Yeah, it has changed a lot of the canon lore. I’m a bit disappointed that the Stranger is Gandalf, because I’d have loved a story around the two Blue Wizards. Still! All in all I do love the series. Especially this finale oh my god
What I really liked was when one of Morgoths highest ranked generals. A corrupted maiar of the Valer and one of the most powerful beings in all of Tolkiens lore saw a pile of rocks and then thought to himself: Oh well might aswell go back to sleep for 3000 years. Atleast I got that one dwarf. So amazing and not lazy writing at all.
13:42 this was actually the first episode where I realized he never calls himself Sauron except in the first scene of the first episode. In the books it says the he despised the name “Sauron” so I’m curious if having him say “I have many names” is kind of their way of nodding to that
He did use it once last season with Galadriel in the vision sequence, his “that Sauron lives because of you!” But it feels like him shoving her own fear in her face, but when questioned after the season 2 premiere, yeah, he never does declare it himself.
@@davidbeer5015 like everytime someone says “who are you?” Or “are you Sauron” he never confirms it or says “I am Sauron”. Just always “I have many names” I did forget about that first season scene. It is kind of a 3rd person comment though. It’s interesting though
@@davidbeer5015yeah, he's even saying it in third person there. He is referring to the enemy of elves, not himself. In a way. I think it's a clever way of alluding to that without introducing another name of moniker this soon (since it would star getting confusing for general audiences)
"I am their creator. I AM THEIR MASTER!" "No. You are their prisoner." - dang, after the opening with king Durin and the Balrog I didn't think I could cry more, but Celebrimbor´s strength freaking broke me 😭 (plus, Celebrimbor´s last stance and torture by Sauron is actually from the books- being pined on a spear included) Also, seeing at the end Galadriel dressed in simple white, marking her first step of becoming the White Lady of Lotlorien was just perfect.
On the Adar ring healing moment - Adar comes to realise in that moment that his old elf name and his old elf identity including his scarless appearance are not who he has become. So he takes off the ring and returns to his true and healed self, which includes the scars etc. I think it's a more complicated moment than just the healing of the ring fading. It's the healing of his heart that endures. Until several orcs stab holes in it.
Adar’s story alone is proof this show is capable of amazing original content. I love how deep and complicated he was from the second he stepped onscreen to the last (and got replaced by a 2nd actor 😂)
And so the last living Balrog of Morgoth earns the name giving to it by the Dwarves: "Durin's Bane." The Dark Wizard is probably Pallando, one of the two Blue Wizards. In Tolkien's larger Legendarium, Alatar - the first of the two Blue Wizards - was selected to be among the Istari, the Order of Wizards, and selected to take with him as his companion his friend Pallando. The Dark Wizard was saying that Gandalf convinced him to go to Middle-Earth with him. They're hybridizing the Blue Wizards with Gandalf: just lightly sanding the serial numbers off of Alatar to make him Gandalf for the general audiences who aren't going to go reading Unfinished Tales or The History of Middle-Earth to read Tolkien's two completely different stories for the Blue Wizards. The darkness has been cleansed from Galadriel. If you noticed in that final scene there, at the founding of Rivendell, she's glowing now. She has become as we know her in the Third Age: The Lady of Light.
Yep. Sauron wasn’t a real “character” in the LOTR films bc he didn’t need to be. He just symbolized any universal powerful evil that must be defeated. I was dubious at first about exploring who “Sauron” really was, but im so glad I came along for the journey!
I feel like, it wasn't Gandalf taking his name from 'Grand Elf' but that the stoors saying 'Grand Elf' triggered a kind of future memory (something like a premonition) where Gandalf recognised what people would call him in the future. And it's from that future that Gandalf takes his name.
Yeah, he literally says "what they will call me" and that's not something you say if you're the one deciding it. Based on what the other wizard said, I assumed Gandalf would have always been his name and he just forgot.
*by other wizard, I meant the "dark" wizard, but it could be applicable to both that guy and Tom Bombadil (who may be something other than that, but apparently no one knows for sure).
It’s impossible to adapt a book to TV/movie without changing anything. The key is for the people making the adaptation to know and love the source material, so they can maintain the spirit, themes and intentions of the source material. I feel like we’re finally getting that for a lot of things recently: The Last of Us, The Sandman, Fallout, and this show is working hard to join that list.
This show had me hooked by the end of the first season and this season proves that it was certainly no fluke! Such stellar work in season 2 from everyone involved in making it. Beautiful writing, characters, storytelling, visual effects, action sequences, and last (but not least) Bear McCreary’s fucking INCREDIBLE musical score. Give that man all the Emmys, Oscars, and Grammys.
what might be cool for next season is if Saruman does show up, and the dark wizard tempts him. Gandalf convinces him to stay true, and they defeat the dark wizard together, but the seeds of temptation are planted for when Saruman finally falls in the third age.
The main reason why Sauron killed that orc is not only because he failed but he said Sauron's name which is strictly forbidden and it was good seeing the creation of Rivendell
Haven't read the books, but I loved the 1978 animated LOTR and PJ's LOTR films (The Hobbits not so much), and regardless of all the negativity it has received from some quarters, I've become rather attached to this show and its cast! While S1 had its issues, it did enough to make me look forward to S2, and given the obvious efforts to address the criticisms, I've been able to really enjoy the characters/relationships more and appreciate it for being the spectacle that it is! I prefer to make my own mind up about the media I consume, and no amount of trolling will dim my enjoyment, and I'm glad there are others out there that do the same! I agree that the Celebrimbor/Sauron scenes have been fascinating (and tragic) to watch, and both actors deserve all the praise, but I've also loved Prince Durin and Princess Disa being fiercely loyal to, and supportive of, one another! Adar was an unexpected surprise for me because of his earnest care for his children, but each of the characters, good or evil, have engaged me more this time around! Now, I'm already looking forward to S3, and to hearing your thoughtful reactions to it! Good job!
I have really enjoyed following your reactions to this season. I think that this show is a lot better than the naysayers who just seem to want to complain about it. Sure, they are creating their own story and it conflicts with the canon at times. But I do think they are trying to stay true to many of Tolkien’s themes and ideas with their reimagine of this part of Tolkien’s saga. Any serious Tolkien fan knows that Tolkien took many of his ideas from ancient European mythology and created something of his own. And that he supported the idea of building on previous creations. I really encourage anyone who enjoys this series to check out the Rings & Realms RUclips series that is delving into each of these episodes. I know we will have quite a wait until season three. But I am looking forward to seeing where they go from here.
Tolkien did not approve of film adaptions that differ from the cannon of the book narrative. Thats almost a direct quote. Nothing in this serious is tolkinian. Gandalf shouldnt be there in the third age, he does not have to learn his mission, Hobbits are not known in the second age and certainly don't save Gandalf (this destroys one of the key points of the books that everybody is surprised by their courage). Galadriel is married and stays with her husband in Eregion not partaking actively in the war against Sauron). The dwarves and Elves of Eregion have good relations to begin with (that's why the Elvess founded their city nearby). Mithril is not used for the creation of rings and is not magical at all (also contradicting the movie). The balrog does not appear before the third age and is certainly not 20 meter below surface level for thousands of years 😅
Galadriel is not a fighter but married with daughter at that time. The kiss with Elrond her son in law is cringe. She is the oldest and wisest of all the elves (much older than Celbrimbor, Gilgalad...) but depicted as the youngest? The numenorean story line happens hundreds of years later. Tom Bombadil does not teach Gandalf (the Main point of his character is that he does not partake in the fight if evil vs good. He is no Yoda). There is no Sahara/Tatoine style desert in the east (makes no sense). The magic rings are crafted over a long period not just by celebrimbor. There is no difference of the rings for dwarves and men. The dwarves where resistant to the rings and would not get corrupted so easily. The balrog does not appear in the 2nd age.
On a deeper level. Lotr is decided by humble characters who accept a task as duty, not people motivated by revenge. The story is decided by intelligence not raw strength and marvel style boss fights. Magic is used in a much more subtle manner than in ROP, e.g. Sauron persuaded the elves not just mind tricked them. Palantirs are far seers who do not yield visions but communication devices. There is a precise and consistent framework of time and space while the show is completely inconsistent. Elves are eternal beings not petty adolescent people with emotional issues. That's why there are no main characters, they represent the beauty in the world while Hobbits and men represent the ego. The world of Middle Earth is a middle age world not a world where men constantly cry about their feelings about everything... (Which man male character did not cry in ROP?). I'm leaving out the logical incinsistencies and constant stupid decisions (Galadriel not telling other people about the identity of Sauron at first 😮, Galadriel jumping into the ocean to swim back 😮, ...)
People are so mad and bent over on the story not being 1 to 1 on the source material, I think Season 1 was kinda weak and the Gandalf storyline was a bit corny, but the show overall is great imo
I can probably at least ease your worries about Isildur and Elendil missing each other. Elendil wasn't planning on leaving Numenor. I'm pretty sure he's headed to Andunie, which is on the western side of the island. His other son, Anarion, has been there for a while, it looks like, and in the lore, that's where the Faithful gathered to escape the Kings Men under Ar-pharazon. I'll be worried when Isildur comes into port at Romenna or Armenelos. I'm really hoping he gets word and is able to duck out to Andunie before he's caught. 😬
34:28 well they also give her Nanya back. She is wearing ring. If you want to kind of go by that logic of how the rings work, the one she’s wearing maybe keeps her healed. I do think “how the rings work” and what the powers they hold are a little murky. As they are in the books too. So 🤷🏻♀️lol
This episode flew by and it was just as long as last weeks episode. 😭 I didn’t want it to end. I could lose the Gandalf storyline and not miss a thing, other than that I thoroughly enjoyed this season.🙌🏼
I discovered you with these reactions. And I don't regret it. Like you said this show is not perfect but they did an incredible work this season. Just the VFX team behind the Balrog scene. It's cinema stuff right there ! The music, the shot with durin badass jump and the last words to his son. How we can't like that. Great reaction, positive with some humor touches. It was great to follow this season with you. The waiting for the 3rd season will be very tough ^^
Loved your reactions this season! I also thought Season 2 was a big improvement over season 1. Here's a few notes based on what you said: 1. Elendil isn't leaving Númenor. He's just going to the Northwestern region where the Faithful are concentrated, where his son Anarion lives. 2. Adar unfortunately became a victim of his obsession with Sauron. He wanted peace for his Orcs, but the real answer was not doing what Sauron wanted. He should have immediately taken them back to Mordor when Galadriel confirmed that Halbrand is Sauron. He did exactly what Sauron wanted because he became obsessed with Sauron. He should have come up with a new plan. (Of course, Sauron is so powerful he would have won in the end, regardless.) 3. Yes! I, too, loved how strong Celebrimbor was there at the end. Fantastic! Loved when he called him "Shadow of Morgoth". It is too bad the writers had Galadriel be dumb and waste that sacrifice of his life. He told her to LEAVE and go far away. She knew Adar was doing what Sauron wanted, but still went directly to him, and therefore directly to Sauron. I hope she stops being dumb in S3. 4. I, too, want to know why the Dwarves are staying there when there is active Balrog roaming about, only separated by one layer of rock. That is INSANE. I hope this is addressed on screen in Season 4. 5. The showrunners have said that the "Dark Wizard" is not Saruman. And they have the rights to all of Tolkien's Wizard writings. (They gained permission between S1 and S2.) So, they can actually use the Blue Wizards. Enjoyed your reactions so much! Thanks!
The Finale was great, the - probably - finale appearance of Durin's Bane until the Books/Movies, Narsil (with a recreation of how Aragon recieved Anduril) and last but not least The Stranger finding ONE of his names, Gandalf (took them long enough)
I get that it can come off a bit odd, but I think Sauron's go-to response of "I have many names" is an inherent rejection of the name "Sauron" itself, which literally translates to "the abhorred". So it makes sense that taking ownership of that name wouldn't fit into his warped savior complex.
Pretty sure that lots of dwarven axes are enchanted/generally magical, and even if they aren't very common, the King would definitely have one; might be why it caused a mini explosion when it was destroyed.
when i saw king durin charge the balrog i was like OMG.. hes actually going to charge it and im like there is going to be nothing left of him and yeah.. got atomised. balrogs are truly scary powerful beings in Tolkien's world.
Rivendell finally revealed at the end❤ arondir stab not being addressed and balrog not being addressed is abit annoying but overall it was a fantastic season 8.5/10
Not to worry my lad, the best part of this season (Brimby and Annatar) will somewhat return again...though not exactly in the way you think. I won't go into detail as to not spoil it but we're not done with that kind of "manipulation" yet ;)
There’s a few things I wish they’d handled better, but I really like this season! First season had potential, some great moments and performances, but ultimately was disappointing. This season really fulfilled the promise and potential of the first season, IMO.
Gonna specify since I've gotten into trouble in the past but (without sarcasm) where do you fall on the do vs don't give a damn about background extras scale? Because cheering on the tidal wave that'll eventually destroy Numenor will kill just as many innocents as the d-bags responsible for its collapse. Also, I can empathize (not sympathize) with Earien a bit because I've seen her arc play out in the rather obvious parallel to real world politics (especially since it caused rifts in families). There's loyalists like Kemen who's a true believer in Pharazon's BS no matter how WTF? the lies can go. In Earien's case, it's more like she persisted despite the red flags because she already cast her vote for her ruler and needs to see it through in order to justify her decision only to realize "oh sh*t! I chose wrong" when said ruler poorly handled a crisis and started an insurrection. The Gandalf of it all might not be entirely accurate to the source material but LOTR/The Hobbit trilogies already contradicted the lore without upsetting too many people. They also didn't say that there aren't any blue wizards. The showrunners clearly used dramatic licensing to bring Gandalf in much earlier because he's the cooler choice. If they went lore accurate, we wouldn't see Gandalf at all.
I'm severely irked about the Gandalf reveal. But I'll get over it. I will have to reconcile that this show isn't leading into the films. But my concern is not necessarily forsaking the lore. It's that I fear they're going to pull an "X-Men Origins" and find some kind of "memory wipe ex machina" to eventually make it work into the films. And that would just be lazy writing of epic proportions.
i mean even in the films it was never stated when gandalf showed up and in one of tolkien's letters he even stated that it could be possible that gandalf showed up earlier than he did so it's not like this is from left field if tolkien himself played with the idea.
The only thing that redeems the Gandalf drop for me is that the dark wizard is surely not Saruman. The showrunner even nearly straight said so in an interview recently. If the dark wizard isnt saruman that means we will get a blue wizard and implies that he lied to control Gandalf when he said that he came here because of Gandalf.
@@masonzeo801 yeah he is def a blue wizards there were hints of gandalf being gandalf but the dark wizard has hints of being an actual blue wizard from being in rhun to having cult like following. it also makes more sense to give gandalf an enemy he can face without disturbing canon.
@@MarieS610 so, even though there were lots of things in the films that were changed for medium purposes (book to film), whatever the films didn't do could still be there. As an example, Tom Bombadil was cut out of the films entirely. He never gave the Hobbits their magical swords. Which means there wasn't a magical reason for Merry to be able to harm the Witch King, etc. But NOT doing it isn't specifically saying that Tom doesn't exist, or Merry's sword wasn't special, and so on. Negating showing things didn't drastically impact the established lore. The same with the show. I've been perfectly fine with things like the overall timeline being shrunken down to make it work in show format. Or that Stoors and Harfoots 'right now' don't really match how Tolkien described them, because they can always end up being different throughout history. The existence of Istari in this part of the second age, or taking liberties with Sauron's path, even though it's hitting the main beats (he did offer some influence in the fate of Numenor, and he did become Annatar. Even if Adar and their intertwined stories are 'not canon.') But with the Gandalf thing, it is the first major aspect that directly refutes and rearranges the history of the writing in a big way. Which, again, is...fine. They wanted to go a different route with the lore. I'm no purist. I'll find a way to come to terms with it, because I genuinely enjoy the show. But, what bothers me from a story and writing standpoint is that is was just so...unnecessary to make this decision. Like, you only make the Stranger into Gandalf so you can be like, "See? You know that name! We did a thing!" The fact that the showrunners are giving interviews with, "We genuinely didn't know when we started out, and then it became the only obvious choice." is BS to a frustrating level. Either introduce Gandalf right off the bat, or make him someone else and stop with all the "clever easter eggs" for 2 seasons that I'm sure they all patted themselves on the back for repeatedly.
With the fact that the episode _literally_ shows us how Galadriel's ring can cleanse Morgorth's darkness in Adar merely by him wearing it, it makes no sense that Elrond needed to wear it to heal her rather than just have her wear it (especially since she's meant to have been the only one who ever wore her ring, and while Adar was a neat minor exception, that bit just seemed… poorly written). I've really loved this season, but for me this episode felt like it just rushed and delivered a cliff-notes-type finale that missed the mark by not giving its stories like Numenor & the Dark Wizard the appropriate amount of time to actually develop, or even explaining how Arondir is seemingly not even injured despite seemingly having been stabbed to death in the end of Episode 7.
I hear the Arondir complaint but can't even remember the scene myself😂Also I don't think the ring actually healed Adar.. He just looked like it for wearing the ring, such is the power of Sauron. Deceiving.
@@TheRealBillix Arondir was face-to-face with Adar and stabbed multiple times and dropped to the ground before Adar turns to take the ring from Elrond, and then just... sort of shows up in this episode like nothing happened. It's not a deception though, as the Mythril in the Elven rings was _literally_ used to forge the three rings because it's what cleansed the darkness from the tree in the first season. That power how the elves were able to use their 3 rings together to keep the light of the tree alive and avoid their time in Middle Earth coming to an end at the start of season 2. There's no reason that it would be an illusion when applied to Adar since was also an elf. Especially since Sauron's influence over the Elven Rings is extremely minimal, it's evidence that as soon as that power of the elven rings is no longer present, their grace will still fade just as the elves do eventually, and thus its grace fades from Adar when the ring is removed.
Make the honey-ginger syrup: Add the honey, water, and ginger root to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then allow the syrup to cool. Strain and store in the fridge. Make the cocktail: Pour the blended Scotch, lemon juice, and honey-ginger syrup into a shaker. Add ice, shake, and strain into a rocks glass with ice. Float the Islay scotch on top by pouring it gently over the back of a spoon. Garnish with candied ginger, lemon peel, or both. Enjoy!
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
![Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring [EXTENDED EDITION] Part 1 - Group Reaction (1/6)](/img/1.gif)
Probably it's theoretically not perfect, but I just loved everything from the finale. So amazingly epic.
Well there no perfect show. Even the movies had flaws
Yeah, it has changed a lot of the canon lore. I’m a bit disappointed that the Stranger is Gandalf, because I’d have loved a story around the two Blue Wizards.
Still! All in all I do love the series. Especially this finale oh my god
"Pity will not defeat Sauron." Is great here knowing the pity for Gollum is what helped lead in a way to sauron's defeat
Epic finale! Loved this episode. Can’t wait for season 3!
The Durin vs Balrog was EPIC!!!
Sooo good! And I didn’t have to be upset about them bringing the “downfall of khazad-dum” into the 2nd age! 🙌🏼
What I really liked was when one of Morgoths highest ranked generals. A corrupted maiar of the Valer and one of the most powerful beings in all of Tolkiens lore saw a pile of rocks and then thought to himself: Oh well might aswell go back to sleep for 3000 years. Atleast I got that one dwarf.
So amazing and not lazy writing at all.
I almost cry dude..what a shot !!!
13:42 this was actually the first episode where I realized he never calls himself Sauron except in the first scene of the first episode. In the books it says the he despised the name “Sauron” so I’m curious if having him say “I have many names” is kind of their way of nodding to that
He did use it once last season with Galadriel in the vision sequence, his “that Sauron lives because of you!” But it feels like him shoving her own fear in her face, but when questioned after the season 2 premiere, yeah, he never does declare it himself.
I don’t know much about anything besides the movies. But he definitely seems to despise a lot about himself. I love how he gas lights himself
@@davidbeer5015 like everytime someone says “who are you?” Or “are you Sauron” he never confirms it or says “I am Sauron”. Just always “I have many names”
I did forget about that first season scene. It is kind of a 3rd person comment though. It’s interesting though
@@davidbeer5015yeah, he's even saying it in third person there. He is referring to the enemy of elves, not himself. In a way. I think it's a clever way of alluding to that without introducing another name of moniker this soon (since it would star getting confusing for general audiences)
Your saltiness at Elendil's daughter is entertaining 😂😂
the valley of Imladris looks fantastic at the end of the episode
"I am their creator. I AM THEIR MASTER!" "No. You are their prisoner." - dang, after the opening with king Durin and the Balrog I didn't think I could cry more, but Celebrimbor´s strength freaking broke me 😭 (plus, Celebrimbor´s last stance and torture by Sauron is actually from the books- being pined on a spear included)
Also, seeing at the end Galadriel dressed in simple white, marking her first step of becoming the White Lady of Lotlorien was just perfect.
Both Charles and Charlie KILLED it in the scene
Was hoping to see Saurons army with Celebrimbor still on the spear like in the books, they used his corpse as a banner at the head of their army
Maybe we will get to see it in the beginning of next season. Dunno.@@Phantom-bf2is
Celebrimbor mic-dropped his LIFE! What a boss
On the Adar ring healing moment - Adar comes to realise in that moment that his old elf name and his old elf identity including his scarless appearance are not who he has become. So he takes off the ring and returns to his true and healed self, which includes the scars etc. I think it's a more complicated moment than just the healing of the ring fading. It's the healing of his heart that endures. Until several orcs stab holes in it.
Adar’s story alone is proof this show is capable of amazing original content. I love how deep and complicated he was from the second he stepped onscreen to the last (and got replaced by a 2nd actor 😂)
@@Lillian.Gao. agreed. I'm pleased they kept him around longer than they'd originally planned. It was the perfect arc for him.
Makes me wonder if Adar goes to the Halls of Mandos, due to his repentance right before death? I hope so. I really loved this character.
And so the last living Balrog of Morgoth earns the name giving to it by the Dwarves: "Durin's Bane."
The Dark Wizard is probably Pallando, one of the two Blue Wizards. In Tolkien's larger Legendarium, Alatar - the first of the two Blue Wizards - was selected to be among the Istari, the Order of Wizards, and selected to take with him as his companion his friend Pallando. The Dark Wizard was saying that Gandalf convinced him to go to Middle-Earth with him. They're hybridizing the Blue Wizards with Gandalf: just lightly sanding the serial numbers off of Alatar to make him Gandalf for the general audiences who aren't going to go reading Unfinished Tales or The History of Middle-Earth to read Tolkien's two completely different stories for the Blue Wizards.
The darkness has been cleansed from Galadriel. If you noticed in that final scene there, at the founding of Rivendell, she's glowing now. She has become as we know her in the Third Age: The Lady of Light.
That "Forgive me my son "King" Durin". Just so cool , sad that we wont see more of peter mullan.
I can't say it often enough... this Show changes Sauron from "He isn't even a real Character" to "Holy Shit, Sauron is one of my favourite Villains !"
deceiver
Yep. Sauron wasn’t a real “character” in the LOTR films bc he didn’t need to be. He just symbolized any universal powerful evil that must be defeated. I was dubious at first about exploring who “Sauron” really was, but im so glad I came along for the journey!
So many epic moments in this finale!
I feel like, it wasn't Gandalf taking his name from 'Grand Elf' but that the stoors saying 'Grand Elf' triggered a kind of future memory (something like a premonition) where Gandalf recognised what people would call him in the future. And it's from that future that Gandalf takes his name.
Yeah, he literally says "what they will call me" and that's not something you say if you're the one deciding it. Based on what the other wizard said, I assumed Gandalf would have always been his name and he just forgot.
*by other wizard, I meant the "dark" wizard, but it could be applicable to both that guy and Tom Bombadil (who may be something other than that, but apparently no one knows for sure).
"Thunder-Foot Galadriel!" 🤣
This season was incredible. I can’t wait for next season! ~2 years is gonna be a long time to wait
It was pretty cool to see the birth of Rivendell 🥰
I can’t wait to see it come to life
With how many movie and tv adaptations stray from source materials I'm surprised people still complain about it. They should expect it by now lol.
True ☝️
actually
It’s impossible to adapt a book to TV/movie without changing anything. The key is for the people making the adaptation to know and love the source material, so they can maintain the spirit, themes and intentions of the source material. I feel like we’re finally getting that for a lot of things recently: The Last of Us, The Sandman, Fallout, and this show is working hard to join that list.
This finale is absolutely amazing. Season 2 is a lot better than season 1
This show had me hooked by the end of the first season and this season proves that it was certainly no fluke! Such stellar work in season 2 from everyone involved in making it. Beautiful writing, characters, storytelling, visual effects, action sequences, and last (but not least) Bear McCreary’s fucking INCREDIBLE musical score. Give that man all the Emmys, Oscars, and Grammys.
Best show of 2024
what might be cool for next season is if Saruman does show up, and the dark wizard tempts him. Gandalf convinces him to stay true, and they defeat the dark wizard together, but the seeds of temptation are planted for when Saruman finally falls in the third age.
This one didn't meet the bar EP 7 hit, but damn was it a good setup for next season. Cannot wait
What a phantastic season and finale. Can't wait for season three.
There was so cold, that Morfydd in the last scene on the top of the rock she was shivering.
The main reason why Sauron killed that orc is not only because he failed but he said Sauron's name which is strictly forbidden and it was good seeing the creation of Rivendell
12:33 “there are ways of keeping you alive” shadow of Mordor game reference?
Imo Gandalf name reveal is cute. "Grand Elf" 😭
Haven't read the books, but I loved the 1978 animated LOTR and PJ's LOTR films (The Hobbits not so much), and regardless of all the negativity it has received from some quarters, I've become rather attached to this show and its cast! While S1 had its issues, it did enough to make me look forward to S2, and given the obvious efforts to address the criticisms, I've been able to really enjoy the characters/relationships more and appreciate it for being the spectacle that it is! I prefer to make my own mind up about the media I consume, and no amount of trolling will dim my enjoyment, and I'm glad there are others out there that do the same!
I agree that the Celebrimbor/Sauron scenes have been fascinating (and tragic) to watch, and both actors deserve all the praise, but I've also loved Prince Durin and Princess Disa being fiercely loyal to, and supportive of, one another! Adar was an unexpected surprise for me because of his earnest care for his children, but each of the characters, good or evil, have engaged me more this time around! Now, I'm already looking forward to S3, and to hearing your thoughtful reactions to it! Good job!
I have really enjoyed following your reactions to this season. I think that this show is a lot better than the naysayers who just seem to want to complain about it. Sure, they are creating their own story and it conflicts with the canon at times. But I do think they are trying to stay true to many of Tolkien’s themes and ideas with their reimagine of this part of Tolkien’s saga. Any serious Tolkien fan knows that Tolkien took many of his ideas from ancient European mythology and created something of his own. And that he supported the idea of building on previous creations. I really encourage anyone who enjoys this series to check out the Rings & Realms RUclips series that is delving into each of these episodes. I know we will have quite a wait until season three. But I am looking forward to seeing where they go from here.
Tolkien did not approve of film adaptions that differ from the cannon of the book narrative. Thats almost a direct quote. Nothing in this serious is tolkinian. Gandalf shouldnt be there in the third age, he does not have to learn his mission, Hobbits are not known in the second age and certainly don't save Gandalf (this destroys one of the key points of the books that everybody is surprised by their courage). Galadriel is married and stays with her husband in Eregion not partaking actively in the war against Sauron). The dwarves and Elves of Eregion have good relations to begin with (that's why the Elvess founded their city nearby). Mithril is not used for the creation of rings and is not magical at all (also contradicting the movie). The balrog does not appear before the third age and is certainly not 20 meter below surface level for thousands of years 😅
Galadriel is not a fighter but married with daughter at that time. The kiss with Elrond her son in law is cringe. She is the oldest and wisest of all the elves (much older than Celbrimbor, Gilgalad...) but depicted as the youngest? The numenorean story line happens hundreds of years later. Tom Bombadil does not teach Gandalf (the Main point of his character is that he does not partake in the fight if evil vs good. He is no Yoda). There is no Sahara/Tatoine style desert in the east (makes no sense). The magic rings are crafted over a long period not just by celebrimbor. There is no difference of the rings for dwarves and men. The dwarves where resistant to the rings and would not get corrupted so easily. The balrog does not appear in the 2nd age.
On a deeper level. Lotr is decided by humble characters who accept a task as duty, not people motivated by revenge. The story is decided by intelligence not raw strength and marvel style boss fights. Magic is used in a much more subtle manner than in ROP, e.g. Sauron persuaded the elves not just mind tricked them. Palantirs are far seers who do not yield visions but communication devices. There is a precise and consistent framework of time and space while the show is completely inconsistent. Elves are eternal beings not petty adolescent people with emotional issues. That's why there are no main characters, they represent the beauty in the world while Hobbits and men represent the ego. The world of Middle Earth is a middle age world not a world where men constantly cry about their feelings about everything... (Which man male character did not cry in ROP?). I'm leaving out the logical incinsistencies and constant stupid decisions (Galadriel not telling other people about the identity of Sauron at first 😮, Galadriel jumping into the ocean to swim back 😮, ...)
People are so mad and bent over on the story not being 1 to 1 on the source material, I think Season 1 was kinda weak and the Gandalf storyline was a bit corny, but the show overall is great imo
the story is basicall 0% source material. My challenge, prove me wrong 😄
@@hans471 "basically 0% source material" great argument
I can probably at least ease your worries about Isildur and Elendil missing each other. Elendil wasn't planning on leaving Numenor. I'm pretty sure he's headed to Andunie, which is on the western side of the island. His other son, Anarion, has been there for a while, it looks like, and in the lore, that's where the Faithful gathered to escape the Kings Men under Ar-pharazon. I'll be worried when Isildur comes into port at Romenna or Armenelos. I'm really hoping he gets word and is able to duck out to Andunie before he's caught. 😬
34:28 well they also give her Nanya back. She is wearing ring. If you want to kind of go by that logic of how the rings work, the one she’s wearing maybe keeps her healed.
I do think “how the rings work” and what the powers they hold are a little murky. As they are in the books too. So 🤷🏻♀️lol
The balrog probably likes to dwell where the mithril are, maybe it likes the energy…
we finally get rivendell
This episode flew by and it was just as long as last weeks episode. 😭 I didn’t want it to end.
I could lose the Gandalf storyline and not miss a thing, other than that I thoroughly enjoyed this season.🙌🏼
I discovered you with these reactions. And I don't regret it. Like you said this show is not perfect but they did an incredible work this season. Just the VFX team behind the Balrog scene. It's cinema stuff right there ! The music, the shot with durin badass jump and the last words to his son. How we can't like that. Great reaction, positive with some humor touches. It was great to follow this season with you. The waiting for the 3rd season will be very tough ^^
Loved your reactions this season! I also thought Season 2 was a big improvement over season 1.
Here's a few notes based on what you said:
1. Elendil isn't leaving Númenor. He's just going to the Northwestern region where the Faithful are concentrated, where his son Anarion lives.
2. Adar unfortunately became a victim of his obsession with Sauron. He wanted peace for his Orcs, but the real answer was not doing what Sauron wanted. He should have immediately taken them back to Mordor when Galadriel confirmed that Halbrand is Sauron. He did exactly what Sauron wanted because he became obsessed with Sauron. He should have come up with a new plan. (Of course, Sauron is so powerful he would have won in the end, regardless.)
3. Yes! I, too, loved how strong Celebrimbor was there at the end. Fantastic! Loved when he called him "Shadow of Morgoth". It is too bad the writers had Galadriel be dumb and waste that sacrifice of his life. He told her to LEAVE and go far away. She knew Adar was doing what Sauron wanted, but still went directly to him, and therefore directly to Sauron. I hope she stops being dumb in S3.
4. I, too, want to know why the Dwarves are staying there when there is active Balrog roaming about, only separated by one layer of rock. That is INSANE. I hope this is addressed on screen in Season 4.
5. The showrunners have said that the "Dark Wizard" is not Saruman. And they have the rights to all of Tolkien's Wizard writings. (They gained permission between S1 and S2.) So, they can actually use the Blue Wizards.
Enjoyed your reactions so much! Thanks!
The Finale was great, the - probably - finale appearance of Durin's Bane until the Books/Movies, Narsil (with a recreation of how Aragon recieved Anduril) and last but not least The Stranger finding ONE of his names, Gandalf (took them long enough)
I get that it can come off a bit odd, but I think Sauron's go-to response of "I have many names" is an inherent rejection of the name "Sauron" itself, which literally translates to "the abhorred". So it makes sense that taking ownership of that name wouldn't fit into his warped savior complex.
Greatly enjoyed this finale and 2nd season. Thanks for your fun & fair reactions to the show.
Pretty sure that lots of dwarven axes are enchanted/generally magical, and even if they aren't very common, the King would definitely have one; might be why it caused a mini explosion when it was destroyed.
Tom but not Riddle just said that the Wand... ahh.. staff... chooses ah... finds.., the Wizzard..
sounds familiar...
23:06 lmao 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
Poor Jeffrey 😭
You are right on!! Great reaction. Great finale.
when i saw king durin charge the balrog i was like OMG.. hes actually going to charge it and im like there is going to be nothing left of him and yeah.. got atomised. balrogs are truly scary powerful beings in Tolkien's world.
The soundtrack is sooooo ASOME
Well I guess we aren’t learning who Adar was 🫠
Rivendell finally revealed at the end❤ arondir stab not being addressed and balrog not being addressed is abit annoying but overall it was a fantastic season 8.5/10
Finaly! Right into the face of the "he is clearly a blue wizard" people😂
Now we know who the four most important elves of this age are
'Pity will not defeat Sauron' But it do tho
Does nobody else remember Saruman calling Gandalf old friend loads in TLOTR ..........cos that dark wizard sure calls him it a lot in this........
EPIC 🔥
The cold open was epic!!!
I think Adar realized there was a chance the rings could be used to restore the Orcs.
I wish there was season 3.❤ All of the episodes were great and I saw Aragorn’s sword.
Not to worry my lad, the best part of this season (Brimby and Annatar) will somewhat return again...though not exactly in the way you think. I won't go into detail as to not spoil it but we're not done with that kind of "manipulation" yet ;)
There’s a few things I wish they’d handled better, but I really like this season! First season had potential, some great moments and performances, but ultimately was disappointing. This season really fulfilled the promise and potential of the first season, IMO.
So glad other people enjoy this show, its not perfect but I don't find it to be anywhere near the pits people make it out to be
Omn1 didn't you know that Galadriel is connected to Sanji? She got them kicks
Grand Elf. That was like "You are traveling alone? Your name is Solo" 🙄
Personally I really liked it LMAO..
Then again.. I love One Piece and it's full of wordplay so makes sense
Gonna specify since I've gotten into trouble in the past but (without sarcasm) where do you fall on the do vs don't give a damn about background extras scale? Because cheering on the tidal wave that'll eventually destroy Numenor will kill just as many innocents as the d-bags responsible for its collapse.
Also, I can empathize (not sympathize) with Earien a bit because I've seen her arc play out in the rather obvious parallel to real world politics (especially since it caused rifts in families). There's loyalists like Kemen who's a true believer in Pharazon's BS no matter how WTF? the lies can go. In Earien's case, it's more like she persisted despite the red flags because she already cast her vote for her ruler and needs to see it through in order to justify her decision only to realize "oh sh*t! I chose wrong" when said ruler poorly handled a crisis and started an insurrection.
The Gandalf of it all might not be entirely accurate to the source material but LOTR/The Hobbit trilogies already contradicted the lore without upsetting too many people. They also didn't say that there aren't any blue wizards. The showrunners clearly used dramatic licensing to bring Gandalf in much earlier because he's the cooler choice. If they went lore accurate, we wouldn't see Gandalf at all.
Why does Sauron need a bow and arrow anyways
He has magic
It's just fun to use a bow and arrow. Let Sauron have fun.
❤❤🎉
I'm severely irked about the Gandalf reveal. But I'll get over it. I will have to reconcile that this show isn't leading into the films.
But my concern is not necessarily forsaking the lore. It's that I fear they're going to pull an "X-Men Origins" and find some kind of "memory wipe ex machina" to eventually make it work into the films. And that would just be lazy writing of epic proportions.
i mean even in the films it was never stated when gandalf showed up and in one of tolkien's letters he even stated that it could be possible that gandalf showed up earlier than he did so it's not like this is from left field if tolkien himself played with the idea.
The only thing that redeems the Gandalf drop for me is that the dark wizard is surely not Saruman.
The showrunner even nearly straight said so in an interview recently.
If the dark wizard isnt saruman that means we will get a blue wizard and implies that he lied to control Gandalf when he said that he came here because of Gandalf.
I’m wondering what aspects of his story in this show do you feel like need a memory wipe to work with the LOTR events?
@@masonzeo801 yeah he is def a blue wizards there were hints of gandalf being gandalf but the dark wizard has hints of being an actual blue wizard from being in rhun to having cult like following. it also makes more sense to give gandalf an enemy he can face without disturbing canon.
@@MarieS610 so, even though there were lots of things in the films that were changed for medium purposes (book to film), whatever the films didn't do could still be there. As an example, Tom Bombadil was cut out of the films entirely. He never gave the Hobbits their magical swords. Which means there wasn't a magical reason for Merry to be able to harm the Witch King, etc. But NOT doing it isn't specifically saying that Tom doesn't exist, or Merry's sword wasn't special, and so on. Negating showing things didn't drastically impact the established lore.
The same with the show. I've been perfectly fine with things like the overall timeline being shrunken down to make it work in show format. Or that Stoors and Harfoots 'right now' don't really match how Tolkien described them, because they can always end up being different throughout history. The existence of Istari in this part of the second age, or taking liberties with Sauron's path, even though it's hitting the main beats (he did offer some influence in the fate of Numenor, and he did become Annatar. Even if Adar and their intertwined stories are 'not canon.')
But with the Gandalf thing, it is the first major aspect that directly refutes and rearranges the history of the writing in a big way. Which, again, is...fine. They wanted to go a different route with the lore. I'm no purist. I'll find a way to come to terms with it, because I genuinely enjoy the show.
But, what bothers me from a story and writing standpoint is that is was just so...unnecessary to make this decision. Like, you only make the Stranger into Gandalf so you can be like, "See? You know that name! We did a thing!" The fact that the showrunners are giving interviews with, "We genuinely didn't know when we started out, and then it became the only obvious choice." is BS to a frustrating level. Either introduce Gandalf right off the bat, or make him someone else and stop with all the "clever easter eggs" for 2 seasons that I'm sure they all patted themselves on the back for repeatedly.
With the fact that the episode _literally_ shows us how Galadriel's ring can cleanse Morgorth's darkness in Adar merely by him wearing it, it makes no sense that Elrond needed to wear it to heal her rather than just have her wear it (especially since she's meant to have been the only one who ever wore her ring, and while Adar was a neat minor exception, that bit just seemed… poorly written).
I've really loved this season, but for me this episode felt like it just rushed and delivered a cliff-notes-type finale that missed the mark by not giving its stories like Numenor & the Dark Wizard the appropriate amount of time to actually develop, or even explaining how Arondir is seemingly not even injured despite seemingly having been stabbed to death in the end of Episode 7.
I hear the Arondir complaint but can't even remember the scene myself😂Also I don't think the ring actually healed Adar.. He just looked like it for wearing the ring, such is the power of Sauron. Deceiving.
@@TheRealBillix Arondir was face-to-face with Adar and stabbed multiple times and dropped to the ground before Adar turns to take the ring from Elrond, and then just... sort of shows up in this episode like nothing happened.
It's not a deception though, as the Mythril in the Elven rings was _literally_ used to forge the three rings because it's what cleansed the darkness from the tree in the first season. That power how the elves were able to use their 3 rings together to keep the light of the tree alive and avoid their time in Middle Earth coming to an end at the start of season 2. There's no reason that it would be an illusion when applied to Adar since was also an elf. Especially since Sauron's influence over the Elven Rings is extremely minimal, it's evidence that as soon as that power of the elven rings is no longer present, their grace will still fade just as the elves do eventually, and thus its grace fades from Adar when the ring is removed.
dude speaking to fast haha
Lmao his opening?
yeah the intro is actually impressive haha
The shills of power
Keep crying
Poor racist misogynist
Make the honey-ginger syrup:
Add the honey, water, and ginger root to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then allow the syrup to cool. Strain and store in the fridge.
Make the cocktail:
Pour the blended Scotch, lemon juice, and honey-ginger syrup into a shaker. Add ice, shake, and strain into a rocks glass with ice. Float the Islay scotch on top by pouring it gently over the back of a spoon. Garnish with candied ginger, lemon peel, or both. Enjoy!
👆 equivalent to your original comment
@@madghost0113 poor racist misogynist