I was expecting Franco to pull an Exact Words on Colbert. He did, after all, specifically say to name JUST TWO. I thought he was going to say Colbert failed due to naming more than two.
Apparently Colbert had a cameo in one of The Hobbit films and on one of the days during filming, the films' LOTR lore expert and consultant challenged Colbert to a Tolkien-off and lost to him. Insane.
@ 2:21 you can see his eyes shift into something else, like a beast that's been waiting to attack his prey. Stephen had been waiting his entire life for a prey like this, and it was as beautiful as seeing a lion eat a little lamb. (well not so beautiful)
If I could I would advise Franco to ask Colbert about the real parentage of Gil-Galad. I've seen the biggest of Tolkien nerds slipping on that one as it's one of the most complex issues in the entire lore. ;)
It is said in the Silmarillion that his father is Fingon. But in some other notes he says that his father is Orodreth. It is unknown which one was the actual intention of Tolkien, but the Silmarillion is generally considered more canon. In both cases his mother is an unnamed elleth. ( I SWEAR I didn't just look that up! Your right though that's a tough one!)
Annagrace Anderson Actually Silmarillion is not considered more canon...quite the opposite. Even Christopher Tolkien who put Silmarillion together admitted that he made so many mistakes there that if he could he would never publish it in first place. Which is why he then started publishing the 'History of ME'...all 12 volumes of it, unedited and complemented only with his and his father's comments.
Annagrace Anderson It's a heavy read...basically HoME is a collection of JRR's writings, almost in their original form with minimal editing and so on. It's basically everything that is in Silmarillion or Unfinished Tales and then some more. Various versions of various stories, etc. with JRR's son Christopher comments. For example on the issue of Gil-Galad's parentage Chris Tolkien himself wrote that the version he decided to push into Silmarillion was "an ephemeral idea" his father had and abandoned many years before. He then proceed to edit all the stories which touched that issue and edited them according to it and put it into Silmarillion. However, the last version of Gil-Galad's parentage was that he was the son of Orodreth, who was son of Angrod, who was son of Finarfin.
I like nerdiness that's implied when James Franco says "I've been re-reading the Silmarillion lately". Not only has he read it once, he's doing it again!
Their feet are like super thick from simply walking everywhere, either through the smooth country roads, or the grassy fields. You don't hear Frodo and Sam going "ow ow ow" every step they take through Mordor.
Colbert’s first answer is so simplistic. She’s Feanor’s half-brother’s Finarfin’s daughter. When Feanor’s people attacked the Teleri elves (Finarfin marries a Teleri and this Galadriel was half-Teleri), most of the Noldor got mixed up in the fighting. Feanor’s people pressed onwards over the northern ice (“Helcaraxe” - the “Grinding Ice”), and Finarfin’s and Fingolfin’s (his elder brother) people followed only reluctantly. Finarfin himself, Galadriel’s father, stayed behind.
What you just said didn't answer why Galadriel went to Middle Earth. Stephen's answer was more accurate. She went in pursuit of Morgoth and the Silmarils. What you are describing is what happened as she was going to Middle Earth, but not why she was going.
I've been a huge nerd for basically my whole life.... Stephen Colbert's crazy knowledge of tolkein is..... literally insane....Fuck!!! Like.....how many times has this dude read the silmarillian? It's mind blowing...
Not enough. He missed the following quote: "No oaths she [Galadriel] swore but the words of Feanor concerning Middle-Earth had kindled in her heart for she yearned to see the wide unguarded lands and to rule there a realm at her own will"
I dont read alot of fiction novels to be fair but honestly i couldnt understand much of The Silmarillion. Very difficult to digest and follow. It is way more complicated to read than the LOTR. Dont get me started on the Book of Tales..
You do NOT want to mess with Colbert when it comes to LoTR! James Franco don't even think about it! "Last time...I smoked you like a ham." LMFAO! You were SO outclassed in the second showdown it was painfully EMBARASSING!
Just to clarify, Galadriel is not of direct lineage to Fëanor, nor did she swear a blood oath to help reclaim the Silmarils from Morgoth. Galadriel is the daughter of Finarfin, who is brother-in-law to Fëanor. So basically, she is Fëanor's niece-in-law. Also, only Fëanor and his seven sons swore blood oaths to reclaim the Silmarils. That is why it is called the Curse of the House of Fëanor. Galadriel followed Fëanor just as most of the Noldor because they believed that they were being penned up in Valinor and kept from inheriting Middle Earth by the Valar so that the inferior Edain could rule in their stead. It had nothing to do with the Silmarils. Maybe Stephen should actually know the answer to his own slam question before he asks it.
+alanjdean As pointed out already Galadriel was actually a niece of Feanor since Feanor and Finarfin were half-brothers on their father's side not "brother-in-laws"...Feanor in fact resented his father taking another wife and to put it mildly "disliked" his brothers Fingolfin and Finarfin. Galadriel was also a grand-daughter of Olwe, brother of Elwe (Elu Thingol) who was the King of Sindar and a big part of what led her back was her curiosity as well and desire to see other things.
+alanjdean As is already mentioned, Galadriel was the daughter of Finarfin, Feanor's half-brother, but I do believe the explanation given for her crossing over back to Middle-Earth was her friendship with Feanor's sons. I think it was said that she went around often with one or two of them, though I can't exactly remember which ones. Maybe Celegorm.
Max Austin yep. Galadriel had Nenya, Gandalf was given Narya upon arriving in Middle Earth, and Elrond was given Vilya, the strongest of the the three rings, to protect it during the later half of the second and the entirety of the third age.
I can never remember the name, just that it's the ring of adamant. When I first read Fellowship of the Ring I was probably 8 years old and had no idea what adamant was.
The only 3 people who could in their wildest dreams ever hope to possibly best me, and I'm sure many of us here, in a Tolkien-off: J.R.R. Tolkien, Stephen Colbert, and...possibly...Christopher Tolkien.
Well, according to his answer to his own question about Galadriel, and him not even managing to use the single form of "Maiar" and "Valar", I have to disagree. No doubt J.R.R. and Christopher would wipe the floor with me. However, I wouldn't even try arguing with them, and just listen to them as long as they can talk.
Patrick Boylan actually it's common to insert an 'r' betweem sylabils, if the last one ends and the next one befins with a vowel. like 'vala of' you do that in.... ' visa application' and such
I'd have asked Colbert to name all the names given to or by which he was known of Gandalf, and their meaning... there are quite a bit, some even used only once.
Actually, no! Galadriel hated Feanor and just wanted her own realm to rule, and "Valar" is plural! "Vala" is the singular form. Yavanna is the Vala (Valie, technically, because she's female) of all living things; there are fourteen Valar.
I haven't read Tolkien just cuz I know my mind will be expanded as if I was brainwashed by the teseract (which has nothing to do with Tolkien) but I bet I most have felt so good to be Stephen at that moment.
too bad Galadriel is actually of *Finwe's* kin since he's Feanor's father and true king of the Noldor..I mean if we're being totally correct.....YOU COME INTO MY HOUSE, COLBERT?!!
+jeeperscreepers7 I was just being facetious because Colbert said she was one of the family of Feanor which is technically correct but FINWE is actually the patriarch of the family so it would be more correct to say she is one of FINWE's family. Again, I was just being silly and facetious.
The first answer Colbert answered isn't actually correct at all. Galadriel was of the House of Finarfin rather than Feanor, didn't participate in the blood oath, and she left the Blessed Realm mainly due to the desire of discovery. The second question (regarding the Valar) was waaaay too easy: Manwe and Aule are pretty unforgettable (not to mention Mandos).
It's strange I just had a little interest in LOTR tonight, I watched 10 minute of this insanely in depth history of simarillion (sp?) And I knew the first question.
Best use of the phrase "You came into my house!"
come
I came.
@@s.bakyhnh1756 In my house?
YOU COME INTO MY HOUSE?!
the look he gives james when james asks his question is just like "u dumb fuck"
it's the silmarillion equivalent of saying name two hobbits
He would have been better off asking Stephen to name EVERY Valar. I mean, we all know Stephen would still get it, but at least TRY to test the man.
I was expecting Franco to pull an Exact Words on Colbert. He did, after all, specifically say to name JUST TWO. I thought he was going to say Colbert failed due to naming more than two.
He’s just like, “two?!”
Damn Stephen he's just a kid!
So is Jimmy Fallon lol
barbaro267 okay, its safe to say Franco is a bit smarter than Jimmy Fallon
Nah son you gon learn today
If Peter Jackson makes the Silmarillion he should hire Stephen as a consultant.
One geek to rule them all.
Apparently Colbert had a cameo in one of The Hobbit films and on one of the days during filming, the films' LOTR lore expert and consultant challenged Colbert to a Tolkien-off and lost to him. Insane.
MeanMisterWalrus haha yeah he was one of the lake town folk
After what he did to the Hobbit? No, thanks
it should be a series. like Game of Thrones but with a lot less boobs because Catholic Tolkien.
goes without saying!
Name two of the Valar!
Stephen just smiles, drops the smile and drops knowledge on his ass 😂😂
@2:25 When Franco realizes he's climbed into the Octogon with a real ringer
lol is that what true blooded LOTR fans are called, Ringers?
Jenson true Tolkien fans don't go by anything because they aren't retarded
"Name just 2 of the Valar."
Dude...you're setting the bar a bit low for a Tolkien nerd, Mr. Franco lol
ya, get some real obscure shit like, what was the name of the dwarf who carved the doors of durin an why did he? or name the capital of nevrast.
Well, the name of the Dwarf was Navi, as far as I can remember, but what is "Nevrast"?
barbaro267 that look Stephen gave him "what do ya think you're doing kid?"
"The Beleriand Dark Elf, Eöl, wore a suit of black armour.
What metal was this armor forged from?"
That would've been a pretty decent question.
If you're going to engage in pedantry, this is the place to do it amigo.
"Name one petty dwarf"
Franco is in waaaaaaaaaaaay over his head man.
Franco should take Ryan Gosling's Mom's help next time....Tolkien Showdown 3
Thats the only way, he's ever going to win it.
Sidd Joshi With a simple question as well? Too damn easy son.
One does not simply challenge Colbert to a Tolkien showdown
I facepalmed so hard when he said Galadriel came to protect Middle Earth. Like, did he even read the Silmarillion?!
The intensity in Steve's face honestly scared me a little. I've only ever seen conviction like that in one other person's eyes.
Stephen is cute as shit, my god.
@ 2:21 you can see his eyes shift into something else, like a beast that's been waiting to attack his prey. Stephen had been waiting his entire life for a prey like this, and it was as beautiful as seeing a lion eat a little lamb. (well not so beautiful)
The reaction of Colbert when James asks for another showdown.
the smile and laughter from both of them is so contagiousness and sincere.
evanplanas, yep it's adorable.
Stephan Colbert is a gift to this world and no one can convince me otherwise.
Broadwaygirl01 why would anyone try? 😮
sathya skywalker, silly rabbit. That's not possible.
sathya skywalker, yeah you were wrong. You actually *can't* convince anyone otherwise.
sathya skywalker yeah, you just think about what you did.... Or rather didn't do.
sathya skywalker 😂😂
I love, love, love this guy. Stephen Colbert is brilliant.
If I could I would advise Franco to ask Colbert about the real parentage of Gil-Galad. I've seen the biggest of Tolkien nerds slipping on that one as it's one of the most complex issues in the entire lore. ;)
It is said in the Silmarillion that his father is Fingon. But in some other notes he says that his father is Orodreth. It is unknown which one was the actual intention of Tolkien, but the Silmarillion is generally considered more canon. In both cases his mother is an unnamed elleth. ( I SWEAR I didn't just look that up! Your right though that's a tough one!)
Annagrace Anderson Actually Silmarillion is not considered more canon...quite the opposite. Even Christopher Tolkien who put Silmarillion together admitted that he made so many mistakes there that if he could he would never publish it in first place. Which is why he then started publishing the 'History of ME'...all 12 volumes of it, unedited and complemented only with his and his father's comments.
Oh really I didn't know that!! I will have to read them then. I guess the silmarillion is just more well known
Annagrace Anderson It's a heavy read...basically HoME is a collection of JRR's writings, almost in their original form with minimal editing and so on. It's basically everything that is in Silmarillion or Unfinished Tales and then some more. Various versions of various stories, etc. with JRR's son Christopher comments.
For example on the issue of Gil-Galad's parentage Chris Tolkien himself wrote that the version he decided to push into Silmarillion was "an ephemeral idea" his father had and abandoned many years before. He then proceed to edit all the stories which touched that issue and edited them according to it and put it into Silmarillion. However, the last version of Gil-Galad's parentage was that he was the son of Orodreth, who was son of Angrod, who was son of Finarfin.
My question to him would be this:
"The dark elf, Eöl, of Nan Elmoth wore a set of jet black armor. What metal was this armor made from?"
I wish someone loved me like Stephen loves LOTR
I love that he can not only name far more Valar than Franco was asking for but he knows the alternate names of some
People forget JamesFranco is from the YALE college type of realm people...
Mind elaborating??
Alpha Bet Closeted homosexual, cocaine snorter kind of Yale?
@@germanulrich I have to return some video tapes
wow I actually knew this, I don't know how I should feel about this
Happy. Its one of the most awesome universes, right up there with Warhammer 40K
Colbert got it wrong. Galadriel came because she wanted to rule weaker people and have her own lands and kingdom.
rayleigh8 and that's wrong.
rayleigh8 lol edited
Proud.
I like nerdiness that's implied when James Franco says "I've been re-reading the Silmarillion lately". Not only has he read it once, he's doing it again!
Why don't Hobbits wear shoes? because they don't want to
I.... Okay.
+Mncdk He's not wrong.
Stealth
They don't NEED shoes.
Their feet are like super thick from simply walking everywhere, either through the smooth country roads, or the grassy fields. You don't hear Frodo and Sam going "ow ow ow" every step they take through Mordor.
Just goes to show that if you write a great story it will live in the minds of people long after you're gone.
02:19 Ilúvatar the moment before he sank Númenor
That was brutal.
And he never came back to his house again
I'm sittin here beging able to answer Stephen's questions pretty accurately lol
I appoint Stephen Colbert the King of the Nerds
Colbert should make Tolkien quiz à bit on his show
Oddly Enough, Stephen Colbert Is More Correct! Which is a thing in Nerd Culture.
Unit Jax Technically Correct. The best kind of correct.
This is legendary
I like how he says they’ll each ask a question and then after he shuts down James proceeds to not even bother with one of his own
As always, as with many videos on youtube, I'm very confused why people dislike this video? Read the caption? What are people expecting? haha
So epic colbert. Defending LOTR nerds
I wanna have a Tolkien showdown with Stephen
The man read “The Silmarillion”. He’s a level four Middle Earth fan.
Colbert’s first answer is so simplistic. She’s Feanor’s half-brother’s Finarfin’s daughter. When Feanor’s people attacked the Teleri elves (Finarfin marries a Teleri and this Galadriel was half-Teleri), most of the Noldor got mixed up in the fighting. Feanor’s people pressed onwards over the northern ice (“Helcaraxe” - the “Grinding Ice”), and Finarfin’s and Fingolfin’s (his elder brother) people followed only reluctantly. Finarfin himself, Galadriel’s father, stayed behind.
What you just said didn't answer why Galadriel went to Middle Earth. Stephen's answer was more accurate. She went in pursuit of Morgoth and the Silmarils. What you are describing is what happened as she was going to Middle Earth, but not why she was going.
The nerd is strong in this one.
2024 and I still keep coming back
Gee - I just LOVE these Tolkien geeks!!! Not one rude comment - you people are amazing!!
I've been a huge nerd for basically my whole life.... Stephen Colbert's crazy knowledge of tolkein is..... literally insane....Fuck!!! Like.....how many times has this dude read the silmarillian? It's mind blowing...
Not enough. He missed the following quote: "No oaths she [Galadriel] swore but the words of Feanor concerning Middle-Earth had kindled in her heart for she yearned to see the wide unguarded lands and to rule there a realm at her own will"
If you watch his face, you can see the moment the word 'Valar' hits his ears and he realizes that Franco fucked up.
I dont read alot of fiction novels to be fair but honestly i couldnt understand much of The Silmarillion. Very difficult to digest and follow. It is way more complicated to read than the LOTR.
Dont get me started on the Book of Tales..
You gotta admire James though😂❤
Leah Hart actually no
Nay
Colbert is awesome.
Colbert is like Denzel in Training Day 'King Kong ain't got shit on me.'
You do NOT want to mess with Colbert when it comes to LoTR!
James Franco don't even think about it! "Last time...I smoked you like a ham." LMFAO!
You were SO outclassed in the second showdown it was painfully EMBARASSING!
James Franco has been banished to the hall of Mandos to face his punishment with Morgoth in eternity.
Two of the Valar? Damn...
DAMNNNNNNNN, MAN ROASTED AND TOASTED FRANCO!!!
I love it because Stephen is such an LOTR nerd. My coworker thought it was "nas-cool".
Not once, but TWICE, Mr. Franco got SMOKED!! Not only like a ham, but a turkey and a good batch of shellfish!! LOL #LOTR
"Made for the Elven king" Hahahahaha
When Stephen didn't even mention Melkor.
Just to clarify, Galadriel is not of direct lineage to Fëanor, nor did she swear a blood oath to help reclaim the Silmarils from Morgoth. Galadriel is the daughter of Finarfin, who is brother-in-law to Fëanor. So basically, she is Fëanor's niece-in-law. Also, only Fëanor and his seven sons swore blood oaths to reclaim the Silmarils. That is why it is called the Curse of the House of Fëanor. Galadriel followed Fëanor just as most of the Noldor because they believed that they were being penned up in Valinor and kept from inheriting Middle Earth by the Valar so that the inferior Edain could rule in their stead. It had nothing to do with the Silmarils. Maybe Stephen should actually know the answer to his own slam question before he asks it.
+alanjdean Feanor and Finarfin are half-brothers, not brothers-in-law. They have the same dad: Finwe.
Fair. Still, Galadriel is not of the line of Feanor. Basically the point I was trying to make.
+alanjdean As pointed out already Galadriel was actually a niece of Feanor since Feanor and Finarfin were half-brothers on their father's side not "brother-in-laws"...Feanor in fact resented his father taking another wife and to put it mildly "disliked" his brothers Fingolfin and Finarfin. Galadriel was also a grand-daughter of Olwe, brother of Elwe (Elu Thingol) who was the King of Sindar and a big part of what led her back was her curiosity as well and desire to see other things.
+alanjdean As is already mentioned, Galadriel was the daughter of Finarfin, Feanor's half-brother, but I do believe the explanation given for her crossing over back to Middle-Earth was her friendship with Feanor's sons. I think it was said that she went around often with one or two of them, though I can't exactly remember which ones. Maybe Celegorm.
alanjdean Damn I was about to write the same thing but seems there's another big Tolkien fan in this comment section.
It was Nenya, right?
Max Austin yep. Galadriel had Nenya, Gandalf was given Narya upon arriving in Middle Earth, and Elrond was given Vilya, the strongest of the the three rings, to protect it during the later half of the second and the entirety of the third age.
I can never remember the name, just that it's the ring of adamant. When I first read Fellowship of the Ring I was probably 8 years old and had no idea what adamant was.
I have a feeling that if Colbert entered a Tolkien facts tournament, he would win...
That was a softball
The _Exile_ of the Noldor.
Two of the valar? Come on Franco. It's like asking a Harry Potter nerd what the three deathly hallows are.
Aashish Murali, ugh he probably would.
Best character that got cut/almost completely cut from the movie adaptations was Bombadil.
He's wrong, it's my house.
"YOU COME INTO MY HOUSE!"
I am aroused. Jesus Christ, Stephen Colbert needs to stop.
"Explain, in detail, "Leaf, by Niggle."" -what James Franco wish he would have asked, and he STILL would have lost.
This is most complicated than game of thrones
This does explain all of the LOTR references in "The Interview" a bit, my guess would be Seth Rogan is a fan also
2:20 Colbert going serius..... like...shit is real!!!
Melkor one of my favourite Valar
Not based
Damn, Franco did not bring his a game
Lol, this still kills me...you dare!!!
This exact thing happens to me and my friends about Harry Potter but it always end in fights
Best lord of the rings character: Faramir
This is the best thing ever
I'm loving this!
He's re-reading the "Simarilian?"
nah son you gon learn today
I'd just ask him, how do you say ''darkness'' in blackspeech.
my favorite is Sauron. I love bad guys.
The only 3 people who could in their wildest dreams ever hope to possibly best me, and I'm sure many of us here, in a Tolkien-off: J.R.R. Tolkien, Stephen Colbert, and...possibly...Christopher Tolkien.
Well, according to his answer to his own question about Galadriel, and him not even managing to use the single form of "Maiar" and "Valar", I have to disagree. No doubt J.R.R. and Christopher would wipe the floor with me. However, I wouldn't even try arguing with them, and just listen to them as long as they can talk.
Good point. very true :)
Can you imagine having a conversation with Christopher about Middle-earth? He was basically the first fan!
Colbert’s first answer is so simplistic
Literally me.
For an American who's interested in an English authors work to know this much... It's fantastic!
Now, as you can see at 2:22 , you can exactly pinpoint where Franco has fucked up just from Colbert’s change of expression.
So. You have chosen death
I'm a bit upset that Stephen uses the plural "valar" as in "the valar of" and not the singular "vala".
Patrick Boylan actually it's common to insert an 'r' betweem sylabils, if the last one ends and the next one befins with a vowel. like 'vala of'
you do that in.... ' visa application' and such
I'd have asked Colbert to name all the names given to or by which he was known of Gandalf, and their meaning... there are quite a bit, some even used only once.
Actually, no! Galadriel hated Feanor and just wanted her own realm to rule, and "Valar" is plural! "Vala" is the singular form. Yavanna is the Vala (Valie, technically, because she's female) of all living things; there are fourteen Valar.
Tolkien for President
Damn... I mean... DAYUM...
I haven't read Tolkien just cuz I know my mind will be expanded as if I was brainwashed by the teseract (which has nothing to do with Tolkien) but I bet I most have felt so good to be Stephen at that moment.
Priceless!
too bad Galadriel is actually of *Finwe's* kin since he's Feanor's father and true king of the Noldor..I mean if we're being totally correct.....YOU COME INTO MY HOUSE, COLBERT?!!
+Nova Gazer Gladriel's father was Finarfin, son of Finwe and half-brother of Feanor and Fingolfin...
I know this. This is why I said just above that she is of Finwe's kin.
+jeeperscreepers7 I was just being facetious because Colbert said she was one of the family of Feanor which is technically correct but FINWE is actually the patriarch of the family so it would be more correct to say she is one of FINWE's family. Again, I was just being silly and facetious.
+Nova Gazer You know nothing, Nova Gazer.
+jeeperscreepers7 alrighty sir
James really doesn't know a lot about Tolkien's legendarium ans Stephen is a real nerd right there. I'm afraid I'm gonna be like him.
The first answer Colbert answered isn't actually correct at all. Galadriel was of the House of Finarfin rather than Feanor, didn't participate in the blood oath, and she left the Blessed Realm mainly due to the desire of discovery. The second question (regarding the Valar) was waaaay too easy: Manwe and Aule are pretty unforgettable (not to mention Mandos).
Galadriel is not a Feanorian though and was not oathbound?
its common knowledge to anyone familiar with the silmarilion
It's strange I just had a little interest in LOTR tonight, I watched 10 minute of this insanely in depth history of simarillion (sp?) And I knew the first question.