Rings of Power Season 2 Ep. 02 'Where the Stars are Strange' with Philip 'Nemesis' Chase
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- Опубліковано 17 вер 2024
- @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy (the nefarious Dr. Fantasy himself... or is he Sauron?) and I continue our spoiler discussions about Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
This time we are discussing the second episode of Season Two, Episode Two 'Where the Stars are Strange'. There may be a mention of Beowulf, sorry.
Previous Rings of Power Chats:
S1 E1 • Discussion of Rings of...
S1 E2 - • Rings of Power Ep. 02 ...
S1 E3 - • Discussion of Rings of...
S1 E4 - • Rings of Power Ep. 04 ...
S1 E5 - • Discussion of Rings of...
S1 E6 - • Rings of Power Ep. 06 ...
S1 E7 - • Discussion of Rings of...
S1 E8 - • Rings of Power Ep. 08 ...
S2 E1 - • Discussion with A Crit...
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Intro and Music by Professor Trip.
#RoP #lotrrop #lotr
I've just started with the season and by midway through I discovered something that I only sensed in the first episode - because it was veiled by a beard. But did no one else notice that Círdan looks like none other than the Critical Dragon himself? Which is ironic because I only noticed it when he shaved which AP has not in a while.. ;-)
Additionally I think the new season is a blast. They dare to tread their own paths. And the purists will always yowl. But I think they're staying truthful to Tolkien. They find solutions to shape a compelling narrative for a tight series from the vastness that is the Second Age. And apart from that it is a marvel to behold: The pictures are stunning.
I wish more people were just more open to the sheer fun of it.
Great to have you back, Doc AP!
I while I do share your concerns for the “Dark Wizard” identity on a canonically basis, I would also be lying if I did feel greatly amused when I recognized him as Ciarán Hinds (“Rome”’s Julius Ceasar, also was pleased to see “Posca”/Nicholas Woodeson’s cameo as the old man in the Episode 1 prologue!) doing his best Christopher Lee-impression! 🤩 That said, I am definitely on Team “Hope he is a Blue Wizard”!
Very glad to see Sauron as Annatar, I was very afraid we would not get it with the pacing of season 1 and the forging of the three elven rings. In my mind it is a bit backwards, as Celebrimbor being tricked by his pride to aid Annatar in creating the rings to the Dwarfs/Men (ring-giving to allies/vassals being a prominent feature in many of Sagas & Myth Tolkien was inspired by) and then made the Elvish rings as a responsive defense once Sauron showed his true colours, as in novels, made more sense to me, but still glad to see it!
The Dwarf Scenes continues to be my favorites, though I am genuinely interested in the exploration of Rhun! Cheers!
If I'm Sauron, that leaves a vacancy for the position of Morgoth. I hear Morgoth had massive fireballs!
Morgoth just wanted to dance to his own tune. Totally misunderstood. 🤣🤣
Thanks again for another great discussion. I'm really enjoying these deep dives into each episode. After the LOTR movies, I just wanted more. That's why I watched shows like Shannara Chronicles, Wheel Of Time, and other fantasy shows and movies that were along the same lines. Now I can enjoy more Middle Earth on TV. I already watched episode 3. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on that episode. ⚔️
I'm currently reading The Fall of Numenor. I'd be interested on hearing your takes on that book and anything they may have used for the show.
I remwmber thinking that you were finally getting your blue wizards but that it probably wasn't going the way you hoped. Really hoping the dark wizard isn't Saruman, but he definitely has the look down.
I don't hate this season as much as S1, but that doesn't say much.
I simply gave up. I don’t give view time to them that’s it. They create this bad adaptation because even those watch it who don’t like it. So I don’t watch.
Libera te tutemet ex inferis.
As long as they don't cover the blue wizards, I won't watch it, but I guess (being a long time subscriber) I have a way of finding out if that is the case :P until it happens or not, at least I have some interesting discussions
The Stranger is clearly going to be Gandalf :-) the scriptwriters have had the Stranger echo Gandalf’s phrase in the Mines of Moria that this is the way because the air smells a bit better in this direction. You can’t drop a heavier clue than have the Stranger quote Gandalf!
Aside from that Saruman is an utterly different character to the Gandalf/Stranger character.
On another subject; the treatment of angelic/spirit beings….so many people think that faced with them, people would re-act with awe and fear: it’s actually untrue. People who have seen ‘angels’ (to use a word) don’t re-act that way at all….I grant you that Tolkeins Catholic background might have influenced him; but in truth there is no awe, no fear, only a feeling of wonder and grace. From a literary point of view it obviously makes sense to create this fictitious scariness but in reality, it’s the opposite :-)
Will watch your videos after watching the actual episodes. I have to say after being embarrassed by some of the stuff surrounding RoP Season 1 and the fantasy fandom in general, I remember very little from the actual plot of Season 1 after a while. In hindsight it was beautifully made but kind of bland.
This show spends a lot of time explaining things that are already explained, or else don't need to be. "Gandalf" is a perfectly logical name when given by men of the North, since they believe (erroneously) that the wizards are elves and "Gandalf" carries a staff or wand; "elf of the wand" being the meaning of the name in Voluspa. It's a detail, not a plot point. Lace with dialogue lifted out of context and thereby stripped of weight and significance:
[STRANGER] From shadow you came. To shadow I bid you return!
Nice mythology (not), shame about the story. Is there a conspiracy among fantasy writers to pass off such feeble stuff as good?
And... can you imagine what Tolkien would have made of the Jesus imagery? Or (from Episode 4) Adar's "a star shines upon the hour of our meeting", a saying he himself was fond of and quoted in interviews? Truly, corruption is on display, perhaps not in the way intended.