A lot of you guys have been asking, why do the other rings lose their power after the One Ring is destroyed? The One Ring was forged last, and so it might seem that when it's destroyed, the other rings would finally be free. But this is not the case. In the Silmarillion Tolkien writes that if the One Ring were destroyed, "the powers of the Three must then fail and all things maintained by them must fade." However, it's not really the destruction of the Ring that causes this, it's the destruction of Sauron. The key to understanding this is to understand Sauron's gift to Celebrimbor. He gave the elves of Eregion the gift of 'Ring-lore', and Ring-lore is a part of Sauron's craft. It comes from him. Just as some First Age Elven craftsmen invested their swords with a part of their own cold hatred for orcs, and that's why they glow blue when orcs are near; all Rings of Power are invested with Sauron's Ring-lore. They are powered by the Dark Lord. Even the Three that were forged by Celebrimbor alone. They were still forged using Sauron's lore. And so when the One is destroyed, and Sauron's power fades from Middle-earth, the power of the Rings fades too. Because, ultimately, all rings had their source in Sauron.
I'm going to have to disagree with you a bit here. The Elven-smiths were *already* working on creating increasingly powerful magic rings before Sauron showed up. However, Sauron accelerated and deepened their understanding, allowing them to begin work on the 16 Rings of Power, which Sauron assisted them in completing. But it is important to keep in mind that the Elven-smiths had a reason for creating these Rings of Power: they wanted to stop the fading that they were already starting to experience. In other words, what they wanted to accomplish was against the natural order of the world, and they knew it but proceeded anyway. All of the 16 Rings (and the 3) were intended to be used by Elves and for Elves. They don't turn Elves invisible, nor do they make them undying since they're naturally immortal. These are all side-effects of *mortals* using the Rings of Power. I don't think that all of the Rings of Power use Sauron's personal power, only the Ruling Ring explicitly does so, as it was needed in order to control the other rings and their bearers. The 16 rings work according to who is using them: which for Men is particularly bad, but even for Dwarves is probably not very good. The 3 Rings use their bearer's power, otherwise the works they made/supported would've been infected by the evil and darkness of Sauron, and that wasn't the case.
Tolkien had influences. Your explanation would benefit by referring to the Oera Linda or old Scandinavian religion. Wagner wrote a 30 hour play about the Rings that are in LOTR
Sauron could have just saved himself a lot of trouble if he'd designed the One Ring with 2-Factor Authentication. And instead of fiery letters proclaiming its dark nature, they light up with the letters: 'To activate this product, please send a self-addressed envelope and return postage as well as the end-user's name, age, race, and any special delivery instructions to:: D. Lord 1000 Nazgûl Way Mordor, IN" Also, make the ring out of tungsten instead of gold (3x higher melting point than lava), and pretend to be defeated if the heroes cast it into a volcano, only to fish it out after they've left.
@cak01vej Not to mention, if the movies are anything to go by, Sauron will eventually crush everybody even without the Ring on his finger, just from having it still exist.
One of my favorite subtle moments in the movies was in Return of the King, right before Aragorn charged at the orc army at the Black Gate. Gandalf subtly lifts is hand as Aragorn looks back at him and you get the most minor glimpse of Narya. This is right after the mouth of Sauron had told them that they had captured and killed Frodo and given them the mithril shirt. I have always interpreted this as Gandalf revealing the ring to Aragorn as a way to say "He doesn't have the ring yet, if he did I would know". A last glimmer of hope for them as they all charged in "For Frodo". I could be wrong, that was just always my interpretation.
Interesting! I think you're onto something since Narya is the ring to rekindle the spirits of men, AKA the ring of fire given to Gandalf by Cirdan the shipwright, who told Gandalf he would need it.
Gandalf having the ring Narya kind of makes a lot of sense. He's always nudging things behinds the scenes to move in a certain direction. He's always the catalyst for change and resistance where others just sit on their hands.
@@goretoriumgaming8600 oh I hope it isn't Sauron. Because he wasn't aware of Hobbits until he tortured Gollum and found out the one ring was in the Shire with Bilbo.
It amazes me how detailed a world was created by JRR Tolkien. So much thought, effort. Not a single thing is without reason or meaning in this world. What a spectacular work of imagination and art. What devotion it must have taken to write this world into existence. Keep in mind, when he would have painstakingly written them, there would have been no guarantee that the books would be successful or even remembered. I have no words to accurately express my respect, wonder and gratitude.
@@zhain0 Short answer: yes 😊 it was a personal hobby Longer answer He was a professor at Oxford Univ., England & was in a writers' club called *_the Inklings_* w/ C.S. Lewis. He had an interest in Norse epic saga style & languages, which related to his English literature focus bc old Anglo-Saxon was an amalgamation of several languages due to influx of invaders & expanding tribes, etc. Lots more info available via documentaries, but _Tolkien's son or grandson_ gave some biographical info in *_introduction to the Simarillion_* & throughout various *_Appendices of LOTR, Hobbit, & Silmarillion_*
I believe Tolkien also mentioned that Narya was one of the reasons Gandalf’s fireworks were so amazing. I know that’s not much, but it’s another little quirk that I love about the 3
Yes, this is true about Narya and G's fireworks. It also came into play in the woods east of the Misty Mountains in The Hobbit, against the squads of Wargs and Goblins. And again in his fight with the Balrog
@@MariusThePaladin That reminds me of that story about the girl who was cursed to obey all commands by a fairy who thinks that being obedient would make a great gift. (Ella Enchanted, I think?) She gets a lecture on safe uses of magic by another character with the example of whisking the shards of a broken plate into the trash with magic and she asks what the point of that is when she could just use a broom - why not use magic to fix the plate? I don't remember exactly what the response she gets is, but essentially it's about how it's okay to use a little magic to help something along, but anything that goes against what is natural/meant to happen can have dangerous, unforeseen consequences.
I liked how you didn't immediately went to explaining how Sauron disguised himself as Annatar, not even because of spoiler or anything (I think most Tolkien fans already know that) but because from the elves perspective he really was just a helpful dude with some good ideas. idk I like this kind of pov storytelling
It's rather like the way Nazism took over Germany. It arrived as a movement of healthy outdoor activities and folk traditions. Tolkien wasn't allegorizing that, of course - but it's just a separate example of how evil often arrives with a smiling face.
In a way, Celebrimbor's 3 rings helped the undo the mistake he made in trusting Sauron, as they each played a crucial role in Frodo's quest. Pretty cool.
I always loved how the one ring was effectively useless for most of middle earth and downright harmful to the beings who could use it (excluding Sauron). It shows how pointless greed is. It's really good irony that nobody seems to bring up.
it's also how it is with power structures and mafias. it's always serving the one above you so your greed to participate in the power is pointless - once you are used, there is no more use for you and you are eliminated. if you participate on the evil/power/greed then you are only enjoying very short-lived illusion, in fact serving to the one above you, and if you dispose others, then you should be aware you will be disposed of as well. it's the simple nature or physics that if you put your energy to trust, you can be betrayed but if you put your energy to mistrust and abuse, you actually know for sure you will be abused yourself. praying to greed and killing others means you help to kill and abuse yourself. why would someone above you in the mafia structure who does the same as you do otherwise and save you? I can't understand how rarely anyone realizes that inbound character of evil, that if you do evil you will suffer the evil yourself. why people help mafia when it is so clear they themselves will be killed much sooner than they would naturally die?
Really, it was never much good to Sauron, either. He never managed to enslave the Dwarves or Elves with it, he lost it bombastically and was forced incorporeal for millenia, and never got it back before its identity as his Achilles' heel was used to eliminate him.
@@Noctournis - You're looking at it in hindsight. In the SA, after the fall of Morgoth, Sauron was left standing the strongest in Middle-Earth. Yet, he understood (and feared) the strength of Elves and Dwarves and Men, especially when they were united. He knew he needed more than his own innate power in those days if he was to recreate the realm of his former master.
I’ve always kind of had the same feeling, besides extending your life and invisibility. But we can only assume that Bilbo spent a lot of time between the hobbit and fellowship time period sitting in his house and caressing the ring to the point it broke him mentally. It is a good example of greed and the corruption of the self that comes along with it.
@Noctournis I always felt that since much of his power was put into the ring, it's continued existence is what allowed him to come back. So, much better than most life insurance policies.
@@thefisherking78 The dictionary definition says enkindle means to set afire, to make luminous... Sven, thank you for teaching me a new word! I enjoyed looking it up and learning about it.
I think a key to understanding any of the rings of power (especially the One), is to look at where that power came from. For the One, the books are pretty explicit in telling that Sauron poured much of his spirit (malice, desire to rule, etc) into it and thus, it became an extension of Sauron and something that could amplify those traits when he was wearing it. Similarly, he put a touch of himself into all of the other rings as well. So did Celebrimbor in forging the 3. Even though he forged that apart from Sauron, he used Sauron's skills and teaching and, thus, some of Sauron's will to dominate became bound into them too (in those cases, the will to overcome time, sickness and despair). I think that you can actually see some of Sauron's influence in the 3 elven rings in the behavior of Galadriel, Elrond and even Gandalf. All three struggled with the idea of just getting things done by dominating those around them. Once the One was undone, so was most of Sauron's spirit/essence and the ability of any of the rings to extend the wearer's will.
The one main difference about the Elven Rings is that although they were forged using Sauron's methods, they did not contain his blood which was the key binding element in the other rings. Blood called to blood, which is how his spirit managed to stay connected to Middle Earth, but also why he needed it back in order to become corporeal once more.
Certainly so. In the comments of a similar video by Nerd of the Rings, we were talking about the Hroa (physical) and the Fea (spirit) and I hypothesize that in order to *give* the ring its power Sauron’s “formula” drew from Sauron’s own spirit. This would be part of the reason why he was pissed when he found out. As you mentioned celebrimbor put himself into the ring so while connected to the One it wasn’t directly controlled by Sauron. (As you know the 9 were tied to Sauron and as he gained power so did the 9). This may have been an allusion to Milton’s “Paradise Lost” where Lucifer poured his power into creating machines of war and each transformation he undergoes is less prominent than the last. Also something I theorized was that while the three have their own specific powers I believe a common theme among them is that they draw out the wearer’s own attributes (dwarves become greedier, cruel men more cruel etc). So a Man whose spirit let’s say was a lake was able to draw out a buckets worth of his potential rather than a cup. But in doing so, a toll must be paid. For awhile you feel stronger but eventually you are dependent on it as you drain your own self and literally feed the ring your spirit. Your own Hroa or body (held together by the Fea or spirit) is like a jar with oil inside. The oil is required to cover every corner yet by pouring it into another container like the ring you feel “stretched and thin”. This goes further…those that once held a ring (even if it is lost) cannot die a “natural” death. Bilbo and Gollum (both well beyond their lifespans compared to Gandalf the elves and dwarves) cannot die. They age and fade (and like the 9 might become wraiths themselves) but as we know once the body dies the Fea is sent to the hall of Mandos. The rings, after being held and used, contains a part of their Fea and so they are tethered to the world. All the ring bearers must go to the west in order to heal and they bring the rings with them (except the rings that were destroyed) not only to restore themselves but also the ring bearers who passed before them. Sauron who poured out everything can’t even form a spirit let alone anything else and is blown to the wind much like saruman; unable to return to the undying lands.
THIS IS PROBABLY TOO DEEP , BUT.. I'm not sure this is accurate : " that Sauron poured much of his spirit (malice, desire to rule, etc) into it" - it's more likely that he wanted to be the one to hold sway over those who didn't know as much or know what was best - ie: narcissistic traits that all sociopathic warmonger's have - that eventually reach the point of domination or death. no malice there. The narco believes they are doing "good". He didn't care whether they were eliminated or not, nor even who they were, provided there was still enough loyal servants to bring him glory. Interestingly if there's not an enemy to give them this purpose, they will find a way to make one. That's how the people in this world have always been at war of some type, militarily - economically - ideologically...
@@samueldimmock694 I'm not sure that I remember luv. Most likely just saw an interesting post. I've only seen the films and I don't have a firm base on the books. I have noticed over the years....the books are better because you can get more information from the written word.
“If the ruffians had not cut down the Party Tree there would have been no place for Sam’s Malorn.” Such an incredible encapsulation of Tolkien’s primary theme! Brings me to tears. Thank you so much for your insights into these stories that matter so much to so many. You are a gift to any Tolkien fan!
With the knowledge that Gandalf bears Narya, when he states in Return of the King "Hope is kindled." It gives so much more emphasis, depth and wonder. Really enjoyed learning more about Middle-Earth lore.
This is what set Tolkien apart from most all other fantasy writers. He built a world and interwove the stories and thus, the dialog, with that world and its history. The fragments and short stories that became the Silmarillion was just the back stories and notes for his world building in creating TLotR.
@@valkyriefrost5301 Actually, Tolkien considered the Silmarillion to be his most important work, with the Hobbit and the LOTR as just spin-offs or sequels to the Silmarillion.
It’s so sad, Lothlorien fading and Arwen dying there. Almost brings a tear to my eyes thinking of how ghostly the realm must’ve seemed once abandoned. Arwen alone there passing on.
I know right? Its really sad tbh... but the elves and ringbearers all went to the Undying Lands. Magic still exists there :) I wish I could live in the world of the Eldar...
😫😫😭😭🤧 It's terribly sad. Especially when you are swept away into that world in reading the books. Watching the movies just doesn't bring the same emotion. I'm so glad I read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings before the movies released. I didn't read The Similarian, The Children of Hurin, or any of the novels finished by Christopher Tolkien until after the movies released though. They were great reads on their own. I loved reading about Gondolin and Feanor and the fight against Melkor and Angband.
For me when Gandalf is facing the Balrog he is chanting a spell of protection, conjuring the strength of the ring, and that's why he reveals to his enemy that he posses the ring, during the books people rarely use actual magic, maybe in part because in this world that means revealing secrets when performing actual spells, so they use it very carefully.
I think the Fellowship's time in Lorien tells a different story. Many of the elves relate that outsiders think that EVERYTHING they do is magick but to them it is simply the way that they do things. Remember the boats which right and almost steer themselves, the rope which unties itself only when its user needs and whose touch can burn evil, or the waybread which can sustain a man with a tiny bite. Each of these is considered a powerful magick item in fan works. It is perhaps more accurate to say that true magick in LoTR is (usually) very, very subtle in its manifestation. It makes things just 'work out' so that other people may not even understand that magick is happening. All of Lorien and Rivendell are wreathed in magick but nobody notices it directly... just its effects. And if you take that as your keystone to how magick works, you can probably find hundreds of instances of it in the books, from Legolas knowing from the sunrise that 'blood is spilled' to Gandalf summoning animal friends and generally finding the path to travel and making good fireworks. Even Frodo's miraculous persistence on his journey may be to no small part from drawing upon the ring's power at a low level. Now there are a few occasions where it is used like a blunt instrument to dramatic effect. But I would say that those manifestations are to the whole of magick what a lightning bolt is to all of electronics.
@@HerculesBallsInc I think there is a great deal of truth in your thoughts there. Mithrander doesn't "cast" a spell of "hope", he simply sustains "hope" like an effect. In the same way that evil creatures like shelob cast "despair". Comes back to Tolkien's attitude, and probably his christianity. "Good" sustains, "evil" drains, because they ARE that way.
@@HerculesBallsInc Yes, I might have expressed myself poorly, the word I should have used was spells, like an actual tangible high level spell, the characters produce magical light on many occasions, have slightly magical itens like boats, cloaks, daggers etc... Summon animals, control minds, heal others, and do other smallish things using magic in the books, but what I was referring was an actual physical manifestation of magical power in a meaningful way, like Gandalf fighting the Balrog, or in the movies when Arwen calls the water fighting against the Nazgul, not my favorite scene, but there are not many examples I can use, even Gandalf fight against Saruman was somewhat subdued, and I think the reason is that Tolkien magic system demands a high price to be used, be that secrets, life force or whatever, they never go deep in the way magic works, but seeing the scarcity of magic I imagine that there is a reason why that is, even the many magical itens we see in the series are somewhat explained because the fellowship is amongst the most powerful people in middle earth all the time, it is not like magical items are common at all, elves have a decent amount because they are powerful and old, very old, and during thousands of years they crafted a reasonable amount of itens, so did the dwarves, but they are in no way common.
@yossarian The 3rd age used A LOT less magic than in ages prior. The world grew a disdain to magic as they realized the source of their power (Magic) was also the source of their despair (Sauron).
When I was young I read the Hobbitt and absolutely fell in love with it. I read the all the LothR books after and I thought that was the end of it. But years later I researched Tolkien and realized, after learning, that that is just on the ending of the Third Age. I was blown away with all the details. Tolkien had even written other non-Middle Earth books.
These movies always remind me of addiction. When the One Ring is destroyed the others lose their “magic”. When someone defeats an addiction they lose the thing that made them superhuman. When Frodo is at the edge of the cliff in Mount Doom his mind and the ring are panicking. It’s as if he’s in a rehab facility and had just found some drugs that he’s now holding over an open toilet.
although the one ring's effect seems to be quite different on those who own it which kind of makes that reading difficult. Works fine with Gollum up to him being physically deteriorated by the ring, becoming this creep with rotten teeth always lusting for the ring and happy like a clown when getting his hands on it. and Frodo is about to walk that walk as well while Bilbo could handle it without getting too much of an addiction. But what about Isildur and especially Sauron? With the One Ring Sauron aint Tony Montana thinking the world is his while in fact he already lost everything. With the one ring Sauron rules the world.
@@phreakazoith2237 In the works as written by Tolkien he literally says that Gollum survived as long as he did because Hobbits are naturally resistant. He also implies that Men were easy for Sauron to corrupt because we are naturally driven by our passions and faults.
I loved the Hobbit as a child but did not read the trilogy until later in life. Seeing Bilbo go from a sensitive, kind and relatable guy to desperate and careless in pursuit of keeping the one ring at his party.. starting to sharing mannerisms with Gollum 😓 definitely not far off from seeing someone you care about go through addiction.
It actually makes sense that the story is about death and the desire for deathlessness. In ancient Egyptian lore at least the west was the land of the dead and when anyone from peasant to pharaoh died their soul was ferried there on The Mesket (the boat of the evening) and greeted on the other side by the goddess Amentet (she of the west) who gave them their first meal they would eat as as a dead person (just bread and water actually) and gave them a pep talk to encourage them before they started on the dangerous journey to the field of reeds.
I'm always amazed how closely the rings of power mirror the concepts of computer hacking. Sauron made a bunch of killer apps people couldn't resist, but with a bunch of back door exploits installed. I wonder if Tolkien was following a similar parallel back in 1937, maybe with code breaking and ciphers or something.
I'm not much for works of fiction, but LotR and Middle Earth are the great exception to that. When I hear about aspects of Tolkien's world, it really pulls at me emotionally. Imagine a world where these rings existed. Incredibly beautiful. Excellent work! Subscribed! :-D
Same, never liked fantasy (always was more into scifi since it lends itself to exploring moral and philosophical questions opened by new technology) since I left my teens, but LotR always has a special place in my heart.
The end of magic and the beginning of industry, represented by Saruman and Isengard. Iron, fire, deforestation, mass production and great furnaces. You could say that the destruction of the One ring did slow down that aspect of change.
Exactly. It's about the world of machines against Humans. Like Avatar, Terminator, the Matrix, V for Vendetta and Lucas' Star Wars. Always pretty much comes back to that quote from Sitting Bull about the last tree...
WOW. This was so beautifully explained. You cleared up so many confusions to this wonderful world Tolkien created. Fantastic job my friend . Stay Gold.
Thank you for this beautiful video. This expands my knowledge of the beautiful story Tolkien created. The part about Gandalf saying he is the the servant of secret fire, the wielder of the flame of Anor gave me chills.
I believe that the rings were made as follows. Elves = Properties of air, water, and fire, with various effects based around these elemental powers. Dwarves = Properties of the earth, which allowed them to find the treasures within the earth without fault, no matter where they might be, leading to their great hordes, and the cities built over the greatest concentrations of them. Being the practical beings they were, it is doubtful they would have expended the time, effort, and waste of resources in building the massive cities they did if they were not certain that the deposits of gold, precious metals, and jewels beneath them would last for as long as their race did. Humans = Properties of life and death, of the body and soul, which allowed them to have the same near-immortal lifespans as elves and dwarves, and for their souls to remain sentient, sapient, and corporeal on Middle-Earth without passing over, even if they should lose their physical bodies, humans having the same fear of growing old as they did of dying and not knowing what would come next. Every ring gave it's wearer near immortality, perpetually keeping their bodies free of age, minor wounds, and disease, so they need not fear growing too old to rule, or the changes a new ruler might institute when they were gone, their races having the same rulers for all time, keeping the humans, dwarves, and elves of the world in a perpetual stagnant status-quo, without any real growth or change, even if the rulers were all good and fair at the time of the gifting of the rings. Even as Smeagol/Gollum was emaciated and missing most of his teeth, he was still protected from these things by the One Ring, the state of his body a result of his way of living, and the regenerative properties of the ring helping him to survive in his new environment by constantly replacing old cells with new ones that would enable him to survive in a dark, cold, stagnant cave, altering his body over time, and to be able to eat raw food without fear of disease, his body only possessing enough calcium to have six (or nine) teeth in his mouth, but these teeth likely being able to be regrown after being lost, the ring having discarded his need for the other teeth to enable him to have enough calcium to constantly regrow the teeth he had over time, which he kept sharpened to help them last longer on his diet of raw meat and bones, the bones likely providing some of the the calcium needed in their rebuilding. Had he lived a normal life, his body likely would have had the same look as Bilbo's did, and that his long association with the ring, before Bilbo stole it, maintained the power within his body, although the power within him was growing ever lower, and age was ever so slowly catching up to it the longer he was away from it, making him more deteriorated by the time he met Frodo, but, still alive. The rings were all rings of command, allowing each race to control their race, overtly, as needed, but, more likely, in a more passive fashion, the wills and thoughts of the bearers of the rings conveyed throughout their kingdoms to their peoples, keeping everyone happy, preventing lawfulness and disobedience, and, in general, causing the people to exist in a quasi-hive mind society, even as they still had free will if not acting against the desires of the rulers desires to do what was best for their subjects. The purpose of the One Ring was to both use the other rings to have command over all the races through the lesser rings wearers, as well as to have access to the powers of fire, earth, water, air, life, and death through it's lesser rings, either for it's user to command the powers themselves, or to command those who had the rings to use. To have all the powers of creation in the single ring likely would have destroyed the ring outright, and/or done the same to it's wearer if they should try to access those powers, no matter how powerful and nearly indestructible the ring was. But, in creating a network of lesser rings to take power from, the powers of the One Ring were all siphoned from each of the other rings, most likely through the astral plane, which allowed one to partially enter it, so that they could see the power that was being siphoned into the ring, and back out of it after it was no longer needed, as the power involved likely would have wreaked havoc on the prime material plane, passing through solid structures and creatures going back and forth between the rings. Sauron likely only used a tiny fraction of the power needed for this to draw in and release the energies from the ring, enabling him to still remain seen, even as he used the powers of the ring, but, others, like Bilbo and Frodo, unaware of what the purpose was, sent more of their physical forms into the astral plane, causing their invisibility, while still being substantial in the prime material universe, the ring acting as an anchor to safeguard the wearer from being pulled wholly from the physical world, and into the realm of death.
I always took the "flame of Anor" (the sun) to be a fancy name for sunlight; the kind that's stored as chemical energy in stuff that burns... cause Gandalf is good with fire. This is a threat to a creature of darkness like the balrog.
But isn't the Balrog a creature of fire & shadow? Or was that an invention of the movies? While i did read the books, i only read them once. But i do remember very well how effectively Peter Jackson made the Balrog terrifying to the viewer in Fellowship of the Ring, and what a great job the actor Sir Ian did as Gandalf in playing it up!
@@budahbaba7856 Yes but the counter to the "fire" aspect is the Secret Fire or Flame Imperishable, the divine life force that is the opposite of the flame which devours.
The Balrogs are Maia as is Gandalf. I think he was letting the Balrog know that he was going up against a fellow Maia and should step back into the shadows or suffer the consequences.
Given that Morgoth and his lieutenant Sauron were only ever able to "distort and amplify existing characteristics" of whatever they touched and never create it is clear that the rings would only ever do exactly that themselves; even the elven rings which were made by Celebrimbor (but whose skills were unwittingly gained from Sauron) Hence, the rings were always going to be fundamentally wrong and so, at the very best, lead to sadness and eventual tragic loss but more likely to result in betrayal and death. The elves probably knew that but were that desperate to have something of their exiled past still with them that they were prepared to accept the risk. Once Celembrimbor had mastered the art of ring-making he realized he could almost recreate aspects of Valinor even though the whole noble enterprise did involve distorting "what was" into "something better"; and does that not remind one of Morgoth's and Sauron's desperate manipulation of how things were at the beginning. They did it to mock and punish but is it ever right to play with Illuvators work?
It is an unanswered question whether the rings MUST behave the way they did. Certainly the ones we saw were part of a scheme which was realized too late to change what they were. Even so, Celebrimbor was able to produce a first effort that was largely free of Sauron's influence. It is not inconceivable that if he had spent more time working on them that he would have produced something entirely free of corruption. Perhaps this was part of the reason Sauron acted on the time scale he did - having shared his knowledge with Celebrimbor, he knew there was only so much time before it was used against him, so war had to be waged rather soon.
Perhaps we may learn in this new series, although I expect not to learn a lot, even to be vexed by some proposals.......but let me take this ride and be happy or not....;-)
Yet thats not actually true. A valar made the Dwarfs, not Eru. You missed out on the main explanation. Eru states that even Morgoths rages and hatred is also apart of his design. Thats why he says go forth and prove thy will. Allowing him to corrupt the literal land with malice. Elves arent as smart as you make them to be, thats why they got enslaved and turned into orcs by Morgoths Will. Sauron even made Eru have to step in and reshape his original design because Sauron almost brought the sons of Numenor to the grace lands.
Not sure if you knew this, or not, but the name Annatar is actually quite fascinating. In Finnish the name Annatar could be understood as "Lady/Mistress of Giving" (The suffix -tar is in female form and is often used for deities such as Aallotar, Kivutar, or Tuonetar, all female deities of various things) from the base word of "Antaa", (The Quenyan word for "giving" being "anta") or "To give". Finnish is a peculiar language where words are twisted and combined to form words that would take entire sentences* to express the same meaning. To use the word in a sentence in the same form as "Annatar" one could say "Anna tuo vasara minulle", or "Give that hammer to me". There is no doubt in my mind that this is no coincidence as LotR loans a lot from the Finnish mythology, such as Kullervo, or the concept of the One Ring essentially being a Sampo. *One such example would be "Juoksentelisinkohan", which can be translated into "I wonder if I should take some running steps at various intervals of time".
Your presentation is so effective in parsing the subtleties of Tolkien's legendarium, and forcing nostalgia as well. Full glad I am to have found your channel :>
It's clear that JRRT dropped the love triangle potential or whatever between Galadriel and Celebrimbor or it was just a tiny thought for a brief moment but I do not think their being cousins of a sort of "royal" line would be a deal-breaker for a Brit born before 1900. He literally grew up observing and influenced by that sort of thing being the norm.
Having consumed all of this obsessively years ago it was awesome to have all those bells rung and to be able to still finish some of your sentences with you. Perfect content. ✌️
"the flame of Anor" refers to the sun or rather the suns heat if you read Gandalf's back story he is associated with the two trees and the creation of the sun.....all that is to say that the Balrogs lost a major battle trying to destroy the sun and a huge number of them died...
I really enjoy the style in which you present your research. Certainly much more approachable and even toned than some others who can get heavy handed with how impressive they want to convey they are.
I can also think of another hint that Gandalf has Nariel: after they set out from Rivendell, and are trying to decide which road to take between the redhorn pass and khazad dum, it specifically points out that Gandalf is rubbing one of his hands, as if age has worn his knuckles. This was always very weird to me when I read it, because it’s such a weirdly specific thing to point out, but now I think I understand.
I am a Vedic astrologer. So many things you said in this beautiful presentation were profound, eternal axioms I relate to from an astrological perspective. I read the books a few times in my childhood and adolescence. Thank you for speaking about the things that were difficult to tie together all those years ago. I loved the section about the invisibility of the ring that Galadriel wore. It also gave me a deeper understanding of the High Priestess card in the tarot. This card can be difficult to pin down in its meaning. You did such a great job with this video. It was beautifully spoken. Thank you.
This was good. I liked the way you explained the power of the rings. I like how you went into depth of the rings and it’s power. Also the rings represents the purity that mankind possesses and also that resistance to corruption comes with spiritual gifts such as wisdom, honor, respect and true commitment to making the world a better place. It also represents that all good things don’t end but evolve into something greater. And nenya is my favorite of the 3 elven rings. It’s so beautiful
Very minor correction! (Excellent video and I love your content) I was listening to the tolkien proff podcast and he implied that the Lorien Trees were modeled after the trees of Valinor, but were sang into existence by Galadriel herself. Just wanted to throw in my research!
This was a really fantastic video. Absolutely loved it, well researched and excellently edited, very concise and informative! Tolkien was truly a master worldbuilder!
Very interesting, when I read the Lord of the Rings back in the early eighties I was left a little sad in the end. I like your reasoning that it might be because it was the end of magic . Also that the elves where leaving Middle earth to men.
Myself, I'm _always_ a little sad when a great story comes to an end. I fortify myself with the knowledge that I will indeed be enjoying it again after a suitable period of time has passed.
For me, the pangs of melancholy at the end were eased by the rich appendix Tolkein left. It didn't feel like a harsh stop to the story. Rather, I could picture the trajectories of the characters slowly fading into the ever after.
What a great video, thanks! I enjoyed your telling of it and the things you emphasized. You gave things for 'long time fans' and new folks looking for information.
That's actually the way I originally heard it, and it also makes more sense for their effects (water is often associated with healing; air is connected to communication, and Nenya granted/enhanced telepathic abilities). Apparently the names are derived from Quenya words, though (except Vilya, which literally means "air"), so I guess it is what it is.
As you've touched on here, one of the chief themes in Lord of the Rings is tragedy - a theme that was sadly lacking in the Jackson trilogy. When Galadriel aided Frodo, it wasn't a noble sacrifice; it was an acquiescence to the inevitable, like Brittany Maynard's self-scheduled death. She knew that Lothlórien and Rivendell were doomed; if the One Ring were not destroyed, Sauron would conquer all, including all the Elven realms, and they would in all likelihood all perish. With the One Ring back on Sauron's finger, their rings could not be used anymore anyway, and, even united, they could not hope to stand against The Enemy. One way or another, their time in Middle Earth was done. She had no real choice in assisting the Quest; the very best that could be hoped for by all the Elves was a peaceful departure and the voluntary abandonment of their withering home. The alternative was destruction. Similarly, the love between Arwen and Aragon, trivialized by Jackson as "As your father I forbid you to wed him" - "But daddy, I looooove him!", was in the book yet another tragic heartbreak; Elrond accepted the loss he would have to bear, to never see his daughter again until the end of days, and that was Tolkien's justification for the wisdom of death and why it was considered the Gift of Men: because the alternative, to live forever as did the Elves, was to guarantee eventually losing everything.
I disagree. Tragedy was evidenced quite well in the movies. I myself felt the loss of Boromir more keenly for having seen his valiant stand achingly portrayed by the magnificent *Sean Bean* The true weight of Faramir's decision to let Frodo go pierced me in the convo betw him & his lieutenant in the _Osgiliath_ scene. Fm Gandalf to even Gollum we see the suffering of loss that could've be avoided were it not for the One Ring. The fact that gobs more tragedy was described in the books does not diminish what was shown.
Thank you again for pouring your love for Tolkien's art in your videos. With all sincere sacrifice brings better hope for all through our deeds! The 3 rings seem to be the 2nd chance of what the Silmarils could have been if the intent was for goodness. White = Earandil = star = Galadriel. Blue = Maglor (threw his Silmarils into the sea) = Elrod and brother of the first Numenor King. Red = Maedhros (cast the silmaril and himself into a pit of fire, hello Gollum) = Gandalf using the ring to fight off a balrog, stating that he went through Fire and Water (like the 2 other Silmarils in the short possessions of M&M)
Hello, I love the LOTR and The Hobbit series as well as the Lore behind them and the ancient stories that come with them. Please continue these series as much as you can i find them relaxing, and fascinating to listen to and learn of tolkien's other world, sometimes i too even wish to visit this world and even visit Rivendell to be in a place of serenity and peace.
Here's a comment, because this was an excellent video. I've watched a few LotR content creators, and many say the same things. Few add something new. That's not the fault of the creators, Tolkien wrote his books generations ago. But this video added something new. I look forward to watching more from you. Subscribed.
I feel like the point was missed that while the dwarves we're being greedy they also weren't helping out in any wars, they kept to themselves in their mines, this essentially stole an alli from what would be the opposing forces of middle earth. Love the vid keep up the great work!
For some indecipherable reason the bendy arrow popping up to point out Celebrimbor made me laugh. I adore your videos and consider you second only to Tom Shippey. Thanks for all this lovely stuff.
I always thought that the three "Elvin" rings were invisible by all but a very select few, and even then at specific times allowed by the bearer. i.e. Frodo sees Galadrials ring yet Sam does not at the pool
The way the magic and timeless beauty of Elvendom in middle Earth simply graciously fades and disappears almost spontaneously when the darkness they have always fought is at last vanquished and ended, stands for just how beautifully poetic but deeply heartbreaking and tragically bittersweet Tolkien's stories are...By the power of the Rings of power they withstood the darkness and corruption of The One, and with the destruction of the one they bring about the end of the struggle but with it the end of their own time in Middle Earth....It's a more beautiful and moving symmetry than any other.
In addition to the points mentioned in the video, the three elven rings always struck me as being an echo of the Silmarils. Not only were the Three created by one of Feanors line, their elemental assignments are reminiscent of the eventual fate of the Silmarils: one is cast into the sea, the second is lost to the fires of the earth and the third raised into the sky as Earendils star. Also the number three itself of course bears significance to the elves, like the three elven groups that arrive in Valinor and later the three houses of the Edain, the elf-friends. I am just amazed how Tolkien managed to build parallels such as these into his mythology. His statement that The Lord Of The Rings was not so much a sequel to the Hobbit as it was a sequel to the then unpublished Silmarillion becomes all the more meaningful with every bit I notice.
I think Gandalf revealed his secret to the Balrog to taunt it. He was announcing in no uncertain terms that he was the Balrogs greatest enemy, and had an item so powerful the Balrog couldn't give up the chance of taking it. Giving the rest of the party a better chance of escaping.
So, my question is, why did the dwarves and men accept the rings knowing what had happened to Celebrimbor? He started the war of the Elves to get the 16 back and did. Did people not know the reasoning for the war?
I’m really enjoying your videos, particularly when you go fanboy over Finrod, who is my second favorite elf. (Elrond will always be first.) RE: Gandalf telling the balrog that he is the wielder of the flame of Anor. I have no sources for this idea (or none that I can remember), but I think Gandalf is saying he’s the wielder of the sun’s light, or holy Light. The sun is the last remanent of Laurelin, the golden tree. Evil things, from Morgoth to Gollum hate the sun, in many cases fearing it. Gandalf, as a servant representing the Wielder of the Secret Fire, has the authority to call on and magnify the sun’s light-the light that blocks the balrog’s blow, the light that Gandalf the White uses to repel the Nazgul. (And, yes, I think Tolkien is perfectly capable of having some word play between sun’s light and Son’s Light. He isn’t as heavy-handed as Lewis, but his works do have Christian archetypes.) Gandalf is telling the balrog that he’s the wielder of holy light, one of the most effective weapons against evil. I also enjoy the fact that Narya’s powers are so in line with Olorin’s.
Someday I have to have a go at designing and crafting my own interpretation of the three elven rings. Conveying the essence of their powers in the design would be such a wonderful challenge given their abstract nature. And the fact they were created by a high elf master craftsman is an open invitation to throw fashion trends out of the window (where they belong) and aim for something timelessly exquisite~
Don't know how much this would really have affected Tolkien's decision on the name Annatar, Lord of Gifts, but in Finnish, "anna" translates to "give". "Anna" is also a regular female name, though its etymology comes from "Hannah", not the word for "give". The post-position "-tar" is the Finnish equivalent of the English "-ress", as for example in waiter/waitress (tarjoilija/tarjoilijatar). If I recall, Sauron appeared as a fair and androgynic figure at the time that he went by this name.
Sauron (as Annatar) was described as being fair, but not androgynous. Also, Tolkien knew Finnish quite well, so the similarity of meanings you mentioned are very likely intentional.
"The rings don't give the wielders elemental powers" Sorry, but that's wrong. The flooding of the Ford that is the entrance to Rivendell is explicity caused by Elrond wielding the power of Vilya, to make a great wave - the horses are an illusion added by Gandalf. The reason Lothlorien preserves isn't because of "slowing of time" but because the waters there are strenghtened to be magical by the use of Nenya In the Hobbit, Gandalf smites goblins with a thunderbolt and with flaming pinecones - seeing as he is a Maia, he doesn't normally have elemental powers like this; the ability to summong this flame is through Narya Using these rings power too strongly is what attracts the gaze of Sauron; that's why their use is limited; also using them is "giving in" to their power and temptation...
I'm pretty sure Gandalf can summon fire because he studied under one of the most powerful Maia and she taught him how to wield the secret fire. Or something like that. Why would Vilya and Nenya both be associated with water as you seem to describe?
@@ktkc1o7 Waves are created by the wind. Narya didn't give Gandalf the ability to create fire, but it was implied to strengthen it; also the Secret Fire is something completely different, and Gandalf actually got much of his training at the hands of a Vala (I don't remember which one). Also, it seems like Vilya was originally supposed to be associated with water and Nenya with air, based on their coloration and the powers they display. Side note: the description of Nenya's power in this video isn't very good. In the book it was stated as giving Galadriel the ability to see Sauron's mind (or the parts of it that concerned the Elves) and preventing him from seeing hers, and the power of preservation was broadly ascribed to all the Three.
The part about gandalf and his ring ties everything perfectly and explains his character. He is the primary leader challenging evil, literally driving it all. 👏
Very well done! I knew there was a deep level of world building done in these books, but boy I never knew how deep. Also you are fantastic at this! Well spoken, great interpretations, keep it up!
I like how outside of the Maia, most of Middle Earth's magic system is based on crafting items, for some reason it's just an incredibly neat way to do one because it means that outside of select figures who are so against using their magic frivolously that they become borderline unreliable, magic doesn't become an end-all be-all problem solver, magic is useful but not OP unless a Maiar uses it, and they likely won't use it super often
Not related to the theme of the video (which was great, by the way): I love the way you pronounce "Gil-Galad" and "Elrond". I never studied how the names should be pronounced, by your way sounds so much more round and pretty than the way I've always heard them being pronounced.
Plus not to mention Frodo must have been in a lot of pain after the power of the rings were no more. Considering he was healed from the rings whence he was stabbed and the damage of being the ring barrier. He had to leave middle earth is how I see it
@@billbaxter3800I'm not sure if that's why he's allowed. I thought it was more as an honour. But his wound does trouble him every year on the anniversary of the attack, until he sails west
5:18 _"The rings don't even make the Dwarves invisible."_ Hold. On. Have we ever seen a Dwarf wear the One? For that matter, have we ever seen anyone but a Hobbit wear it? (Other than Tom Bombadil, I mean; he's a special case.) Have we ever seen anyone but a Dwarf wear one of the Seven? I imagine that the Nine might make their wearers invisible, but the Three don't seem to do that to the Elves or Gandalf. Come to think of it, is there any lore that the One turns its wearer invisible, other than the empirical evidence we see? Here's something that just occurred to me: maybe _Hobbits_ become invisible, because the One amplifies the wearer's nature, and Hobbits are naturally unobtrusive...
@@jhwheuer I was trying to remember whether it was known that he had become invisible. Or even whether he had ever actually worn it. All right, that kills that theory. But then, we see him only from the point of view of the characters, as someone in old histories. So if _we_ know it made him invisible, then _they_ know, and in particular _Gandalf_ knew, once he began digging. So it seems very strange that it took him so long to figure out which ring Bilbo had found.
I never really thought about it but at the beginning he says all hobbits posses the power of not being noticed when they don't want to be... It seems more to avoid confrontation than to commit crimes. That is why Bilbo found the notion of being a thief insulting. Hobbits have thief skills but not the inclination except lobelia stole his spoons. Do the rings transport you to some shadow dimension? Maybe it changes you? Did gollum have glowing eyes because of the ring or because he lived in the dark cave? I'm going to have to read these books there and back... Again.
@@VidkunQL The Nine made their wielders invisible, the Seven were of the same sort as the Nine--and the invisibility was accomplished by pulling the wearer into the spirit realm, which elves at least and probably dwarves already lived in as well as the physical, so it probably wouldn't work for them--and there were probably some lesser rings that also granted invisibility.
Saruman never knew that Gandalf possessed one of the "Three Rings." If he HAD, he would have taken it from Gandalf after he revealed that he was in league with Sauron.
![The Complete History of the Rings of Power [COMPILATION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/rsCaXGvMypM/mqdefault.jpg)
A lot of you guys have been asking, why do the other rings lose their power after the One Ring is destroyed? The One Ring was forged last, and so it might seem that when it's destroyed, the other rings would finally be free. But this is not the case. In the Silmarillion Tolkien writes that if the One Ring were destroyed, "the powers of the Three must then fail and all things maintained by them must fade." However, it's not really the destruction of the Ring that causes this, it's the destruction of Sauron.
The key to understanding this is to understand Sauron's gift to Celebrimbor. He gave the elves of Eregion the gift of 'Ring-lore', and Ring-lore is a part of Sauron's craft. It comes from him. Just as some First Age Elven craftsmen invested their swords with a part of their own cold hatred for orcs, and that's why they glow blue when orcs are near; all Rings of Power are invested with Sauron's Ring-lore. They are powered by the Dark Lord. Even the Three that were forged by Celebrimbor alone. They were still forged using Sauron's lore. And so when the One is destroyed, and Sauron's power fades from Middle-earth, the power of the Rings fades too. Because, ultimately, all rings had their source in Sauron.
Thank you ! =)
I was just in the middle of writing a rant about that... then i looked down.
I'm going to have to disagree with you a bit here. The Elven-smiths were *already* working on creating increasingly powerful magic rings before Sauron showed up. However, Sauron accelerated and deepened their understanding, allowing them to begin work on the 16 Rings of Power, which Sauron assisted them in completing. But it is important to keep in mind that the Elven-smiths had a reason for creating these Rings of Power: they wanted to stop the fading that they were already starting to experience. In other words, what they wanted to accomplish was against the natural order of the world, and they knew it but proceeded anyway.
All of the 16 Rings (and the 3) were intended to be used by Elves and for Elves. They don't turn Elves invisible, nor do they make them undying since they're naturally immortal. These are all side-effects of *mortals* using the Rings of Power. I don't think that all of the Rings of Power use Sauron's personal power, only the Ruling Ring explicitly does so, as it was needed in order to control the other rings and their bearers. The 16 rings work according to who is using them: which for Men is particularly bad, but even for Dwarves is probably not very good. The 3 Rings use their bearer's power, otherwise the works they made/supported would've been infected by the evil and darkness of Sauron, and that wasn't the case.
So Sam planted the deku tree....interesting lol thank u
Tolkien had influences. Your explanation would benefit by referring to the Oera Linda or old Scandinavian religion. Wagner wrote a 30 hour play about the Rings that are in LOTR
Nobody can see Nenya, making it Nenya business.
Some elf dude: What's that sparkly light by your hand?
Galadriel: Nenya
Some elf dude: I mean you don't have to be a dick about it.
Ty, this doesn't sound as blasphemous in text as it did in my head lol.
Ha!
OP is gangsta 4 life
@@owlbusdumbledork9966 Some Elf Dude: *Alright, then. Keep your secrets.*
Sauron could have just saved himself a lot of trouble if he'd designed the One Ring with 2-Factor Authentication.
And instead of fiery letters proclaiming its dark nature, they light up with the letters:
'To activate this product, please send a self-addressed envelope and return postage as well as the end-user's name, age, race, and any special delivery instructions to::
D. Lord
1000 Nazgûl Way
Mordor, IN"
Also, make the ring out of tungsten instead of gold (3x higher melting point than lava), and pretend to be defeated if the heroes cast it into a volcano, only to fish it out after they've left.
Well, hindsight is twenty-twenty.
🤣🤣🤣
@cak01vej Not to mention, if the movies are anything to go by, Sauron will eventually crush everybody even without the Ring on his finger, just from having it still exist.
D Lord. He he hehehehe, runs away
But he kind of did it, in mayar way, no one else could not claim it's strength without corrupting himself
One of my favorite subtle moments in the movies was in Return of the King, right before Aragorn charged at the orc army at the Black Gate. Gandalf subtly lifts is hand as Aragorn looks back at him and you get the most minor glimpse of Narya. This is right after the mouth of Sauron had told them that they had captured and killed Frodo and given them the mithril shirt.
I have always interpreted this as Gandalf revealing the ring to Aragorn as a way to say "He doesn't have the ring yet, if he did I would know". A last glimmer of hope for them as they all charged in "For Frodo".
I could be wrong, that was just always my interpretation.
Interesting! I think you're onto something since Narya is the ring to rekindle the spirits of men, AKA the ring of fire given to Gandalf by Cirdan the shipwright, who told Gandalf he would need it.
not a bad interpretation bc it totally tracks.
Sounds legit 👌
😮
Good interpretation!!!
Makes total sense to me!
I love the line
"Although time may be slowed, it cannot be stopped. Things must be preserved and protected, but in the end, they must also pass on"
Gandalf having the ring Narya kind of makes a lot of sense. He's always nudging things behinds the scenes to move in a certain direction. He's always the catalyst for change and resistance where others just sit on their hands.
The red ring's power as used by Gandalf was to inspire people to be their best self.
Tzeentch approves this message :) so does Captain Planet.
thats like, the entire point, yea?
Well... but it would stand to reason rings would somehow REACT to each other's direct presence.
All he did was give Frodo's uncle a little nudge out of the door
Gandalf being one of the secret ring bearers the whole damn time is one of the greatest literary plot twists I've ever heard.
@Utube Fknsucks I mean during the main story with Frodo.
If you see The Hobbit, the Orc is about to cut the finger of Gandalf with a power ring on it
I believe Cirdan gave Gandalf the ring when he first arrived in Middle Earth at The Grey Havens. Which would imply meteor guy is not Gandalf.
@@galahgl I'm almost 100% sure it's sauron
@@goretoriumgaming8600 oh I hope it isn't Sauron. Because he wasn't aware of Hobbits until he tortured Gollum and found out the one ring was in the Shire with Bilbo.
It amazes me how detailed a world was created by JRR Tolkien. So much thought, effort. Not a single thing is without reason or meaning in this world. What a spectacular work of imagination and art. What devotion it must have taken to write this world into existence. Keep in mind, when he would have painstakingly written them, there would have been no guarantee that the books would be successful or even remembered. I have no words to accurately express my respect, wonder and gratitude.
He originally created the world for himself. His friend C.S. Lewis pushed him to publish.
Nice name
A shame the Rings of Power TV show creators are fucking up royal.
@@gent_Carolina wait a sec, im new to all this stuff. he made the world and books just to write a story for himself?!
@@zhain0 Short answer: yes 😊 it was a personal hobby
Longer answer He was a professor at Oxford Univ., England & was in a writers' club called *_the Inklings_* w/ C.S. Lewis.
He had an interest in Norse epic saga style & languages, which related to his English literature focus bc old Anglo-Saxon was an amalgamation of several languages due to influx of invaders & expanding tribes, etc.
Lots more info available via documentaries, but _Tolkien's son or grandson_ gave some biographical info in *_introduction to the Simarillion_* & throughout various *_Appendices of LOTR, Hobbit, & Silmarillion_*
I believe Tolkien also mentioned that Narya was one of the reasons Gandalf’s fireworks were so amazing. I know that’s not much, but it’s another little quirk that I love about the 3
Yes, this is true about Narya and G's fireworks. It also came into play in the woods east of the Misty Mountains in The Hobbit, against the squads of Wargs and Goblins. And again in his fight with the Balrog
Ah, yes, the ring of power. Power to make party livelier and to light acorns on fire.
@@MariusThePaladin That reminds me of that story about the girl who was cursed to obey all commands by a fairy who thinks that being obedient would make a great gift. (Ella Enchanted, I think?) She gets a lecture on safe uses of magic by another character with the example of whisking the shards of a broken plate into the trash with magic and she asks what the point of that is when she could just use a broom - why not use magic to fix the plate? I don't remember exactly what the response she gets is, but essentially it's about how it's okay to use a little magic to help something along, but anything that goes against what is natural/meant to happen can have dangerous, unforeseen consequences.
@@mylesleggette7520 cool story.
Was Frodo able to see Narya on Gandalf's finger, like he saw Nenya on Galadriel?
I liked how you didn't immediately went to explaining how Sauron disguised himself as Annatar, not even because of spoiler or anything (I think most Tolkien fans already know that) but because from the elves perspective he really was just a helpful dude with some good ideas. idk I like this kind of pov storytelling
It's rather like the way Nazism took over Germany. It arrived as a movement of healthy outdoor activities and folk traditions. Tolkien wasn't allegorizing that, of course - but it's just a separate example of how evil often arrives with a smiling face.
@@nickgreen4731 yeah, mass genocide, fascism and eugenics sounds a whole lot like healthy outdoor activities to me too
@@gejugfeguug5623 And this is the reason we need to have good Eugenics programs. To prevent idiots like your parents from breeding YOU into existence.
@@nickgreen4731keep😊
@@nickgreen4731
😊
In a way, Celebrimbor's 3 rings helped the undo the mistake he made in trusting Sauron, as they each played a crucial role in Frodo's quest. Pretty cool.
I always loved how the one ring was effectively useless for most of middle earth and downright harmful to the beings who could use it (excluding Sauron). It shows how pointless greed is. It's really good irony that nobody seems to bring up.
it's also how it is with power structures and mafias. it's always serving the one above you so your greed to participate in the power is pointless - once you are used, there is no more use for you and you are eliminated. if you participate on the evil/power/greed then you are only enjoying very short-lived illusion, in fact serving to the one above you, and if you dispose others, then you should be aware you will be disposed of as well. it's the simple nature or physics that if you put your energy to trust, you can be betrayed but if you put your energy to mistrust and abuse, you actually know for sure you will be abused yourself. praying to greed and killing others means you help to kill and abuse yourself. why would someone above you in the mafia structure who does the same as you do otherwise and save you? I can't understand how rarely anyone realizes that inbound character of evil, that if you do evil you will suffer the evil yourself. why people help mafia when it is so clear they themselves will be killed much sooner than they would naturally die?
Really, it was never much good to Sauron, either. He never managed to enslave the Dwarves or Elves with it, he lost it bombastically and was forced incorporeal for millenia, and never got it back before its identity as his Achilles' heel was used to eliminate him.
@@Noctournis - You're looking at it in hindsight. In the SA, after the fall of Morgoth, Sauron was left standing the strongest in Middle-Earth. Yet, he understood (and feared) the strength of Elves and Dwarves and Men, especially when they were united.
He knew he needed more than his own innate power in those days if he was to recreate the realm of his former master.
I’ve always kind of had the same feeling, besides extending your life and invisibility. But we can only assume that Bilbo spent a lot of time between the hobbit and fellowship time period sitting in his house and caressing the ring to the point it broke him mentally.
It is a good example of greed and the corruption of the self that comes along with it.
@Noctournis I always felt that since much of his power was put into the ring, it's continued existence is what allowed him to come back. So, much better than most life insurance policies.
One to preserve, one to protect, and one to enkindle.
Which one did the dude from shadow of war have
One to en...what
@@thefisherking78 The dictionary definition says enkindle means to set afire, to make luminous...
Sven, thank you for teaching me a new word! I enjoyed looking it up and learning about it.
Shiva vishnu brahma
@@thefisherking78 Enkindle: to set afire; to ignite. A perfectly cromulent word!
I think a key to understanding any of the rings of power (especially the One), is to look at where that power came from. For the One, the books are pretty explicit in telling that Sauron poured much of his spirit (malice, desire to rule, etc) into it and thus, it became an extension of Sauron and something that could amplify those traits when he was wearing it. Similarly, he put a touch of himself into all of the other rings as well. So did Celebrimbor in forging the 3. Even though he forged that apart from Sauron, he used Sauron's skills and teaching and, thus, some of Sauron's will to dominate became bound into them too (in those cases, the will to overcome time, sickness and despair).
I think that you can actually see some of Sauron's influence in the 3 elven rings in the behavior of Galadriel, Elrond and even Gandalf. All three struggled with the idea of just getting things done by dominating those around them. Once the One was undone, so was most of Sauron's spirit/essence and the ability of any of the rings to extend the wearer's will.
The one main difference about the Elven Rings is that although they were forged using Sauron's methods, they did not contain his blood which was the key binding element in the other rings. Blood called to blood, which is how his spirit managed to stay connected to Middle Earth, but also why he needed it back in order to become corporeal once more.
Certainly so. In the comments of a similar video by Nerd of the Rings, we were talking about the Hroa (physical) and the Fea (spirit) and I hypothesize that in order to *give* the ring its power Sauron’s “formula” drew from Sauron’s own spirit. This would be part of the reason why he was pissed when he found out. As you mentioned celebrimbor put himself into the ring so while connected to the One it wasn’t directly controlled by Sauron. (As you know the 9 were tied to Sauron and as he gained power so did the 9). This may have been an allusion to Milton’s “Paradise Lost” where Lucifer poured his power into creating machines of war and each transformation he undergoes is less prominent than the last.
Also something I theorized was that while the three have their own specific powers I believe a common theme among them is that they draw out the wearer’s own attributes (dwarves become greedier, cruel men more cruel etc). So a Man whose spirit let’s say was a lake was able to draw out a buckets worth of his potential rather than a cup. But in doing so, a toll must be paid. For awhile you feel stronger but eventually you are dependent on it as you drain your own self and literally feed the ring your spirit. Your own Hroa or body (held together by the Fea or spirit) is like a jar with oil inside. The oil is required to cover every corner yet by pouring it into another container like the ring you feel “stretched and thin”.
This goes further…those that once held a ring (even if it is lost) cannot die a “natural” death. Bilbo and Gollum (both well beyond their lifespans compared to Gandalf the elves and dwarves) cannot die. They age and fade (and like the 9 might become wraiths themselves) but as we know once the body dies the Fea is sent to the hall of Mandos. The rings, after being held and used, contains a part of their Fea and so they are tethered to the world. All the ring bearers must go to the west in order to heal and they bring the rings with them (except the rings that were destroyed) not only to restore themselves but also the ring bearers who passed before them. Sauron who poured out everything can’t even form a spirit let alone anything else and is blown to the wind much like saruman; unable to return to the undying lands.
THIS IS PROBABLY TOO DEEP , BUT..
I'm not sure this is accurate : " that Sauron poured much of his spirit (malice, desire to rule, etc) into it" - it's more likely that he wanted to be the one to hold sway over those who didn't know as much or know what was best - ie: narcissistic traits that all sociopathic warmonger's have - that eventually reach the point of domination or death. no malice there.
The narco believes they are doing "good".
He didn't care whether they were eliminated or not, nor even who they were, provided there was still enough loyal servants to bring him glory.
Interestingly if there's not an enemy to give them this purpose, they will find a way to make one.
That's how the people in this world have always been at war of some type, militarily - economically - ideologically...
@@maryjoyspohrer256 Where did you get this? It's not in the books.
@@samueldimmock694 I'm not sure that I remember luv. Most likely just saw an interesting post. I've only seen the films and I don't have a firm base on the books. I have noticed over the years....the books are better because you can get more information from the written word.
“If the ruffians had not cut down the Party Tree there would have been no place for Sam’s Malorn.” Such an incredible encapsulation of Tolkien’s primary theme! Brings me to tears. Thank you so much for your insights into these stories that matter so much to so many. You are a gift to any Tolkien fan!
Thanks!
Meh. The mallorn is a lame replacement for the original Party Tree.
I’m six episodes in on the series about these rings and never learned as much as the opening 30 seconds of this video
The series completely goes against the cannon
With the knowledge that Gandalf bears Narya, when he states in Return of the King "Hope is kindled." It gives so much more emphasis, depth and wonder.
Really enjoyed learning more about Middle-Earth lore.
This is what set Tolkien apart from most all other fantasy writers.
He built a world and interwove the stories and thus, the dialog, with that world and its history.
The fragments and short stories that became the Silmarillion was just the back stories and notes for his world building in creating TLotR.
@@valkyriefrost5301 Actually, Tolkien considered the Silmarillion to be his most important work, with the Hobbit and the LOTR as just spin-offs or sequels to the Silmarillion.
@@valkyriefrost5301he might love one piece 😁
69 likes
It’s so sad, Lothlorien fading and Arwen dying there. Almost brings a tear to my eyes thinking of how ghostly the realm must’ve seemed once abandoned. Arwen alone there passing on.
I know right? Its really sad tbh... but the elves and ringbearers all went to the Undying Lands. Magic still exists there :) I wish I could live in the world of the Eldar...
Are you guys gonna be ok?
@@jeremybrocknblue5593 I’m not sure man, I’m not sure :/ lol
😫😫😭😭🤧 It's terribly sad. Especially when you are swept away into that world in reading the books. Watching the movies just doesn't bring the same emotion. I'm so glad I read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings before the movies released. I didn't read The Similarian, The Children of Hurin, or any of the novels finished by Christopher Tolkien until after the movies released though. They were great reads on their own. I loved reading about Gondolin and Feanor and the fight against Melkor and Angband.
Jeremy BrocknBlue 😆😆
For me when Gandalf is facing the Balrog he is chanting a spell of protection, conjuring the strength of the ring, and that's why he reveals to his enemy that he posses the ring, during the books people rarely use actual magic, maybe in part because in this world that means revealing secrets when performing actual spells, so they use it very carefully.
The Keepers of The Three great rings specifically choose to keep them hidden, it talks about this in the Silmarillion.
I think the Fellowship's time in Lorien tells a different story. Many of the elves relate that outsiders think that EVERYTHING they do is magick but to them it is simply the way that they do things. Remember the boats which right and almost steer themselves, the rope which unties itself only when its user needs and whose touch can burn evil, or the waybread which can sustain a man with a tiny bite. Each of these is considered a powerful magick item in fan works.
It is perhaps more accurate to say that true magick in LoTR is (usually) very, very subtle in its manifestation. It makes things just 'work out' so that other people may not even understand that magick is happening. All of Lorien and Rivendell are wreathed in magick but nobody notices it directly... just its effects. And if you take that as your keystone to how magick works, you can probably find hundreds of instances of it in the books, from Legolas knowing from the sunrise that 'blood is spilled' to Gandalf summoning animal friends and generally finding the path to travel and making good fireworks. Even Frodo's miraculous persistence on his journey may be to no small part from drawing upon the ring's power at a low level.
Now there are a few occasions where it is used like a blunt instrument to dramatic effect. But I would say that those manifestations are to the whole of magick what a lightning bolt is to all of electronics.
@@HerculesBallsInc I think there is a great deal of truth in your thoughts there.
Mithrander doesn't "cast" a spell of "hope", he simply sustains "hope" like an effect.
In the same way that evil creatures like shelob cast "despair".
Comes back to Tolkien's attitude, and probably his christianity. "Good" sustains, "evil" drains, because they ARE that way.
@@HerculesBallsInc Yes, I might have expressed myself poorly, the word I should have used was spells, like an actual tangible high level spell, the characters produce magical light on many occasions, have slightly magical itens like boats, cloaks, daggers etc... Summon animals, control minds, heal others, and do other smallish things using magic in the books, but what I was referring was an actual physical manifestation of magical power in a meaningful way, like Gandalf fighting the Balrog, or in the movies when Arwen calls the water fighting against the Nazgul, not my favorite scene, but there are not many examples I can use, even Gandalf fight against Saruman was somewhat subdued, and I think the reason is that Tolkien magic system demands a high price to be used, be that secrets, life force or whatever, they never go deep in the way magic works, but seeing the scarcity of magic I imagine that there is a reason why that is, even the many magical itens we see in the series are somewhat explained because the fellowship is amongst the most powerful people in middle earth all the time, it is not like magical items are common at all, elves have a decent amount because they are powerful and old, very old, and during thousands of years they crafted a reasonable amount of itens, so did the dwarves, but they are in no way common.
@yossarian The 3rd age used A LOT less magic than in ages prior. The world grew a disdain to magic as they realized the source of their power (Magic) was also the source of their despair (Sauron).
Man, what a masterpiece. Feels like all things always happen for a reason in Tolkien's world.
That completely enriched my understanding and appreciation of the whole story. Thank you!
When I was young I read the Hobbitt and absolutely fell in love with it. I read the all the LothR books after and I thought that was the end of it. But years later I researched Tolkien and realized, after learning, that that is just on the ending of the Third Age. I was blown away with all the details. Tolkien had even written other non-Middle Earth books.
These movies always remind me of addiction. When the One Ring is destroyed the others lose their “magic”. When someone defeats an addiction they lose the thing that made them superhuman. When Frodo is at the edge of the cliff in Mount Doom his mind and the ring are panicking. It’s as if he’s in a rehab facility and had just found some drugs that he’s now holding over an open toilet.
The films lean hard into a metaphor of addiction, certainly. I'm not sure there's anything so obvious in the novel.
Sure, it is a possible reading of the theme. Are you ACTUALLY Lauren Metcalf ?
although the one ring's effect seems to be quite different on those who own it which kind of makes that reading difficult. Works fine with Gollum up to him being physically deteriorated by the ring, becoming this creep with rotten teeth always lusting for the ring and happy like a clown when getting his hands on it. and Frodo is about to walk that walk as well while Bilbo could handle it without getting too much of an addiction. But what about Isildur and especially Sauron? With the One Ring Sauron aint Tony Montana thinking the world is his while in fact he already lost everything. With the one ring Sauron rules the world.
@@phreakazoith2237 In the works as written by Tolkien he literally says that Gollum survived as long as he did because Hobbits are naturally resistant.
He also implies that Men were easy for Sauron to corrupt because we are naturally driven by our passions and faults.
I loved the Hobbit as a child but did not read the trilogy until later in life. Seeing Bilbo go from a sensitive, kind and relatable guy to desperate and careless in pursuit of keeping the one ring at his party.. starting to sharing mannerisms with Gollum 😓 definitely not far off from seeing someone you care about go through addiction.
It actually makes sense that the story is about death and the desire for deathlessness. In ancient Egyptian lore at least the west was the land of the dead and when anyone from peasant to pharaoh died their soul was ferried there on The Mesket (the boat of the evening) and greeted on the other side by the goddess Amentet (she of the west) who gave them their first meal they would eat as as a dead person (just bread and water actually) and gave them a pep talk to encourage them before they started on the dangerous journey to the field of reeds.
I'm always amazed how closely the rings of power mirror the concepts of computer hacking. Sauron made a bunch of killer apps people couldn't resist, but with a bunch of back door exploits installed. I wonder if Tolkien was following a similar parallel back in 1937, maybe with code breaking and ciphers or something.
Capitalism
@@JayDS-ef6vjChekism
FACEPALM🤦♂
Uhhh no
I'm not much for works of fiction, but LotR and Middle Earth are the great exception to that. When I hear about aspects of Tolkien's world, it really pulls at me emotionally. Imagine a world where these rings existed. Incredibly beautiful. Excellent work! Subscribed! :-D
Same, never liked fantasy (always was more into scifi since it lends itself to exploring moral and philosophical questions opened by new technology) since I left my teens, but LotR always has a special place in my heart.
You may enjoy Dunevif you've not tried it yet.👌🏾
The end of magic and the beginning of industry, represented by Saruman and Isengard. Iron, fire, deforestation, mass production and great furnaces. You could say that the destruction of the One ring did slow down that aspect of change.
Exactly. It's about the world of machines against Humans. Like Avatar, Terminator, the Matrix, V for Vendetta and Lucas' Star Wars. Always pretty much comes back to that quote from Sitting Bull about the last tree...
It's always the Lorax
Yet the proper harnessing of industry and nature will liberate humanity.
@@roryross3878 from?
@@MankindFails welcome to the world we live in today
WOW. This was so beautifully explained. You cleared up so many confusions to this wonderful world Tolkien created. Fantastic job my friend . Stay Gold.
Thank you for this beautiful video. This expands my knowledge of the beautiful story Tolkien created. The part about Gandalf saying he is the the servant of secret fire, the wielder of the flame of Anor gave me chills.
I believe that the rings were made as follows.
Elves = Properties of air, water, and fire, with various effects based around these elemental powers.
Dwarves = Properties of the earth, which allowed them to find the treasures within the earth without fault, no matter where they might be, leading to their great hordes, and the cities built over the greatest concentrations of them. Being the practical beings they were, it is doubtful they would have expended the time, effort, and waste of resources in building the massive cities they did if they were not certain that the deposits of gold, precious metals, and jewels beneath them would last for as long as their race did.
Humans = Properties of life and death, of the body and soul, which allowed them to have the same near-immortal lifespans as elves and dwarves, and for their souls to remain sentient, sapient, and corporeal on Middle-Earth without passing over, even if they should lose their physical bodies, humans having the same fear of growing old as they did of dying and not knowing what would come next.
Every ring gave it's wearer near immortality, perpetually keeping their bodies free of age, minor wounds, and disease, so they need not fear growing too old to rule, or the changes a new ruler might institute when they were gone, their races having the same rulers for all time, keeping the humans, dwarves, and elves of the world in a perpetual stagnant status-quo, without any real growth or change, even if the rulers were all good and fair at the time of the gifting of the rings. Even as Smeagol/Gollum was emaciated and missing most of his teeth, he was still protected from these things by the One Ring, the state of his body a result of his way of living, and the regenerative properties of the ring helping him to survive in his new environment by constantly replacing old cells with new ones that would enable him to survive in a dark, cold, stagnant cave, altering his body over time, and to be able to eat raw food without fear of disease, his body only possessing enough calcium to have six (or nine) teeth in his mouth, but these teeth likely being able to be regrown after being lost, the ring having discarded his need for the other teeth to enable him to have enough calcium to constantly regrow the teeth he had over time, which he kept sharpened to help them last longer on his diet of raw meat and bones, the bones likely providing some of the the calcium needed in their rebuilding. Had he lived a normal life, his body likely would have had the same look as Bilbo's did, and that his long association with the ring, before Bilbo stole it, maintained the power within his body, although the power within him was growing ever lower, and age was ever so slowly catching up to it the longer he was away from it, making him more deteriorated by the time he met Frodo, but, still alive.
The rings were all rings of command, allowing each race to control their race, overtly, as needed, but, more likely, in a more passive fashion, the wills and thoughts of the bearers of the rings conveyed throughout their kingdoms to their peoples, keeping everyone happy, preventing lawfulness and disobedience, and, in general, causing the people to exist in a quasi-hive mind society, even as they still had free will if not acting against the desires of the rulers desires to do what was best for their subjects.
The purpose of the One Ring was to both use the other rings to have command over all the races through the lesser rings wearers, as well as to have access to the powers of fire, earth, water, air, life, and death through it's lesser rings, either for it's user to command the powers themselves, or to command those who had the rings to use. To have all the powers of creation in the single ring likely would have destroyed the ring outright, and/or done the same to it's wearer if they should try to access those powers, no matter how powerful and nearly indestructible the ring was. But, in creating a network of lesser rings to take power from, the powers of the One Ring were all siphoned from each of the other rings, most likely through the astral plane, which allowed one to partially enter it, so that they could see the power that was being siphoned into the ring, and back out of it after it was no longer needed, as the power involved likely would have wreaked havoc on the prime material plane, passing through solid structures and creatures going back and forth between the rings. Sauron likely only used a tiny fraction of the power needed for this to draw in and release the energies from the ring, enabling him to still remain seen, even as he used the powers of the ring, but, others, like Bilbo and Frodo, unaware of what the purpose was, sent more of their physical forms into the astral plane, causing their invisibility, while still being substantial in the prime material universe, the ring acting as an anchor to safeguard the wearer from being pulled wholly from the physical world, and into the realm of death.
Thank you...this is a fantastic NEW LAYER that I wasn't aware of for all these 40 years of loving the story...Gandalf and his ring !!!
I always took the "flame of Anor" (the sun) to be a fancy name for sunlight; the kind that's stored as chemical energy in stuff that burns... cause Gandalf is good with fire. This is a threat to a creature of darkness like the balrog.
But isn't the Balrog a creature of fire & shadow? Or was that an invention of the movies? While i did read the books, i only read them once. But i do remember very well how effectively Peter Jackson made the Balrog terrifying to the viewer in Fellowship of the Ring, and what a great job the actor Sir Ian did as Gandalf in playing it up!
@@budahbaba7856 Yes but the counter to the "fire" aspect is the Secret Fire or Flame Imperishable, the divine life force that is the
opposite of the flame which devours.
@@Nunya_Bidness_53 Nenya bidness lol
The Balrogs are Maia as is Gandalf. I think he was letting the Balrog know that he was going up against a fellow Maia and should step back into the shadows or suffer the consequences.
@@budahbaba7856 I considered the Balrog flame very different from Gandalf's. Flame of Anor versus the flame of Udun.
Given that Morgoth and his lieutenant Sauron were only ever able to "distort and amplify existing characteristics" of whatever they touched and never create it is clear that the rings would only ever do exactly that themselves; even the elven rings which were made by Celebrimbor (but whose skills were unwittingly gained from Sauron) Hence, the rings were always going to be fundamentally wrong and so, at the very best, lead to sadness and eventual tragic loss but more likely to result in betrayal and death. The elves probably knew that but were that desperate to have something of their exiled past still with them that they were prepared to accept the risk. Once Celembrimbor had mastered the art of ring-making he realized he could almost recreate aspects of Valinor even though the whole noble enterprise did involve distorting "what was" into "something better"; and does that not remind one of Morgoth's and Sauron's desperate manipulation of how things were at the beginning. They did it to mock and punish but is it ever right to play with Illuvators work?
It is an unanswered question whether the rings MUST behave the way they did. Certainly the ones we saw were part of a scheme which was realized too late to change what they were. Even so, Celebrimbor was able to produce a first effort that was largely free of Sauron's influence. It is not inconceivable that if he had spent more time working on them that he would have produced something entirely free of corruption. Perhaps this was part of the reason Sauron acted on the time scale he did - having shared his knowledge with Celebrimbor, he knew there was only so much time before it was used against him, so war had to be waged rather soon.
Perhaps we may learn in this new series, although I expect not to learn a lot, even to be vexed by some proposals.......but let me take this ride and be happy or not....;-)
Yet thats not actually true. A valar made the Dwarfs, not Eru. You missed out on the main explanation. Eru states that even Morgoths rages and hatred is also apart of his design. Thats why he says go forth and prove thy will. Allowing him to corrupt the literal land with malice. Elves arent as smart as you make them to be, thats why they got enslaved and turned into orcs by Morgoths Will. Sauron even made Eru have to step in and reshape his original design because Sauron almost brought the sons of Numenor to the grace lands.
Not sure if you knew this, or not, but the name Annatar is actually quite fascinating.
In Finnish the name Annatar could be understood as "Lady/Mistress of Giving" (The suffix -tar is in female form and is often used for deities such as Aallotar, Kivutar, or Tuonetar, all female deities of various things) from the base word of "Antaa", (The Quenyan word for "giving" being "anta") or "To give". Finnish is a peculiar language where words are twisted and combined to form words that would take entire sentences* to express the same meaning. To use the word in a sentence in the same form as "Annatar" one could say "Anna tuo vasara minulle", or "Give that hammer to me".
There is no doubt in my mind that this is no coincidence as LotR loans a lot from the Finnish mythology, such as Kullervo, or the concept of the One Ring essentially being a Sampo.
*One such example would be "Juoksentelisinkohan", which can be translated into "I wonder if I should take some running steps at various intervals of time".
Tolkien was very fond of the Kalevala. It wouldn't surprise me if he learned Finnish and that it was an influence in his works.
I think Finnish was his main source for a lot of the language and lore. Like he hit the jackpot when he learned about Finland.
Your presentation is so effective in parsing the subtleties of Tolkien's legendarium, and forcing nostalgia as well. Full glad I am to have found your channel :>
It's clear that JRRT dropped the love triangle potential or whatever between Galadriel and Celebrimbor or it was just a tiny thought for a brief moment but I do not think their being cousins of a sort of "royal" line would be a deal-breaker for a Brit born before 1900. He literally grew up observing and influenced by that sort of thing being the norm.
Love inspires; it doesn't have to be romantic love, it can be platonic. But Galadriel does inspire ;)
I for one always liked that his stories didn't revolve around conventional romantic love and drama, instead focusing on friendship and loyalty.
I guess JRRT anticipated the whole Star Wars Luke-Leah thing and decided it wasn't really that good or useful of a subplot after all. ;)
After the two fratricidal battles at Alqualonde and Menegroth, i think she did not like so much the other branch of her family
True. Prior to the 20th century it was quite common for cousins to marry. Even now, in most states of the U.S., it's legal for second cousins.
Having consumed all of this obsessively years ago it was awesome to have all those bells rung and to be able to still finish some of your sentences with you. Perfect content. ✌️
so glad that you are making content again! we really missed you
your video's are absolutely fantastic - the energy with which you talk about the lore of the legendarium makes it an asbolute joy to listen. Thanks!
This video was amazing. I'm a casual Tolkien fan but found your delivery real Interesting and accessible. 👍🏾
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
A nicely poetic explanation of a poetically imaginative fictive world -- thank you!
Same on earth fantasy world
"the flame of Anor" refers to the sun or rather the suns heat if you read Gandalf's back story he is associated with the two trees and the creation of the sun.....all that is to say that the Balrogs lost a major battle trying to destroy the sun and a huge number of them died...
thats some good smack-talk
I really enjoy the style in which you present your research.
Certainly much more approachable and even toned than some others who can get heavy handed with how impressive they want to convey they are.
I can also think of another hint that Gandalf has Nariel: after they set out from Rivendell, and are trying to decide which road to take between the redhorn pass and khazad dum, it specifically points out that Gandalf is rubbing one of his hands, as if age has worn his knuckles. This was always very weird to me when I read it, because it’s such a weirdly specific thing to point out, but now I think I understand.
I am a Vedic astrologer. So many things you said in this beautiful presentation were profound, eternal axioms I relate to from an astrological perspective. I read the books a few times in my childhood and adolescence. Thank you for speaking about the things that were difficult to tie together all those years ago. I loved the section about the invisibility of the ring that Galadriel wore. It also gave me a deeper understanding of the High Priestess card in the tarot. This card can be difficult to pin down in its meaning.
You did such a great job with this video. It was beautifully spoken. Thank you.
This was good. I liked the way you explained the power of the rings. I like how you went into depth of the rings and it’s power. Also the rings represents the purity that mankind possesses and also that resistance to corruption comes with spiritual gifts such as wisdom, honor, respect and true commitment to making the world a better place. It also represents that all good things don’t end but evolve into something greater. And nenya is my favorite of the 3 elven rings. It’s so beautiful
What a wonderful video! Thank you for shedding light on the history of the Elven Rings. Some I knew and some I didn't.
Very minor correction! (Excellent video and I love your content) I was listening to the tolkien proff podcast and he implied that the Lorien Trees were modeled after the trees of Valinor, but were sang into existence by Galadriel herself. Just wanted to throw in my research!
You deserve a medal for this masterpiece. I was brought to tears.
This was a really fantastic video. Absolutely loved it, well researched and excellently edited, very concise and informative! Tolkien was truly a master worldbuilder!
I like how around the 11:17 mark you say ''there is a sweet side to this bittersweet moment''.' 👍
Very interesting, when I read the Lord of the Rings back in the early eighties I was left a little sad in the end. I like your reasoning that it might be because it was the end of magic . Also that the elves where leaving Middle earth to men.
Myself, I'm _always_ a little sad when a great story comes to an end. I fortify myself with the knowledge that I will indeed be enjoying it again after a suitable period of time has passed.
For me, the pangs of melancholy at the end were eased by the rich appendix Tolkein left. It didn't feel like a harsh stop to the story. Rather, I could picture the trajectories of the characters slowly fading into the ever after.
Thanks so much for this Rainbow Dave, I was hoping for this one and it was even better than expected!
What a great video, thanks! I enjoyed your telling of it and the things you emphasized. You gave things for 'long time fans' and new folks looking for information.
You'd think Nenya (ring of water) and Vilya (ring of air) would be reversed because of their coloring. 🤷♂️
I've often thought that too
That's actually the way I originally heard it, and it also makes more sense for their effects (water is often associated with healing; air is connected to communication, and Nenya granted/enhanced telepathic abilities). Apparently the names are derived from Quenya words, though (except Vilya, which literally means "air"), so I guess it is what it is.
Celebrimbor was probably realising that halfway through designing the second. Artist problems.
Manwe, the valar associated with air, is blue. This is how I see it make sense.
Waters as clear as crystal and skies as blue as the oceans.
As you've touched on here, one of the chief themes in Lord of the Rings is tragedy - a theme that was sadly lacking in the Jackson trilogy.
When Galadriel aided Frodo, it wasn't a noble sacrifice; it was an acquiescence to the inevitable, like Brittany Maynard's self-scheduled death. She knew that Lothlórien and Rivendell were doomed; if the One Ring were not destroyed, Sauron would conquer all, including all the Elven realms, and they would in all likelihood all perish. With the One Ring back on Sauron's finger, their rings could not be used anymore anyway, and, even united, they could not hope to stand against The Enemy.
One way or another, their time in Middle Earth was done. She had no real choice in assisting the Quest; the very best that could be hoped for by all the Elves was a peaceful departure and the voluntary abandonment of their withering home. The alternative was destruction.
Similarly, the love between Arwen and Aragon, trivialized by Jackson as "As your father I forbid you to wed him" - "But daddy, I looooove him!", was in the book yet another tragic heartbreak; Elrond accepted the loss he would have to bear, to never see his daughter again until the end of days, and that was Tolkien's justification for the wisdom of death and why it was considered the Gift of Men: because the alternative, to live forever as did the Elves, was to guarantee eventually losing everything.
I disagree. Tragedy was evidenced quite well in the movies.
I myself felt the loss of Boromir more keenly for having seen his valiant stand achingly portrayed by the magnificent *Sean Bean*
The true weight of Faramir's decision to let Frodo go pierced me in the convo betw him & his lieutenant in the _Osgiliath_ scene.
Fm Gandalf to even Gollum we see the suffering of loss that could've be avoided were it not for the One Ring. The fact that gobs more tragedy was described in the books does not diminish what was shown.
thats because Arwens and Aragons story is actually Beren and Luthiens love story.
The power of the elves ring its so fantastic, They dont trow lazer beams or poserfull spells but this power to kindle hearts its so amazing.
Your research is very thorough. Thanks for sharing this good work.
Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity.
Thank you again for pouring your love for Tolkien's art in your videos. With all sincere sacrifice brings better hope for all through our deeds! The 3 rings seem to be the 2nd chance of what the Silmarils could have been if the intent was for goodness. White = Earandil = star = Galadriel. Blue = Maglor (threw his Silmarils into the sea) = Elrod and brother of the first Numenor King. Red = Maedhros (cast the silmaril and himself into a pit of fire, hello Gollum) = Gandalf using the ring to fight off a balrog, stating that he went through Fire and Water (like the 2 other Silmarils in the short possessions of M&M)
Hello, I love the LOTR and The Hobbit series as well as the Lore behind them and the ancient stories that come with them. Please continue these series as much as you can i find them relaxing, and fascinating to listen to and learn of tolkien's other world, sometimes i too even wish to visit this world and even visit Rivendell to be in a place of serenity and peace.
Thanks! I'm really glad you enjoy the videos!
I'm so glad someone is explaining this. Thank you.
Here's a comment, because this was an excellent video. I've watched a few LotR content creators, and many say the same things. Few add something new. That's not the fault of the creators, Tolkien wrote his books generations ago. But this video added something new. I look forward to watching more from you.
Subscribed.
I feel like the point was missed that while the dwarves we're being greedy they also weren't helping out in any wars, they kept to themselves in their mines, this essentially stole an alli from what would be the opposing forces of middle earth.
Love the vid keep up the great work!
For some indecipherable reason the bendy arrow popping up to point out Celebrimbor made me laugh. I adore your videos and consider you second only to Tom Shippey. Thanks for all this lovely stuff.
I've always been a fan of LotR but I've never been huge into the lore but it is amazing how in depth it goes.
I always thought that the three "Elvin" rings were invisible by all but a very select few, and even then at specific times allowed by the bearer. i.e. Frodo sees Galadrials ring yet Sam does not at the pool
This is great- good research and editing etc! Well done!
The way the magic and timeless beauty of Elvendom in middle Earth simply graciously fades and disappears almost spontaneously when the darkness they have always fought is at last vanquished and ended, stands for just how beautifully poetic but deeply heartbreaking and tragically bittersweet Tolkien's stories are...By the power of the Rings of power they withstood the darkness and corruption of The One, and with the destruction of the one they bring about the end of the struggle but with it the end of their own time in Middle Earth....It's a more beautiful and moving symmetry than any other.
That was awesome! I learned so much more about the context of the Lord of the Rings story, which means a great deal to me. Thank you.
In addition to the points mentioned in the video, the three elven rings always struck me as being an echo of the Silmarils. Not only were the Three created by one of Feanors line, their elemental assignments are reminiscent of the eventual fate of the Silmarils: one is cast into the sea, the second is lost to the fires of the earth and the third raised into the sky as Earendils star.
Also the number three itself of course bears significance to the elves, like the three elven groups that arrive in Valinor and later the three houses of the Edain, the elf-friends.
I am just amazed how Tolkien managed to build parallels such as these into his mythology. His statement that The Lord Of The Rings was not so much a sequel to the Hobbit as it was a sequel to the then unpublished Silmarillion becomes all the more meaningful with every bit I notice.
I think Gandalf revealed his secret to the Balrog to taunt it. He was announcing in no uncertain terms that he was the Balrogs greatest enemy, and had an item so powerful the Balrog couldn't give up the chance of taking it. Giving the rest of the party a better chance of escaping.
Oh it was definitely Middle Earth version of trash talking.
So, my question is, why did the dwarves and men accept the rings knowing what had happened to Celebrimbor? He started the war of the Elves to get the 16 back and did. Did people not know the reasoning for the war?
"Men, who above all, desired power..."
Celebrimbor never got the 16 back.
Such a wonderful video! Probably the best description behind what the Rings of Power truly were...enjoyed every moment. Thanks so much for making it!
I’m really enjoying your videos, particularly when you go fanboy over Finrod, who is my second favorite elf. (Elrond will always be first.)
RE: Gandalf telling the balrog that he is the wielder of the flame of Anor. I have no sources for this idea (or none that I can remember), but I think Gandalf is saying he’s the wielder of the sun’s light, or holy Light. The sun is the last remanent of Laurelin, the golden tree. Evil things, from Morgoth to Gollum hate the sun, in many cases fearing it. Gandalf, as a servant representing the Wielder of the Secret Fire, has the authority to call on and magnify the sun’s light-the light that blocks the balrog’s blow, the light that Gandalf the White uses to repel the Nazgul. (And, yes, I think Tolkien is perfectly capable of having some word play between sun’s light and Son’s Light. He isn’t as heavy-handed as Lewis, but his works do have Christian archetypes.) Gandalf is telling the balrog that he’s the wielder of holy light, one of the most effective weapons against evil.
I also enjoy the fact that Narya’s powers are so in line with Olorin’s.
Good to have you back, Rainbow Dave! I've never quite got my head around how the Three are linked to the One, and this cleared it up nicely. Cheers!
That was detailed yet entertaining! Thank you!
Great video. Hope it will help all of us fully understand the new Rings of Power series !
"There were 9, the 7, the 3 and the 1. Listen up all you hobbits while my tale is spun..." ~Lords of the Rhymes
Really appreciate your overall sentiment. Nice video!
Someday I have to have a go at designing and crafting my own interpretation of the three elven rings. Conveying the essence of their powers in the design would be such a wonderful challenge given their abstract nature. And the fact they were created by a high elf master craftsman is an open invitation to throw fashion trends out of the window (where they belong) and aim for something timelessly exquisite~
Brilliantly explained, so much passion, it’s rather inspiring how you told us about the rings.
Wondering if by any chance you are in possession of Narya... 🤔
Don't know how much this would really have affected Tolkien's decision on the name Annatar, Lord of Gifts, but in Finnish, "anna" translates to "give". "Anna" is also a regular female name, though its etymology comes from "Hannah", not the word for "give". The post-position "-tar" is the Finnish equivalent of the English "-ress", as for example in waiter/waitress (tarjoilija/tarjoilijatar). If I recall, Sauron appeared as a fair and androgynic figure at the time that he went by this name.
Sauron (as Annatar) was described as being fair, but not androgynous. Also, Tolkien knew Finnish quite well, so the similarity of meanings you mentioned are very likely intentional.
"The rings don't give the wielders elemental powers"
Sorry, but that's wrong. The flooding of the Ford that is the entrance to Rivendell is explicity caused by Elrond wielding the power of Vilya, to make a great wave - the horses are an illusion added by Gandalf.
The reason Lothlorien preserves isn't because of "slowing of time" but because the waters there are strenghtened to be magical by the use of Nenya
In the Hobbit, Gandalf smites goblins with a thunderbolt and with flaming pinecones - seeing as he is a Maia, he doesn't normally have elemental powers like this; the ability to summong this flame is through Narya
Using these rings power too strongly is what attracts the gaze of Sauron; that's why their use is limited; also using them is "giving in" to their power and temptation...
I'm pretty sure Gandalf can summon fire because he studied under one of the most powerful Maia and she taught him how to wield the secret fire. Or something like that.
Why would Vilya and Nenya both be associated with water as you seem to describe?
@@ktkc1o7 Waves are created by the wind. Narya didn't give Gandalf the ability to create fire, but it was implied to strengthen it; also the Secret Fire is something completely different, and Gandalf actually got much of his training at the hands of a Vala (I don't remember which one).
Also, it seems like Vilya was originally supposed to be associated with water and Nenya with air, based on their coloration and the powers they display. Side note: the description of Nenya's power in this video isn't very good. In the book it was stated as giving Galadriel the ability to see Sauron's mind (or the parts of it that concerned the Elves) and preventing him from seeing hers, and the power of preservation was broadly ascribed to all the Three.
The part about gandalf and his ring ties everything perfectly and explains his character. He is the primary leader challenging evil, literally driving it all. 👏
Presented really well and made it easy for my simple mind to follow and understand. The artwork that is shown throughout the video is great!
Glad you liked it!
I've watched many videos about LOTR background history, but you are the most spell castingly enjoyable. Keep em coming ❤️
I think the most hillarious of all about this is that we can really say with truth that it looks like it is *Sauron is making the Rings of Power*
Very well done! I knew there was a deep level of world building done in these books, but boy I never knew how deep. Also you are fantastic at this! Well spoken, great interpretations, keep it up!
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
@@tolkienuntangled yes very much so! Having been binging all morning! 😆
I couldn’t agree more.. the narrator is truly amazing
@@traciefuentes6717 absolutely. I'd love to see the creator do some other lore stuff.
Frodo: Hey Galadriel, that's a cool ring, what is it? Galadriel: Nenya business.
I like how outside of the Maia, most of Middle Earth's magic system is based on crafting items, for some reason it's just an incredibly neat way to do one because it means that outside of select figures who are so against using their magic frivolously that they become borderline unreliable, magic doesn't become an end-all be-all problem solver, magic is useful but not OP unless a Maiar uses it, and they likely won't use it super often
Not related to the theme of the video (which was great, by the way): I love the way you pronounce "Gil-Galad" and "Elrond". I never studied how the names should be pronounced, by your way sounds so much more round and pretty than the way I've always heard them being pronounced.
Finally. I've always wanted to know what the hell they do. The movies were pretty vague.
Plus not to mention Frodo must have been in a lot of pain after the power of the rings were no more. Considering he was healed from the rings whence he was stabbed and the damage of being the ring barrier. He had to leave middle earth is how I see it
Isn't that the reason Frodo was allowed to go to the undying lands?
@@billbaxter3800I'm not sure if that's why he's allowed. I thought it was more as an honour.
But his wound does trouble him every year on the anniversary of the attack, until he sails west
One of my uncles kept shoving Lord of the Rings in my face 20 years ago, to the point where nowadays I’m getting into it.
i read the Silmarillion and it is the best piece of printed words i have ever laid my eyes upon.
5:18 _"The rings don't even make the Dwarves invisible."_
Hold. On.
Have we ever seen a Dwarf wear the One? For that matter, have we ever seen anyone but a Hobbit wear it? (Other than Tom Bombadil, I mean; he's a special case.) Have we ever seen anyone but a Dwarf wear one of the Seven? I imagine that the Nine might make their wearers invisible, but the Three don't seem to do that to the Elves or Gandalf.
Come to think of it, is there any lore that the One turns its wearer invisible, other than the empirical evidence we see? Here's something that just occurred to me: maybe _Hobbits_ become invisible, because the One amplifies the wearer's nature, and Hobbits are naturally unobtrusive...
Remember that it rendered a certain Numenorian invisible?
@@jhwheuer I was trying to remember whether it was known that he had become invisible. Or even whether he had ever actually worn it.
All right, that kills that theory. But then, we see him only from the point of view of the characters, as someone in old histories. So if _we_ know it made him invisible, then _they_ know, and in particular _Gandalf_ knew, once he began digging. So it seems very strange that it took him so long to figure out which ring Bilbo had found.
I never really thought about it but at the beginning he says all hobbits posses the power of not being noticed when they don't want to be... It seems more to avoid confrontation than to commit crimes. That is why Bilbo found the notion of being a thief insulting. Hobbits have thief skills but not the inclination except lobelia stole his spoons. Do the rings transport you to some shadow dimension? Maybe it changes you? Did gollum have glowing eyes because of the ring or because he lived in the dark cave? I'm going to have to read these books there and back... Again.
@@VidkunQL The Nine made their wielders invisible, the Seven were of the same sort as the Nine--and the invisibility was accomplished by pulling the wearer into the spirit realm, which elves at least and probably dwarves already lived in as well as the physical, so it probably wouldn't work for them--and there were probably some lesser rings that also granted invisibility.
I'd love to know more about the Malorn. Thanks for this video.
I would really like a video dedicated to the trees middle earth especially the Malorns, the white tree of Gondor, etc.
Thanks for the insight on the Elven rings of power. I always thought it was given to Gandalf by Lord Elrond. And made Sauruman jealous.
Saruman never knew that Gandalf possessed one of the "Three Rings." If he HAD, he would have taken it from Gandalf after he revealed that he was in league with Sauron.
Saruman was jealous that Galadriel as queen of the wizards preferred Gandalf for the top job.
You may only be someone in the world, but to someone else, you may be the world.
Wow! Very well done. One of the best, most comprehensive videos I've seen about the rings. Keep up the great work and cheers from Canada!
Thanks! I'm really glad you enjoyed watching it.