What do you think about Halbrand being one of the first kings of Rohan?? (My husband is well-versed in the history so I cannot take credit for this theory lol)
I want to know who fell from the sky! Is it Gandalf? Radaghast? I know there is a lot happening right now but honestly I am most interested in that storyline right now 😂
I think he might be some kind of king but probably not of Rohan. I say that because the Southlands (where he says he's from) are located in what we would now call Mordor. I could be wrong of course!
As for the Sky Stranger, everything I've seen so far points to him being one of the five wizards. I have no idea which one though.
It's honestly a bit tedious to know the lore at times, I sometimes wish I could watch it without all that in my head, ha!
I’m thoroughly enjoying the show so far! I have read the trilogy and The Hobbit twice through, but not The Silmarillion or the appendices. While I LOVE these books, I don’t consider myself super knowledgeable in Tolkien lore, so maybe that makes me the perfect audience for this adaptation - ha! I love the way they’re fleshing out a new/old story with just enough familiar names sprinkled in to make it feel very “LOTR.”
I’ve been listening to the Rings of Power Deep Dive episodes of the Ringer-Verse podcast. They’re helpful in understanding some of the lore and making connections between elements of the show and Tolkien’s writing that I wouldn’t have otherwise made. They also indulge in wild speculation at the end of the episodes which I find fun. (Warning: they use a decent amount of expletives so I don’t listen when my kids are around.)
Jessica, I LOVE that you're able to engage with the show even though you're not well-versed in the deep lore (I'm not either). I want this stuff to be as accessible as possible to other people and I love that you're connecting with it like I am.
And thanks for sharing that podcast! It sounds amazing.
-Númenor is beautiful, the scenery continues to be lovely. The ships, also very cool.
-Elendil being introduced was neat, I found his and Galadriel’s interaction quite amusing.
Also curious, is Sauron/the evil/the “spirit” of the ring already calling out to Isildur (I don’t know enough lore about this but still interesting).
-Halbrand does seem very keen to start smithing.. seems a lil suss. But interesting what he shares with Galadriel when she finds out more on who he is, he doesn’t try to save face. Could still be a lying old snook, but keen to see that story play out.
-The Harfoot, I feel we have found their fatal flaw.. literally.
I do love them, but they are so fearful they leave family behind to die if they are injured or too slow, their unwillingness to help another being is sad but also unsurprising for less adventurous hobbit folk.
-Unless I am mistaken in my remembrance, the emotional whiplash from the caravan trek to the warg disemboweling elves I was not expecting.
-The warg.. the face was definitely not what I had expected, considering we have also seen them in lotr, but perhaps they were trying to make their own spin on the creature?
Overall, I’m over the moon to be getting a Tolkien tv series adaptation. Some things I’m curious about choice wise, but the community is so fun and the surge of merch is a nice bonus too. Thanks again for including Rings of Power as a talking point here ☺️
I don't *think* Sauron would be calling out to Isildur at this point as Sauron should be in a physical form at this point and The Ring hasn't been forged yet. I see how you could make that connection though and I could be totally wrong on that!
And yes, as painful as it is too watch, the Harfoots leaving people behind does seem like a Hobbit-y sort of flaw.
I'm with you about just being excited to discuss and engage with Tolkien stuff again. So glad you're here!
Oh gosh I forgot an important point, Arondir. That poor dude, he is absolutely going through it. His friend died, he cuts down the tree, and more friends die.. nearly looks like freedom! Dead friend.. dragged into the pit.
So interested to see Adar! Sauron? Mouthpiece of Sauron? Random dude who is bad? So many possibilities.
Arondir is having the roughest go of it so far and I feel so bad for the guy! As for Adar, I'm totally drawing a blank when it comes to theories. Just interested to see what they do with it though!
Yes yes! I totally agree with all you've said. I personally was overjoyed during the first episode to have more and more actors of color shown in each new scene. Like you said, it felt to me like it was so right and they should have always been there. I have felt a little twinge of, it's 50 hours of television, can't we just start at the beginning and move slowly through the Silmarillion and build this story like he did? But then I remember that even a huge Tolkien fan as myself, was lost during parts of reading that book the first time so it's probably a little much to expect a wide viewership to want to see the story unfold in the same way 😂
I'm not sure if you're aware, but they don't have rights to The Silmarillion from the Tolkien estate. Which knowing that, I'm impressed with the story they've been able to build from only having rights to The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and the Appendices.
And yes, I loooove getting lost in the research and lore but after awhile, it hurts my head. And if the way they're structuring this show makes it more accessible to others who don't enjoy all the lore, I'm here to celebrate that!
The slow motion, and new things emerging from smoke, are getting ridiculous.
Best line in the comment section: "Release the pug-warg!"
Ah, the Harfoots. "No one walks alone!" Unless you get hurt, fall behind, or offend us at all, and then we leave you to die.
I get what you're saying about the timeline, truly. I know things have to be changed for film. But for having 50 hours, and a reader fanbase who has been looking forward to this for years, they could make more of an effort, instead of making things up for dramatic effect.
It's like the new Voyage of the Dawn Treader. They added drama and storyline that wasn't there, and lost the reader fanbase. They had hopes to make more of the books (I was so hoping to see Magicians Nephew and Horse and His Boy) but they killed the movie by ignoring the readers.
I think my main personal issue is that I still don't have the job of book slapper, and I need to get over that. 😂
I guess we won't know how to call it until all five seasons are under our belts. It's still so early with this show to feel like they're losing faithful readers. They have a thin line to walk with trying to attract people who LOVE Tolkien's world but will never read the books (like my husband) while remaining faithful to source materiel for long-term fans like me in way that makes sense for a TV show adaptation.
I'm more about just enjoying it for what is then trying to find thing after thing that's not exactly "right."
I get what you're saying though, they are leaving things out or making things up, but as as long as it makes sense for the story they're telling, I'm not too worried about that from what I've seen so far.
I have never agreed with a review more than this!!! Every single sentence YES YES YES! I keep seeing blogposts on how “sad, and horrid” this version is and I don’t get it. Calm down people. Do you even know the stories your watching? No. They’ve never read the series. They’re dazed and confused and have the emotional depth of a lawn chair. Go to the library and live in your head a little.
Glad you enjoyed it, Tori! I'm just more about hunting for things to celebrate instead of hate (while offering constructive critique when I feel like it's needed). I get that this show won't make everyone happy but I genuinely don't understand why people aren't enjoying it for what it has been so far: an onscreen adaptation of Tolkien's work that pays tribute to what the heart of it was intended to be.
What do you think about Halbrand being one of the first kings of Rohan?? (My husband is well-versed in the history so I cannot take credit for this theory lol)
I want to know who fell from the sky! Is it Gandalf? Radaghast? I know there is a lot happening right now but honestly I am most interested in that storyline right now 😂
I think he might be some kind of king but probably not of Rohan. I say that because the Southlands (where he says he's from) are located in what we would now call Mordor. I could be wrong of course!
As for the Sky Stranger, everything I've seen so far points to him being one of the five wizards. I have no idea which one though.
It's honestly a bit tedious to know the lore at times, I sometimes wish I could watch it without all that in my head, ha!
I’m thoroughly enjoying the show so far! I have read the trilogy and The Hobbit twice through, but not The Silmarillion or the appendices. While I LOVE these books, I don’t consider myself super knowledgeable in Tolkien lore, so maybe that makes me the perfect audience for this adaptation - ha! I love the way they’re fleshing out a new/old story with just enough familiar names sprinkled in to make it feel very “LOTR.”
I’ve been listening to the Rings of Power Deep Dive episodes of the Ringer-Verse podcast. They’re helpful in understanding some of the lore and making connections between elements of the show and Tolkien’s writing that I wouldn’t have otherwise made. They also indulge in wild speculation at the end of the episodes which I find fun. (Warning: they use a decent amount of expletives so I don’t listen when my kids are around.)
Jessica, I LOVE that you're able to engage with the show even though you're not well-versed in the deep lore (I'm not either). I want this stuff to be as accessible as possible to other people and I love that you're connecting with it like I am.
And thanks for sharing that podcast! It sounds amazing.
-Númenor is beautiful, the scenery continues to be lovely. The ships, also very cool.
-Elendil being introduced was neat, I found his and Galadriel’s interaction quite amusing.
Also curious, is Sauron/the evil/the “spirit” of the ring already calling out to Isildur (I don’t know enough lore about this but still interesting).
-Halbrand does seem very keen to start smithing.. seems a lil suss. But interesting what he shares with Galadriel when she finds out more on who he is, he doesn’t try to save face. Could still be a lying old snook, but keen to see that story play out.
-The Harfoot, I feel we have found their fatal flaw.. literally.
I do love them, but they are so fearful they leave family behind to die if they are injured or too slow, their unwillingness to help another being is sad but also unsurprising for less adventurous hobbit folk.
-Unless I am mistaken in my remembrance, the emotional whiplash from the caravan trek to the warg disemboweling elves I was not expecting.
-The warg.. the face was definitely not what I had expected, considering we have also seen them in lotr, but perhaps they were trying to make their own spin on the creature?
Overall, I’m over the moon to be getting a Tolkien tv series adaptation. Some things I’m curious about choice wise, but the community is so fun and the surge of merch is a nice bonus too. Thanks again for including Rings of Power as a talking point here ☺️
I loved reading through all your takes, Chelsie!
I don't *think* Sauron would be calling out to Isildur at this point as Sauron should be in a physical form at this point and The Ring hasn't been forged yet. I see how you could make that connection though and I could be totally wrong on that!
And yes, as painful as it is too watch, the Harfoots leaving people behind does seem like a Hobbit-y sort of flaw.
I'm with you about just being excited to discuss and engage with Tolkien stuff again. So glad you're here!
Oh gosh I forgot an important point, Arondir. That poor dude, he is absolutely going through it. His friend died, he cuts down the tree, and more friends die.. nearly looks like freedom! Dead friend.. dragged into the pit.
So interested to see Adar! Sauron? Mouthpiece of Sauron? Random dude who is bad? So many possibilities.
Arondir is having the roughest go of it so far and I feel so bad for the guy! As for Adar, I'm totally drawing a blank when it comes to theories. Just interested to see what they do with it though!
Yes yes! I totally agree with all you've said. I personally was overjoyed during the first episode to have more and more actors of color shown in each new scene. Like you said, it felt to me like it was so right and they should have always been there. I have felt a little twinge of, it's 50 hours of television, can't we just start at the beginning and move slowly through the Silmarillion and build this story like he did? But then I remember that even a huge Tolkien fan as myself, was lost during parts of reading that book the first time so it's probably a little much to expect a wide viewership to want to see the story unfold in the same way 😂
I'm not sure if you're aware, but they don't have rights to The Silmarillion from the Tolkien estate. Which knowing that, I'm impressed with the story they've been able to build from only having rights to The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and the Appendices.
And yes, I loooove getting lost in the research and lore but after awhile, it hurts my head. And if the way they're structuring this show makes it more accessible to others who don't enjoy all the lore, I'm here to celebrate that!
Numenor was gorgeous.
The slow motion, and new things emerging from smoke, are getting ridiculous.
Best line in the comment section: "Release the pug-warg!"
Ah, the Harfoots. "No one walks alone!" Unless you get hurt, fall behind, or offend us at all, and then we leave you to die.
I get what you're saying about the timeline, truly. I know things have to be changed for film. But for having 50 hours, and a reader fanbase who has been looking forward to this for years, they could make more of an effort, instead of making things up for dramatic effect.
It's like the new Voyage of the Dawn Treader. They added drama and storyline that wasn't there, and lost the reader fanbase. They had hopes to make more of the books (I was so hoping to see Magicians Nephew and Horse and His Boy) but they killed the movie by ignoring the readers.
I think my main personal issue is that I still don't have the job of book slapper, and I need to get over that. 😂
I guess we won't know how to call it until all five seasons are under our belts. It's still so early with this show to feel like they're losing faithful readers. They have a thin line to walk with trying to attract people who LOVE Tolkien's world but will never read the books (like my husband) while remaining faithful to source materiel for long-term fans like me in way that makes sense for a TV show adaptation.
I'm more about just enjoying it for what is then trying to find thing after thing that's not exactly "right."
I get what you're saying though, they are leaving things out or making things up, but as as long as it makes sense for the story they're telling, I'm not too worried about that from what I've seen so far.
I have never agreed with a review more than this!!! Every single sentence YES YES YES! I keep seeing blogposts on how “sad, and horrid” this version is and I don’t get it. Calm down people. Do you even know the stories your watching? No. They’ve never read the series. They’re dazed and confused and have the emotional depth of a lawn chair. Go to the library and live in your head a little.
Thanks, Breanne.
Glad you enjoyed it, Tori! I'm just more about hunting for things to celebrate instead of hate (while offering constructive critique when I feel like it's needed). I get that this show won't make everyone happy but I genuinely don't understand why people aren't enjoying it for what it has been so far: an onscreen adaptation of Tolkien's work that pays tribute to what the heart of it was intended to be.