I love your breakdowns, you can point out it being inaccurate without raging uncontrollably like a lot of other channels. You highlight differences and give good reasons for them. You really seem to just be watching the show for what it is and having fun with it.
I took the opening scene to represent the creation narrative with the universe being sung into existence. The black "sand" with the harsher melody being the discord of Melkor working it's way into the melody. You then have all the symbols being more rough and no longer symetrical. Then the opening goes back to a more melodic tone and you get the polished logo that could represent Eru's line; "And thou, Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined."
Wow......absolutely love this interpretation.....(even if it's not what the showmakers had in mind, I'm going to assume it's the real meaning from now on 😅)
Love this. Thank you. I really liked the opening credits visuals. It also reminded me of "cymatic patterns" which I really love. "When musical vibrations are channeled through a malleable medium, such as a liquid, the vibrations cause the medium to arrange itself into visible geometries known as cymatic patterns"
I was just writing about it but you expressed it much better. 😅 Always read the comments first I guess. But yeah, I think it was one of the better things in the show so far.
Just wanted to take a moment to say thanks for all the reviews and breakdowns of all your work. its rare to find someone so knowledgeable and eloquent at the same time AND to clearly explain things. you have helped me understand the wider lore and how it all connects. I appreciate it. thank you.
This is the best breakdown of the show. I love the intricate details and analogies you point at. I also like the absence of heavy criticism prevalent on some other, main LOTR channels. I'm capable of forming my own opinions and impressions. What I seek is information and you provide it exceptionally well. Thank you!
@@AdeelTariq0 Actually I think he adds quite a bit. He gives brief background to characters, he points at details with useful info. etc. I'm familiar with the main storyline , his breakdowns help me fill in the blanks I have.
I think my favorite small detail is having Durin's kids running around with giant helmets on, so they didn't have to spend hours getting children into Dwarf prosthetics for the scene XD
In a production that big & expensive dwarf kids wouldnt be much hassle to make, i think it was just for the lols like much of the stuff during the durin scenes
Theo is absolutely Halbrands kid. The sign on his necklace is too close to the statue in the village and he’s from the southlands. This to me put Theo is perfect position to become the witch king. If you take what halbrand says about kings in his home land, what Theo’s friends says to arondir about king coming back actually likely puts halbrand as a descendant of the kings of tir harad. It would explain why Theo’s blood is drawn to the blade if he’s a descendant of the person who’s sword it is (again witch king). It also sets up Theo for likely “accidental” matricide later on to both send Theo further down the “dark side” and to end the arondir-bronwen romance in the tragedy with which it is doomed to end in.
Maybe he becomes Khamul and becomes a threat on the south and Halbrands becomes the witchking and creates the black numenorians with all those Morgoth rituals and stuff which leads to the demise of numenor.
@@dante316a kamul is supposed to be from rhun not harad or southlands. Not saying it can’t happen because they might have to take some small liberties but would be better if they didn’t.
New SUB here! I had to lend my support after seeing your level headed approach to this adaptation. No hissy fits, no cringy gatekeeping, no pathetic flexing of how much knowledge you have on LOTR, no epic cringe moments where you make this a personal attack on your identity as a Tolkien fan. I'm here for it! ☺️🥰
I think that 'The Stranger" is one of the Blue Wizards. Because: 1 - in FOTR, Aragorn said in the council of Elrond, that he went to distant lands, to Rhûn, and Harad, where the 'stars are strange'. 2- Tolkien wrote in one of his letters, that he believed that the Blue Wizards went east and south, as missionaries to enemy occupied lands. 3- the stranger draws a constellation that looks strange to Elanor Brandyfoot, she didn't recognized it, and the harfoots look very aware of things like that. 4- the stars are different when you go to another hemisphere, and the promo map of the show, posted on Amazon Prime Twitter, showed a lot of the South (Harad). EDIT: Note: the time that the Blue Wizards arrived is uncertain. In Unfinished Tales is said that they (actually, all five istanti) arrived around 1000 Third Age. In History of Middle-Earth XII, is said that the Blue Wizards arrived around 1600 Second Age, around the time that the One Ring was forged. Their mission was on the East and the South, to help the peoples on those lands against Sauron's influence. He definitely is a wizard. So, I believe (and hope) that's he is Alatar or Pallando. Love the channel, cheers!
I think the same, this is the first one and later in the show will arrive the second one looking for his friend. I don't think he is any of the three wizard we know from Hobbits and LOTR, that would be lame as f...
i think its sauron. just because he has some darkness into him (the sauron looking eye at the end of the first episode) and the fact that he is going into a human form th convice celebrimbor to craft the rings.
The only channel I will watch in relation to Tolkien. Thank you for presenting unbiased and thoughtful reviews good sir… there are far too many on YT who are just making negative click bait. 👍
How can it be unbiased? That is crazy. The man has hours of lore videos about the second age and the characters portrayed I beg you to go watch them again and tell me how any of this show is similar to what the man who made this channel himself said in those videos. They show and the lore are night and day. To say these reviews are not biased is like saying a cow is a horse
@@anthonyarmstrong5352 Haha.. I see your point, but I am referring to other channels mate. Most notably those more concerned with the race of the actors involved, rather than the content itself. Nerd is a great channel
The series opening sequence is a Chladni Plate - a board vibrating in resonance with sound upon which sand is placed to demonstrate the wave patterns. I like the theory that it represents the Ainulindalë - creating physical patterns from music.
We had that thought too. I thought it was perfect, reflecting the alignment of magic with beauty and creation with song in the Tolkien universe, along with the gold and representation of the various sets of rings of power.
The fact that there's a deadline for the forge (by spring) makes me think that Sauron has already approached Celebrimbor and just hasn't told anyone yet. Otherwise why would Elves have to worry about such a tight time limit. My guess is that the "Lord of Gifts" is trying to expedite things for his own purposes. Though that's just my own speculations.
I like this idea, and we know from other scenes that the forces of evil are already in motion. At the same time, it plays into one of my worries that they might shy away from Sauron’s fair form and keep him as a distant corrupting force like he was in the LOTR movies. But it’s way too early to tell, let’s hope that isn’t the case.
@@GrayCatbird1 I got a feelimg we wont See Sauronin this series but in a way I actually like that cause through the course of the movie trillogy we never see him apart from the first 10 minutes in FOTR but that actually made him scarier and more intimidating cause just the mention of his name was enougth to send fear to those in middle earth
You know what - I think I laughed too, but not AT Durin. I laughed because it's such a simple and sweet reason to be genuinely mad at a friend. That's a huge turning point in life, it's relatable. Can't speak for everyone else in the theatre though!
Matt you put an unbelievable effort to present this crap as a serious Tolkien show, congrats really I do not know any Tolkien hc fan that could do this.
@@urusledge I kinda hate this take on the show. I've read the books and even though the show adds characters and plot lines it doesn't feel like it's taking away from the general storyline. The new characters are interesting so far, it's nice to explore new time periods not written in Tolkien's books, and saying its "not canon" with only 2 eps it's like listening to one song and making a review of a whole album.
The story about Morgoth staring at the silmaril's does sound very much like morgoth. could it have swayed his heart against evil? no, absolutely not. but he did have a major fascination with LIGHT. the towers of light, the two trees, the silmaril's, he is and always was obsessed with light and beauty. but no it could never have turned him "good".
I haven't heard anyone bring it up so I just want to point out that the intro with the sand is cool because they are vibration patterns. When you put sand on a vibrating surface it will form patterns depending on the frequency of the vibration. A clear nod to the Ainulindalë. Edit: literally just noticed that I'm definitely not the first to mention this in the comments
I thought the Morgoth anecdote was interesting because it doesn't contradict canon but rather supports it and enriches it. After Morgoth got the silmarils, he set them in his helmet, which he never removed ever again. Therefore, he never actually looked at them again until Beren cut them out. This story just gives an interesting bit of reasoning to Morgoth's decision to affix them to his helm.
Going further with this, it's clearly meant to be taken as a story the Elves created. The story serves basically to emphasize the glory of the Silmarils, which has added effect of glorifying Feanor, his works, and by extension the Noldor. It's essentially self-aggrandizing propaganda that says "The works of Feanor were so powerful, they nearly healed the greatest Evil to ever exist" - who incidentally was the Noldor's greatest Enemy. It's not conveyed as a canon thing that happened, but taken as a story the Noldor created for themselves it works very effectively at communicating how they see or saw themselves vis a vis the Silmarils and Morgoth.
I seriously don't understand the dislikes? 11 000 thumbs up and 9 200 thumbs down. You can have your opinions about TV series but that doesn't make this video as bad analysis. Great job Nerd of the Rings as always.
There are two kinds of Lord of the Rings fans: those with an innocent and pure love of great fantasy, and those who only see value in Tolkien's work as a weapon in a culture war. The most obvious example is when outspoken Catholics make it apparent by their words that they hope to make converts out of people by conflating LotR directly with Catholicism, as though it were just as intentionally allegorical as The Chronicles of Narnia. The more dangerous and insidious example is when LotR becomes yet another case of fandom spaces being infiltrated by agents of fascism, who prey upon the fears, frustrations, and other vulnerabilities of nerds to radicalize them. Every single fandom in the digital age is a Númenor in progress.
wow. im screen shotting that. this is one of the worst comments since the show came out. rings of power is not a good fantasy show. its dialogues and plot lines are as bad as in witcher. stop
Some people are just haters, and will never give this show a chance. The more innocent ones are Tolkien purists who hate any changes to canon such as dwarf women not having beards or what have you, the more sinister ones like has been mentioned are those people who despise any form of multiculturalism and feel like LOTR is an inherently White Western European fantasy and and are using this series as a culture war tool to anger up their fellow nationalists. Me I'm just happy to see the Second Age even if it's not totally accurate, I've always loved it.
@@7QWERTY13 There's something so bitterly ironic about fascist elements using the works of Tolkien, a man who had as his overarching themes the need for empathy and distrust of "great men" who would use power for power's sake.
Exactly! Multiple channels have pushed me away! I’ve done my fair share of diving into books and lore, but I am in no way a purest with Tolkien. I grew with Dune, Barsoom, Rama, etc,. More SCI-FI. I can somewhat understand being upset but the vitriol is getting pretty wild. Man, it’s nice to have such epic tales, this high in production quality and a pretty good start!
Exactly, I was so prepared for a disaster series, people were talking about how unwatchable 8t would be and I honestly believed it would. Boy was I pleasantly surprised, I actually liked it.
@@fredreindljr1996 exactly. I have read the books too, but really not liking this "NASTY Tolkien cult" i see emerging that is not open to anything except it's own purist interpretation.
The constellation thing with the Stranger reminded me of this line from Aragorn in the books: "I have crossed many mountains and many rivers, and trodden many plains, even into the far countries of Rhûn and Harad where the stars are strange.” It would be fun if he was a Blue Wizard since those are the places they chose to fulfill their purpose.
he is 100% a wizard. His magic voice of power, his talking to animals, the connection of wizards and "hobbits" from the beginning. And since Sauron is "Meth Eminem" there are not many Maiar left. Landing where hobbits are is a clear indication, he is kicking off their fate in preparation for Gandalfs story later on. Even though he obviously lost his mind and doesn't know why he is doing stuff, because of the Valar limiting the minds of the Istari in Middle-earth.
@@macke2411 If that is true than they basically took the Diablo III story, I already thought about that, too. But even Halbrand could turn into Meth Eminem Sauron, he can change shape after all. And also Sauron needs to look like a super elegant Elven Lord to deceive them as Annatar etc. That fits with Meth Eminem.
I'm glad they are just making it organic. It would be too confusing to average people plus I love how they called Simarils pretty stones and not actually useful
I love how they can touch so close to the canon even though they don't have access to all of it. I believe they are being as faithful as they are allowed to be.
I think they handled it in the right way. Small nuggets and snippets of information like that are rewarding to those of us who know what deeper meaning these little conversations hold. It's such a little, caring flourish that doesn't 'need' to be there perhaps, but gives added weight to the characters for those who understand the context. And it proves to me that to some extent, there are people behind RoP who do understand, and love the material they're working with.
@Matthew How much did you have to squint to see two characters thousands of years old in that light? Do you have the same problem with Gandalf and any of the hobbits? Are Aragorn and Boromir gay? Bilbo and Thorin? Legolas and Gimli?
I am new to watching your video's and am enjoying them very much. Not only do you have a really wonderful narrators voice, you present your thoughts and theories so well. I've seen quite a few channels just bashing on this show without mercy. I was expecting so much worse when I watched the first two episodes, there was a lot more that was better than I expected. I have thoroughly enjoyed how you have been respectful and explained things as well as you have, I feel that I have really learned a lot, hearing references to the writings, canon etc. I will be watching all of your breakdown videos and look forward to them. Thank you sir, you are a great advocate for LotR fans.
Yes I'm really enjoying this take on the show because I'm sick of seeing content on YT with incredibly negative and sometimes scarily right-wing titles and agendas. It's possible to love LOTR and still enjoy and take entertainment from this middle-earth story too if it's well made. And personally, having seen it so far, I am impressed and do think it is well made and engaging. NotR said in his review video that he puts Ep1&2 above The Hobbit movies and I'm agreeing so far.
@@uchenna127 that's very sweet, except instincts usually support survival, and jumping into the sea thousands of miles from middle earth would not support survival. I think the writer at the Galadriel table that came up with the idea needs a time out, and their colleagues probably agree. I'll bet it wasn't even a writer, but a domineering executive instead. Just lazy writing. I felt the eyes rolling around the world when that happened. It nearly tilted us back on our original axis.
what i love about the opening is that when you play sound on a platform covered in sand they make those types of patterns and at different frequencies the fall into different patterns. I thought this was a great metaphor of the song of illuvatar shaping the world and the geography. but more than just the geography because they are patterns and symbols. i thought it was absolutely great.
This was the better episode in my opinion, Durin absolutely killed that elevator conversation scene and Bronwyns fight with the Orc was so on point. The only thing i’m concerned about is the mark the Stranger made, it’s the same one Gandalf makes on the door or Bilbo, i’m hoping this “Stranger” isn’t Gandalf
Yeah, I'm fine with some creative liberties just as I was with the LOTR trilogy. However if it's Gandalf that is way too big of a leap from the lore which would be a shame as I'm honestly really enjoying the show. Blue wizard, perfectly fine. Would honestly be really really good imo
@@lordbane5627 I'd be pissed, but less than if the shiny thing was revealed to be a Silmaril. Mithril or the Arkenstone, or something else. _No touchy Silmarils._
I am routing for blue wizard as well, but there are so many clues its Gandalf: -Are they showing why Gandalf has an affinity for hobbits -Meteor man talking with fireflys, Gandalf talking with smalled winged creatures -Another moment came to mind, when Gandalf died in LOTR, and returned as Gandalf the white, for a moment he forgot himself... it almost seems like meteor man has forgot himself But now all these Gandalf clues are making me wonder if the showrunners are trying to make me think its Gandalf so they surprise me with someone else.
All of these things very much point to it being Gandalf and the Stranger's "clothing" in this episode makes me think of Gandalf too! The fabrics are so similar!
@@ThePhantome1 they did but apparently on the latest changes in tolkien writings, only the blue wizard did arrived earlier around the end of 2nd age. Dont know if the showrunners are sticking to that.
@@ThePhantome1 Yes. The Istari were sent to Middle Earth 1000 years into the Third Age. Edit: According to The Peoples of Middle Earth, the Blue Wizards arrived in the Second Age during the forging of the Rings of Power.
I think The Stranger is Radagast. I mean, it makes a bit of sense, right? The Stranger seems to be addled, his memory all but lost when he is found by the Harfoots who are depicted as being very in-tune with nature and being a friendly and eccentric folk. Given the way that Harfoots are being depicted so far in the story, I could certainly see their influence creating the animal-loving and somewhat reclusive wizard that we know of as Radagast the Brown. Also, I think his talking to the fireflies actually hints at this. If I recall my lore correctly, when Gandalf is trapped on Saruman's tower he whispers to a butterfly to get aid from Radagast who is the one who sends the Eagle to Gandalf. Perhaps it was Radagast himself who taught Gandalf to speak to beasts and bugs?
The opening titles are brilliant in that they mimic the very real sand/sound images made from pitch frequencies (i.e. Chladni plates) and; therefore, are meant to evoke the Music of the Ainur in the creation of the universe. Therein lies the power of the shapes, most specifically the Rings.
Also a note, it seems that NotR missed the part of the intro just before the title with the three rings where it's just one ring. That means that it starts off with nine rings (for men) before ending with the one ring and the three for elves. This matches the theme of the Ainur perfectly, with the one ring appearing in the discord of Melkor and the three appearing as the main melody takes over again. The only thing missing is the rings for the dwarfs, although there's a scene near the middle of the intro where a ring in the center of the screen is zoomed in on through other patterns as it dissolves into six other feint rings on the edge of the screen. That's my best guess as to what might be the seven rings for dwarfs, although it is a bit of a stretch.
@@pewpewpandas9203 I agree. They start with the Nine of course, and end with the One and then the Three (note they dissolve away slowly 😢). And I think you're also right about the Seven rings image (time stamp 2:00 of E02). I really like that these are all patterns that exist for real using various frequencies. They've done a tremendous job.
Yeah it’s fcken dumb just like the rest of the show. Ooow sand! 1 billion dollars and we get vibrating sand ur right what a privilege it is to see such brilliant concepts Brought to life.
On the matter of two Durins, I noticed that Durin IV's father's name was never told. It's possible that the showrunners decided not to call him Durin III after all, or that it was never the plan.
I’m not that bothered about the two durins. To be fair the “reincarnation” is written more as folklore than fact in the appendix. “They have many strange tales and beliefs”. At least they’ve made them look very very alike and therefore could well look alike to durin the deathless since at least they look similar to one another.
@@alanwiles3175 Yeah they look-alike to the point where I had to confirm on IMDB if it's not the same actor with aging work done. Even the voice is similar.
So nice to have a content creator talk about this show like it's not the catalyst for the fall of human civilisation. That said, I think the title reveal was waaay cooler than the actual intro.The show still feels a bit flat to me, a bit gimmicky at times. I think the Jackson films have just set my expectations too high... How is anyone ever supposed to live up to an adaptation like that? I'll still watch the show, but I'll probably enjoy the costumes, sceneries and visuals more than the actual story.
@@moensbruno yea but clearly the writers themselves didn't love Tolkien enough by firing the only Tolkien expert they had on staff and then to make it worse, ghosting the biggest Middle-earth visionary director PJ during the show's production. if they don't respect the professor's work, why should i have respect for theirs?
@@Hepsvljn couldn’t call him for copyright reasons? I don’t think you know how copyrights work… Also they did contact him, and then proceeded to ghost him.
Something I’m absolutely loving is that in the “trivia” section, like when you scroll to the side and it also has the actors and music and stuff, they are giving little facts related to the scenes and which piece of literature they are referencing! It’s not every scene (I’m guessing since it’s not all canon) but I thought that was really cool and showed they really put a lot of thought into creating the show.
i agree too, i really feel like its gonna be in all the episodes, by the end of season 5 they would have written all the appendix passages in the trivia sections😂😂😂 and i thank them for it.
ya the Map transitons so far seem real cool giving us a better understanding of where we at. I could do with a whole eps of just the dwarfs at this point
I actually really appreciate it as well! I have no problem with the art and design in the Jackson films, but I welcome a different take on things like the wargs, trolls, and orcs. They honestly should not be held down by existing designs and be free to make their own original mark. There are many different pieces of art showing the same scenes from Tolkien's work, and they can be pretty different. I really like that! As long as the character design doesn't stray too far from Tolkien's actual descriptions, I'm fine with some liberties taken in the design and artwork.
I do like the notion of the "Meteor man" being a blue wizard and I would love it if the show would pursue the idea of such a wizard being a more "neutral" character than the either "lawful good" or "chaotic good" Gandalf and Radegast or the "lawful evil" Saruman in (LOTR). After the end of episode 2 I was wondering whether perhaps the kid with the sword-shard could be a far more profound character than we think. Overall, I really enjoyed the first two episodes, and they really made me feel "in Middle Earth". Watching them wasn't a "blown away" experience as when watching "The Fellowship" in cinema in 2001 but then that is no surprise as the novelty of grand scale fantasy film is gone. But what I did love is that this series is visually so gorgeous and feels truly different from other TV format fantasy. There is no mistaking this for GOT. If I were to criticize one thing, then it is that the dialogue (which is perfectly adequate) often misses the poetry of Tolkien that was so successfully attained in the LOTR trilogy. But this could easily be something that improves over time as the episodes come and go. It is never disrupting my viewing pleasure, but there are quite a few sentences being said where you can almost feel they were reaching for a more beautiful combination of words to use, but just missed them.
That was my biggest criticism for the first two, but i couldn't describe it well. Saying it doesn't catch the poetry of Tolkien is a perfect way to say that. In some ways, I feel like all the Elves are in a high school theatre class and haven't quite perfected their lines yet.
I am wondering whether Theo might turn out to be the Witch King of Angmar himself, actually. He is young, so there's plenty of time for the blade to corrupt him, and he seems to have mixed feelings about elves in general. I agree with you on the fact that so far the magic that existed in PJ's adaptations of the LotR stories is so far elusive. I wonder whether this came from a desire to appeal to a greater audience, which would perforce mean more simplistic language. I admit that one character I was quite disappointed with in the two episodes we've seen is actually Elrond himself. I did not like the fact that Gil-Galad is incapable of making his own speeches, nor do I enjoy the fact that Elrond seems to play the part of a glorified secretary. This is LotR, not House of Cards, after all...
Wow, what a long-winded comment LMAO. The writing is pretty meh, with the desperate attempt to sound poetic or 'deep'. Which character could Theo be that would be profound? They only have rights to LOTR and Appendixes, the most profound one he can be is The Witch King.
Witch King is better than the idea of Wizards appearing in the Second Age. Witch King's origins are somewhat vague, so they could try to work with that, though I'm not going to expect anything so deep from the showrunners.
Nori Brandyfoot is a surprisingly likable character (and very well played by the actress). Her childish curiosity is really contagious. The small and simple world of the Harfoots certainly puts things in perspective compared with the world of the Elves, Dwarves and Men. I think it’s a nice contrast to include in the series. However, Durin and his wife Disa was two of my favorite characters in this episode. The actress who plays Disa totally owns her role and give an insight in the life and mind of a female noble Dwarf, which is very interesting. I also loved the scene when their children came rushing in. We get glimpses of how life is in different cultures of Middle-earth not only from a grown-up male perspective, but from women and children as well, much like Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings”.
@@knockitoffhudson3470 Very much so. I was smiling through the whole scene, both because of Disa and her charisma and because of the grumpy Durin trying to hold Elrond at a distance (hilarious).
Honestly they are all wonderful additions that totally fit in… and my wife who is less of a Tolkien nerd really loves the Durin family dynamic with Elrond. The Harfoots also offer an interesting perspective and the added mystery of the stranger is compelling. I’m not sure why the show is getting SO MUCH backlash… but I hope as the season goes on, it gets better and better, and the people begin to see the light.
I can't believe you can call yourself a fan of Tolkein. And ignore the outright butchering of Chars. and their canon. You are far too captivated by the billion dollars spent on cinematography, and ignore the absolute disaster of the story, writing, and chars. Elrond and Galadriel are by far the worst chars of this show.
My last theory: I hope Sauron will still be introduced as Annatar, and if so, I could see him coming to Eregion to be welcomed by Celebrimbor. I think Elrond will strongly oppose him, to which Celebrimbor would relieve Elrond of service Denethor style. Elrond might warn Gil Galad of this “annatar.” This is not the canon approach of course, but I could see this happening throughout the course of the show. (For some reason my long initial paragraphs got deleted by a network glitch. There goes 30 minutes of UA-cam comment theories :p)
Halbrand is Sauron and is going to be in a love triangle with Galadriel and Celeborn. she's going to choose Celeborn and that will be what pushes him into being the Uber bad that we know. This show is written by idiots.
Thanks so much for the recap - there were a lot of little details I missed (like the Dragon-Helm, for example). No idea who the Stranger is yet. Halbrand could definitely be Theo's father. The other boy in Theo's village says "When our King returns", and to Theo "You father fled" or similar. Halbrand says "My people have no King", while refusing to meet Galadriel"s eye. Looking forward to seeing where this story takes us!
Halbrand might end up the Witch King. But this thing is meant to have a lot of episodes, and potentially span quite a bit of time. Halbrand may be Theo's father . . . but looking at Theo messing with evil swords, THEO could end up the Witch King, given time for a growing-up-and-going-bad arc.
@4:20 "is this a canon story?" 😳 Err none of what is in this show should be considered canon. How much of what has been shown came from Tolkien's hand?
I don't think Morgoth would be "turned" by the Simirils, but that he would've gotten lost looking into them and ignored everything else around him. The tear showing his visage snapped him back into reality.
Yeah, while it may be a fabrication, it does track with what we know about his character. He obviously coveted the Silmarils, and made them his most prized treasure. Being obsessed with them until being awakened to his own nature seems spot on. I'm still a little up in the air about this show, but so far nothing has been painfully cringy, or just outright awful. Watching the Hobbit movies there were a lot of cringy moments. And a lot of painfully cringy moments. There's a lot of toxicity floating around about this show, a whole lot of it based on rumors and hear say. And people just trying to look for the bad. I'm a long time Tolkien fan, and I have my own complaints about Peter Jackson's adaptations, but overall I also accept that LotR, even with it's flaws, is about the best adaptation we'll ever get off the material. With this show I'm trying to give it some leeway. It's dealing with copyright limitations, and it's trying to do the unenviable task of filling in large blanks in the Tokien legendarium with new stories and original characters. So I'm trying to give it the benefit of the doubt. I will say, I like it more than I thought I would. It's not perfect. And it is taking liberties. But adaptations are always going to require breaking some things to make it work. Time compressions, melding several characters into one, introducing new characters, or expanding roles of existing characters who perform some function in the story telling process are necessary to some degree. As long as they don't go crazy off the rails and screw up the history, I'm willing to see where it'll go. Which, the Hobbit movies definitely went off the rails. Horrifically so. So if it's not as bad as that it'll be a lot better. I will say, I feel like most of the characters are being treated with respect though. And that's really all I ask, that people respect the source material. Especially if you're going to change things, you've got to know what can be changed, and what breaks the story completely.
I took that line to be Celebrimbor making an assumption about what happened with the Silmarils, like he is so obsessive about the power of creating that he makes a logical leap that the Silmarils were about to make Morgoth repent when all we know is Morgoth was captivated by their beauty.
@@jamesgraham1772 It could also be an allusion to Melkor wanting to be able to create, but only being able to corrupt and being envious of the pure light of the Silmarils that he coveted since Feanor created them from the light of the trees. Melkor/Morgoth, having the Silmarils, would get lost in the light that he so badly wanted to make his own.
I really liked episode 2 compared to 1. Durin 4 epitomized Dwarven stubbornness and inability to forgive a slight, especially being gone for 20 years. I also liked how Dissa was the one that was able to chip away at Durin 4's stubbornness and end up forgiving Elrond. I'm actually thinking that Meteor Man might be Saruman. I know that it is way too early for any of the Wizards to have arrived on Middle Earth, however he is potentially one of them. I also don't think that he is a Balrog as, I believe the reason why Nori wasn't harmed by the "flames" is because they were an illusion created by Meteor Man. Saruman was the first to arrive on ME. He was never fond of Hobbits in books. His interaction with Nori, and potential mischief that they'll get into later could be the reason why he dislikes Hobbits. Also, him facing off against Sauron now, but seeing that Sauron returns later, could be the catalyst in his mind that it's better to serve Sauron as Sauron has proven that he can't be permanently defeated. It's just a theory.
Durin is pretty great. and I did not even think of Saruman. Great idea. They could go with either date for the arrival of the 5 wizards. 1000 TA or 1600 SA. Both are in the books.
Saruman actually would make a lot of sense! That's a great point! I mean Gandalf would be a good candidate as well, since he has an affinity for Hobbits, having a Harfoot come to his aid would be a great way to show why he doesn't underestimate Hobbits while everyone else does. Part of me wishes he's not one of the Istari, but if he is, both Saruman and Gandalf would be great candidates.
It could make alot of sense to be a blue wizard but why would he be separated from the other, also love this comment thread the theories and the politeness
when first seeing Meteor Man i thought for certain it was Gandalf by the way they've draped and styled the grey blanket very similar to Gandalf being "Gandalf the Grey". I thought this was a subtle but not so subtle way of pointing that out, but now seeing the theories on Saruman that does check out, because he seems really off and not as a gentle soul like Gandalf is.
I thought it was a bit of a missed opportunity, actually. I was fully expecting Elrond to win the rock-breaking trial by asking to use his own hammer, then out comes Feanor's.
Personal Theories: Halbrand is either going to be the witch king as you said, a future agent of Sauron, or somehow connected to the beginning of the eothed. He has the name for it and has a horse handle on his sword. Theo: Most likely a future Nazgûl imo. If there is a time jump between seasons I could see him becoming a leader/king almond easterlings and the southland people, which could easily be one of the Nazgûl. Stranger: Most intriguing one imo. I think the show is throwing too many “obvious” hints at him being Gandalf/Sauron and that they’re all red herrings. I think it’s either one of the blue wizards, a strictly original character (would be strange), or perhaps a balrog - namely durins bane. He has maiar like abilities, he has powers involving fire, and he seems to be in a way “animalistic” and more of a follow orders type of guy (fitting cause balrogs were said to wait for morgoth). Perhaps his search of the skies could be in search for morgoth’s return. Eventually he’ll make his way into the depths of Khazadum and wait for the clanging of hammers to reach his abode. Personally I think this probably most definitely won’t happen but who knows, anything is possible. Side note: Halbrand is theo’s father?
I doubt Halbrand is Theo's father. How would that work? Bronwyn is light skinned. As is Halbrand. Theo isn't and he looks like an asian/african mix. Anyway, he does not look like he could be the child of Bronwyn and Halbrand. Not at all.
There are a few picks I could nit, but I'm enjoying it so far. One thing I LOVE is how scary they're making Orcs. This is a world where Orcs haven't been seen by most people in hundreds of years
@@DelPlays That's distinct possibility, but I tend to see the orcs themselves as substantially less well-restrained. They charge to certain death in massive battles without evidently a thought, but are still capable of falling out with each other, for example, Shagrat and Gorbag in the Tower of Cirith Ungol.
And yet contrariwise I also like that they appear to be, how to put this, fairly old fashioned orcs. These are no Uruk-hai, I wouldn't even consider them full on Third Age Sauron-serving Uruks. They're more like your smaller mountain orcs, appropriate for thousands of years and a couple of breeding programs ago.
I appreciate your channel, and your videos. I also appreciate you taking time out of your day to highlight and point out Easter eggs and things i missed while watching the show.
initially i was incredibly skeptical about this whole series but i'm pleasantly suprised, the series is quite slow but incredibly beautiful and i like the way they are introducing new characters. still not massively happy about the harfoots but i think it'll get better
I think it’s good that they’re taking their time to set up the storylines. It Will make for better payoffs later. I thought Witcher sped along way to fast for example which was really distracting compared to this. Here it feels natural and I,ve been enjoying it a lot so far
I'm the opposite, the pacing imo was terrible until they got to the dwarfs. Everyone teleporting from one place to another. So I'm glad it seems things are finally settling down. Certain parts of this show I've loved, others have been mediocre. None the less, I'll watch it in its entirety.
@@montynelson5033 Yes, 100% reminded me of witcher but witcher makes sense because they literally teleport in that world; though, still with s1, the pacing was a bit too much until s2.
In the beginning scene, Galadriel notices the Valacirca - the sickle of the valar, a constellation raised by Elbereth to signal the fall of Morgoth - on the northern sky, which helps her turn towards the east.
@@Premoguys Wow you are completely unironic, it is kind of amazing. Can you then perhaps elaborate on how Karendriel planned to swim cca 5000 kms? (I really don't expect some sort of reasoning which relates to the lore. I happily lower the bar: please explain this to me in the logical framework of the show.)
Oh, and I agree about meteor man's scribble not being a "G" rune, not only because it's not the right form (though maybe the crash to earth addled his mind further!) but also because "Gandalf" is not his name when he comes from the west, but is given him by "Men" in Middle Earth. Olorin was his name "in the west".
And I thought he was Mithrandir before he was Gandalf. He has to be a blue Wizard because the rings don’t exist yet. And there is enough ambiguity to support that tbf. We don’t know a lot about the blue wizards and they come before Gandalf, Saruman and Radagast, 1000s of years to my understanding. He should have a companion then though.
@@ryanmaxwell5076 That's a good point. I had only read the Unfinished Tales version where all the wizards come around the same time in the third age, but apparently in the Peoples of Middle Earth it suggests the blue wizards coming in the second age around the time of the forging of the one ring! But yeah, no companion, so that would be weird.
By far the best review of the show. Most just bash or praise without looking at details and watching the show for what it is and not what you want it to be. Keep doing what your doing!
Great breakdown! Couple of things I'm surprised you didn't notice: 1. Hobbit being the first creature the Stranger sees points heavily towards Gandalf and his love for halflings. And the fire theme. Gandalf later has ring of fire and wields the flame of Anor. At this point I'm 95% sure it's Gandalf 2. The kid having the stupidest haircut. I mean the only reason to have this haircut is to cover your elf ears because you are a halfbreed. I'm surprised you didn't notice. Seems to me pretty clear he's the son of the new elf guy
These breakdowns are invaluable to me. As someone who's not a full-on fan of LOTR, but enjoys the books/moving image adaptation nonetheless, I don't have a deep grasp on the finer detail of the lore of this world. After watching these videos I feel like I've gained a lot more appreciation for the episodes than I otherwise would have, so thank you!
Galadriel should NEVER be able to pass for human, even if her ears are hidden. She is said to be indescribably beautiful, even for elves. Her hair alone should be otherworldy. I understand it's hard to portray that, but you certainly can't have her just pass as human.
Yes, I agree. This was something that didn't feel right for me and I've liked the rest of it. It's not just ears that single elves out as different from human.
I agree as well. There is a reason Elves were so distinguished from men, it was more than their pointy ears, and in Galadriels instance, it would have been an even greater contrast.
For all the controversy over Disa's casting and lack of beard, I found myself most drawn to her character in the show thus far. She shined warmth and loveliness in her scenes, something that embodies Tolkien's world way more than beards and skin color, in my opinion. It's not the show I wanted and these two episodes were spotty and disloyal to the source material but Disa shows that there is heart in Rings of Power.
Although I have zero issue with casting a POC with no beard as a dwarf, I find your comment to be slightly oxymoronic, with all due respect meaning no insult at all. I think the fact that they are not true to Tolkiens world or story is exactly WHY it does not have heart. It reeks to me of monetization and political statement being prioritized over quality writing and film making. I'm sure someone will immediately accuse me of racism, but again, I am not, and that is not the issue. If she were a Dwarven scarlet Johansen with blonde hair and blue eyes I would have the same exact issue, it is not about skin color, it's about faithfulness to the world he created. Just my opinion and I 100% respect yours and everybody's who disagrees with me. ❤️ 💙 💜
@@tomstark28 With all due respect I disagree. Disa is very much a homely maternal dwarf character. Her skin color does not matter and so far I believe the actress is doing a good job. Casting actors of color is not, and should not be a political statement.
@@tomstark28 Okay, as a very far-left LGBTQ+ person: Yes, corporations deliberately use "diversity" and whatnot in their products. But that's not to make some kind of political statement, it's to sell stuff. We just live in a time where diversity is something people value and they like to see it in media because it makes them feel good. And because people like it, corporations will use it to sell their products. That's just capitalism. I hate corporate attempts to sell "social justice", but I also understand that it's basically the way it is supposed to be in a capitalist world in which these things are valued. And I prefer to live in a world where these things are valued, so I kinda have to live with corporations and their cheap and often awkward attempts to convince us that they care about anything else than money. The same corporations would make movies in which slavery is justified if that were the times we lived in. But the thing is: apart from that there are also people who include for example PoC or LGBTQ+ characters because that's just their vision and because they actually care. And even those get the rage of anti-sjw folk who complain about every woman or gay person in any movie ever. There are content creators who used to make anti-sjw stuff who are now annoyed by their former viewers, because they don't have any nuance in this things whatsoever and basically became what they intended to criticize. They just blindly attack everything and will cry about stuff like "Why are there no strong men in media anymore" when still every second movie has those. But it's not the inclusion of PoC or LGBTQ+ people or some strong female characters that are the problem, it's corporations using art and turning it into something solely designed to make profit. And even if there are political statements being made that wouldn't automatically reduce the quality of a show or movie. People pretend there is some kind of slider with "Diversity" or "Politics" on one side and "quality" on the other, but that's not true. It doesn't even make sense. Some of the best fictional works are about politics. That's not what makes media bad. It's not like casting a black actor costs you twice as much money and that money is then not there to pay for the quality of other stuff. It's just that the diversity and certain problems like poorly spent budget or changing lore to make it more mainstream-appealing are the product of the same profit motive, but certain people misunderstand it and think the diversity causes the other problems. And some people would now accuse me of being wrong with the whole "They do it because it sells", because they actually believe in their slogans like "Go woke go broke", but let's stay with the facts. Most people are not anti-sjw activists and don't care that much. And most of the media that was supposed to go broke because of their perceived "wokeness" actually did very well. People also complained about The Witcher (it also has black elves!) and both seasons are in the top 15 of Netflix' most streamed shows. It's just a loud minority that is obsessed with this things and there are many youtube channels who make money with rants about wokeness and also try to sell people their own ideology while pretending to be apolitical.
Love your reviews, your knowledge about Tolkiens work is amazing. Also I appreciate how open minded you are about this show. Even the things you don’t like. You just don’t say that you don’t like it, but discuss and reflect over it in a way I find refreshing and hard to find these days.
@@brednbudr2406 youre right, heaven forbid they spend hundreds of millions of dollars to build out a century old beloved franchise because MuH JeFf BeZoS
I still think that Halbrand is Sauron. Although not introduced as a character in episode 1, when the story switches to the Southlands and we got the first shot of Tirharad and when we see Arondir on the tower looking over the landscape we hear Halbrand's theme from the soundtrack ( which is basically an inversion of the Sauron theme - first notes/intervals).
I absolutely have been loving your videos since I found your channel 6 months ago or so, and I really like that you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon of hate content for views. I like that you’re optimistic and still honest on your opinions. Personally I have thoroughly enjoyed the first two episodes a lot and am incredibly excited for the future of this show. I just hope peoples predetermined hate towards it doesn’t negatively effect the shows future!
I am not a big fan but i actually liked the ROP. So i was shocked by the negativity. But watching your generally positive reviews and explanations helps. Thanks very much!
a lot of negativity comes from the anti woke crowd. or in other words, people who can't bear PoCs in middle-earth. and people who have major problems with a few black characters can only be described as racists
I don't know if anyone else has noted this already but the series opening is actually a creative use of a very cool effect where sand is put on a plate above a speaker playing a single tone. The sand comes together and forms into surprising shapes based on resonance with the invisible sound waves moving through them. When the tone is changed, the sand shifts to a new shape just like they showed it (obviously not into the shapes of trees). Given that, the way elves and their magic feels connected with the hidden shapes of things, the seen and unseen dichotomy, and light and dark dichotomy, I found it to be surprisingly thought provoking and moving. I hope the opening's creators get an award honestly.
I loved the Khazad Dum scenes. Especially seeing elvish and dwarfish culture clash. Elrond tries to formally introduce himself and is promptly interrupted to start the rock splitting contest 😂. I also really loved when elrond finally realized that, in his elvish ignorance, he forgot how much 20 years is to mortals. Also, to see all those places in their former glory really moves me. This show is so visually stunning, it sometimes just gives me teary eyes
Bro with all due respect you trying so hard to make this series sounds good...the content in any of your videos is 10 times better than all the episodes combined, but just admit that they suck so you don't lose subjectivity... some might speculate you are paid by Amazon for theses reviews.
I got to say I love the full helmel/masks the dwarves are wearing, it reminds me of when the Dwarves of Belegost fought Glaurung as they could withstand the fire due to their armor
@@Oozaru85 The quote reads thusly - "Last of all the eastern force to stand firm were the Dwarves of Belegost, and thus they won renown. For the Naugrim withstood fire more hardily than either Elves or Men, and it was their custom moreover to wear great masks in battle hideous to look upon; and those stood them in good stead against the dragons. And but for them Glaurung and his brood would have withered all that was left of the Noldor." - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion
@@SagaciousHamster Yes, I know that. But this quote says nothing about metal masks.. Metal is a conductor for heat. So metal masks would not protect from fire, on the contrary. Leather masks would be much more protective. But the masks in the show were metal, not leather.
Or better yet, given their love for the the natural elements, how about ceramic masks? Like what’s used for capsules entering the earths atmosphere. That sounds close to dragon fire levels lol
Is it possible the Meteor Man is himself Sauron? Things I noticed: * The fiery crater resembled the Eye of Sauron. * Nori says that the flames within the crater aren't hot. It's said in Episode 1 that the elven war party's torches give off no heat because the place's evil nature is suppressing it. * As you point out in the video, the Meteor Man's scrawlings resemble Mordor. * The fireflies all die after coming into contact with him. Either way, I do think he must be either Sauron or a Blue Wizard. But I'm getting a distinctly sinister vibe. And I think part of the reason there are similarities to Gandalf is to engender the audience's trust, and lower their guard.
dont forget that the "Eye of Sauron" doesnt become a bit deal until after the Akallabeth when he loses his fair form.. The eye on Barad-Dur then becoming a major device for him.
Would be corny for him to be Sauron but with the show writers can’t really put that passed him. Would make sense in the “fallen Angel” kinda theme cuz Tolkien was Catholic and Sauron was inspired by Lucifer
I kind of like that they are leaving us in a state of confusion RE meteor man, toying with him being either good or evil based on the symbolism. They seem to have a plan for making Sauron mysterious and not immediately recognizable. I'm starting to get annoyed at the idea of it being Halbrand, but frankly I hope both him and the meteor man are total misdirects and Sauron himself first appears as a bit of a minor character, either directly using the LoG epithet, or hinting at it somewhat coyly
FYI the opening scene is also depicting the patterns and formations that occur when matter resonates at different sound frequencies. Clearly a reference to the dwarves “singing” to the mountain.
i would even suggest that it could be both and that in many mythos, sound/frequencies/vibrations/and resonances are considered or related to magical powers or abilities, that gods but also sometimes mortals could possess a good example of this is elder scrolls, not many people know this but sound is like the ultimate force in the elder scrolls universe, used by the gods/daedra/dragons and also the dwarves who figured out how to use it and became more advanced than anyone else
Thanks for this thoughtful and insightful video! The sidgel of Morgoth is definitely a map to Mordor, and how the dark forces know where to muster. In a nod to Frodo solving the riddle that others cannot, Nori asks Meteor Man straight away if it is a map. The constellation also makes an appearance during the first episode, in the Harfoot elder's book (right after the images of the two hunters and the wolf.) There is so much lore to navigate/reconcile that we miss some of the basic storytelling craft - which has been great upon second viewing.
This. The storytelling craft is superb. I am so surprised, because I hadn’t expected it at all. The themes are very layered, and the dialogue is very on point too.
They are laying it on pretty think with the stranger being evil. The music is darker, and the fire wasn't cold. They also paired his arrival with Galadriel deciding to stay. A soon to be named Annatar, returning from his long search for his banished master
I’m just here to INFORM everyone how We have a divided FACTION of fans who either live the series so far and the other that finds FAULT in every section. THE OBJECTIVE or My objective take is that this is the most EPIC show so far on TV. The none canonical parts are minimal that it does not bother me at all.
--Not the biggest fan of Galadriel's subplot with Halbrand in the ocean. The goal is to get her to Numenor somehow and I don't mind that, but I'm not sure that couldn't have been done in a more logical fashion than her ending up in the middle of the ocean. --Khazad-Dum was magnificant; I loved the greenery, and the carved birds and beasts. --Princess Disa is such a cinnamon roll and I love it 🥰 --In one brief scene, Celebrimbor shows perfectly why he's going to be such an easy mark for the manipulations of Annatar. --That scene with the orc in the kitchen was really scary, and is a strong argument for the ministry of the Rangers in Eriador in the Third Age. --I guess the scene from the SDCC trailer where Arondir is grabbed from behind isn't him being saved by an Ent 😬 --The Harfoots were still adorable, especially Nori and Poppy. --The Stranger is...very mysterious. Still very much looking forward to next week.
Could the writing get any worse? It's painful to watch. Modern writers act like the audience are complete morons, spelling out the simplest things that can be plainly seen. "See that hole? I think that hole was dug by someone" "I must explore it because it was dug" SMFH Can we go back to real writers instead of activists that are hired to check a box?
Intro is representing real life phenomenon where if you lay sand on speaker, the music creates those patters, which was referencing creational power of music in tolkien mythology
ever simce I first learned about string theory in physics in the early 2000s, I immediately thought of the power music/sound has on the human nervous system, as well as other things. Each subatomic particle tied to one string loop, and the different ways they resonate create their different functions. It would just make so much sense to me in my faith view of creation.
"No Turkey, however bloated and stupid, could ever be enough to convey the mesmerizing awfulness of Amazons billion dollar Tolkien epic." -Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail.
By this point Galadriel is married, and has a kid....yet she is apparently a mary sue karen teenager who is overly obsessive. Which is anything but what Galadriel is
Can anyone explain how Galadriel jumping ship in the middle of sea and just swimming back is anything less than idiotic? Her Forest Gump happenstance of finding a "raft" randomly is too convenient. Surviving the storm on an even smaller "raft" is a bit laughable, but it was all just so she could end up in Numenor via random hitch-hiking from plot device to plot device. The script has the depth of an 8th grade creative writing project.
I liked Elrond and Durin interactions. Only time I really felt any magic. I think I’m going to like Arondir, I like his reserved personality. I thought Galadriels story line was terrible and inconsistent. We’ll see if it just because of growing pains.
Was finally able to watch eps 1 and 2. I'm quite enjoying how each storyline has its own distinct tone. Elrond and the dwarves of Khazad-dum feels jovial and lighthearted, Nori and the harfoots feels whimsical and mysterious, the elves are, well, out-of-touch and serious, what's happening in the South with the humans feels desperate, and Galadriel's story feels like plot A with the main objective and it's playing on a lot of anticipation. So far the show gives you a really good sense of grounding; each story has a hook and a reason to be invested, but for entirely different reasons and I like that a lot.
My theory as posted in the episode 1 recap: I reckon the stranger could be Tilion, aka the man in the moon. He was a Maiar that was responsible for guiding the moon across the sky, but there is a tale about him in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil where he falls down to earth. "like a meteor, a star in flight, ere Yule one night flickering down he fell". Would be disappointed if this turns out not to be the case.
I was quite crytical before the premier, but I decided to look at it with an open hearth, still I am not convinced. The truth is if it wouldn't be about middle earth I wouldn't even watched the second episode. It wasn't exciting for me, I can't sympathise with the characters, the story isn't exciting either I know that big things are coming but it wont happen for awhile. The only thing I liked is the relationship with Elrond and Prince Durin, they do made me feel alive for a few minutes.
I really like your channel and your videos. I like that you report everything without the "Hate", I mean "ok this is what we have... Let's analyze" and it's what you do analyze. We know that they are making the series changing some things and not completely the canon, but personally I have loved the series.
Maybe Halbrand is the Lord of the Dead. He abandoned his shipwreck buddies and told Galadriel that you gotta do what you gotta do to survive. Since Isildur is in the show and they get rescued at the end of the episode, maybe halbrand becomes friends with he and Elendil. That would make alot of since if he abandons them once more and breaks an oath to survive a fight with Sauron. That would make the scene in Return of the King when Aragorn finally frees them from the curse so much more meaningful because he now gets to rest knowing that he didnt abandon them this time.
I love your breakdowns, you can point out it being inaccurate without raging uncontrollably like a lot of other channels. You highlight differences and give good reasons for them. You really seem to just be watching the show for what it is and having fun with it.
It's making me enjoy it more; I've come in pretty neutral, so watching it with the channel is fun!
Refreshing!
Ditto!
@@valavaaramusic Same. There were moments from the first episode that made me cringe, but I actually enjoyed the second episode overall.
Exactly why I'm here and as I am not as schooled on all the books as most of you are, it is helping me understand what little knowledge I have better.
I took the opening scene to represent the creation narrative with the universe being sung into existence. The black "sand" with the harsher melody being the discord of Melkor working it's way into the melody. You then have all the symbols being more rough and no longer symetrical. Then the opening goes back to a more melodic tone and you get the polished logo that could represent Eru's line; "And thou, Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined."
Wow......absolutely love this interpretation.....(even if it's not what the showmakers had in mind, I'm going to assume it's the real meaning from now on 😅)
this is exactly what I was going to comment
Exactly my thoughts as I watched that intro. I thought it was brilliant
Love this. Thank you. I really liked the opening credits visuals. It also reminded me of "cymatic patterns" which I really love. "When musical vibrations are channeled through a malleable medium, such as a liquid, the vibrations cause the medium to arrange itself into visible geometries known as cymatic patterns"
I was just writing about it but you expressed it much better. 😅 Always read the comments first I guess. But yeah, I think it was one of the better things in the show so far.
Just wanted to take a moment to say thanks for all the reviews and breakdowns of all your work. its rare to find someone so knowledgeable and eloquent at the same time AND to clearly explain things. you have helped me understand the wider lore and how it all connects. I appreciate it. thank you.
This is the best breakdown of the show. I love the intricate details and analogies you point at. I also like the absence of heavy criticism prevalent on some other, main LOTR channels. I'm capable of forming my own opinions and impressions. What I seek is information and you provide it exceptionally well. Thank you!
Agreed!
But he barely adds anything. Just repeats what happened in the episode.
Very well said
@@AdeelTariq0 Actually I think he adds quite a bit. He gives brief background to characters, he points at details with useful info. etc. I'm familiar with the main storyline , his breakdowns help me fill in the blanks I have.
It's basically a recap for osme reason. It's awful why would he make this?
I think my favorite small detail is having Durin's kids running around with giant helmets on, so they didn't have to spend hours getting children into Dwarf prosthetics for the scene XD
I'm hoping it was to delay the reveal of creepy bearded children!
That’s what I also thought. Thought it was funny. Gotta save some money somewhere
A lot of money went to CGI but it seems not much into smaller practical effects that was what really made LOTR come alive.
In a production that big & expensive dwarf kids wouldnt be much hassle to make, i think it was just for the lols like much of the stuff during the durin scenes
I would've loved to see dwarf children tho. I wonder if they have beards already.
Theo is absolutely Halbrands kid. The sign on his necklace is too close to the statue in the village and he’s from the southlands. This to me put Theo is perfect position to become the witch king. If you take what halbrand says about kings in his home land, what Theo’s friends says to arondir about king coming back actually likely puts halbrand as a descendant of the kings of tir harad. It would explain why Theo’s blood is drawn to the blade if he’s a descendant of the person who’s sword it is (again witch king). It also sets up Theo for likely “accidental” matricide later on to both send Theo further down the “dark side” and to end the arondir-bronwen romance in the tragedy with which it is doomed to end in.
Can't believe I didn't think of this but you're almost certainly right
I'd like to believe this is true!
Maybe he becomes Khamul and becomes a threat on the south and Halbrands becomes the witchking and creates the black numenorians with all those Morgoth rituals and stuff which leads to the demise of numenor.
@@dante316a kamul is supposed to be from rhun not harad or southlands. Not saying it can’t happen because they might have to take some small liberties but would be better if they didn’t.
@@alanwiles3175 Oh i see i thought he was a Harad
New SUB here! I had to lend my support after seeing your level headed approach to this adaptation. No hissy fits, no cringy gatekeeping, no pathetic flexing of how much knowledge you have on LOTR, no epic cringe moments where you make this a personal attack on your identity as a Tolkien fan. I'm here for it! ☺️🥰
I think that 'The Stranger" is one of the Blue Wizards. Because:
1 - in FOTR, Aragorn said in the council of Elrond, that he went to distant lands, to Rhûn, and Harad, where the 'stars are strange'.
2- Tolkien wrote in one of his letters, that he believed that the Blue Wizards went east and south, as missionaries to enemy occupied lands.
3- the stranger draws a constellation that looks strange to Elanor Brandyfoot, she didn't recognized it, and the harfoots look very aware of things like that.
4- the stars are different when you go to another hemisphere, and the promo map of the show, posted on Amazon Prime Twitter, showed a lot of the South (Harad).
EDIT: Note: the time that the Blue Wizards arrived is uncertain. In Unfinished Tales is said that they (actually, all five istanti) arrived around 1000 Third Age. In History of Middle-Earth XII, is said that the Blue Wizards arrived around 1600 Second Age, around the time that the One Ring was forged.
Their mission was on the East and the South, to help the peoples on those lands against Sauron's influence.
He definitely is a wizard. So, I believe (and hope) that's he is Alatar or Pallando.
Love the channel, cheers!
I like this take a lot
I think the same, this is the first one and later in the show will arrive the second one looking for his friend.
I don't think he is any of the three wizard we know from Hobbits and LOTR, that would be lame as f...
I just realized the fire flys formed a star shape. Maybe numenor
i think its sauron. just because he has some darkness into him (the sauron looking eye at the end of the first episode) and the fact that he is going into a human form th convice celebrimbor to craft the rings.
I don’t know why but I thought it could be Tom Bombadil 🫣
The only channel I will watch in relation to Tolkien. Thank you for presenting unbiased and thoughtful reviews good sir… there are far too many on YT who are just making negative click bait. 👍
😆
How can it be unbiased? That is crazy. The man has hours of lore videos about the second age and the characters portrayed I beg you to go watch them again and tell me how any of this show is similar to what the man who made this channel himself said in those videos. They show and the lore are night and day. To say these reviews are not biased is like saying a cow is a horse
@@anthonyarmstrong5352 Haha.. I see your point, but I am referring to other channels mate. Most notably those more concerned with the race of the actors involved, rather than the content itself.
Nerd is a great channel
@@IAMPAUL2021 Ah, you dislike the people who follow the lore the closest. Now I know why you like this channel so much.
@@Turamwdd huh?
The series opening sequence is a Chladni Plate - a board vibrating in resonance with sound upon which sand is placed to demonstrate the wave patterns. I like the theory that it represents the Ainulindalë - creating physical patterns from music.
That's what I thought, creating physical pattern from music. Which is kinda beautiful.
We had that thought too. I thought it was perfect, reflecting the alignment of magic with beauty and creation with song in the Tolkien universe, along with the gold and representation of the various sets of rings of power.
Looked pretty cheap, my brother and I laughed at how it basically looked like sand on a vibrating board.
@@shubhamnema8281 It was so cheap, it looked obviously like a board
@@virtcondan1706 You clearly got bad eyesight, it looked so obviously like a board that it didn't look beautiful and out of place.
The fact that there's a deadline for the forge (by spring) makes me think that Sauron has already approached Celebrimbor and just hasn't told anyone yet. Otherwise why would Elves have to worry about such a tight time limit. My guess is that the "Lord of Gifts" is trying to expedite things for his own purposes. Though that's just my own speculations.
Yep it sounds like it cause he's on a deadline to
world domination
I like this idea, and we know from other scenes that the forces of evil are already in motion. At the same time, it plays into one of my worries that they might shy away from Sauron’s fair form and keep him as a distant corrupting force like he was in the LOTR movies. But it’s way too early to tell, let’s hope that isn’t the case.
Halbrand or the stranger?
@@GrayCatbird1 I got a feelimg we wont See Sauronin this series but in a way I actually like that cause through the course of the movie trillogy we never see him apart from the first 10 minutes in FOTR but that actually made him scarier and more intimidating cause just the mention of his name was enougth to send fear to those in middle earth
I thought the same thing. Sauron has already set things in motion.
Some people in my theatre laughed when Durin said that Elrond missed his wedding, I thought it was so sad
You know what - I think I laughed too, but not AT Durin. I laughed because it's such a simple and sweet reason to be genuinely mad at a friend. That's a huge turning point in life, it's relatable. Can't speak for everyone else in the theatre though!
Theater ? How many people you got in there … don’t say 2
@@DezMarivette Yeah I get that, makes sense. Definitely one of the best parts of the episode for sure
@@Mr.Helper. Haha my city had a free advanced screening of the first two episodes at a theatre, they took our phones and used metal detectors
Matt you put an unbelievable effort to present this crap as a serious Tolkien show, congrats really I do not know any Tolkien hc fan that could do this.
Let's keep in mind that the one ring didn't heat up in the fire of bag end when we think about things being cool which should appear to be hot.
I guess maybe we could also add, unless I’m forgetting a detail, that the flaming whip the Balrog used on Gandalf didn’t actually burn him?
Well I mean next to nothing is based on canon, so who's to say if it is anything we can even guess at?
@@urusledge I kinda hate this take on the show. I've read the books and even though the show adds characters and plot lines it doesn't feel like it's taking away from the general storyline. The new characters are interesting so far, it's nice to explore new time periods not written in Tolkien's books, and saying its "not canon" with only 2 eps it's like listening to one song and making a review of a whole album.
For example when fire is hottest it takes on a blue flame.
@@grggarro1 it doesn't take away from the general storyline other than literally Galadriel's entire storyline, sure.
The story about Morgoth staring at the silmaril's does sound very much like morgoth. could it have swayed his heart against evil? no, absolutely not. but he did have a major fascination with LIGHT. the towers of light, the two trees, the silmaril's, he is and always was obsessed with light and beauty. but no it could never have turned him "good".
How are you ok dragons killing eagles?
He can't do something beautiful and envy everyone that can.
It shows the arrogance of the elves thinking their crafts are so beautiful it could turn the dark lords heart.
@@MichaelLeeatwl 😂 and dragons can kill eagles… just a simple interpretation… right… 😂
I'm wondering if the fascination is with beauty itself or the realization that he cannot bring himself to ever understand it.
I haven't heard anyone bring it up so I just want to point out that the intro with the sand is cool because they are vibration patterns. When you put sand on a vibrating surface it will form patterns depending on the frequency of the vibration. A clear nod to the Ainulindalë.
Edit: literally just noticed that I'm definitely not the first to mention this in the comments
I was thinking the exact same thing!!
Except lots of people brought this up already. But yeah, I think you are all right.
I thought the Morgoth anecdote was interesting because it doesn't contradict canon but rather supports it and enriches it. After Morgoth got the silmarils, he set them in his helmet, which he never removed ever again. Therefore, he never actually looked at them again until Beren cut them out. This story just gives an interesting bit of reasoning to Morgoth's decision to affix them to his helm.
Agreed, I have no problem with these sorts of alterations, only retcons. Leaving things out is unfortunate due to legal constraints but alas.
How much are you guys paid? How can I join?
Going further with this, it's clearly meant to be taken as a story the Elves created. The story serves basically to emphasize the glory of the Silmarils, which has added effect of glorifying Feanor, his works, and by extension the Noldor. It's essentially self-aggrandizing propaganda that says "The works of Feanor were so powerful, they nearly healed the greatest Evil to ever exist" - who incidentally was the Noldor's greatest Enemy.
It's not conveyed as a canon thing that happened, but taken as a story the Noldor created for themselves it works very effectively at communicating how they see or saw themselves vis a vis the Silmarils and Morgoth.
@@JC_Forum_of_Christ how much were you paid to camp out on any video to do with rings of power, if you don't like it then simply avoid it..?
that was also my exact thought.
I seriously don't understand the dislikes? 11 000 thumbs up and 9 200 thumbs down. You can have your opinions about TV series but that doesn't make this video as bad analysis. Great job Nerd of the Rings as always.
There are two kinds of Lord of the Rings fans: those with an innocent and pure love of great fantasy, and those who only see value in Tolkien's work as a weapon in a culture war. The most obvious example is when outspoken Catholics make it apparent by their words that they hope to make converts out of people by conflating LotR directly with Catholicism, as though it were just as intentionally allegorical as The Chronicles of Narnia.
The more dangerous and insidious example is when LotR becomes yet another case of fandom spaces being infiltrated by agents of fascism, who prey upon the fears, frustrations, and other vulnerabilities of nerds to radicalize them. Every single fandom in the digital age is a Númenor in progress.
wow. im screen shotting that. this is one of the worst comments since the show came out. rings of power is not a good fantasy show. its dialogues and plot lines are as bad as in witcher. stop
Some people are just haters, and will never give this show a chance. The more innocent ones are Tolkien purists who hate any changes to canon such as dwarf women not having beards or what have you, the more sinister ones like has been mentioned are those people who despise any form of multiculturalism and feel like LOTR is an inherently White Western European fantasy and and are using this series as a culture war tool to anger up their fellow nationalists. Me I'm just happy to see the Second Age even if it's not totally accurate, I've always loved it.
@@7QWERTY13 There's something so bitterly ironic about fascist elements using the works of Tolkien, a man who had as his overarching themes the need for empathy and distrust of "great men" who would use power for power's sake.
@@7QWERTY13 “infiltrated by Agents Of fascism?” Can you give some examples of what you’re speaking about here?
Appreciate the reasoned and constructive approach of this channel. Lots of outrage porn type content out there now so this is refreshing.
Exactly! Multiple channels have pushed me away! I’ve done my fair share of diving into books and lore, but I am in no way a purest with Tolkien. I grew with Dune, Barsoom, Rama, etc,. More SCI-FI. I can somewhat understand being upset but the vitriol is getting pretty wild. Man, it’s nice to have such epic tales, this high in production quality and a pretty good start!
should fans not care about their fandoms, how can this series not be seen as a bastardization of Tolkien's work?
Exactly, I was so prepared for a disaster series, people were talking about how unwatchable 8t would be and I honestly believed it would. Boy was I pleasantly surprised, I actually liked it.
@@RAKKAR7 Exactly! I think the outrage is getting too out of hand.
@@fredreindljr1996 exactly. I have read the books too, but really not liking this "NASTY Tolkien cult" i see emerging that is not open to anything except it's own purist interpretation.
The constellation thing with the Stranger reminded me of this line from Aragorn in the books: "I have crossed many mountains and many rivers, and trodden many plains, even into the far countries of Rhûn and Harad where the stars are strange.” It would be fun if he was a Blue Wizard since those are the places they chose to fulfill their purpose.
he is 100% a wizard. His magic voice of power, his talking to animals, the connection of wizards and "hobbits" from the beginning. And since Sauron is "Meth Eminem" there are not many Maiar left. Landing where hobbits are is a clear indication, he is kicking off their fate in preparation for Gandalfs story later on. Even though he obviously lost his mind and doesn't know why he is doing stuff, because of the Valar limiting the minds of the Istari in Middle-earth.
@@SkaldCG Halbrand is Sauron
@@macke2411 If that is true than they basically took the Diablo III story, I already thought about that, too. But even Halbrand could turn into Meth Eminem Sauron, he can change shape after all. And also Sauron needs to look like a super elegant Elven Lord to deceive them as Annatar etc. That fits with Meth Eminem.
@ITR Isaac yes it is either Gandalf himself or another Istar kicking off the hobbits-wizards-connection and storyline.
@@SkaldCG the 'meth eminem' character is played by a woman named Birdie Sisson....so that theory is pretty weak
Dude, your breakdowns are actaully better than the series itself :D
I really liked the part when Celembrimbor and Elrond are talking about the Silmaril and Morgoth. I wish there was more explanations like this.
I'm glad they are just making it organic. It would be too confusing to average people plus I love how they called Simarils pretty stones and not actually useful
I love how they can touch so close to the canon even though they don't have access to all of it. I believe they are being as faithful as they are allowed to be.
I think they handled it in the right way. Small nuggets and snippets of information like that are rewarding to those of us who know what deeper meaning these little conversations hold. It's such a little, caring flourish that doesn't 'need' to be there perhaps, but gives added weight to the characters for those who understand the context. And it proves to me that to some extent, there are people behind RoP who do understand, and love the material they're working with.
@@kingssman2 that's a nope
@Matthew How much did you have to squint to see two characters thousands of years old in that light? Do you have the same problem with Gandalf and any of the hobbits? Are Aragorn and Boromir gay? Bilbo and Thorin? Legolas and Gimli?
I am new to watching your video's and am enjoying them very much. Not only do you have a really wonderful narrators voice, you present your thoughts and theories so well. I've seen quite a few channels just bashing on this show without mercy. I was expecting so much worse when I watched the first two episodes, there was a lot more that was better than I expected. I have thoroughly enjoyed how you have been respectful and explained things as well as you have, I feel that I have really learned a lot, hearing references to the writings, canon etc. I will be watching all of your breakdown videos and look forward to them. Thank you sir, you are a great advocate for LotR fans.
Agree, he is watching the show with an open mind and you see it with his episode breakdown....al the other channels are full with hate watchers
@@ivanbroeckaert382 hes watching the show with an opportunistic and weak mind.
Yes I'm really enjoying this take on the show because I'm sick of seeing content on YT with incredibly negative and sometimes scarily right-wing titles and agendas. It's possible to love LOTR and still enjoy and take entertainment from this middle-earth story too if it's well made. And personally, having seen it so far, I am impressed and do think it is well made and engaging. NotR said in his review video that he puts Ep1&2 above The Hobbit movies and I'm agreeing so far.
"lets keep an open mind about it"
Why respect content when they are spitting on the original content so much.
Galadriel thinking she could just swim across the entire ocean which took ships years to cross was ridiculous. The fish dragon was epic though.
I don't think she gave it much thought, she acted instinctively; like a last moment gasp.
@@uchenna127 that's very sweet, except instincts usually support survival, and jumping into the sea thousands of miles from middle earth would not support survival. I think the writer at the Galadriel table that came up with the idea needs a time out, and their colleagues probably agree. I'll bet it wasn't even a writer, but a domineering executive instead. Just lazy writing. I felt the eyes rolling around the world when that happened. It nearly tilted us back on our original axis.
Is the fish dragon cannon?
@@fegu yes
@@jdmkIII The worm itself is cannon?
what i love about the opening is that when you play sound on a platform covered in sand they make those types of patterns and at different frequencies the fall into different patterns. I thought this was a great metaphor of the song of illuvatar shaping the world and the geography. but more than just the geography because they are patterns and symbols. i thought it was absolutely great.
Yeah it's called cymatics and it is creation through sound... Which is somewhat relevant 😊
This was the better episode in my opinion, Durin absolutely killed that elevator conversation scene and Bronwyns fight with the Orc was so on point. The only thing i’m concerned about is the mark the Stranger made, it’s the same one Gandalf makes on the door or Bilbo, i’m hoping this “Stranger” isn’t Gandalf
The moment I find out it's Gandalf, I'm done with this show.
@@lordbane5627 And?
I hope he's one of the blue wizards. If he is Gandalf then the show is ruined.
Yeah, I'm fine with some creative liberties just as I was with the LOTR trilogy. However if it's Gandalf that is way too big of a leap from the lore which would be a shame as I'm honestly really enjoying the show.
Blue wizard, perfectly fine. Would honestly be really really good imo
@@lordbane5627 I'd be pissed, but less than if the shiny thing was revealed to be a Silmaril.
Mithril or the Arkenstone, or something else.
_No touchy Silmarils._
I am routing for blue wizard as well, but there are so many clues its Gandalf:
-Are they showing why Gandalf has an affinity for hobbits
-Meteor man talking with fireflys, Gandalf talking with smalled winged creatures
-Another moment came to mind, when Gandalf died in LOTR, and returned as Gandalf the white, for a moment he forgot himself... it almost seems like meteor man has forgot himself
But now all these Gandalf clues are making me wonder if the showrunners are trying to make me think its Gandalf so they surprise me with someone else.
Good points!
I might be wrong, but the wizards shouldn't be around at that time. Didn't they arrive after the events of the second age?
All of these things very much point to it being Gandalf and the Stranger's "clothing" in this episode makes me think of Gandalf too! The fabrics are so similar!
@@ThePhantome1 they did but apparently on the latest changes in tolkien writings, only the blue wizard did arrived earlier around the end of 2nd age. Dont know if the showrunners are sticking to that.
@@ThePhantome1 Yes. The Istari were sent to Middle Earth 1000 years into the Third Age. Edit: According to The Peoples of Middle Earth, the Blue Wizards arrived in the Second Age during the forging of the Rings of Power.
I think The Stranger is Radagast. I mean, it makes a bit of sense, right? The Stranger seems to be addled, his memory all but lost when he is found by the Harfoots who are depicted as being very in-tune with nature and being a friendly and eccentric folk. Given the way that Harfoots are being depicted so far in the story, I could certainly see their influence creating the animal-loving and somewhat reclusive wizard that we know of as Radagast the Brown. Also, I think his talking to the fireflies actually hints at this. If I recall my lore correctly, when Gandalf is trapped on Saruman's tower he whispers to a butterfly to get aid from Radagast who is the one who sends the Eagle to Gandalf. Perhaps it was Radagast himself who taught Gandalf to speak to beasts and bugs?
The opening titles are brilliant in that they mimic the very real sand/sound images made from pitch frequencies (i.e. Chladni plates) and; therefore, are meant to evoke the Music of the Ainur in the creation of the universe. Therein lies the power of the shapes, most specifically the Rings.
and the sand coalescing is like lands rising from the sea during the creation myth
Also a note, it seems that NotR missed the part of the intro just before the title with the three rings where it's just one ring. That means that it starts off with nine rings (for men) before ending with the one ring and the three for elves. This matches the theme of the Ainur perfectly, with the one ring appearing in the discord of Melkor and the three appearing as the main melody takes over again. The only thing missing is the rings for the dwarfs, although there's a scene near the middle of the intro where a ring in the center of the screen is zoomed in on through other patterns as it dissolves into six other feint rings on the edge of the screen. That's my best guess as to what might be the seven rings for dwarfs, although it is a bit of a stretch.
@@pewpewpandas9203 I agree. They start with the Nine of course, and end with the One and then the Three (note they dissolve away slowly 😢). And I think you're also right about the Seven rings image (time stamp 2:00 of E02). I really like that these are all patterns that exist for real using various frequencies. They've done a tremendous job.
Yeah it’s fcken dumb just like the rest of the show. Ooow sand! 1 billion dollars and we get vibrating sand ur right what a privilege it is to see such brilliant concepts Brought to life.
The symbolism is cool and all but it just looks lame asf. Compare HOTD intro to this it looks so nice.
On the matter of two Durins, I noticed that Durin IV's father's name was never told. It's possible that the showrunners decided not to call him Durin III after all, or that it was never the plan.
He is listed as Durin III on IMDB. Maybe they just didn't wanna confuse people?
It said it was him when you watch the prime video and you look at the cast member. It will tell you their character name
@@JohnSmith-jb2jf Unfortunately my assumption failed based on the end titles that credit the actor as Durin III. Oh well...
I’m not that bothered about the two durins. To be fair the “reincarnation” is written more as folklore than fact in the appendix. “They have many strange tales and beliefs”. At least they’ve made them look very very alike and therefore could well look alike to durin the deathless since at least they look similar to one another.
@@alanwiles3175 Yeah they look-alike to the point where I had to confirm on IMDB if it's not the same actor with aging work done. Even the voice is similar.
So nice to have a content creator talk about this show like it's not the catalyst for the fall of human civilisation. That said, I think the title reveal was waaay cooler than the actual intro.The show still feels a bit flat to me, a bit gimmicky at times.
I think the Jackson films have just set my expectations too high... How is anyone ever supposed to live up to an adaptation like that? I'll still watch the show, but I'll probably enjoy the costumes, sceneries and visuals more than the actual story.
I think you captured my sentiment pretty well. For the love of the world Tolkien created, I'll watch it. Let's drink to that!
@@moensbruno except they fired the Tolkien experts, so is it even a Tolkien story
can't slap a lord of a rings label on something and make it your own
@@moensbruno yea but clearly the writers themselves didn't love Tolkien enough by firing the only Tolkien expert they had on staff and then to make it worse, ghosting the biggest Middle-earth visionary director PJ during the show's production. if they don't respect the professor's work, why should i have respect for theirs?
As someone whose completely sickened by Amazons poisoning of Tolkien's world, I love this comment...and this channel!
@@Hepsvljn couldn’t call him for copyright reasons? I don’t think you know how copyrights work…
Also they did contact him, and then proceeded to ghost him.
Something I’m absolutely loving is that in the “trivia” section, like when you scroll to the side and it also has the actors and music and stuff, they are giving little facts related to the scenes and which piece of literature they are referencing! It’s not every scene (I’m guessing since it’s not all canon) but I thought that was really cool and showed they really put a lot of thought into creating the show.
Oh my god, I never realized that, that is truly amazing!!!
Isnt it normal for all prime shows?
Afaik prime has always shown trivia for their shows
i agree too, i really feel like its gonna be in all the episodes, by the end of season 5 they would have written all the appendix passages in the trivia sections😂😂😂 and i thank them for it.
Also LOVE kazad dum and neumenor themes. Love map transitions. And love new designs of foes so far.
ya the Map transitons so far seem real cool giving us a better understanding of where we at. I could do with a whole eps of just the dwarfs at this point
I actually really appreciate it as well! I have no problem with the art and design in the Jackson films, but I welcome a different take on things like the wargs, trolls, and orcs. They honestly should not be held down by existing designs and be free to make their own original mark. There are many different pieces of art showing the same scenes from Tolkien's work, and they can be pretty different. I really like that! As long as the character design doesn't stray too far from Tolkien's actual descriptions, I'm fine with some liberties taken in the design and artwork.
The inclusion of maps is genius, I like it
Thank you for this. I keep turning off the series, and your reviews bring me back. Thank you for finding all the good in RoP!
I do like the notion of the "Meteor man" being a blue wizard and I would love it if the show would pursue the idea of such a wizard being a more "neutral" character than the either "lawful good" or "chaotic good" Gandalf and Radegast or the "lawful evil" Saruman in (LOTR). After the end of episode 2 I was wondering whether perhaps the kid with the sword-shard could be a far more profound character than we think. Overall, I really enjoyed the first two episodes, and they really made me feel "in Middle Earth". Watching them wasn't a "blown away" experience as when watching "The Fellowship" in cinema in 2001 but then that is no surprise as the novelty of grand scale fantasy film is gone. But what I did love is that this series is visually so gorgeous and feels truly different from other TV format fantasy. There is no mistaking this for GOT.
If I were to criticize one thing, then it is that the dialogue (which is perfectly adequate) often misses the poetry of Tolkien that was so successfully attained in the LOTR trilogy. But this could easily be something that improves over time as the episodes come and go. It is never disrupting my viewing pleasure, but there are quite a few sentences being said where you can almost feel they were reaching for a more beautiful combination of words to use, but just missed them.
That was my biggest criticism for the first two, but i couldn't describe it well. Saying it doesn't catch the poetry of Tolkien is a perfect way to say that. In some ways, I feel like all the Elves are in a high school theatre class and haven't quite perfected their lines yet.
I am wondering whether Theo might turn out to be the Witch King of Angmar himself, actually. He is young, so there's plenty of time for the blade to corrupt him, and he seems to have mixed feelings about elves in general. I agree with you on the fact that so far the magic that existed in PJ's adaptations of the LotR stories is so far elusive. I wonder whether this came from a desire to appeal to a greater audience, which would perforce mean more simplistic language. I admit that one character I was quite disappointed with in the two episodes we've seen is actually Elrond himself. I did not like the fact that Gil-Galad is incapable of making his own speeches, nor do I enjoy the fact that Elrond seems to play the part of a glorified secretary. This is LotR, not House of Cards, after all...
Wow, what a long-winded comment LMAO. The writing is pretty meh, with the desperate attempt to sound poetic or 'deep'. Which character could Theo be that would be profound? They only have rights to LOTR and Appendixes, the most profound one he can be is The Witch King.
@@Henbot Yup, the Witch King is a distinct possibility. And of course, they could introduce an original character and give them a profound role.
Witch King is better than the idea of Wizards appearing in the Second Age. Witch King's origins are somewhat vague, so they could try to work with that, though I'm not going to expect anything so deep from the showrunners.
Nori Brandyfoot is a surprisingly likable character (and very well played by the actress). Her childish curiosity is really contagious. The small and simple world of the Harfoots certainly puts things in perspective compared with the world of the Elves, Dwarves and Men. I think it’s a nice contrast to include in the series.
However, Durin and his wife Disa was two of my favorite characters in this episode. The actress who plays Disa totally owns her role and give an insight in the life and mind of a female noble Dwarf, which is very interesting. I also loved the scene when their children came rushing in. We get glimpses of how life is in different cultures of Middle-earth not only from a grown-up male perspective, but from women and children as well, much like Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings”.
Disa does have an infectious cheerfulness.
@@knockitoffhudson3470 Very much so. I was smiling through the whole scene, both because of Disa and her charisma and because of the grumpy Durin trying to hold Elrond at a distance (hilarious).
Honestly they are all wonderful additions that totally fit in… and my wife who is less of a Tolkien nerd really loves the Durin family dynamic with Elrond. The Harfoots also offer an interesting perspective and the added mystery of the stranger is compelling.
I’m not sure why the show is getting SO MUCH backlash… but I hope as the season goes on, it gets better and better, and the people begin to see the light.
I can't believe you can call yourself a fan of Tolkein. And ignore the outright butchering of Chars. and their canon. You are far too captivated by the billion dollars spent on cinematography, and ignore the absolute disaster of the story, writing, and chars.
Elrond and Galadriel are by far the worst chars of this show.
My last theory: I hope Sauron will still be introduced as Annatar, and if so, I could see him coming to Eregion to be welcomed by Celebrimbor. I think Elrond will strongly oppose him, to which Celebrimbor would relieve Elrond of service Denethor style. Elrond might warn Gil Galad of this “annatar.” This is not the canon approach of course, but I could see this happening throughout the course of the show.
(For some reason my long initial paragraphs got deleted by a network glitch. There goes 30 minutes of UA-cam comment theories :p)
Sorry for your loss
Halbrand is Sauron and is going to be in a love triangle with Galadriel and Celeborn. she's going to choose Celeborn and that will be what pushes him into being the Uber bad that we know. This show is written by idiots.
This is so dumb…. Tolkien’s original story is far superior to this dreck…
@@JayJay5244 I agree. I’m just saying it’s possible based on how the show is playing out.
Halbrand is Sauron
Thanks so much for the recap - there were a lot of little details I missed (like the Dragon-Helm, for example). No idea who the Stranger is yet. Halbrand could definitely be Theo's father. The other boy in Theo's village says "When our King returns", and to Theo "You father fled" or similar. Halbrand says "My people have no King", while refusing to meet Galadriel"s eye. Looking forward to seeing where this story takes us!
@@Andrew8812 I would really prefer if Halbrand ended up being the WItch King, but you are probably right.
@@Andrew8812 halbrand is not sauron bro
Halbrand might end up the Witch King. But this thing is meant to have a lot of episodes, and potentially span quite a bit of time. Halbrand may be Theo's father . . . but looking at Theo messing with evil swords, THEO could end up the Witch King, given time for a growing-up-and-going-bad arc.
@4:20 "is this a canon story?" 😳 Err none of what is in this show should be considered canon. How much of what has been shown came from Tolkien's hand?
I don't think Morgoth would be "turned" by the Simirils, but that he would've gotten lost looking into them and ignored everything else around him. The tear showing his visage snapped him back into reality.
That was my takeaway from that dialogue too
Yeah, while it may be a fabrication, it does track with what we know about his character. He obviously coveted the Silmarils, and made them his most prized treasure. Being obsessed with them until being awakened to his own nature seems spot on.
I'm still a little up in the air about this show, but so far nothing has been painfully cringy, or just outright awful. Watching the Hobbit movies there were a lot of cringy moments. And a lot of painfully cringy moments.
There's a lot of toxicity floating around about this show, a whole lot of it based on rumors and hear say. And people just trying to look for the bad. I'm a long time Tolkien fan, and I have my own complaints about Peter Jackson's adaptations, but overall I also accept that LotR, even with it's flaws, is about the best adaptation we'll ever get off the material.
With this show I'm trying to give it some leeway. It's dealing with copyright limitations, and it's trying to do the unenviable task of filling in large blanks in the Tokien legendarium with new stories and original characters. So I'm trying to give it the benefit of the doubt.
I will say, I like it more than I thought I would. It's not perfect. And it is taking liberties. But adaptations are always going to require breaking some things to make it work. Time compressions, melding several characters into one, introducing new characters, or expanding roles of existing characters who perform some function in the story telling process are necessary to some degree. As long as they don't go crazy off the rails and screw up the history, I'm willing to see where it'll go.
Which, the Hobbit movies definitely went off the rails. Horrifically so. So if it's not as bad as that it'll be a lot better.
I will say, I feel like most of the characters are being treated with respect though. And that's really all I ask, that people respect the source material. Especially if you're going to change things, you've got to know what can be changed, and what breaks the story completely.
@@andmicbro1 I'm so happy there are some out here looking at this show rationally. The toxicity is very draining.
I took that line to be Celebrimbor making an assumption about what happened with the Silmarils, like he is so obsessive about the power of creating that he makes a logical leap that the Silmarils were about to make Morgoth repent when all we know is Morgoth was captivated by their beauty.
@@jamesgraham1772 It could also be an allusion to Melkor wanting to be able to create, but only being able to corrupt and being envious of the pure light of the Silmarils that he coveted since Feanor created them from the light of the trees. Melkor/Morgoth, having the Silmarils, would get lost in the light that he so badly wanted to make his own.
I really liked episode 2 compared to 1. Durin 4 epitomized Dwarven stubbornness and inability to forgive a slight, especially being gone for 20 years. I also liked how Dissa was the one that was able to chip away at Durin 4's stubbornness and end up forgiving Elrond. I'm actually thinking that Meteor Man might be Saruman. I know that it is way too early for any of the Wizards to have arrived on Middle Earth, however he is potentially one of them. I also don't think that he is a Balrog as, I believe the reason why Nori wasn't harmed by the "flames" is because they were an illusion created by Meteor Man. Saruman was the first to arrive on ME. He was never fond of Hobbits in books. His interaction with Nori, and potential mischief that they'll get into later could be the reason why he dislikes Hobbits. Also, him facing off against Sauron now, but seeing that Sauron returns later, could be the catalyst in his mind that it's better to serve Sauron as Sauron has proven that he can't be permanently defeated. It's just a theory.
Durin is pretty great. and I did not even think of Saruman. Great idea. They could go with either date for the arrival of the 5 wizards. 1000 TA or 1600 SA. Both are in the books.
Saruman actually would make a lot of sense! That's a great point! I mean Gandalf would be a good candidate as well, since he has an affinity for Hobbits, having a Harfoot come to his aid would be a great way to show why he doesn't underestimate Hobbits while everyone else does.
Part of me wishes he's not one of the Istari, but if he is, both Saruman and Gandalf would be great candidates.
It could make alot of sense to be a blue wizard but why would he be separated from the other, also love this comment thread the theories and the politeness
Saruman was also my first thought! They’re in southern rhovanion too which is right where orthanc ends up if im not mistaken
when first seeing Meteor Man i thought for certain it was Gandalf by the way they've draped and styled the grey blanket very similar to Gandalf being "Gandalf the Grey". I thought this was a subtle but not so subtle way of pointing that out, but now seeing the theories on Saruman that does check out, because he seems really off and not as a gentle soul like Gandalf is.
Seeing Feanor's hammer was a direct hit to the feels. Love references to the Silmarillion
I thought it was a bit of a missed opportunity, actually. I was fully expecting Elrond to win the rock-breaking trial by asking to use his own hammer, then out comes Feanor's.
@@Jagonath why would he want to rust a legendary relic from the most powerful of the noldor himself tho
Ah yes, the fabled hammer of feanor that was never mentioned in the silmarillion. ???? you people try to be nostalgic a bit too much XD
you love bad writing?
Personal Theories:
Halbrand is either going to be the witch king as you said, a future agent of Sauron, or somehow connected to the beginning of the eothed. He has the name for it and has a horse handle on his sword.
Theo:
Most likely a future Nazgûl imo. If there is a time jump between seasons I could see him becoming a leader/king almond easterlings and the southland people, which could easily be one of the Nazgûl.
Stranger:
Most intriguing one imo. I think the show is throwing too many “obvious” hints at him being Gandalf/Sauron and that they’re all red herrings. I think it’s either one of the blue wizards, a strictly original character (would be strange), or perhaps a balrog - namely durins bane. He has maiar like abilities, he has powers involving fire, and he seems to be in a way “animalistic” and more of a follow orders type of guy (fitting cause balrogs were said to wait for morgoth). Perhaps his search of the skies could be in search for morgoth’s return. Eventually he’ll make his way into the depths of Khazadum and wait for the clanging of hammers to reach his abode. Personally I think this probably most definitely won’t happen but who knows, anything is possible.
Side note:
Halbrand is theo’s father?
Theo=Kamul?
I doubt Halbrand is Theo's father. How would that work? Bronwyn is light skinned. As is Halbrand. Theo isn't and he looks like an asian/african mix. Anyway, he does not look like he could be the child of Bronwyn and Halbrand. Not at all.
@@davidhimmelfahrt3732 - I don't think these villagers count as Easterlings, though.
@@Oozaru85 in this world skin color seems to be unrelated to anything. You just have this or that tone. Parents don't matter
@@WiseOwl_1408 That doesnt make sense. Adding diversity is one thing, but getting rid of every bit of logic is stupid.
Thanks!
There are a few picks I could nit, but I'm enjoying it so far. One thing I LOVE is how scary they're making Orcs. This is a world where Orcs haven't been seen by most people in hundreds of years
Which suggests that the orcs has shown considerable restraint over the centuries!
@@DelPlays That's distinct possibility, but I tend to see the orcs themselves as substantially less well-restrained. They charge to certain death in massive battles without evidently a thought, but are still capable of falling out with each other, for example, Shagrat and Gorbag in the Tower of Cirith Ungol.
And yet contrariwise I also like that they appear to be, how to put this, fairly old fashioned orcs. These are no Uruk-hai, I wouldn't even consider them full on Third Age Sauron-serving Uruks. They're more like your smaller mountain orcs, appropriate for thousands of years and a couple of breeding programs ago.
What a Great Breakdown! You were Born for this @NerdoftheRings
I knew your breakdowns would be on point. By far my favorite Tolkien scholar sir.
I just realized Elrond is also young Ned Stark.
Oh that's why he is so familiar. Thanks for the heads-up!
The scene when Gandalf rainbow kicks Galadriel into a pit and yells this is Hogwarts... Chills very Tolkien.
Great channel for sticking up for lore.
I appreciate your channel, and your videos. I also appreciate you taking time out of your day to highlight and point out Easter eggs and things i missed while watching the show.
More Khazad Dum please. It looked amazing
initially i was incredibly skeptical about this whole series but i'm pleasantly suprised, the series is quite slow but incredibly beautiful and i like the way they are introducing new characters. still not massively happy about the harfoots but i think it'll get better
I think it’s good that they’re taking their time to set up the storylines. It Will make for better payoffs later. I thought Witcher sped along way to fast for example which was really distracting compared to this. Here it feels natural and I,ve been enjoying it a lot so far
I'm the opposite, the pacing imo was terrible until they got to the dwarfs. Everyone teleporting from one place to another. So I'm glad it seems things are finally settling down. Certain parts of this show I've loved, others have been mediocre. None the less, I'll watch it in its entirety.
@@Bobbiloff definitely would compare it to the witcher
@@montynelson5033 Yes, 100% reminded me of witcher but witcher makes sense because they literally teleport in that world; though, still with s1, the pacing was a bit too much until s2.
I'm a causal fan and your videos have really given me a deeper appreciation of Tolkien's works and mythos.
In the beginning scene, Galadriel notices the Valacirca - the sickle of the valar, a constellation raised by Elbereth to signal the fall of Morgoth - on the northern sky, which helps her turn towards the east.
... so that she can start her little >5000 km swim back to Middle-earth?
@@blasphemous1989 yes
@@Premoguys Wow you are completely unironic, it is kind of amazing. Can you then perhaps elaborate on how Karendriel planned to swim cca 5000 kms? (I really don't expect some sort of reasoning which relates to the lore. I happily lower the bar: please explain this to me in the logical framework of the show.)
@@blasphemous1989 no
@@Premoguys Fantastic, enjoy your show, mate. It really looks like you are the perfect target audience for this.
Oh, and I agree about meteor man's scribble not being a "G" rune, not only because it's not the right form (though maybe the crash to earth addled his mind further!) but also because "Gandalf" is not his name when he comes from the west, but is given him by "Men" in Middle Earth. Olorin was his name "in the west".
Plus, didn’t Gandalf only appear in Middle Earth in the third age?
@@SnailHatan And he came by boat. Though probably they don't rights for that either...
And I thought he was Mithrandir before he was Gandalf. He has to be a blue Wizard because the rings don’t exist yet. And there is enough ambiguity to support that tbf. We don’t know a lot about the blue wizards and they come before Gandalf, Saruman and Radagast, 1000s of years to my understanding.
He should have a companion then though.
@@ryanmaxwell5076 That's a good point. I had only read the Unfinished Tales version where all the wizards come around the same time in the third age, but apparently in the Peoples of Middle Earth it suggests the blue wizards coming in the second age around the time of the forging of the one ring! But yeah, no companion, so that would be weird.
So Sauron 1st age, Gandalf 3rd age? Surely meteor man is Saruman?
By far the best review of the show. Most just bash or praise without looking at details and watching the show for what it is and not what you want it to be. Keep doing what your doing!
What was the promised price, Grima?
Prob another trip and gifts in exchange for his soul
Great breakdown! Couple of things I'm surprised you didn't notice:
1. Hobbit being the first creature the Stranger sees points heavily towards Gandalf and his love for halflings. And the fire theme. Gandalf later has ring of fire and wields the flame of Anor. At this point I'm 95% sure it's Gandalf
2. The kid having the stupidest haircut. I mean the only reason to have this haircut is to cover your elf ears because you are a halfbreed. I'm surprised you didn't notice. Seems to me pretty clear he's the son of the new elf guy
For someone who has elf ears he's pretty cold towards elves for example the line "what's one of them doing here?"
Its Halbrands son i think. And the stranger in the flames is most likely a blue wizard.
Gandalf's fire is hot. Whoever it is has been established as evil. It's far more likely to be Annatar, who would be, in all ways, like a wizard.
These breakdowns are invaluable to me. As someone who's not a full-on fan of LOTR, but enjoys the books/moving image adaptation nonetheless, I don't have a deep grasp on the finer detail of the lore of this world. After watching these videos I feel like I've gained a lot more appreciation for the episodes than I otherwise would have, so thank you!
Galadriel should NEVER be able to pass for human, even if her ears are hidden. She is said to be indescribably beautiful, even for elves. Her hair alone should be otherworldy. I understand it's hard to portray that, but you certainly can't have her just pass as human.
Yes, I agree. This was something that didn't feel right for me and I've liked the rest of it. It's not just ears that single elves out as different from human.
But she IS indescribably beautiful!
@@HomeGunMaker I actually like the actress, but I dont think the character should be able to pass for human
I agree as well. There is a reason Elves were so distinguished from men, it was more than their pointy ears, and in Galadriels instance, it would have been an even greater contrast.
For all the controversy over Disa's casting and lack of beard, I found myself most drawn to her character in the show thus far. She shined warmth and loveliness in her scenes, something that embodies Tolkien's world way more than beards and skin color, in my opinion.
It's not the show I wanted and these two episodes were spotty and disloyal to the source material but Disa shows that there is heart in Rings of Power.
Although I have zero issue with casting a POC with no beard as a dwarf, I find your comment to be slightly oxymoronic, with all due respect meaning no insult at all. I think the fact that they are not true to Tolkiens world or story is exactly WHY it does not have heart. It reeks to me of monetization and political statement being prioritized over quality writing and film making. I'm sure someone will immediately accuse me of racism, but again, I am not, and that is not the issue. If she were a Dwarven scarlet Johansen with blonde hair and blue eyes I would have the same exact issue, it is not about skin color, it's about faithfulness to the world he created. Just my opinion and I 100% respect yours and everybody's who disagrees with me. ❤️ 💙 💜
Your kidding..... right?
@@tomstark28 With all due respect I disagree. Disa is very much a homely maternal dwarf character.
Her skin color does not matter and so far I believe the actress is doing a good job.
Casting actors of color is not, and should not be a political statement.
If you pause it and look closely she does have a beard, or more accurately, wispy sideburns.
@@tomstark28 Okay, as a very far-left LGBTQ+ person: Yes, corporations deliberately use "diversity" and whatnot in their products. But that's not to make some kind of political statement, it's to sell stuff. We just live in a time where diversity is something people value and they like to see it in media because it makes them feel good. And because people like it, corporations will use it to sell their products. That's just capitalism. I hate corporate attempts to sell "social justice", but I also understand that it's basically the way it is supposed to be in a capitalist world in which these things are valued. And I prefer to live in a world where these things are valued, so I kinda have to live with corporations and their cheap and often awkward attempts to convince us that they care about anything else than money. The same corporations would make movies in which slavery is justified if that were the times we lived in.
But the thing is: apart from that there are also people who include for example PoC or LGBTQ+ characters because that's just their vision and because they actually care. And even those get the rage of anti-sjw folk who complain about every woman or gay person in any movie ever. There are content creators who used to make anti-sjw stuff who are now annoyed by their former viewers, because they don't have any nuance in this things whatsoever and basically became what they intended to criticize. They just blindly attack everything and will cry about stuff like "Why are there no strong men in media anymore" when still every second movie has those. But it's not the inclusion of PoC or LGBTQ+ people or some strong female characters that are the problem, it's corporations using art and turning it into something solely designed to make profit. And even if there are political statements being made that wouldn't automatically reduce the quality of a show or movie. People pretend there is some kind of slider with "Diversity" or "Politics" on one side and "quality" on the other, but that's not true. It doesn't even make sense. Some of the best fictional works are about politics. That's not what makes media bad. It's not like casting a black actor costs you twice as much money and that money is then not there to pay for the quality of other stuff. It's just that the diversity and certain problems like poorly spent budget or changing lore to make it more mainstream-appealing are the product of the same profit motive, but certain people misunderstand it and think the diversity causes the other problems.
And some people would now accuse me of being wrong with the whole "They do it because it sells", because they actually believe in their slogans like "Go woke go broke", but let's stay with the facts. Most people are not anti-sjw activists and don't care that much. And most of the media that was supposed to go broke because of their perceived "wokeness" actually did very well. People also complained about The Witcher (it also has black elves!) and both seasons are in the top 15 of Netflix' most streamed shows. It's just a loud minority that is obsessed with this things and there are many youtube channels who make money with rants about wokeness and also try to sell people their own ideology while pretending to be apolitical.
Love your reviews, your knowledge about Tolkiens work is amazing. Also I appreciate how open minded you are about this show. Even the things you don’t like. You just don’t say that you don’t like it, but discuss and reflect over it in a way I find refreshing and hard to find these days.
(15:07) How he ended up floating near Galadriel (near Valinor) when he's from "the South", near Mordor, without encountering Numinor is beyond me.
Cause he’s Sauron
Because the writers of this show are amateurs
@@hernethehunted7130 he is definitely Sauron
Scary to think tho I thought he would be arogorn’s ancestors
My vote is for ring wraith. 😜🤟
It's a shame they couldn't have gotten rights to flash back to the first age, seeing Ancalagon would have been jaw dropping and seeing more of Melkor.
Thank god they couldn't sink their corporate claws into all that.
@@brednbudr2406 youre right, heaven forbid they spend hundreds of millions of dollars to build out a century old beloved franchise because MuH JeFf BeZoS
@@kevin-mv6qf Peter Jackson ... I mean for a friend I have to ask where his part is in this story.
Washing machines last longer with Ancalagon
What did they get the rights too ? I don’t get all this
I still think that Halbrand is Sauron. Although not introduced as a character in episode 1, when the story switches to the Southlands and we got the first shot of Tirharad and when we see Arondir on the tower looking over the landscape we hear Halbrand's theme from the soundtrack ( which is basically an inversion of the Sauron theme - first notes/intervals).
Hmmmmm
comment aged like a fine wine!
I absolutely have been loving your videos since I found your channel 6 months ago or so, and I really like that you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon of hate content for views. I like that you’re optimistic and still honest on your opinions. Personally I have thoroughly enjoyed the first two episodes a lot and am incredibly excited for the future of this show. I just hope peoples predetermined hate towards it doesn’t negatively effect the shows future!
I am not a big fan but i actually liked the ROP. So i was shocked by the negativity. But watching your generally positive reviews and explanations helps.
Thanks very much!
a lot of negativity comes from the anti woke crowd. or in other words, people who can't bear PoCs in middle-earth. and people who have major problems with a few black characters can only be described as racists
I don't know if anyone else has noted this already but the series opening is actually a creative use of a very cool effect where sand is put on a plate above a speaker playing a single tone. The sand comes together and forms into surprising shapes based on resonance with the invisible sound waves moving through them. When the tone is changed, the sand shifts to a new shape just like they showed it (obviously not into the shapes of trees). Given that, the way elves and their magic feels connected with the hidden shapes of things, the seen and unseen dichotomy, and light and dark dichotomy, I found it to be surprisingly thought provoking and moving. I hope the opening's creators get an award honestly.
I loved the Khazad Dum scenes. Especially seeing elvish and dwarfish culture clash. Elrond tries to formally introduce himself and is promptly interrupted to start the rock splitting contest 😂. I also really loved when elrond finally realized that, in his elvish ignorance, he forgot how much 20 years is to mortals. Also, to see all those places in their former glory really moves me. This show is so visually stunning, it sometimes just gives me teary eyes
Yeah. Elrond’s scenes in Khazad-Dum were my favorite.
Loved the show and absolutely love your reviews and rundowns. Thanks for keeping it fun and informative.
Bro with all due respect you trying so hard to make this series sounds good...the content in any of your videos is 10 times better than all the episodes combined, but just admit that they suck so you don't lose subjectivity... some might speculate you are paid by Amazon for theses reviews.
I got to say I love the full helmel/masks the dwarves are wearing, it reminds me of when the Dwarves of Belegost fought Glaurung as they could withstand the fire due to their armor
Metal is a very strong conductor tho. How can metal armor withstand a dragon's fire?
@@Oozaru85 The quote reads thusly - "Last of all the eastern force to stand firm were the Dwarves of Belegost, and thus they won renown. For the Naugrim withstood fire more hardily than either Elves or Men, and it was their custom moreover to wear great masks in battle hideous to look upon; and those stood them in good stead against the dragons. And but for them Glaurung and his brood would have withered all that was left of the Noldor." - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion
@@SagaciousHamster Yes, I know that. But this quote says nothing about metal masks.. Metal is a conductor for heat. So metal masks would not protect from fire, on the contrary. Leather masks would be much more protective. But the masks in the show were metal, not leather.
Or better yet, given their love for the the natural elements, how about ceramic masks? Like what’s used for capsules entering the earths atmosphere. That sounds close to dragon fire levels lol
Is it possible the Meteor Man is himself Sauron? Things I noticed:
* The fiery crater resembled the Eye of Sauron.
* Nori says that the flames within the crater aren't hot. It's said in Episode 1 that the elven war party's torches give off no heat because the place's evil nature is suppressing it.
* As you point out in the video, the Meteor Man's scrawlings resemble Mordor.
* The fireflies all die after coming into contact with him.
Either way, I do think he must be either Sauron or a Blue Wizard. But I'm getting a distinctly sinister vibe. And I think part of the reason there are similarities to Gandalf is to engender the audience's trust, and lower their guard.
dont forget that the "Eye of Sauron" doesnt become a bit deal until after the Akallabeth when he loses his fair form.. The eye on Barad-Dur then becoming a major device for him.
Would be corny for him to be Sauron but with the show writers can’t really put that passed him. Would make sense in the “fallen Angel” kinda theme cuz Tolkien was Catholic and Sauron was inspired by Lucifer
@@basedlord88 Morgoth is Lucifer. Sauron is just a servant.
No, meteor man will be Gandalf. Even though the Astari don’t come to middle earth till the third age 🙄
Sauron is Halbrand.
I kind of like that they are leaving us in a state of confusion RE meteor man, toying with him being either good or evil based on the symbolism. They seem to have a plan for making Sauron mysterious and not immediately recognizable. I'm starting to get annoyed at the idea of it being Halbrand, but frankly I hope both him and the meteor man are total misdirects and Sauron himself first appears as a bit of a minor character, either directly using the LoG epithet, or hinting at it somewhat coyly
Thanks for your even minded reviews.
FYI the opening scene is also depicting the patterns and formations that occur when matter resonates at different sound frequencies. Clearly a reference to the dwarves “singing” to the mountain.
Video of this phenomenon can be watched here: ua-cam.com/video/wvJAgrUBF4w/v-deo.html
I (and many others) believe it more probably to be a reference to the Music of the Ainur (music of creation)
Wow cool, I love that and hope it's TRUE @Leddy, I also like the Ainurs song too both great theories
i would even suggest that it could be both
and that in many mythos, sound/frequencies/vibrations/and resonances are considered or related to magical powers or abilities, that gods but also sometimes mortals could possess
a good example of this is elder scrolls, not many people know this but sound is like the ultimate force in the elder scrolls universe, used by the gods/daedra/dragons and also the dwarves who figured out how to use it and became more advanced than anyone else
Thanks for this thoughtful and insightful video! The sidgel of Morgoth is definitely a map to Mordor, and how the dark forces know where to muster. In a nod to Frodo solving the riddle that others cannot, Nori asks Meteor Man straight away if it is a map. The constellation also makes an appearance during the first episode, in the Harfoot elder's book (right after the images of the two hunters and the wolf.)
There is so much lore to navigate/reconcile that we miss some of the basic storytelling craft - which has been great upon second viewing.
This. The storytelling craft is superb. I am so surprised, because I hadn’t expected it at all. The themes are very layered, and the dialogue is very on point too.
They are laying it on pretty think with the stranger being evil. The music is darker, and the fire wasn't cold. They also paired his arrival with Galadriel deciding to stay. A soon to be named Annatar, returning from his long search for his banished master
I’m just here to INFORM everyone how We have a divided FACTION of fans who either live the series so far and the other that finds FAULT in every section. THE OBJECTIVE or My objective take is that this is the most EPIC show so far on TV. The none canonical parts are minimal that it does not bother me at all.
Exactly. Also the none camical parts are well done.
Non Canon is minimal?
Lol, it's 90% of the show. Which an actual LOTR/Tolkien fan would know.
@@johanstinson No it’s not 90% of the show that is ridiculous
@@lukethevampire8970 sure it is.
--Not the biggest fan of Galadriel's subplot with Halbrand in the ocean. The goal is to get her to Numenor somehow and I don't mind that, but I'm not sure that couldn't have been done in a more logical fashion than her ending up in the middle of the ocean.
--Khazad-Dum was magnificant; I loved the greenery, and the carved birds and beasts.
--Princess Disa is such a cinnamon roll and I love it 🥰
--In one brief scene, Celebrimbor shows perfectly why he's going to be such an easy mark for the manipulations of Annatar.
--That scene with the orc in the kitchen was really scary, and is a strong argument for the ministry of the Rangers in Eriador in the Third Age.
--I guess the scene from the SDCC trailer where Arondir is grabbed from behind isn't him being saved by an Ent 😬
--The Harfoots were still adorable, especially Nori and Poppy.
--The Stranger is...very mysterious.
Still very much looking forward to next week.
Disa was the best character imo as well, I was skeptical coming into it but this show is turning out really nicely.
It's so damn refreshing to hear a take on this without some kind of negative, condescending view. Really appreciate ya.
I think "The Stranger" is definitely a Maiar, whether he's an Istari or not remains to be seen!
Yeah, and I think him being a Maiar is cool. I just really hope it's not Gandalf.
Bombadil
@@notsoginger Tom was there before anyone else...
@@notsoginger Stranger Things Season 5, Tom Bombadil and the Upside Down
He's a stranger in this world who shouts at everything and seems to be in total shock. For all we know, he might be Tolkien himself.
Could the writing get any worse? It's painful to watch. Modern writers act like the audience are complete morons, spelling out the simplest things that can be plainly seen. "See that hole? I think that hole was dug by someone" "I must explore it because it was dug" SMFH Can we go back to real writers instead of activists that are hired to check a box?
Does anyone know the background song with the lady chanting? Would love to listen to this while reading Tolkien.
Intro is representing real life phenomenon where if you lay sand on speaker, the music creates those patters, which was referencing creational power of music in tolkien mythology
ever simce I first learned about string theory in physics in the early 2000s, I immediately thought of the power music/sound has on the human nervous system, as well as other things. Each subatomic particle tied to one string loop, and the different ways they resonate create their different functions. It would just make so much sense to me in my faith view of creation.
I just can't handle Elrond's hairstyle in this show
What I've seen and can't unsee: Celebrimbor looks like Gordon Ramsay.
Oh man you can see wheres the budget gone this is best looking show ive seen ever, its movie quality alright
And still in so many close ups the background seems so fake and made me completely lose immersion
You as fake as this show is. Tolken would turn in his grave, you didnt respect him
"No Turkey, however bloated and stupid, could ever be enough to convey the mesmerizing awfulness of Amazons billion dollar Tolkien epic."
-Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail.
By this point Galadriel is married, and has a kid....yet she is apparently a mary sue karen teenager who is overly obsessive. Which is anything but what Galadriel is
Can anyone explain how Galadriel jumping ship in the middle of sea and just swimming back is anything less than idiotic? Her Forest Gump happenstance of finding a "raft" randomly is too convenient. Surviving the storm on an even smaller "raft" is a bit laughable, but it was all just so she could end up in Numenor via random hitch-hiking from plot device to plot device. The script has the depth of an 8th grade creative writing project.
I rolled my eyes so hard at that they fell out
I liked Elrond and Durin interactions. Only time I really felt any magic. I think I’m going to like Arondir, I like his reserved personality. I thought Galadriels story line was terrible and inconsistent. We’ll see if it just because of growing pains.
Really? how is 20 years long for a dwarf. Why does Durin act like a petulant child?
I totally agree. Though Disa was pretty good too. Surprised me.
@@slome815 dwarves are naturally curmudgeonly
@@slome815 Try imagining one of your IMMORTAL friends simply forgetting about you, a MORTAL, for 20 years. Won't that piss you off too?
@@slome815 not to say Durin the 4th had to invent time travel to be there
I just want to say thank you for putting these videos out. It helps me notice and understand more of what’s going on. Keep up the good work
Was finally able to watch eps 1 and 2. I'm quite enjoying how each storyline has its own distinct tone. Elrond and the dwarves of Khazad-dum feels jovial and lighthearted, Nori and the harfoots feels whimsical and mysterious, the elves are, well, out-of-touch and serious, what's happening in the South with the humans feels desperate, and Galadriel's story feels like plot A with the main objective and it's playing on a lot of anticipation. So far the show gives you a really good sense of grounding; each story has a hook and a reason to be invested, but for entirely different reasons and I like that a lot.
My theory as posted in the episode 1 recap: I reckon the stranger could be Tilion, aka the man in the moon. He was a Maiar that was responsible for guiding the moon across the sky, but there is a tale about him in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil where he falls down to earth. "like a meteor, a star in flight, ere Yule one night flickering down he fell". Would be disappointed if this turns out not to be the case.
Yep. You’ve convinced me. Seems way too coincidental and now you’ve mentioned it, it almost seems obvious
But what would the point be for him to come to middle earth?
What about the old theory that the witch king was of the same order as gandalf initially. Could be the wizard king?
Its Gandalf u idiots. "I am a servant of the sacred fire, weilder of the flame of Anor"
@@punkvader77 Secret fire. Also Gandalf didn't come to Middle Earth until the third age, so would be a big breach of lore if that were true.
I was quite crytical before the premier, but I decided to look at it with an open hearth, still I am not convinced. The truth is if it wouldn't be about middle earth I wouldn't even watched the second episode. It wasn't exciting for me, I can't sympathise with the characters, the story isn't exciting either I know that big things are coming but it wont happen for awhile. The only thing I liked is the relationship with Elrond and Prince Durin, they do made me feel alive for a few minutes.
I really like your channel and your videos. I like that you report everything without the "Hate", I mean "ok this is what we have... Let's analyze" and it's what you do analyze. We know that they are making the series changing some things and not completely the canon, but personally I have loved the series.
Maybe Halbrand is the Lord of the Dead. He abandoned his shipwreck buddies and told Galadriel that you gotta do what you gotta do to survive. Since Isildur is in the show and they get rescued at the end of the episode, maybe halbrand becomes friends with he and Elendil. That would make alot of since if he abandons them once more and breaks an oath to survive a fight with Sauron. That would make the scene in Return of the King when Aragorn finally frees them from the curse so much more meaningful because he now gets to rest knowing that he didnt abandon them this time.
Halbrand is Sauron
Easily the best breakdowns of the show on youtube. love your videos. will watch every episode :)