess of Leon Wadham who made us hate Kemen with the power of a thousand Númenorean war ships!
And I, for one, cannot wait to find out more about that prophecy Kemen’s mother made about his “ill ends.” We all know the fate of Númenor; so does he also suffer the same fate or does this story have something more tragic than death in store for this Númenorean? Quick, fetch me a palantír, someone!
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