The REAL Eye of Sauron - Film vs CANON | Tolkien Explained
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- Опубліковано 8 лип 2022
- Today we are clearing up the issue of the Eye of Sauron! While the Peter Jackson films are incredible, the Eye of Sauron was portrayed in a way very differently from the books. Today, we're looking at what the Eye of Sauron means in Tolkien's canon.
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The Great Eye - Ralph Damiani
Sauron before Ar-Pharazon - Anke Eissmann
Sauron - WETA
Creating the One Ring - Shadow of War
Flag of Mordor - Tolkien
The Mirror of Galadriel - Alan Lee
The Eye of Sauron - John Howe
Sauron at Barad-dur - Shadow of War
Sauron - AnotherStrangerMe
Gollum, Frodo, & Sam - John Howe
The Dungeons of Barad-dur - Ralph Damiani
Minas Ithil - Shadow of War
The Doom of Men - Ralph Damiani
Gollum - Matthew Stewart
Sauron - Shadow of War
The Eye of Sauron - John Howe
Amon Hen - Ralph Damiani
Amon Hen - John Howe
Orcs debating - Turner Mohan
Moria Orc - John Howe
Flag of Mordor - Tolkien
Sauron & Army - WETA
Stalker - Skullb*st*rd
The Palantir - Olanda Fong-Surdenas
Sauron - Jerry Vanderstelt
Fingolfin Facing Morgoth - Tolman Cotton
Morgoth - CK Goksoy
Hurin in Angband - Matthew Stewart
Hurin on the seat of Morgoth - Matthew Stewart
The Words of Hurin and Morgoth - Alan Lee
Tuor Reaches Gondolin - Ted Nasmith
Hurin in Captivity - Peter Xavier Price
Sauron - Felix Englund
The Palantir - Tolman Cotton
Sauron - Kuliszu
Gorbag and Shagrat - Alan Lee
Orc - Elrodimus Flash
Uruk sword and shield - Elrodimus Flash
Uruk-hai - Anke Eissmann
Three Hunters - JG Jones
Strider - AnotherStrangerMe
Uruk Warrior and Orc Tracker - Alan Lee
Strider - Jerry Vanderstelt
Saruman of Many Colors - Tolman Cotton
Saruman and Palantir - Angus McBride
The Argonath - Ted Nasmith
Crowned Statue - Elrodimus Flash
The King at the Cross-roads - Darrell Sweet
In Mordor - John Howe
Mouth of Sauron - Elrodimus Flash
Eye of Sauron - Lord of the Rings book cover - JRR Tolkien
Minas Tirith - Ralph Damiani
Grond - Ralph Damiani
Minas Tirith - Aegeri
Fighting Orcs - Angus McBride
Gondorian Soldier - Teodor Victor Vacari
Sauron - Tom Romain
Breaking of Narsil - John Howe
Fall of Numenor - Alan Lee
Aragorn with Shard of Narsil - Matthew Stewart
Looking into the Stone - Kuliszu
#sauron #lordoftherings #tolkien - Розваги
What other misconceptions from the films would you like to see covered in their own videos?
Elves in Helm's Deep. Come to think of it, calling is the "battle of Helm's Deep" instead of battle of Hornburg would be nice too. The appearance of Ents. "Irish" Hobbits, since we all care so much about the ethnicity issues...
Super curious
Hey I need a vid in ranking like whose the stronget from the years if the trees to the 4 age i
@@meduseldtales3383
Touché!
The King of the Dead and the army of the dead. Jackson's version was okay, but they never made it to the Pelennor Fields in the book.
Peter Jackson has actually said that one of the hardest things about the movies was trying to make Sauron work as a character, because he never talks and is almost never on screen, yet the audience has to be afraid of him. I never thought about how difficult that would be for a film maker, but they did it so well in the movie that you'd never think it was a struggle. Shows how well thought out the movies are.
They actually filmed a Sauron vs Aragorn but decided to go without that alternate ending
@@kayladecker9533 they cgi’d the troll in instead!
@@matthewferguson7556lmao
@kayladecker9533 I really wish they put that in. It would of been nice closing as it would be similar to the first time we saw him. On the same field, fighting the same races, losing the same way. Would of been cool
@@shmazzywozzie It would have been very hard to square with the spirit of the books in multiple ways.
I never thought of the eye as Sauron himself. Instead, I thought of it as a projection of his power and will. I imagine him standing in his fortress using the eye to observe everything around him, like some sort of magical telescope linked to his mind.
Yeah, that's fair too. I can see the two concepts coexisting.
That was my impression, too!
ive always imagined him with his palantir, and the eye is an extention of this
Same here
Ooh. Interesting way of “seeing” it. 👁🗨
I love how Sauron isn't confronted directly in LOTR as we only see actions of his servants. I like this idea of the shadow upon the events that is fought constantly, but as in chess game.
Absolutely. If you've watched the extras for the Jackson films, the fact that they filmed a scene where Sauron emerges from the Black Gate and Aragorn duels with him seemed like the biggest misstep Jackson and company (almost) made, and I'm incredibly glad they thought better and edited it out of the final film. With the overwhelming defenses, forces, and resources available to him, it's ridiculous to think of Sauron strolling out of the Black Gate for a fight, especially when he'd just seen the blade of Isildur reforged in the Palantir.
@@partyboi8773 agreed, that would be one scene that would ruin a masterpiece, imagine the tragedy .... so glad they had wisdom to admit the misstep and correct it before it was too late.
Sauron technically makes an appearance, once. Pippin sees him and talks to him through the Palantir stone. The scene is recounted by Pippin so it's not an actual live appearance, but Pippin repeats the conversation, which is apparently telepathic of some sort because Pippin says, "He did not speak so that I could hear words. He just looked, and I understood."
I don’t
the title character never makes a full appearance in the book named after themself
One thing I liked about the Eye in the film is that it shows that Sauron can only pay attention to one thing at a time. So it explains why the plan to send an army to the Black Gate to distract him from the hobbits mission to Mount Doom made sense. It also has the great cinematic movement of Sauron suddenly realizing he's been out maneuverered, that the army at the gates is not led by a ringbearer and his enemies have taken the to him inconceivable decision to destroy the ring rather than using it against him. It shows that, as powerful as he is, he's not anywhere near as powerful as Eru Illuvatar. He literally has a 'Oh sh~' moment just before his destruction, something Tolkien actually mentions and frantically sends the Nazgul to try to stop the Ring's destruction.
Another good visual moment is when the Eye is scanning for Frodo who is barely hiding behind a rock, with the Ring barely out of sight, and then suddenly it turns and looks away towards the Black Gate as the men of the West arrive. “Something has drawn its gaze” indeed. Shows the effectiveness of the diversion in a very intense way.
All of that happens in the book too.
*“It was at this moment he knew he fucked up”- Eru probably*
Evil is often what results from insecure egos that swell out of control, growing large but no less hollow. Power hungry psychopaths think that self worth and strength is found in dominating the will of the world against your own, that love and fellowship is weakness, that being respected and feared are worth the cost of losing one's soul. So of course they (Sauron) miss what matters most, and overlook the small candle flame in the dark (the hobbits), for it is insignificant against the might of the self-consuming furnace in an ever-expanding void. They are blind to their own weakness because they see it as a strength.
People who say golem fell cuz god take all the weight from the story. If god wanted to he could have just unexisted the ring or used his limitless power to fly it into mount doom himself.
Actually, the movies initially intended to portray Sauron in his physical form. The Eye was supposed to be more of a magical instrument *used* by Sauron, a sort of visual representation of his all-seeing will, rather than his actual form. In the Return of the King when Aragorn confronts Sauron using the Palantir, you can actually see for a brief moment Sauron in his physical form on the other side, holding his own Palantir.
The movies even intended to have a physical showdown between Aragorn and Sauron during the Battle of the Black Gate - that is why that troll that Aragorn was fighting in the end runs away back towards Mordor after Frodo claims the Ring while the rest of the orcs just stand still, motionless after Sauron's will abandoned them as he was concentrating solely on getting to the Ring before it was too late. That was originally supposed to be Sauron himself, come to fight Aragorn personally. In the end, though, Jackson decided against it and Sauron's model was replaced with a random troll (but since they already rendered the scene the part where he runs back towards Mount Doom was kept, so now you have one single troll running frantically through his own lines while the rest of the Mordor army just stands still).
Boom. Love this. Now just give me the rendered cut someone.
Yes there are some stills available of this and storyboards.
Yeah I've seen that brief deleted scene of Aragorn physically fighting Sauron. Would have been visually awesome to see in the film but it would have been completely non canon unfortunately.
ua-cam.com/video/Oz_njsPDGRs/v-deo.html
@@Alexs.2599 to be fair, a LOT within the films was non-canon. The elves at Helms Deep (which I actually liked), the Armies of the Dead showing up at Pelennor Fields and "one-shotting" the entire Morgul Army (which was stupid), and a slew of others, some good some bad. Of course, given how mind-numbingly inept the films made the Gondorian soldiers, whose full-plate armour was practically useless (in the books they were actually pretty bad-ass), I guess they needed help from beyond the grave...
I didn't mind them cutting Sauron from the Battle at the Black Gate, though I really liked the original concept of Aragorn first seeing a vision of Annatar, who then morphs into Sauron before Gandalf breaks the spell over him.
I've always liked the idea of Sauron having a physical form, but the flaming eye atop the tower still being a thing that Sauron used to watch over the world, perhaps as an effect of Sauron twisting and warping the palantir with dark magic to intimidate his foes, so they'd know when he was watching them.
I even remember description of the Barad Dur in the last tome that mentions flaming eye on the top of the tower.
My canon is something like this. That Sauron conjured the flaming eye atop Barad-Dûr with magic while he himself was sitting on his throne just a bit below where the eye was.
@@Remus88Romulus He binded his power not only to the ring, but to foundation of Barad Dur aswell because that foundation was created with the power of the One ring. It was necessary because the lava from Mounting of Doom in the moat, so foundation should be exceptionally durable. it turns out that foundation of his fortress was some kind of the One ring for him and he couldn't maintain his physical form, while being form far from it.
@@podolsky6246 That makes a great deal of sense. Sauron could only maintain his physical form whilst in Barad Dur due the tower's connection to the one ring.
@@Marsmuncher Uh...no, he was fully corporeal in Dol Guldur. The Tower existed because he used the Ring to fortify its foundations. Barad dur had to be physically rebuilt. The one time his spiritual form is actually seen, it's taller than even his fortress.
I always liked that Peter Jackson went for such an over exaggerated and physical manifestation of “The Eye.” For a movie, it just helped to have that physical representation of the big bad for anyone that hadn’t read the books. Otherwise, once Saruman was out of the picture, you only really had the Witch King as a noticeable “baddie.”
Sometimes showing less is scarier and more ominous than showing a silly giant eye on fire at the top of a tower
@@shinestar2912 *a badass sinister evil gigantic flaming eyeball on top of an enormous tower, a scene worth of a maia*
there, fixed for you
@@aesir1ases64 👏👏😂
@@aesir1ases64 Well done, you fixed it for the unshining @Shine Star!
@@shinestar2912 Nah real thing would have been better
Just like the Balrog being huge and having wings in the movie, there's some things that just work better on screen and I don't think anyone could say the shots of Bara-dur with the huge eye on top weren't awesome. I also have come to appreciate the differences between the books and the movies, because I can like both of them, and have something to look forward to.
True Tolkien fan, best type of person
It does say that the balrog spread his great wings so they reached wall to wall. But many a debate over whether they had practical wings.
Im an illustrator who has done tons of tolkien themed work. My interpretations include both winged, and wingless balrogs, but none are flight capable.
The Eye on Barad-dûr was ridiculous. Garbage.
@@MD-md4th oh... That got pretty hostile.
I’m just kidding! I mean, I do think the flaming eye sucked, but you can’t make everyone, in this case me, happy.
To be fair, Sauron in physical form wielding a palantir is shown behind the eye when Aragorn contacts him.
I had a look carefully, I think it’s a reused shot from the prologue from Fellowship of the Ring.
@@bobo577 it looks similar but its slightly different
And is in fact not a reused scene
But a new one created for that moment
I like how Frodo kind of mirrors Sauron, in that they are both left with only nine fingers after lossing the One Ring.
I wonder if there's enough there for a whole video, but all I can think of is that the ring has, save for one debatable instance, been removed or left willingly.
@@billc5433 the ring has been removed or left willingly?
@@chillyavian7718 I don't know guys, are you all having a stroek, and can't communicate coherently?
I think it was actually supposed to mirror Baron who lost his hand. With each iteration of the tale with repeating pattern there is less grandeur, less mystique. Everything repeats, and fades with each repetition. It's one of Tolkien's big themes.
I love your impersonations of Morgoth, Gandalf and Smaug. Very entertaining!
That Gollum impression is spot on too
Back in the day and rereading and rewatching recently, I think the Eye is one of the best things Jackson captured of the books --- he changes so many character's motivations, but I think he nails how to present the lidless eye, the searching, scanning, scouring eye.
Jackson had to make it physical, because a feeling or a psychic sensation of Sauron's presence is a very hard thing to portray on film. When Frodo first puts on the Ring in the Prancing Pony, that's as close to Tolkien's descriptions as you can get in a visual medium.
Even before I knew all the lore and canon from the books, I always saw the eye as a projection of Sauron's vision. I always believed he had a physical form in the tower. Never crossed my mind that he was the eye alone.
It was not ua-cam.com/video/Oz_njsPDGRs/v-deo.html
Aragorn, palantiri scene, Sauron’s physical form. It is there in the movie.
@@di3486 Ah, dang, you're right! My theory confirmed right there!
Yeah but then the Hobbit "movies" shows that Sauron is the Eye and his physical form is the pupil in the center of the eye.
@@thevikingbear2343 the Jackson Trilogy is alright, but the Hobbit stuff should just be forgotten :D
I always assumed the film flaming eye was supposed to be in addition to his physical form. Or like an extension of his powers to survey the land and his minions. Like a crazy evil version of a periscope lol
Yeah i dont understand why people only think that Sauron only can be a human form.
Sauron lost the ability to transform into a beautiful being, but that doesn't mean he lost the ability to change forms. And well the eye of sauron may be a manifestation of the power that he still retains
Agreed, agreed. I figured his real form was somewhere in the tower (with the Eye being both utility and symbol, inciting fear on those who witness it.)
Book canon-wise I agree, he could have been and eye, humanoid, whatever. However, I believe there’s mention in the films that “he doesn’t yet have the power to take physical form” so as far as the film story is concerned, he was just an eye.
@@losthc_atwt3039 But if you read the books, doesn't they say that he hasn't gotten back his ability to take the physical form he wants? You could interpret that line in the films as a he doesn't have that ability back yet, which doesn't mean he isn't somewhat of a physical entity. It can be that he isn't powerful enough to call his physical form his actual complete self.
@@Jorge_Ambruster as @Renan said, it’s never stated in the books that “he can’t take physical form” only that “he is not at his full power”. In addition, in book canon, it is essentially confirmed that he took some sort of physical form because the white council fought him at Dol Guldur… I don’t think they went there and confronted a semi-sentient eye
Your way of storytelling is absolute masterpiece! Keep up your incredible work man
At the Return of the King when Aragorn takes the Palantir to challenge Sauron we can see him in his physical form holding his own Palantir.
I figured he was hidden in the tower.
ua-cam.com/video/Oz_njsPDGRs/v-deo.html there you go!
"Sauron should be thought of as very terrible. The form that he took was that of a man of more than human stature, but not gigantic. In his earlier incarnation he was able to veil his power (as Gandalf did) and could appear as a commanding figure of great strength of body and supremely royal demeanour and countenance."
Letter 246
Yes very tall and imposing. Though not as tall as Morgoth who was gigantic in comparison.
@@Alexs.2599 does it ever mention how large morgoth is?
@@Rudol_ZeppiliVery good question. There is contradictory info on his height. Some sources have him tall as a very high mountain, others around 30 ft tall. My guess his height was around 30 to maybe 40 ft tall. He was a frightening Valar giant for sure nonetheless. Sauron was around 12ft tall.
@@Alexs.2599 I know there’s an illustration of him next to Ungoliant, but I don’t know if Tolkien was involved in that.
@@Rudol_Zeppili Yeah there were some illustrations of scenes from the books in J.R.R.'s lifetime. I think he drew some of them as well. John Howe and Alan Lee are the artists who created those artwork scenes from the legendarium. Yeah I've seen those pictures of Morgoth and Ungoliant.
I always understood that the "eye of Sauron" was whenever his thoughts, his gaze upon something like he was meditating in that place/people and that alone brought darkness to them
I think we're all forgetting a very important scene from Desolation of Smaug, which shows how the physical, armoured Sauron in an aura of fire looks like the black pupil of a flaming eye. With this genius scene (when he fights Gandalf in Dol Goldur) Peter Jackson's team recontextualixed the entire LotR trilogy, and fixed one of the most-maligned departures from the books.
They then go further, showing that the image of the Eye is also the eye of Sauron's physical form itself, a recursive, eternal loop. It is both physical and metaphor, literal and symbolic. There need not be a distinction in this world.
Sauron is (or at least was) a cosmic being of incomprehensible power. We shouldn't expect to fully understand exactly what he is, and ultimately it's not important to the story.
Still very fun to ponder though!
Very true!! What a terrifing, incredible moment
People forget that Aragorn saw Sauron’s physical form through the Palantiri in the movies!
That scene was the best in the entire Hobbit trilogy!
::why not both gif::
I've always thought the giant flaming eye was a _manifestation_ of Sauron's power, not the being itself. So I like the idea that Sauron is both physical AND metaphysical in this way. Also, that movie eyeball made for some awesome art during and after the creation of the films.
I do like using the fiery eye in the films because monsters are always scarier when you don't see them. What your imagination comes up with is always more terrifying than someone else's interpretation. Same reason why I'm glad you never saw what Sauron looked like under his helmet in the first scene.
Eye of Sauron, Mouth of Sauron, etc.
Imagine if there was a bounty hunter working for Sauron called the "Nose of Sauron" because sniffing out prey (like a bloodhound)
Or a spy system called the "Ears of Sauron". Etc.
Mordor CIA
The Little Birds of Sauron.
and when he needs to go to the bathroom, PissBoy of Sauron
The Fingers of Sauron -- Nine fingers, nine riders, hmmm...
@@garytwinem5275 that would be the Crebain wouldn't it?
I imagine the "lidless eye" to be less a token of vigilance than the reality of Sauron's gaze. For whomever is subjected to his gaze would feel the full force of his will and torment, which was known to cause terror and insanity, and served as the driving force behind all his servants.
Also reminds me of the gaze of Shani...
I do love how Tolkien never shows Sauron, and all we get are vague descriptions and symbols. It adds an element of mystery and cosmic horror, like Lovecraft - where what you don't see is far more terrifying in the mind. But I guess Tolkien was also referring to real world dictators, who rarely are seen in public but hide behind closed doors, and use the media, military and whatever means they have to install fear into their populations or the wider world. They themselves are cowards though, who crumble when directly confronted.
Didn't Jackson fix the eye issue in the Hobbit Movies? He showed Sauron having a physical form which became the pupil of the eye.
Yep! (And man, that moment is incredible, quite terrifying. Love those films so much.)
@@patrickramseyart never met anyone who likes the hobbit movies ngl
@@bruhdon4748 we exist, but I usually keep it to myself as to not rouse the mob
@@BluishNomad the first one is like okay it’s good enough and the last two are just absolutely terrible to me
You can’t blame Peter for The Hobbit, few directors could come in weeks before shooting started, completely start over, and deliver the movies.
I don’t think he wanted 3 movies, the studio pushed for that.
I am surprised he got them finished at all.
The Lidless Eye of Sauron was as real as any humanoid form he took; the Eye is his spiritual force which is undeniably powerful, like a malignant sun, which everyone can envision when in Sauron's gaze, regardless if he also had a humanoid body too. I submit this one passage from as evidence of the Eye as physical.
Return of the King Book VI Chapter 3: "Mount Doom"
"I'll crawl, Sam," he gasped.
So foot by foot, like small grey insects, they crept up the slope. They came to the path and found that it was broad, paved with broken rubble and beaten ash. Frodo clambered on to it,and then moved as if by some compulsion he turned slowly to face the East. Far off the shadows of Sauron hung; but torn by some gust of wind out of the world, or else moved by some great disquiet within, the mantling clouds swirled, and for a moment drew aside; and then he saw, rising black, blacker and darker than the vast shades amid which it stood, the cruel pinnacles and iron crown of the topmost tower of Barad-dûr. One moment only it stared out, but as *from some great window immeasurably high there stabbed northward a flame of red, the flicker of a piercing Eye*; and then the shadows were furled again and the terrible vision was removed. The Eye was not turned to them: it was gazing north to where the Captains of the West stood at bay, and thither all its malice was now bent, as the Power moved to strike its deadly blow; but Frodo at that dreadful glimpse fell as one stricken mortally. His hand sought the chain about his neck.
Sam knelt by him. Faint, almost inaudibly, he heard Frodo whispering: "Help me, Sam! Help me, Sam! Hold my hand! I can't stop it." Sam took his master's hands and laid them together, palm to palm, and kissed them; and then he held them gently between his own. The thought came suddenly to him: "He's spotted us! It's all up, or it soon will be. Now, Sam Gamgee, this is the end of ends."
Shortly before this we're also told of the "Window of the Eye" in Barad-dûr.
Damn, realllllly wish I found this comment before sifting through the tome. Yea here's what I found. Pretty bummed it missed the vid:
You've missed something I think. And I've sought for 20 minutes seeking for it. Here is what I've found:
First: "Thence, turning and encircling all its wide girth from south to north, it climbed at last, high in the upper cone, but still far from the reeking summit, to a dark entrance that gazed back east straight to the Window of the Eye in Sauron's shadow-mantled fortress."
Second: "...iron crown of the topmost tower of Barad-dur. One moment only it stared out, but as from some great window immeasurably high there stabbed northward a flame of red, the flicker of a piercing Eye; and then the shadows were furled again and the terrible vision was removed. The Eye was not turned to them..."
This at least was Peter Jackson's, I'd guess, inspiration and green light
@@codylabrecque5446 It doesn't provide evidence at all for the eye as a literal embodiment of the dark lord. It only implies that something which seems like an eye can be seen in a window in Barad Dur, and if that indeed is Sauron's eye, I'd assume it's attached to his head, as he's looking out through a window.
@@xergiok2322 It's not so much physical as mental/spiritual... Sauron's will is so powerful that everyone perceives the Lidless Eye in their minds, regardless if it's actually manifested in reality or not.
Tolkien describes the gaze of an eye in many other creatures as producing a search-light like focused beam. Like the eyes of Smaug do in the Hobbit, and I believe there is a description of Glaurung producing this effect as well. It is not a physical eye they see but the tower and Sauron's will and gaze manifesting as a beam of light intent upon the North. Even if there was a literal physical eye it is not discussed in this chapter, but rather the gaze of an eye looking out from the top part of the tower. If you read carefully, no description of an eye is given. It stares out briefly because the clouds almost immediately cover it again, not because they saw the eye.
The other thing most people neglect is that Sauron's powers of seeing are related to the palantir that he has, not any innate power of his own. They can pierce clouds (but not shadows) Earth and flesh. At least in the description of the powers of the palantir they are stated to not be able to light up a dark area. So unless you can also see in the dark, you can't see through darkness. Maybe I am taking the word shadow literally there, maybe it refers to magical shadow that can veil the vision of less powerful beings and not actual shadow, basically it can see through illusions. But I am not sure of that.
The maiar also have an ability to project their will and thought to others. This is most famously illustrated when Frodo is on Amon Hen and two powers are said to struggle in Frodo's mind. One tells him to put on the ring, being Sauron, the other is Gandalf. As he later says that he struggled in thought with the Enemy when the company was at Amon Hen. This thought projection is in my mind what is discussed when the eye is upon you. Sauron is focused in thought on the place and people and that casts a shadow on your mind and makes you uncomfortable.
@@psevdhome Well, you made a mistake in your comment. The Eye of Sauron has nothing to do with the Palantir. The Eye of Sauron had been mentioned at the end of the second age (right after the fall of Numenor) and the Ithil stone(Sauron's Palantir) was captured by Sauron at the end of the third age.
As I said the Palantir has nothing to do with Sauron's seeing ability. It was his own god-given power
Matt, I would love you to rectify the movie version of Farmer Maggot, a great and noble character in the books, yet portrayed as an angry crop farmer in the movies, according to Tom Bombadil, he was a lot wiser and needed in middle earth than we are made aware of in the books, and certainly a lot more important than we see in the movies. As always, best Tolkien page I’ve came across! You’re the man! Maíth Thù
And also how and why Merry and Pippin joined Frodo and Sam on their journey.
@@meduseldtales3383 yesss! Great suggestion lol
*The Eye* works well as an emblem of unceasing vigilance (in the book) and as a giant, menacing TOWER OF FIRE in the film. I love both interpretations 🤷🏾♂️🔥👁
This is really helpful. I love the many manifestations of the eye, but its good to get the book canon clarified.
I think the rule of cool is a powerful one. even if the film eye is not accurate, its cool as hell! the animation on the eye is great!
@@SealWithAGlock indeed, rule of cool is a particular approach to fiction, one that I always appreciate when its done right, and in this case, the eye of sauron was done amazingly well.
Just posted this. To calrify further, given your own interpretation, to the book's version:
You've missed something I think. And I've sought for 20 minutes seeking for it. Here is what I've found:
First: "Thence, turning and encircling all its wide girth from south to north, it climbed at last, high in the upper cone, but still far from the reeking summit, to a dark entrance that gazed back east straight to the Window of the Eye in Sauron's shadow-mantled fortress."
Second: "...iron crown of the topmost tower of Barad-dur. One moment only it stared out, but as from some great window immeasurably high there stabbed northward a flame of red, the flicker of a piercing Eye; and then the shadows were furled again and the terrible vision was removed. The Eye was not turned to them..."
This at least was Peter Jackson's, I'd guess, inspiration and green light
I have always imagined the 3rd age Sauron as a large, dark, imposing humanoid missing the index finger of its right hand. Jackson's interpretation of the Great Eye was interesting, but put a very twisted idea of canon into everyone's minds that hadn't read Tolkien's works.
I really wish more people would read the books. I just went through them again, this time the audiobook version narrated by Andy Serkis (seriously, well worth your time!). Even though I've read them a dozen times, I'd forgotten just how different the films were. I didn't mind some of the changes, and do love the films overall, but I HATED the way they treated Denethor and the Gondorian soldiers. Supposedly full-time professionals, wearing plate armour (which historically was damn-near impervious to most weapons), yet the films make them out to be a bunch of incompetent buffoons, who even in one-on-one combat get their asses kicked by poorly equipped orcs half their size. The books make the average Gondorian soldier out to be a legit bad-ass, and they only lost battles when horribly outnumbered. And while book-Denethor was still a dick, he's far more sympathetic, especially when we learn he'd been mentally battling Sauron (a freaking Maia) via the Palantir for possibly decades. He was also very competent, and not dispatching cavalry on a suicidal assault to retake Osgiliath.
In actuality, it warped the mind of even some people who actually read the books but paid little attention. Due to confirmation bias, I know some who read LOTR and don't even realise Sauron had a physical form
There’s also the feeling of the Eye that Frodo gets while wearing the Ring atop Amon Hen when Sauron is using his Palantír:
“And suddenly he felt the Eye. There was an eye in the Dark Tower that did not sleep. He knew that it had become aware of his gaze. A fierce eager will was there. It leaped towards him; almost like a finger he felt it, searching for him. Very soon it would nail him down, know just exactly where he was.”
Obviously quite different from a giant eye atop the tower, but very detailed eye imagery nonetheless :)
Yes, I immediately recalled this scene from the books when I've watched Peter Jackson's adaptation in theatre. They did a good job there.
Yeah some people calling it silly what they have done in the movies dont get the reference, they took it from the books and extrapolated it
@@aesir1ases64 Silly is the duel between Gandalf and Saruman. It's a struggle of minds, not of D&D like spells and rolling a dice. But I see the problem to visualise this scene in a film, it's a hard one. The difference of magic in the books compared to the movies would be a great topic for another video.
@@Spielkalb-von-Sparta I have to say that despite the differences in canon, they did an amazing job with that scene. Christopher Lee was so unsettling as Sauron and did an amazing job. You can tell he was a completely rational being that literally ran out of logical options to win the war and went insane.
@@ColoradoStreaming I really did like Christopher Lee's performance as Saruman very much. I just wasn't impressed by this battle between him and Gandalf. Not the actor's fault. This fight scene just destroyed the mystery about the characters, it seemed way to superficial to me.
I think the Eye in the film always told me that Sauron was an otherworldy being, the eye was just him trying to reach into this world.
As someone who was very familiar with the books before seeing the films, I always interpreted the eye on the tower as a spell which allowed Sauron to cast his sight far away, not as Sauron himself. Had this conversation with many people lots of times "No, that's not actually Sauron."
It is not. Behold Sauron's physical form here ua-cam.com/video/Oz_njsPDGRs/v-deo.html ;)
I think part of that is how Sauron 'Died' when Frodo destroyed the ring. The Eye frantically looks around and is impaled when the tower falls. This heavily suggests that Sauron was the eye to audience members.
@@rubengalvez7450 Hmm. That's not without merit, but there's commentary from Jackson and the others that made the movie that strongly imply that they intended the Eye to be Sauron's form, plus how the Eye writhed in pain before imploding/exploding in my mind at least just doesn't lend well to the idea of it just being a projection. Here's what I'm thinking: its known that they were originally going to have Aragorn and Sauron fight at the Battle of the Black Gate, meaning that likely Sauron had finally taken physical form, so perhaps this brief glimpse is a leftover from that plan.
One wonders what was going on exactly in the minds of British authors in that era. Orwell’s “Big Brother is watching” in ‘1984’ is very much akin with Sauron’s eye in Tolkien’s more or less contemporary work, ‘The Lord of the Rings’.
Going by Focault's Discipline and punishment: It's the new Form of statehood that was formed in modernity. In premodern times the state in the west was often absent. Once a year they would send ppl to collect taxes, which was usually semi violent as the peasants might not agree. Crimes were punished brutally IF ever noticed or solved by the state. Judging by e.g. the criminals in the Spessart Region, in pre modern times the state may have been overly brutal to the criminals it did Catch but mostly it's penetration of society and geography was so low, most criminals were never caught, and people knew that. This is opposed to the modern state, the modern state is not overly brutal to criminals it caught (usually) but it penetrates all of society and its geography like the guard in benthams panopticon it is ever watchful, through a dense net of police stations, a gazillion of agencies that you have to deal with every day and sometimes even a secret police spying on you. The modern state's power in the mind of the people is not demonstrated through its sporadic display of boundless violence but rather its ever watchful omnipresence, it will find every petty crime, what work you do, how the house was built that you live in. Orwell and Tolkien both from different points of view take issue with modernity and its conception of statehood.
@@juliandominikreusch8979 That's OK but you forgot that Tolkien was a devout Roman Catholic so based on that, you can see many religious elements in LOTR. The eye, in my opinion, is something else, something much more dark and satanic. In many religions the one eye symbolises an evil presence. In ancient Egypt the eye of Horus/Ra was arguably a ritualistic sign and often associated with black magic and kabbalah. But that's before the abrahamic religions.
I cant say enough times how great your ability is for telling over the story and details of Middle Earth. The way you portray the characters voices are great! I really wish there would be a time where you could do audio recordings of the books. It would be so immersive! Also quick Q: Is it possible that the "sight" talked about Morgoth about what he says to Hurin could possibly be a metaphor for "seeing" things from Morgoths perspective and all the ruin he would cause rather than it being a supernatural power?
Your videos are legendary. All the work you put on that. The artworks, the voice change of each character, all the research of the history. Thank you for all the contribution to the Tolkien universe.
I'm going through life problems rn and this channel keeps me sane. Thank you and I appreciate you.
Ah, yes, the eye issue. It seems from the discussions I've had to be one of the things which confuses many people about the end of the story, as the big movie eye could come across Frodo and Sam trekking across Mordor at any time, rendering their mission essentially impossible. There is something to be said for the shot of the eye whirling around to focus on the battle at the gate, a good stand-in for what's going on in Sauron's head in the book, but I've also seen people not quite get the plan with the battle anyway.
That’s a good scene that really sells the diversion. For me, anyway
One question I've always asked is, why was the Witch King able to destroy Gandalf's new staff, during the battle at Minas Tirith, when he supposedly came back more powerful than before, as Gandalf the White? He was a Maia after all.
@@MrRenanHappy Thanks for the clarification. I'm currently re-reading the trilogy and haven't gotten that far into the story, yet.
Best, simplest explanation to this pretty easy to understand plot device.
Thank you.
I always enjoy your work.
You are the best, “Nerd of The Rings!!!”
Thank you for making this video, much needed.
You've probably done videos on some of these film misconceptions, but I've got a list off the top of my head:
Elves glowing in the movies, the effect of Morgul blades/weapons/black breath and what Athelas does to them/Eowyn and Faramir's wounds, Elves who chose the fate of men/half-elves and why some can become mortal, Gandalf's choice to go into Moria, Saruman's alliance and betrayal of Sauron, what happened when Pippin looked into the Palantir/how they work, Denethor's madness/portrayal, the relationship between Sneaker and stinker/Gollum and Smeagol, Galadriel's temptation/attitude towards Valinor and power/her portrayal, the ages/appearance of age for the members of the fellowship (especially Aragorn, Frodo, Sam, Boromir, Gimli), the significance of Boromir's sacrifice/redemption, the significance of Faramir refusing to take the Ring, why Gollum betrayed Frodo ultimately, the motivations of the different orc factions (both the Uruk-Hai vs. Mordor orcs in TT and Minas Morgul vs. Cirith Ungol orcs), the differences between Goblins and orcs (if any), why Frodo and Bilbo were allowed to go to Valinor/why they went at all, the scouring of the shire, Theoden's sickness, Theoden's decision to go to Helm's deep, the Ent's decision to go to war/Merry and Pippin's role in that, how Merry and Eowyn were able to kill the Witch-King, why Aragorn took the paths of the dead, the positive/negative legacy of Isildur, Elrond NOT sending for everyone at the council of Elrond/why everyone came/Boromir and Faramir's dream, The defense of Osgiliath, the orc's fear/pain in sunlight, how Saruman went bad, how the One Ring was destroyed/Frodo pushing Gollum in, how Merry and Pippin actually joined Frodo on his quest, the role of the Dunedain during the War of the Ring, why Wormtongue killed Saruman, how glowing Elvish blades work/why is Sting the only one glowing?, the orcs in Moria/their relationship with the Balrog/their role in the Two Towers, Gollum's oath on the Ring/Frodo's mastery over him...
That's probably enough.
I'm gonna read the whole comment, I promise, but I just chuckled because I scrolled past it and read the last sentence. That was hilarious hahaha
my man structure this text better it hurt my eyes trying to follow lol
@@aesir1ases64 Indeed.
Hello sir, I really love your channel! Ever since I discovered it I have been a hard fan of your explanations of the lore of Professor Tolkien. I would love to see a video on Goldberry. There are so many videos examining the nature of Tom Bomdadil, but Goldberry has always been just as much a mystery to me. She is called the river woman’s daughter, but I think it would be interesting to see just what kind of being she is.
Another great video, love your impressions of the characters as well!
I love the videos you do on specific locations so if you wanted to do more of those I'd love it
But when frodo is in rivendell (i think) dosent he spots a red litgh of some kind on the sky coverd in clouds? really great video!!
I am not shor if i remeber this corekly i may be relly wrong
The eye of Sauron isn't a creation of Peter Jackson it exists in the animated Return of the king movie. The entire concept comes from a passage in The Return of the King book in which (I believe) Sam and Frodo do see an eye above Barad dur.
"Far off the shadows of Sauron hung; but torn by some gust of wind out of the world, or else moved by some great disquiet within, the mantling clouds swirled, and for a moment drew aside; and then he saw, rising black, blacker and darker than the vast shades amid which it stood, the cruel pinnacles and iron crown of the topmost tower of Barad-dûr. One moment only it stared out, but as from some great window immeasurably high there stabbed northward a flame of red, the flicker of a piercing Eye; and then the shadows were furled again and the terrible vision was removed."
From earlier:
"“And suddenly he felt the Eye. There was an eye in the Dark Tower that did not sleep. He knew that it had become aware of his gaze. A fierce eager will was there. It leaped towards him; almost like a finger he felt it, searching for him. Very soon it would nail him down, know just exactly where he was.”
It's a window from which Sauron looks out ("an eye IN the Dark Tower") rather than a physical Eye. As NOTR says, Sauron definitely had a physical body and there's nothing to suggest Tolkien thought he had a body and also a huge flaming eyeball on top of the tower.
You can see how you'd get that impression if you only read that first passage and nothing else, but in context it's fairly clear.
"Sauron should be thought of as very terrible. The form that he took was that of a man of more than human stature, but not gigantic."
Tolkien, Letter 246
Been following you for the past year and a half or so. Amazing work man.
This was fun, but while I usually prefer book to film, the Eye of Sauron, as the films depict helps me with it. When writing have a chief villain we're never going to see, who maybe could do something, but doesn't, I think this helps. While even movie Gollum spoke of seeing Sauron, snf Pippin, still shaken by his mental intrusion says "I saw HIM!", the fact that Sauron never came out of the tower; never challenged these "lesser" heroes, it's almost nice to imagine it was because he couldn't, and not simply because he was craven, or so much now a lord, and armchair general that he had grown beyond facing his foes. The Eye giving him a representation made him still feel like a character in the film, to me, even though I know it wasn't really there, or really him. It adds a supernatural, magical property to the fallen celestial I appreciate, because so often it felt like even when he had unfathomable power, he didn't use it (visibly). Book is still better, even if I have to imagine Sauron just sitting on his throne, before disintegrating away like K, in MIB 3, having done nothing, and being shocked that suddenly he was defeated utterly.
As for my own question, assuming you haven't already done a video on it, and if you have, I apologize, how did Sauron, and the One Ring, get back to Mordor, after the Fall of Numenor? I'm a big fan of Elder Scrolls, and one of the Emperors of Tamriel once invaded Akaviir, I think. He had to have the Amulet of Kings with him, or else the Dragon Fires that kept Daedra out would extinguish, yet he wad (probably) felled, and lost, in the retreat from Akaviir. Some of his closest aides maybe saw him die, and none of them were bequeathed the Amulet, to take back without him, yet the next Emperor had it to wear, and on down the line till Uriel Septim VII, in Oblivion. It couldn't just "reappear", or ESO would have been shorter, and Akatosh didn't just grant another; it had to get back across the ocean to Tamriel, bur no one was reported to carry it, and at one time Uriel Septim V returning to Tamriel, with an army of dragons, was even maybe going to be Skyrim's plot. Without a game that covered it, though, we just never know, and now that the Amulet is gone, I guess it doesn't matter.
The One Ring is similar. For whatever reason, even "divine intervention" didn't unmake it, though it did destroy Sauron's form, and he lost Annatar, so some justice was done, bur not enough. Anyway, without a body, he still carried it back? Did it float to Mordor? Roll? Did Sauron follow the new curve of the world, and cone assure in the extreme east, where we know so little, or did he cross all the lands; a floating ring, between the coast and Mordor? If he could do this, why not again when he fell, and the Ring was taken? He was bested by heroes, yes, but that's less than divine punishment, and book Sauron didn't "lose" the Ring until after he was killed, so the loss shouldn't be worse. Why didn't his spirit linger close by, like after Numenor? He could've followed Isildur, and when the King died, get the Ting right back, but didn't. Anyway, with weird rules differing between different deaths, how did Sauron get the One Ring back to Mordor, after the Fall of Numenor? Why could he do it then, and without aid?
Smeagol is so very strange--he fell to the call of the One almost instantly, yet it took Sauron himself to get any answers out of him and that with difficulty.
You touched on something that always seemed unfitting and weakening of the two dark lords in my mind. Their inability to break certain captives, even with long periods of time to do so.
Assuming they couldn't just invade the mind of their subject (fair enough) you mean this 'sorcerer of dreadful power' couldn't extract info from almost any, if not every, human, elf, dwarf, basically anything under a maiar and maybe even most of them seeing as he broke Saruman through the seeing stone never having to subject him to any torment but that thru his mind.. for brief periods of time... From afar.
It would take a will that is just impossible to maintain for long for any man to resist his torment for anything but short periods.
When he captured Finrod and Beren for instance. Ok, Finrod was a very powerful elf king who battled Sauron in that song duel. So maybe he could resist giving into Sauron, for a time anyway. But those other 7 or so elves, not one of them broke. Even as they watched their comrades eaten alive by a werewolf. Noble, indeed. But also hard to believe for such a dreadfully powerful being like Sauron who's mastery over the mind is legendary. He couldn't find out from that entire group the info he needed.
Morgoth famously couldn't break a man into revealing info as well. If either of the dark lords were to capture anything but the Valar, they should be able to break them all. The only question is how long/how much effort it would take. The strongest could hold out for longer. Maybe months, maybe even years for the absolute beasts. Feanor could prob last for years.
But Sauron, like all of his kind, can read minds. It takes a strong mind to reject him. Given a decent amount of time, if he can't get literally anyone to break and give info, either thru his unimaginable tortures and/or his mind bending magic and trickery, then he isn't as dreadful as led to believe. Perfect example is Sauron using his magic to trick the man into seeing his dead wife. Then promising he will reunite them if he gives up the groups location. Which he does almost immediately. Being daunted by Sauron's gaze/presence as most would be. Course, the wife being dead and him keeping his word by killing the man cruelly is the most Sauron thing ever. This was 1st age Sauron keep in mind.
Beren was only rescued after all his group were dead, none of them giving up info.
Gollum held out for YEARS under constant torture even from the dark lord himself, IIRC. It was a long time. Too long. Sure, it makes Gollum look tough, his desire for the ring overwhelming, but more so makes Sauron seem alot weaker than he should.
One of the few things left that the lore/some of my own head cannon just can't reconcile. Yet, anyway. There's gotta be great theories around that will be shared with me soon enough. Just like the issues with the creation of orcs I had until a few days ago. Perfectly explained away comfortably by a commenter. Tolkien fans are the best.
I don't believe Sauron was necessary, I would imagine he did it more out of a sense of cruelty and wanting to personally torture a creature that took *his* ring
As cool as the idea of Sauron being just a dark presence in the tower that issues forth orders is in book form, in film form it would be more of an 'Orcus on his Throne' moment: A really cool looking villain who... just kinda broods and doesn't actively do anything. In the books, and in the expanded mythos it makes sense. Every time Sauron has gotten off his ass and decided to take initiative, he's gotten his ass handed to him. So it would make sense that he now stays in his tower, getting his minions to do his deeds and otherwise just kinda exuding his evil influence. But in the films, as a standalone trilogy, there would need to be a more obvious visual for Sauron. Otherwise you'd just have this visual of the main villain being this shadowy armoured guy sitting in a tower and not really doing anything. Sauron honestly works better as an utterly inhuman form as the Eye.
I was expecting this one! Thanks mate!
Thanks, man. We need more videos like this to show the real deal
I also think that a physical eye is a fine adaption for the films to convey quickly the piercing sight and presence of Sauron.
These decisions really show the genius of the filmmakers. Small changes of things that will lead to deep things. If any of us thinks of Mordor the first thing to come in mind will be that eye. I hope we see some similar things in "rings of power"
Yeah, people tend to forget that these films were always meant to be blockbusters for general audiences, not documentaries, and this means certain expectations on the part of the film-goers need to be addressed, like a recognisable overall adversary for the heroes.
PJ movies proved you dont need to be 100% accurate to deliver a masterpiece that please casuals and faithful fans
@@aesir1ases64 Very well said 👏
Unfortunately, “Rings of Power” is an atrocious mockery of Tolkien’s works.
@@jefffinkbonner9551 How can you be so sure before even watching it?
Well explained! A book detail that escaped me for years was the description of the insects in Mordor (in the chapter The Land of Shadow) Sam and Frodo find a riverbed with trickling water and some plants "harsh,twisted, struggling for life" as well as "Flies, dun or grey, or black, marked like orcs with a red eye-shaped blotch..." After untold readings over 5 decades I still discover new things.That's why always keep my one-volume LoTR near at hand, next to my Bible andy Complete Works of Shakespeare.
Great video 😊 Love your videos! Keep up the good work
I love your videos. I would like to see “what if” theories videos like the one of what if Gandalf took the rings.
I agree I would definitely like to see more what ifs, like what if sauron didn't die and lose the ring at the last alliance, what if boromir did take the ring at the end of the fellowship of the ring, what if gollum knocked frodo into the fire instead and gollum and the ring had survived
I another major thing I'm always correcting is that "Sauron is dead". He isn't though his spirit is still around but can't have a physical form cause he poured so much of himself into the one ring.
Great video as always! I think it would be cool to have a vid about the first elves that woke up and their travels (Inwe, Elwe and Olwe, Finwe)
The scripts you write for your vids are consistently great
What I liked much better in the books was that the Eye started as a small, distant foreboding in Bree and grew into overwhelming oppressiveness as Frodo got closer to Mt Doom. Jackson's Big Eye right from the start was a lost opportunity.
but it did get more oppressive to frodo as he got closer to mt doom
@@zentai5076 and don’t forget about the wound on Frodo chest from the One literally weighing on him
I did like how it was only shown for brief flashes in the first movie and then was more and more revealed as the trilogy went along.
How on earth do you do the voices so well? Especially Gollum's voice? I was not expecting that!
Incredible voices and information. Great channel!
your imitation of Gollum is astonishing. Hell, your voice in general is very clean and clear.
The Eye was also used in the cartoon versions of the lord of the ring.
At about 8 min, you made a great point that I think I will be at with Rings of Power.
I prefer Tolkien’s books most of all, and I assume that RoP won’t top Jackson’s trilogy for me.
I am sure that there will be things that I will enjoy immensely and things that I will question continuously.
Wherever it lands, it won’t take away my enjoyment of the books or Jackson’s films. In my mind I will see how Tolkien would have looked at things and be glad we will see the 2nd age on screen, for the good and bad.
Great video as always! I would love to see one that covers the creatures and locations mentioned in the Mewlips poem. Maybe do a series on The Adventures of Tom Bombadil?
Man I cannot imagine being in that tower knowing the most evil being in Middle Earth was just a few floors above (or below) me. Like how do you work with such an imposing and horrifying individual.
Perfect video especially after that DEFINITELY NOT LEAKED TEASER THAT NO ONE SAW yesterday ;)
Haha. Happy coincidence there! I won’t complain. 😁
As usual, their teaser trailers raise more questions than they answer.
For sure Sauron's reembodiment was completed by the end of the Third Age. He was likely wearing the Nazgul's rings. That said, the Eye of Sauron that Peter Jackson created was cool and epic. I think it is even better at creating an emotional response of fear in the viewers. I am never personally terrified of Sauron reading the books. Just sayin'....
That’s a good point. The Witch King is definitely more terrifying. Any film adaptation would def have to explain why Sauron isn’t taking part himself physically speaking.
seeing the Witch King break Gandalfs staff was hilariously off tho
@@oldboy8150
Also, I think Peter Jackson had the dead White Tree blooming to show that the line of Kings would not be broken instead of Gandalf leading Aragorn to the mountains behind the city where he found a sapling of the White Tree.
Superb video. Love the voice acting. Your English accent is getting better & better. 😉
Great video. Thank you for it! So, I doubt this is a popular idea, but I would be interested to hear your take on a playthrough of the Shadow of Mordor series. They're not particularly long, and clearly not canon with a handful of timeline issues, but they're rather fun and brought a unique depth to the story that remained mostly faithful to the Silmirillion with both some returning and unique characters. Even the DLC for the second, especially the one in the desert with the dwarf was fun and made an impression with some Numenorian nods. The way they do the body of Sauron is sort of an interesting mix of both the books and movies, as if his focus be it on the ever-seeing eye or his physical body is "where he's at" and they're intrinsically linked, something I imagine wouldn't be too hard for him inside Barad-Dur.
While inaccurate to the books,I do like the idea that Sauron’s physical form during the films was less the Eye as a whole,but more the pupil specifically,as it sometimes shifts into his silhouette-particularly during the Hobbit films,while the rest of the Eye is a sort of shell in which he is encased for greater presence and indimidation
I never assumed he had a physical body in the books even after reading it carefully. Interesting great video, always something else to learn from your channel.
I think it only gets mentioned once by Gollum and is never brought up again.
Another amazing video, keep up the great work.
I could sleep hearing your narrative. Very calming
I never considered the Eye as Sauron himself, so much as his representation, or a magical means of viewing the world.
You should do more What if scenarios.
My personal headcanon, using both book and movies, Sauron's physical form was destroyed when Isildur cut the ring from Sauron's hand because he poured too much of his strength and will into the Ring. However because of his strength and dark powers as a Maiar, he built Barad-Dur in such a way he could manifest himself only in Barad-Dur such as using the Palantir, and the One Eye was his way to see all his domain and the world because everytime Frodo put the ring on, Sauron instantly knew where to look as the One Eye but Sauron couldn't see everything because he was opposed by the 3 rings and they could "blur" his vision so he couldn't clearly see beyond his domain unless someone was using a Palantir and Sauron could read their minds.
Now that you mention burning questions, I have always wondered why did Finrod, Beren & co. go to Tol-in-Guaroth in the first place, instead of Angband directly.
Another great video mellon nin, love your job!
Hail from Madrid
I always thought Tolkien intended the "Eye of Sauron" to be a metaphor and was the concept of "mind's eye". Sauron's innate powers of perception.
"The Mouth of Sauron rode out the gates, he was accompanied by a hooded figure. As he spoke to the fellowship, the hooded figure would wave his hands to help those who could not hear understand what was being said. He was the Hands of Sauron..."
- Christopher Tolkien
I started this with a bit of hubris as I have read the book over a dozen times, yet halfway through, I realize I have not cracked the cover in over a decade. Good video!
I’ve been waiting for this video🙌
Imagine if they were to make an adaption for the Silmarillion and in the adaption they walk around talking like they do in the books like: ”thou, thee, thy, faileth, loveth, nigh, ere.
I think it would be quite intresting to see a modern adaption talk like it was made more than 100 years ago.
What if spirit of sauron torture gollum , and he saw his hands in form of spirit ,i think that sauron has no physical form make more sense than staying in his fortress with physical form and do nothing
THIS
But it’s irrelevant anyway cause Gollum never says this in the films
I love your videos! I'm curious about your interpretation of this passage:
"...and then he saw, rising black, blacker and darker than the vast shades amid which it stood, the cruel pinnacles and iron crown of the topmost tower of Barad-dûr. One moment only it stared out, but as from some great window immeasurably high there stabbed northward a flame of red, the flicker of a piercing Eye; and then the shadows were furled again and the terrible vision was removed. The Eye was not turned to them: it was gazing north to where the Captains of the West stood at bay, and thither all its malice was now bent, as the Power moved to strike its deadly blow; but Frodo at that dreadful glimpse fell as one stricken mortally...The thought came suddenly to him: 'He's spotted us! It's all up, or it soon will be. Now, Sam Gamgee, this is the end of ends.'" - ROTK, Book 6, Chapter 3 'Mount Doom'
When I first read this passage it seemed really concrete that it was in fact a literal eye, but I had already seen the movies. What do you think this passage is referring to?
Sauron's particular ability is the domination of the will of others - I always took the eye from Frodo's sense as he walked towards mordor in the marshes, "But far more he was troubled by the Eye: so he called it himself. It was that more than the drag of the Ring that made him cower and stoop as he walked. The Eye: that horrible sense of a hostile will that strove with great power to pierce all shadows of cloud, and earth, and flesh, and to see you: to pin you under its deadly gaze, naked, immovable. So thin, so frail and thin, the veils were become that still warded it off. Frodo knew just where the present habitation and heart of that will now was: as certainly as a man can tell the direction of the sun with his eyes shut. He was facing it, and its potency beat upon his brow."
I enjoy both versions but this is one RARE instance where I think "the movies did it better", I just think this notion of a giant evil flame eye ball on top of enormous tower so badass and sinister.
I think it would have been near impossible for the movies to have portrayed the eye as the book did, and that it was much better that they didn't try.
Ngl tho. the concept for Sauron just being a Eye Fits really well in my opinion, it give us a very intimidating, scary and most of all Evil looking dark lord. anyway another amazing Video, i really Enjoy it :D
Another winner, thank you, very informative. Could and do watch your channel, along with Men of the West and Darth Gandalf for hours. 🥰
great breakdown, much appreciated! If i am not mistaken, he also lost the ability of shapeshifting (or maybe took it again) after he was defeated by Huan the Hound... in Beren and Luthien's story. Cheers!
Question: How good was Legolas "actually" with his bow and fighting skills or Gimli with his Axe? That's a good video!
In the books Legolas nailed one of the Nazgul 'winged beasts' at a distance with his bow.
I love the closing theme you use, so calming, what's it called please? Been feeling really low recently but that tune has literally soothed all my ill feelings. Thank you
Can you cover the elves coming to the Battle of Helms Deep and lack of Erkenbrand etc ? Love the channel btw, great work!
It always hurts me that people say in the LOTR movies the eye IS the Sauron!! There is nothing in the movies to suggest the eye is Sauron himself, rather than the eye OF Sauron. Even when Aragorn looks in the Plantir we see Sauron in his physical form(similar to the one in the prologue of FoTR)
I know that even the idea of the eye of Sauron as a physical eye is not present in the books, but it helped the movies a lot and is by far a less radical change than picturing Sauron as a big eye.
What? That’s literally the same thing
@@wa-bu3ke isn't there a difference between 1. Sauron being the red big eye and 2.Sauron being in a physical form inside of Barad-dur and observing middle-earth using a giant eye on top of his tower?
@@saeedmofidi2547 There is a difference. You just said the difference.
@@wa-bu3ke yep. All I'm saying is that although none of them are true regarding the books, the movie goes with number 2 which is way more acceptable than number 1.
@@saeedmofidi2547 It’s not. Seeing him menacing in the tower and interacting with minions would have been way better. Also Aragorn fighting him.
I’ll take that anyday over a CGI eye
It's interesting how people don't mind Peter Jackson not following the canon of the book yet having an uneasy time about Amazon not following canon.
because everything else was all most followed page by page, the new Amazon is stuff is just very out of place to me, but to each their own!
No people still took issue with it, but forgave him largely because the majority of the films is actually close in adherence to the canon, and most of his changes were... Honestly pretty minor and didn't break the world by doing so.
That said people took many issues with what he did in the hobbit movies which by comparison were still far better than what Amazon is currently doing. The fans did relent somewhat when they found out that Jackson wasn't really responsible and had 6 months to try and recorrect the mistakes of the previous director.
This video gives my lots of inspiration for my own story that I'm writing!
Awesome! Thanks for clearing that up... I wish we had gotten to see more of physical Sauron in the movies...