I just couldn't figure out what to do with Dan's best moment in this video: pointing out Galadriel's "I'm fine" face.😂 Between that, Morgoth's tears, Durin's emotional moment, and Elrond's majestic quote “Where there is love it is truly never dark”, this show keeps aspiring for that 8th grade writing award!
Also, the authors are lifting stuff from other fandoms - knife-ears is a slur from Dragon Age, and Galadriel's plan to swim the Atlantic was clearly inspired by this: ruclips.net/video/Em9C1DZknxo/видео.html
@@irena4545 *Galadriel's later 'there is tempest in me' (from trailers), is lifted from Kate Blanchett in Elizabeth The Golden Age (hurrican instead of tempest).
Or Celebrimbor’s line: “they sculpt the rock like one does caring for an aged parent” To Elrond. An elf. Talking to an elf. Using a metaphor of an aged parent. Since when do elves have experience caring for aged parents?!!! Are they running an old-folks home business on the side for the men of middle earth??? This is what an education at the Abrams-Kurtzman School for Film Writing gets you.
I was bored watching the 2nd Episode and missed some of the things you discussed. Leaving Celebrimbor outside and slowly closing the door on his face is hilarious.
My friend (who didn’t read the books) asked me if the elves are the bad guys. I asked why? he said: “well they invaded Middle Earth and enslaved the humans, that is why they (humans) hate them right?” Lol.
@@deus5185 Yes, she will kill him in season 4 with her +9 sword of diversity, twerk on his corpse and then spend season five fixing global warming. I have insider info, this is a true story, you can trust me.
I have nothing but respect for the Lord of the Rings fandom. Thank you for standing up against this nonsense and not giving in to the jerks that call you names whenever you don't praise their politically infused garbage product.
The only shit where this political infused heaping pile of shit "works" is in Marvel. They should stick to pumping out Marvel junk instead of defacing Tolkien's works
One thing that really irritates me is that Amazon* somehow has conflated being a purist with being a racist. I am proudly a Tolkien purist, but there’s no part of me in which racism lives. Not a single one of my comments criticizing the show has mentioned the color of anyone’s skin, since even though I don’t think it’s a good idea, my main problems with ROP are the appalling writing, the complete character assassination of beloved protagonists such as Elrond, Galadriel, Gil-galad, and Dúrin, the mischaracterization of basic things in the lore (bullying in Valinor?), and the general lack of understanding of Tolkien’s intentions and storytelling. I can’t think of a single character that I was rooting for except for maybe the Orc from under the floorboards. (A Floorboarc?) The characters are flat, and inspire no emotion, except for perhaps thinking that Gal is not at all likable- an outright bitch, in fact- and Elrond is just a complete wimp. There’s more depth to be found in a public toilet, and more personality in what floats within. (Hey, that’s a better turn of phrase than that line about stones looking down). Also, I generally like Bear McCreary’s soundtrack work- I only know of Battlestar Galactica, but that was phenomenal. Here though, it’s not terrible, but it’s not memorable either. Walking out from the theater after seeing “The Fellowship Of The Ring”, I was able to hum or whistle the general theme, and that wasn’t the case here. There were some recognizable musical motifs from Jackson’s movie that were insinuated into ROP’s music, but I don’t remember anything original to the show. Anyway, I didn’t intend to go on writing after my point about the racism and purism thing, but it’s so easy to keep complaining about the show that it’s hard to stop. Thanks for all of your reviews- I’ve always appreciated your videos, and it feels like you are giving a valid and rational voice to the frustration that we’re all feeling. See you in the next one. * I don’t know if it was a representative of Amazon, a “critic”, or one of the actors who said it, but it matters little since they’re all in agreement. I just didn’t want to misquote anyone-
Welcome to what the dissenting Star Wars fandom experienced. All we want is good narrative that is integrous with the experience of the universe in which it exists. Unfortunately we keep getting c rate writers and productions… and it’s infiltrating into other universes too… And Hollywoods response: Racism, Misogyny and white supremacy is cause, and they are blue wave resisting our genocidal ideology. I work in environmental sustainability, and have Slave ancestry. How the fuck am I a white supremacist? I just want people to do better - they simply want to lie, dissemble and destroy. But according to the identitarians, I’m the evil one now. The US has a problem, and that problem has always been stupidity. It simply doesn’t want to face it.
It's a completely dishonest framing to begin with. Example: People who hate Tyler Perry's Madea movies are either: -Racists, or -People with good taste in films Which is true, but that doesn't in any way suggest that people with good taste in films are racists.
They're not really conflating. Their product is diabolical and it was DOA, so this 'racist' angle is a pathetic fascistic attempt at shutting down the consumer's opinion. This show is doomed and they know it. And, hardcore fans, and normies, have joined forces against this abomination. Amazon's 'racist' narrative has backfired, badly. And the lefty woke-racist activists aka Amazon's low-level stormstroopers, have no chance against THE FELLOWSHIP!
*Elrond is now an Oathbreaker. He promised *Galadriel that even if a hint of whisper came that might confirm her belief, he would take up her quest. *Gil-galad confirms to *Elrond that *Galadriel is correct. *Elrond goes off with *Celebrimbor...
@@creatrixZBD I have suggested that *Elrond is conspiring with *Gil-galad to send *Galadriel away so he has an open shot at her (yet to be seen) daughter...
According to the lore, it would be impossible for two Durins to be alive at the same time, and it definitely wouldn't be possible for a father and a son to both be Durin. Why? The Dwarves believed that each subsequent Durin was a reincarnation of their original forefather, returning to rule over his people.
And besides, they wouldn't be Durin III and Durin IV at the same time. The son would be the crown prince; the number would be added when succeeding his father.
Although that implies every Durin was born after their father had died. Which means every time his wife got pregnant a Durin would become very worried! While I agree with your assessment of the way it is described in the appendix, it does have some practical issues when it comes to trying to portray it in a real life situation.
@@paulm7204 The ruling monarchs of many countries choose their regnal names when they inherit the throne. Durin could be a king name, adopted on succession to power
7:54 did she really just put her hair over her ears so that they wouldn't see she's an elf? They're seriously going for "the only visible difference to humans is the pointy ears"? WTF... elves are not humans with pointy ears and some more strength and longer lives, Amazon! 10:09 There it is: the flipping-her-hair-back-because-pointy-ears scene from the first teaser... I just can't...
I guess they think elves are like Vulcans. All Spock had to do was wear a hat, headband, helmet etc to blend in. Just forget that she came from Valinor and her hair shines as the light of the two trees.
That kind of thing alone shows how little the creators paid attention to Tolkien. Might as well do a conspiracy theory video based on this - "Do Elves walk among us?"
@@willparker8498 Yep that too, though that's "just" bad filming/editing imo (forgetting what the next shot will be so things don't quite fit together and it's noticeable that they made multiple shots)
I think that a dwarf crying is something that would be kept very private. In the literature basically the closest we get to seeing a dwarf totally break down is when Gimli beholds the fate of Moria. I'm sure it would happen, but I feel like many dwarves would rather turn their back and push people away than break down emotionally in front of them over something.
@@Batkoku He also threatens to weep over leaving the Glittering Caves of Helm's Deep. One of my favorite descriptuve passages, which Jackson briefly referenced by transferring a sentence to Moria: "And they call it a mine. A mine!" Also the best illustration of why Amazon's idea of dwarf culture is nothing short of abject travesty. I know a lot of people like the dwarves best if TROP, but I can't watch without remembering what Tolkien actually wrote about them in LOTR and The Hobbit. They may be the best written characters so far, but imo, they are the worst butchered culture. Which is saying quite a lot.
@@sarahgould5435 I agree. The Dwarves are, well, deep people, passionate and emotional and yeah, loyal to a fault. They really tend to wear their emotions on their sleeves.
When lost at sea, the odds of encountering a ship are incredibly low. Not only does Guyladriel find a raft, but that raft is later found by another ship. They should've called this show the Rings of Coincidence.
She swims like a six-year old. Also, in the ocean overarm is the dumbest, most energy-intensive stroke, and almost impossible if the ocean isn’t nice and flat (and how often is that?). You swim side-stroke and try to go with the the flow. Silly Muddle Earth!
34:48 Actually there was a lot of trading, and presumably a degree of civility if not friendship, between the Noldor of Eregion and the Dwarves of Khazad-Dum. Even a proper trading route and a road were built between those two places.
and considering the Noldor in the first age were already more friendly with dwarves in the First Age more so than the Sindar it would make more sense that Celebrimbor would have been more familiar with dwarves than Elrond plus his father learned their language!
If for the rest of this sorry season, the elves shoot fire balls out of their hands and the orcs shoot ice balls out of there hands in every fight scene, that would still make more sense to me then jumping off the boat in the middle of the ocean.
Dude fire has no heat around evil you can’t hit orcs with a fire ball their evil would make the fire ball just a ball. Because evil can be so evil that torches give off no heat. That’s A+ writing right there. I would love to see an evil dragon breathing fire on a village and it just splashes for 0 damage. It’s basically orange and red air because the evil from the dragon makes his fire breathe give off no heat. Also it must be cooler in mount doom than Antarctica. I wonder if whoever wrote this garbage realizes that. Not even 5 minutes in and your “new Tolkien lore” falls apart just like that.
@@collinweeks6322 lol right. Lots of references to flames when it comes to the forces of Morgoth and sauron, I guess it was just for show and mordor was really chilly.
The most confusing thing to me was how Halbrand for some reason assumed Galadriel was a deserter? *Logic:* _"Oh, another survivor in the water. I guess that sea monster destroyed another boat somewhere."_ *The show:* _You must be a DESERTER!_ And also the fact that they never show the faces of the children between Disa and Durin. I guess they weren't sure how to explain their appearence, so they just covered them up in giant helmets.
I think the biggest mistake they made is to use canon characters and make them front and center. They dont really have the rights to them. They only have rights to their names not their story or origin because they are so closely tied to the first and second age. So they end up with characters that have nothing to do with the characters in die silmarilion. They dont show us Galadriel or an Adaptation of Galardriel but a random character named Galadriel.
I don't know. They have rights to the appendices and LOTR. They have enough info there for at least knowing what NOT to do (for example Galadriel going to Númenor). Also , eventhough they can't use the Silmarillion , they can read it and also know what NOT to do (for example making Galadriel commander of armies). Instead making Galadriel a super warrior princess, they could have make her more similar to LOTR Galadriel, with no need of using Silmarillion stuff. There were lots of way of handling the material the have rights to properly and do a decent show.
@@g.t.werber4476 I do agree with you they did alot of things they could have avoided. I think a smart way of going about it would have been introducing new characters (which they had to do anyways) and let their story meet with known characters. Because how do you tell the story of Galadriel without mentioning the two trees and her hair, the kinslaying and her banishment from valinor .... you cant. But it still worked in the Lord of the rings. Because she wasnt the main character.
Amazon had no intention of being faithful to the lore, as little as it was in their case, in the first place. And it's not like they had to be faithful as possible to a very detailed 1000+ page book trilogy. They simply didn't even try. They basically just used a few Middle-Earth names here and there and then stuck a Tolkien sticker on the box. And figured that would be enough to fool the fans..
@@Susu-sp7vu Galadriel's hair is mentioned in LOTR. Tolkien actually retroed Feanor's fascination with it into the Silmarillion after he finished LOTR. The demise of the Two Trees is mentioned briefly in the Appendices, and they actually did well to avoid the Silmarils or the Kinslaying, since they don't have the rights, but worthwhile writers could have come up with a less stilted reason for the Elves' exile. They *do* have the rights to the fact that all Elves have free passage from the Grey Havens, however, and they *don't* have the rights to Fingolfin's name--which is what Finrod was shouting as a battle cry.
@@sarahgould5435 The rights don’t matter anymore. As soon as Simon became chief executive the rights issues went out the window. The Tolkien estate has the right to veto anything that treads on and changes established lore. And Amazon has stomped and tromped all over the lore. So Amazon can do whatever they want. Not having the rights to the Silmarillion doesn’t mean anything anymore. Christopher was bound and determined to throw multiple lawsuits at Warner Bros and Jackson for the trilogy. Simon walked Christopher back from that knowing it would make the rights difficult to sell if the buyers had to fear retribution from the estate by even stepping slightly out of line. You can’t on the one hand say the rights matter when on the other they’re not even bothering adhering to their existing contract. It’s a non sequitur.
No they both did the backstroke so that they could look up at the sky and float and not sink like a stone. You need to brush up on your metaphors, sonny.
How the hell did they cast a woman with no facial expression, narrow eyes, thin lips and short of stature, to play Galadriel - a TALL, physically AMAZONIAN female that is considered one of the most beautiful creatures on the planet. I'd say they couldn't have cast someone worse for the role but with many of the other castings in this, they probably could have gone to even more extremes. She's still such a terrible and woefully inadequate choice for the role.
you are too harsh IMO I think she *looks* ok and the acting, it's questionable if it's her acting, poor dialogues or direction or even combination of those...I still think they may make her to act like that. And if not, they are supposed to correct her...for now, her character is just a semicrazy revenge maniac she is no Cate Blanchett but saying that "they couldn't have cast someone worse" is surely an exaggeration
I actually think Clark is attractive and doing her best effort despite being given a terribly written character completely sacrilegious to how Galadriel is meant to be. Its not just Galadriel, even though her personality as depicted in the show is beyond reprehensible, it is ALL the elves. They all look plain and uninteresting, not at all like the charismatic, ethereal and mystical beings they are supposed to be. Celebrimbor, in my opinion, is the worst casted role in this series. He does not look like a person who indulges in ANY sort of physical labor despite being an elite craftsman and blacksmith whose works are eclipsed only by those made Feanor himself. This testosterone-absent "interpretation" of Celebrimbor looks like his arthritis would flare up at the very thought of picking up a hammer.. Elrond is almost just as bad..
@@EPagaduan i only bring up Celebrimbor's physical appearance because he is supposed to be a blacksmith.. there is a physicality that comes to mind when a character's background information is mentioned. When i think of a metal worker/blacksmith, I automatically envision someone with the physique of Tony Stark in Iron Man 1 making his first suit in that cave endlessly pounding away on some red hot metal with his anvil and hammer.
Who wants to bet that Halbrand/Sauron saved Galadriel to get on her good side to have an in with Celebrimbor since they don't have the rights to Annatar. That fight scene was ridiculous when Bronwyn somehow flies backwards. It defies the logic of what should have happened. 24:53 that hobbit foot looks so obviously fake. Why did they make the feet larger than the ones in LOTR and The Hobbit? Fortune cookie wisdom is what someone called the dialogue. I've actually read better phrased out of a fortune cookie.
Everything has to be made obvious for the audience because we're stupid. Hobbit feet have to be huge because otherwise we wouldn't get that they're hobbits. Every five minutes someone is pushing back Galadriel's hair to show her ears because otherwise we'd forget she's an elf, and that's all we've kept of the elves, the pointy ears. My favourite line is 'someone dug this hole . . ." NO SHIT SHERLOCK. Please, drop some other pearls of wisdom.
Halbrand being Sauron would be a very bad plottwist. more a plothole to wedge a Balrog in. I think he will stay and independent character that might or might not betray Galadriel
I still don't know how true this Halbrand=Sauron rumor is but if so it would be extremely stupid because wheat would Sauron being doing on a boat in the middle of the sea not too far from Valinor, his mortal enemies? But this show is so dumb so far it wouldn't surprise me. This makes me think back to Battlestar Galactica reboot when it started flailing about as they were running out of ideas. One of the secret cylons happened to be a guy they picked up by random accident! There's such thing as coincidence and opportunism but too much and you stretch all credibility.
@@RoninDave I don't know but so far every leak the people saying it have released has happened in the show. We'll see if their record holds up in the rest of the season.
To echo what you guys said...IF Halbrand is Sauron, what the heck is he doing on a raft with random humans in the northern seas? How exactly does that advance his plans for world domination? And most of all, WHY would he want to save Galadriel, the one being in ME most capable of seeing through his disguise?? I can't buy into this mess at all! And I guess Narvi's existence is wholly inconsequential now too 😡
I think they wanna push a GaladrielXSauron love story. Remember that cringevpart of the "superfans" panel where one of them thought they could "change Sauron" if he's hot?
I really appreciate these in depth reviews because I don't have to watch the darned rubbish. Your reviews are much more entertaining too - which is good. I would write more about the destruction of JRR's legacy but it would take too long and probably offend too many 'correct' sensibilities.
Something I love about Tolkien's world is that there are no invincible or super powerful characters. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and this TV show wants to make superheroes that don't fit into Tolkien's world.
Somebody should edit Galadriel’s description in Tolkien Gateway and add: Power and abilities Superhuman strength Superhuman durability Regeneration Endurance Acrobatics Investigation Peak human stamina Peak human agility Martial arts(here we go, is gonna be long): kung fu, Hapkido, capoeira, muay thai, wushu, karate, etc. She was trained by wildcat, taskmaster, Batman, Captain America and Bruce Banner!! 😂😂😂
It's funny how the show had a through line from Galadriel narrating a battle, to a trek through snowy cliffs, then to a Troll fight.... like Amazon was just ape'ing Fellowship's cliffnotes. Like they were trying to say, "HEY! Remember this!!! We're doing it Better! So Clap!! Clap Now!!" But they did it all worse...
To me this show feels like somebody took the story boards and shot a scene for each frame. But they didn’t fill out the story between these shots, it’s just pretty images brought to film. Like the scene with the huge pile of helmets. Why is it so big? Who put the helmets on top? It’s literally impossible. But you could shoot that scene in a way where it wouldn’t look ridiculous - the pile could be believably high but you shoot it from a perspective where it overshadows the whole battlefield communicating the tragedy of the situation. Or that ridiculous scene when they are entering the elfheaven standing there like idiots or some kult members about to partake in a ritual gang bang. I want to know how long they’ve been standing there. Why are they wearing their pijamas? Why is everybody in this show wearing some kind of a robe? None of this makes any sense.
They were more preoccupied with creating trailer shots and trailer lines than creating a story. That’s the curse of corporate media, it’s marketing first, storytelling second. It’s why we have the “brand” of Tolkien with none of what he actually wrote. This crap is going to keep happening as long as the masses keep consuming like mindless drones
Here's my question: Where the heck is Celeborn? He and Galadriel should be attached at the hip. Towards the end of the First Age all the way to the Third and the founding of Lothlorien, we see them constantly in each other's company throughout the historical timeline.
That's the point when I stopped watching in the first episode and said f*ck this - when they were about to send Galadriel back to Valinor. Did the writers read any Tolkien before they wrote that piece of crap?
Just to note, Galadriel, Gil-Galad, and the rest of the Noldor WERE GRANTED access back to Valinor at the end of the 1st Age. Because of all their loss (and loss of the Simarils), Manwë lifted the ban. Also, Galadriel CHOSE to stay in Middle Earth, not to hunt Sauron or orcs. She stayed because she was PROUD and thought she could rule better than the Valar and Gil-Galad. So an "immature" Galadriel is a proud leader who inspires others. Not a d-bag with Feanor's arc. "And when they came into the West the Elves of Beleriand dwelt upon Tol Eressëa, the Lonely Isle, that looks both west and east; whence they might come even to Valinor. They were admitted again to the love of Manwë and the pardon of the Valar; and the Teleri forgave their ancient grief, and the curse was laid to rest. Yet not all the Eldalië were willing to forsake the Hither Lands where they hadlong suffered and long dwelt; and some lingered many an age in Middle-earth. Among those were Círdan the Shipwright, and Celeborn of Doriath, with Galadriel his wife, who alone remained of those who led the Noldor to exile in Beleriand. In Middle-earth dwelt also Gil-galad the High King, and with him was Elrond Half-elven, who chose, as was granted to him, to be numbered among the Eldar; but Elros his brother chose to abide with Men. And from these brethren alone has come among Men the blood of the Firstborn and a strain of the spirits divine that were before Arda; for they were the sons of Elwing, Dior’s daughter, Lúthien’s son, child of Thingol and Melian; and Eärendil their father was the son of Idril Celebrindal, Turgon’s daughter of Gondolin."
And yet in this Amazon travesty they say that Elrond is not an "eleven Lord". What? I guess because they don't have the rights to The Silmarillion or other books (the books, the books, the books) they think that they can make up anything they want to. And thank you for entering the quote. The part at the end giving the genealogy of Elrond and Elros is a perfect example if Tolkien's genius.
I credits at the end "This production contains dialogue, characters and places that were inspired by, though not contained in, the original source material."
Simply, this is all about money! I first read The Hobbit when I was 13; LOTR when I was 16... and I read LOTR every year (I am now 61). Even though Peter Jackson did a good job with LOTR, I still wonder why he needed to deviate when what Tolkien wrote, was so good in the first place (like Jackson having the Army of the Dead fighting at Minas Tirith or Pippin going to the final battle when he didn't, or expanding Arwen's role and ignoring Glorfindel; or the reforging of Narsil at a much different time compared to the text... ) Oh, I could go on and on, but let's give it a 7/10. These days I do find it difficult to watch. The travesty of The Hobbit trilogy, we won't even discuss. But watching the trailers of The Rings of Power should have been enough to warn me off watching it. But I tried and couldn't even bear it. It has nothing to do with casting or trying to modernise the portrayal of characters. Appendices are not meant to be portrayed in this way. Appendices are really there to flesh out the context, the background, give more of the world-building. They are not really the narrative as such. The Similarillian is also an incredibly challenging text. And trying to cobble together such source material to create your own narrative is a disgrace and incredible lazy. Why not just create your own? Amazon saw Game of Thrones and its success (well, up to Season 6; not so much Seasons 7-8), and decided to jump on the bandwagon. They're not the only ones. It is a really lazy and cheap way to try and make a buck out of Tolkien. And let's remember, GOT is actually a glorified reinterpretation of LOTR. GRRM has discussed the influence of Tolkien on his work. Hence, why I knew well before the end, that Drogon would melt the Iron Throne which is a re-enactment of the destruction of the Ring in Mount Doom, because the Iron Throne was "the Precious" and the corrupting force in GOT. And why Jon Snow was to go North, just as Frodo sailed away from Middle Earth; why Jon Snow is hurt in so many ways, like Frodo or even Harry in Harry Potter; for goodness sake, Samwise Gamgee = Samwell Tarley, best friends of the lead. Dothraki stand in for the Rhohirrim; Orcs for the White Walkers; Arya kills the Night King as Eowyn kills The Witch King - why, because the Night King/Witch King did not expect a woman to do it; for goodness sake, the Witch King says to Eowyn," no man can kill me" not realising she is not a man; and who kills the Night King - "No-one" AKA Arya Stark; and so on and so on! It's not that original. It all comes down to the conventions of the fantasy genre. GRRM just sexed it all up and try to shock and awe us all with his take. Let's be honest; Tolkien just did it better than the rest. And this is why Amazon went after Tolkien's work, because he is the author that all of them are compared to! They are trying to ride his coat-tails to success and making a quick buck while they are at it. We can only hope that they don't dare to continue with a second season!
Re-watch the orc fight to see how ridiculous it is with all the conveniently located bladed implements and the random girl healer being strong enough to wield them.
If I could believe that Halbro and the Islanders were supposed to teach Gladreel the lessons she needed to become a worthwhile leader and ally, I might be fine with what they've done with her character so far from the standpoint of *not* viewing TROP as LOTR. Unfortunately, their writing so far prevents me from believing they will do anything more than offer Gladreel new allies who will believe her and not mutiny. Unless she fails to heal Halbro's heart or he really does turn out to be Sauron.
All I can say is that I would hate to have to defend how this is in keeping with Tolkien. Recall the showrunners saying in their comic con appearance how they were respectful of the lore and ‘treaded lightly’ around it. ‘Go back to the books, Go back to the books, Go back to the books.’ How can they be so dishonest knowing the truth would drop and they’d be found out only a few months later? It really makes me think that they presumed they could get away with it based on the presumed ignorance of fans. Which demonstrates what little opinion they have of us. Or, they are completely out of their depth as far as the lore goes. As in they don’t even know what they don’t know. I dunno, I know that seems crazy to imagine showrunners being unfamiliar with the books, but it just seems more and more likely the more I see. It took me 3 reads of the Silmarillion to get a decent handle on it. Going from laborious to more pleasurable each time. After reading it once, even immediately afterwards I would have a really hard time creating even a rough outline of just the major events. Granted I was in my teens, but still. You can’t do a quick read through of the Silmarillion and have a good grasp of it.
29:30 When Galadria looks at the sky at the beginning of the 2nd episode, she also sees a star constellation. Isn't this the same as the meteor man showed the hobbits?
All they had to do is have the sea monster tip the boat so that she fell overboard. But they didn't because their political ideology wouldn't permit them to miss an opportunity to show how strong she is so she chose to jump overboard and swim back.
4:29 there are no storms until there are. In this very episode. A huge one 🤣 I counted. Half of the distance of Atlantic, which is about 3k km, would take a swimming sprinter 41 days of non stop sprinting. Without food and fresh water. Seems possible...
Galadriel was a goddess and they make her a woke feminist, disgusting 🤮, I am an Egyptian and I don’t wanna c Arabs in a great western epic, and I don’t wanna c diverse ppl in ancient Egypt mythology and history
Loving the content guys! I agree with you wholeheartedly. My only suggestion is for Michael: from a newcomer viewers perspective whom is a minority the tone and demeanor in which you sarcastically call the actor who plays arondir “Puerto Rican Legolas” comes across offensive. After watching a few more of these recordings I get the impression that you are not trying to be ignorant but rather sarcastic but again for a newcomer I wish that you may consider handling such things with more sensitivity and awareness.
I have a question that’s not a Tolkien question, it’s a sailing question. Before the storm on the little raft, Galadriel is messing with that part that’s sticking up. She’s very intent on messing with it while talking to Halbro. What is that? What is she doing? Why is she doing it? Pro sailor please answer.
I'm not a sailor, but my guess is that it's some kind of an improvised rudder. When she jumps off the ship she looks up to the stars to navigate the direction she should swim. She's unpleasant, but she's not a complete idiot.
You've missed the key point though, Galadriel will never sink and can swim an ocean because she looks upward to the stars, just the way stones don't, or the other pieces of the raft.
they bought a massive water tank...all the logistics, and DON'T FORGET THE PRISTINE WATER THAT WAS WASTED, to film the ocean scenes, which make no sense because of dull idiots writing the screenplay and no one questions.
I was actually OK with Elronds sappy line about love and the tree. He was tying to sweet talk Durin into listening to him, and it is established that Durin is very emotional and sappy. So the line makes sense in the context of a guy with a silver tongue trying to manipulate another. If only it was evident that Elrond knew the line was stupid and sappy, but he seems quite earnest. So it COULD have been a good character moment, but Elrond has no self awareness at all.
Again, picking on so many things and yet...What about the business of Galadriel having the presence of mind to cover her Elven ears when potential help shows up? Why or how is this a thing? Galadriel would seem to know of mankind's hatred of the Elves? Since when? In Tolkien's books, the Elves were revered, though not by Dwarves so much. So, far we've seen an antagonism in the Southern/Eastern people, but again, why? And Elves as some kind of world police force? Now we've got hair and ears to keep a watch on 😁. In all seriousness, can anyone cite any Tolkien text indicating there was ever a relationship between Elrond and Celebrimbor? Why would there be? Celebrimbor's father and brother murdered several members of Elrond's family. Why would Elrond want to be in the same room with that guy? And Elrond fawning over the so called hammer of Feanor? Feanor was largely responsible for an awful lot of woe for Elves, and again, Elrond's family in particular. Also, was there ever any Tolkien text alluding to a friendship between Elrond and any Durin? Can't recall anything myself. I could buy meteor man as maybe one of the Blue wizards, even though I maintain the Istari didn't make it to ME until well into the Third Age. However, if this stupid thing is going to throw wizards into the mix along with the Hobbits that aren't supposed to be there, at least they have each other for company. Really a big fat mess. On to the next episode. Oh joy 😬.
At this point, people are looking forward to the critique of a Rings of Power episode rather than the episode itself. At least there's still some entertainment value.
Not in the books. ----------------------------------- ‘And what gift would a Dwarf ask of the Elves?’ said Galadriel, turning to Gimli. ‘None, Lady,’ answered Gimli. ‘It is enough for me to have seen the Lady of the Galadhrim, and to have heard her gentle words.’ ‘Hear all ye Elves!’ she cried to those about her. ‘Let none say again that Dwarves are grasping and ungracious! Yet surely, Gimli son of Glóin, you desire something that I could give? Name it, I bid you! You shall not be the only guest without a gift.’ ‘There is nothing, Lady Galadriel,’ said Gimli, bowing low and stammering. ‘Nothing, unless it might be - unless it is permitted to ask, nay, to name a single strand of your hair, which surpasses the gold of the earth as the stars surpass the gems of the mine. I do not ask for such a gift. But you commanded me to name my desire.’ The Elves stirred and murmured with astonishment, and Celeborn gazed at the Dwarf in wonder, but the Lady smiled. ‘It is said that the skill of the Dwarves is in their hands rather than in their tongues,’ she said; ‘yet that is not true of Gimli. For none have ever made to me a request so bold and yet so courteous. And how shall I refuse, since I commanded him to speak? But tell me, what would you do with such a gift?’ ‘Treasure it, Lady,’ he answered, ‘in memory of your words to me at our first meeting. And if ever I return to the smithies of my home, it shall be set in imperishable crystal to be an heirloom of my house, and a pledge of good will between the Mountain and the Wood until the end of days.’ Then the Lady unbraided one of her long tresses, and cut off three golden hairs, and laid them in Gimli’s hand. ‘These words shall go with the gift,’ she said. ‘I do not foretell, for all foretelling is now vain: on the one hand lies darkness, and on the other only hope. But if hope should not fail, then I say to you, Gimli son of Glóin, that your hands shall flow with gold, and yet over you gold shall have no dominion.
@@TheOneRingcom keep going. They're in the boats when he weeps, just as they leave Lothlorien. He doesn't weep in the movie, but does in the book. He also weeps at Balin's tomb
20:57 no, the fight was not good. Why he stuck with the blade under the stairs? The blade works like a blade not like a hook. The way it gets in is the same way it gets out. And you already said he is extremely strong.
Just for fun I wrote up all the steps they used to move Galadriel from the mainland to Numenor. Golden ticket to Valinor for Gil-Galad. Jumping overboard. Picked up by human survivors on a floating shipwreck. (What were they even doing there?) Completely pointless conflict because the humans don’t like elfs. Attack by sea monster (which makes previous point pointless). Big storm vs the tiniest raft since the door in Titanic. Almost drowning (getting dragged down by wooden wreckage?) and rescue by man-dude. Storm is gone so they can fall asleep. Found and captured by numenoran ship. When they could just as easily have had Gil-Galad say ”We just got permission to send an envoy to Numenor. This is huge, they haven’t allowed elfs on their island for hundreds of years! I’m sending our highest ranking general and royal princess. No arguments Galadriel. Your Sauron bug hunt is officially on hold. This is super important and Elrond is away doing a thing with Celebrimbor.”
The rights don’t matter anymore. As soon as Simon became chief executor of the estate the rights issues went out the window. The Tolkien estate has the right to veto anything that treads on and changes established lore. And Amazon has stomped and tromped all over the lore. So Amazon can do whatever they want. Not having the rights to the Silmarillion doesn’t mean anything anymore. Christopher was bound and determined to throw multiple lawsuits at Warner Bros and Jackson for the trilogy. Simon walked Christopher back from that knowing it would make the rights difficult to sell if the buyers had to fear retribution from the estate by even stepping slightly out of line. You can’t on the one hand say the rights matter when on the other they’re not even bothering adhering to their existing contract. It’s a non sequitur.
I am just so confused, but I did come across European Lore video and found he show a very small detail that probably most of us didn't even notice , which is the very last line of the end credit of RoP , Amazon put this : "This production contains dialogue, characters and places that were inspired by. Though not contained in, the original source material." If it wasn't for his video , I wouldn't have noticed it, because right after episodes ended, I just quickly turn it OFF lol 😄
I enjoyed this commentary, I believe it’s the most honest one I’ve watched yet. My only confusion comes from watching various RUclips channels, such as actual Literature professors praising this show. I couldn’t handle all the pseudo intellectual babel the RoP spewed every 3 seconds.
Which would make it all the sadder to me because it would then suggest ill-intent by casting someone who looks stylistically and physically so much like Viggo Mortensen's Aragorn. IMHO, it is as if they wish to taint the concept of the male leads who came before that look like him. At the same time they rely on the good will that actors such as Sean Astin and Elijah Wood created in their renditions of Sam and Frodo through their casting of the actresses of Poppy and Nori to be, once again, very familiar looking. It is hard not to notice.
When Galadriel threw the air tank in the Predator's mouth and said "SMILE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!" and shot the helicopter with the explosive arrow all while itching terribly with the scabies had me on my feet!
The only thing I found appropriate about Episode 2 was the title, Adrift. Whoever came up with that title is truly a creative genius worthy of accolades.
Jumping off a boat much closer to Middle Earth than to Valinor and trying to swim back to Nimrodel is what killed Amroth, as explained by Legolas. Lots of someones didn't read even the most popular book.
The Corsairs don't exist until well after the fall of Númenor, thousand of years in the future. Galadriel is making a casual 1100 mile swim home and she gets found twice before dehydration, starvation, hypothermia, predation. Elrond and Celebrimbor walk from Eregion to Khazad-dûm without horses, food, or any supplies, then Celebrimbor has to immediately go back alone, again with nothing for the trip. How can one invest when everything is fan fiction level whatever?
Do you know what the biggest irony of galadriel's revenge mission and jumping off the boat? To understand you have to understand the elf version of the soul and the undying lands. When an elves body is destroyed the soul goes to the hall of mandros (spelling?) to be judged. An elf as moral, kind, heroic and just plain good as finrod would already be getting his new body and sitting in valinor with he and galadriel's parents. So what's really to avenge?
43:06 and what they really meant was "when there is a will, there is always a way...". Like he make a hole in the mountain for sun to lighten the tree, or use that mirrors, or anything that make sense! And that concept of people saw him stupid for thinking he can made it was a really good one. What leader are you if you can't grow a tree in a cave?! You are jumping on that ridiculous concepts and want to rule us?! Outrageous! But again, they want to be greater than Tolkien himself...
Sons of Gondor! Of Rohan! My brothers. I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of Men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the Age of Men comes crashing down, but it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!
This different format of following each subplot completely is superior to your previous review following the episode scene by scene. I look forward to your next review
Yeah with travel in LOTR you felt like it actually took time. "We must hold this course for forty days" watching the Fellowship you're like holy crap. That's more than a month of walking.
So far they've established Elves are superhuman. Which makes sense considering they are supposed to be perfect beings in the eye of Ilúvatar . Swimming across an ocean superhuman, I don't know about that. Walking to Kazadum, however, makes sense. The Fellowship of the Rings, establishes that the elves like walking under star light as much as the sun. And they can walk without stopping for the two days to sleep or rest, perhaps? As far as them being alone, in the Fellowship Aragorn and the hobbits meet Lagolas riding alone and he's a son of a king. I assume they have no fear, it makes sense that at this time there are no threats to be worried about.
I just couldn't figure out what to do with Dan's best moment in this video: pointing out Galadriel's "I'm fine" face.😂 Between that, Morgoth's tears, Durin's emotional moment, and Elrond's majestic quote “Where there is love it is truly never dark”, this show keeps aspiring for that 8th grade writing award!
Also, the authors are lifting stuff from other fandoms - knife-ears is a slur from Dragon Age, and Galadriel's plan to swim the Atlantic was clearly inspired by this: ruclips.net/video/Em9C1DZknxo/видео.html
@@irena4545 *Galadriel's later 'there is tempest in me' (from trailers), is lifted from Kate Blanchett in Elizabeth The Golden Age (hurrican instead of tempest).
Or Celebrimbor’s line: “they sculpt the rock like one does caring for an aged parent” To Elrond. An elf. Talking to an elf. Using a metaphor of an aged parent. Since when do elves have experience caring for aged parents?!!! Are they running an old-folks home business on the side for the men of middle earth??? This is what an education at the Abrams-Kurtzman School for Film Writing gets you.
I was bored watching the 2nd Episode and missed some of the things you discussed. Leaving Celebrimbor outside and slowly closing the door on his face is hilarious.
@@andygrams6344 Great point! We missed this one in our conversation, and now I wished we hadn't. I'll see if I can slip it into our next discussion.
My friend (who didn’t read the books) asked me if the elves are the bad guys. I asked why? he said: “well they invaded Middle Earth and enslaved the humans, that is why they (humans) hate them right?” Lol.
u seems to know ur stuff, does Galadriel can beat Sauron (she was incessantly looking for him , so she maybe can beat him I presume)?
Humans a lot were with Morgoth
@@deus5185 She can do it blindfolded and with a hand tied behind her back 💪
@@deus5185 Yes, she will kill him in season 4 with her +9 sword of diversity, twerk on his corpse and then spend season five fixing global warming. I have insider info, this is a true story, you can trust me.
@@Skabanis lol
I have nothing but respect for the Lord of the Rings fandom. Thank you for standing up against this nonsense and not giving in to the jerks that call you names whenever you don't praise their politically infused garbage product.
The only shit where this political infused heaping pile of shit "works" is in Marvel. They should stick to pumping out Marvel junk instead of defacing Tolkien's works
The last time being called names bothered me I was in the schoolyard. I will call out Hollywood and it’s endless BS all I can.
One thing that really irritates me is that Amazon* somehow has conflated being a purist with being a racist. I am proudly a Tolkien purist, but there’s no part of me in which racism lives. Not a single one of my comments criticizing the show has mentioned the color of anyone’s skin, since even though I don’t think it’s a good idea, my main problems with ROP are the appalling writing, the complete character assassination of beloved protagonists such as Elrond, Galadriel, Gil-galad, and Dúrin, the mischaracterization of basic things in the lore (bullying in Valinor?), and the general lack of understanding of Tolkien’s intentions and storytelling. I can’t think of a single character that I was rooting for except for maybe the Orc from under the floorboards. (A Floorboarc?) The characters are flat, and inspire no emotion, except for perhaps thinking that Gal is not at all likable- an outright bitch, in fact- and Elrond is just a complete wimp. There’s more depth to be found in a public toilet, and more personality in what floats within. (Hey, that’s a better turn of phrase than that line about stones looking down). Also, I generally like Bear McCreary’s soundtrack work- I only know of Battlestar Galactica, but that was phenomenal. Here though, it’s not terrible, but it’s not memorable either. Walking out from the theater after seeing “The Fellowship Of The Ring”, I was able to hum or whistle the general theme, and that wasn’t the case here. There were some recognizable musical motifs from Jackson’s movie that were insinuated into ROP’s music, but I don’t remember anything original to the show. Anyway, I didn’t intend to go on writing after my point about the racism and purism thing, but it’s so easy to keep complaining about the show that it’s hard to stop. Thanks for all of your reviews- I’ve always appreciated your videos, and it feels like you are giving a valid and rational voice to the frustration that we’re all feeling. See you in the next one.
* I don’t know if it was a representative of Amazon, a “critic”, or one of the actors who said it, but it matters little since they’re all in agreement. I just didn’t want to misquote anyone-
"Floorborcs" 👍
Welcome to what the dissenting Star Wars fandom experienced.
All we want is good narrative that is integrous with the experience of the universe in which it exists.
Unfortunately we keep getting c rate writers and productions… and it’s infiltrating into other universes too…
And Hollywoods response:
Racism, Misogyny and white supremacy is cause, and they are blue wave resisting our genocidal ideology.
I work in environmental sustainability, and have Slave ancestry.
How the fuck am I a white supremacist? I just want people to do better - they simply want to lie, dissemble and destroy.
But according to the identitarians, I’m the evil one now.
The US has a problem, and that problem has always been stupidity.
It simply doesn’t want to face it.
It's a completely dishonest framing to begin with. Example:
People who hate Tyler Perry's Madea movies are either:
-Racists, or
-People with good taste in films
Which is true, but that doesn't in any way suggest that people with good taste in films are racists.
They're not really conflating. Their product is diabolical and it was DOA, so this 'racist' angle is a pathetic fascistic attempt at shutting down the consumer's opinion. This show is doomed and they know it. And, hardcore fans, and normies, have joined forces against this abomination. Amazon's 'racist' narrative has backfired, badly. And the lefty woke-racist activists aka Amazon's low-level stormstroopers, have no chance against THE FELLOWSHIP!
@@AbogadodeAsmus Damn- I was looking forward to Bobby Lee playing Black Panther. I guess that’s out😆
*Elrond is now an Oathbreaker.
He promised *Galadriel that even if a hint of whisper came that might confirm her belief, he would take up her quest.
*Gil-galad confirms to *Elrond that *Galadriel is correct.
*Elrond goes off with *Celebrimbor...
Ha ha ha ha ha
Harold Elrond indeed comes off as a manipulative sociopath.
Good point. So not Elrond.
Who cares? Who wouldn’t want to send annoying bossy Guy-chad-riel far far away? ;)
@@creatrixZBD I have suggested that *Elrond is conspiring with *Gil-galad to send *Galadriel away so he has an open shot at her (yet to be seen) daughter...
According to the lore, it would be impossible for two Durins to be alive at the same time, and it definitely wouldn't be possible for a father and a son to both be Durin. Why? The Dwarves believed that each subsequent Durin was a reincarnation of their original forefather, returning to rule over his people.
And besides, they wouldn't be Durin III and Durin IV at the same time. The son would be the crown prince; the number would be added when succeeding his father.
Although that implies every Durin was born after their father had died. Which means every time his wife got pregnant a Durin would become very worried! While I agree with your assessment of the way it is described in the appendix, it does have some practical issues when it comes to trying to portray it in a real life situation.
@@paulm7204 The ruling monarchs of many countries choose their regnal names when they inherit the throne. Durin could be a king name, adopted on succession to power
@@paulm7204 The thing is that Durin III died in Second Age 1697, while Durin IV was active in S.A. 3400s...
Schizo Durin
Wait, so the table they are sitting at in Khazad-Dum is the right height for Elrond but too high for the dwarf whose home it is supposed to be?
7:54 did she really just put her hair over her ears so that they wouldn't see she's an elf? They're seriously going for "the only visible difference to humans is the pointy ears"? WTF... elves are not humans with pointy ears and some more strength and longer lives, Amazon!
10:09 There it is: the flipping-her-hair-back-because-pointy-ears scene from the first teaser... I just can't...
I guess they think elves are like Vulcans. All Spock had to do was wear a hat, headband, helmet etc to blend in. Just forget that she came from Valinor and her hair shines as the light of the two trees.
@@peterandjunko Oh the colorful metaphors that come to mind when pondering RoP.
That's very true. The Fellowship Tolkien made it very clear that you knew when you are speaking to an elf.
That kind of thing alone shows how little the creators paid attention to Tolkien. Might as well do a conspiracy theory video based on this - "Do Elves walk among us?"
@@willparker8498 Yep that too, though that's "just" bad filming/editing imo (forgetting what the next shot will be so things don't quite fit together and it's noticeable that they made multiple shots)
I think that a dwarf crying is something that would be kept very private. In the literature basically the closest we get to seeing a dwarf totally break down is when Gimli beholds the fate of Moria. I'm sure it would happen, but I feel like many dwarves would rather turn their back and push people away than break down emotionally in front of them over something.
Gimli weeps openly as they leave Lothlorien, he also weeps at Balin's tomb in Moria.
@@Batkoku you're totally right. I had forgotten about him crying after lothlorien.
@@Chamomileable that part always got to me. :)
@@Batkoku He also threatens to weep over leaving the Glittering Caves of Helm's Deep. One of my favorite descriptuve passages, which Jackson briefly referenced by transferring a sentence to Moria: "And they call it a mine. A mine!"
Also the best illustration of why Amazon's idea of dwarf culture is nothing short of abject travesty. I know a lot of people like the dwarves best if TROP, but I can't watch without remembering what Tolkien actually wrote about them in LOTR and The Hobbit. They may be the best written characters so far, but imo, they are the worst butchered culture. Which is saying quite a lot.
@@sarahgould5435 I agree. The Dwarves are, well, deep people, passionate and emotional and yeah, loyal to a fault. They really tend to wear their emotions on their sleeves.
I don’t believe Halbrand is Sauron, he is Theo’s father. He went out to get black cow milk and never came home.
What? That nigga "elf" isn't the father?
That would be a better story.
Oof, poor Theo has to deal with 2 elf stepparents lol
When lost at sea, the odds of encountering a ship are incredibly low. Not only does Guyladriel find a raft, but that raft is later found by another ship. They should've called this show the Rings of Coincidence.
At the speed Galadriel is swimming is probably a few years between episode 1 and 2
She swims like a six-year old. Also, in the ocean overarm is the dumbest, most energy-intensive stroke, and almost impossible if the ocean isn’t nice and flat (and how often is that?). You swim side-stroke and try to go with the the flow. Silly Muddle Earth!
34:48 Actually there was a lot of trading, and presumably a degree of civility if not friendship, between the Noldor of Eregion and the Dwarves of Khazad-Dum. Even a proper trading route and a road were built between those two places.
and considering the Noldor in the first age were already more friendly with dwarves in the First Age more so than the Sindar it would make more sense that Celebrimbor would have been more familiar with dwarves than Elrond plus his father learned their language!
If for the rest of this sorry season, the elves shoot fire balls out of their hands and the orcs shoot ice balls out of there hands in every fight scene, that would still make more sense to me then jumping off the boat in the middle of the ocean.
If only we could have gotten that instead of the why a rock doesn’t float scene.
Dude fire has no heat around evil you can’t hit orcs with a fire ball their evil would make the fire ball just a ball. Because evil can be so evil that torches give off no heat. That’s A+ writing right there. I would love to see an evil dragon breathing fire on a village and it just splashes for 0 damage. It’s basically orange and red air because the evil from the dragon makes his fire breathe give off no heat. Also it must be cooler in mount doom than Antarctica. I wonder if whoever wrote this garbage realizes that. Not even 5 minutes in and your “new Tolkien lore” falls apart just like that.
@@collinweeks6322 lol right. Lots of references to flames when it comes to the forces of Morgoth and sauron, I guess it was just for show and mordor was really chilly.
The most confusing thing to me was how Halbrand for some reason assumed Galadriel was a deserter?
*Logic:* _"Oh, another survivor in the water. I guess that sea monster destroyed another boat somewhere."_
*The show:* _You must be a DESERTER!_
And also the fact that they never show the faces of the children between Disa and Durin. I guess they weren't sure how to explain their appearence, so they just covered them up in giant helmets.
Galadriel is married in the first age…Elrond married her daughter guess that’s not this world
Galadriel after jumping ship 2000 miles from land: "Just keep swimming...Just keep swimming..."
It seems like a parody of Mel Brooks’s Space Balls… but Space Balls was funny and clever…
I think the biggest mistake they made is to use canon characters and make them front and center. They dont really have the rights to them. They only have rights to their names not their story or origin because they are so closely tied to the first and second age. So they end up with characters that have nothing to do with the characters in die silmarilion. They dont show us Galadriel or an Adaptation of Galardriel but a random character named Galadriel.
I don't know. They have rights to the appendices and LOTR. They have enough info there for at least knowing what NOT to do (for example Galadriel going to Númenor). Also , eventhough they can't use the Silmarillion , they can read it and also know what NOT to do (for example making Galadriel commander of armies).
Instead making Galadriel a super warrior princess, they could have make her more similar to LOTR Galadriel, with no need of using Silmarillion stuff. There were lots of way of handling the material the have rights to properly and do a decent show.
@@g.t.werber4476 I do agree with you they did alot of things they could have avoided. I think a smart way of going about it would have been introducing new characters (which they had to do anyways) and let their story meet with known characters. Because how do you tell the story of Galadriel without mentioning the two trees and her hair, the kinslaying and her banishment from valinor .... you cant. But it still worked in the Lord of the rings. Because she wasnt the main character.
Amazon had no intention of being faithful to the lore, as little as it was in their case, in the first place.
And it's not like they had to be faithful as possible to a very detailed 1000+ page book trilogy.
They simply didn't even try.
They basically just used a few Middle-Earth names here and there and then stuck a Tolkien sticker on the box. And figured that would be enough to fool the fans..
@@Susu-sp7vu Galadriel's hair is mentioned in LOTR. Tolkien actually retroed Feanor's fascination with it into the Silmarillion after he finished LOTR. The demise of the Two Trees is mentioned briefly in the Appendices, and they actually did well to avoid the Silmarils or the Kinslaying, since they don't have the rights, but worthwhile writers could have come up with a less stilted reason for the Elves' exile. They *do* have the rights to the fact that all Elves have free passage from the Grey Havens, however, and they *don't* have the rights to Fingolfin's name--which is what Finrod was shouting as a battle cry.
@@sarahgould5435 The rights don’t matter anymore.
As soon as Simon became chief executive the rights issues went out the window.
The Tolkien estate has the right to veto anything that treads on and changes established lore.
And Amazon has stomped and tromped all over the lore.
So Amazon can do whatever they want. Not having the rights to the Silmarillion doesn’t mean anything anymore.
Christopher was bound and determined to throw multiple lawsuits at Warner Bros and Jackson for the trilogy.
Simon walked Christopher back from that knowing it would make the rights difficult to sell if the buyers had to fear retribution from the estate by even stepping slightly out of line.
You can’t on the one hand say the rights matter when on the other they’re not even bothering adhering to their existing contract.
It’s a non sequitur.
This is why the kinslaying never happened in this world Feanor butrerflied stroked his way to Beleriandw
No they both did the backstroke so that they could look up at the sky and float and not sink like a stone. You need to brush up on your metaphors, sonny.
How the hell did they cast a woman with no facial expression, narrow eyes, thin lips and short of stature, to play Galadriel - a TALL, physically AMAZONIAN female that is considered one of the most beautiful creatures on the planet. I'd say they couldn't have cast someone worse for the role but with many of the other castings in this, they probably could have gone to even more extremes. She's still such a terrible and woefully inadequate choice for the role.
you are too harsh IMO
I think she *looks* ok and the acting, it's questionable if it's her acting, poor dialogues or direction or even combination of those...I still think they may make her to act like that. And if not, they are supposed to correct her...for now, her character is just a semicrazy revenge maniac
she is no Cate Blanchett but saying that "they couldn't have cast someone worse" is surely an exaggeration
I actually think Clark is attractive and doing her best effort despite being given a terribly written character completely sacrilegious to how Galadriel is meant to be. Its not just Galadriel, even though her personality as depicted in the show is beyond reprehensible, it is ALL the elves. They all look plain and uninteresting, not at all like the charismatic, ethereal and mystical beings they are supposed to be. Celebrimbor, in my opinion, is the worst casted role in this series. He does not look like a person who indulges in ANY sort of physical labor despite being an elite craftsman and blacksmith whose works are eclipsed only by those made Feanor himself. This testosterone-absent "interpretation" of Celebrimbor looks like his arthritis would flare up at the very thought of picking up a hammer.. Elrond is almost just as bad..
Going after someone’s physical appearance is never ok.
@@EPagaduan i only bring up Celebrimbor's physical appearance because he is supposed to be a blacksmith.. there is a physicality that comes to mind when a character's background information is mentioned. When i think of a metal worker/blacksmith, I automatically envision someone with the physique of Tony Stark in Iron Man 1 making his first suit in that cave endlessly pounding away on some red hot metal with his anvil and hammer.
@@EPagaduan dumb post. When it comes to casting it matters.
Who wants to bet that Halbrand/Sauron saved Galadriel to get on her good side to have an in with Celebrimbor since they don't have the rights to Annatar.
That fight scene was ridiculous when Bronwyn somehow flies backwards. It defies the logic of what should have happened.
24:53 that hobbit foot looks so obviously fake. Why did they make the feet larger than the ones in LOTR and The Hobbit?
Fortune cookie wisdom is what someone called the dialogue. I've actually read better phrased out of a fortune cookie.
Everything has to be made obvious for the audience because we're stupid. Hobbit feet have to be huge because otherwise we wouldn't get that they're hobbits. Every five minutes someone is pushing back Galadriel's hair to show her ears because otherwise we'd forget she's an elf, and that's all we've kept of the elves, the pointy ears.
My favourite line is 'someone dug this hole . . ." NO SHIT SHERLOCK. Please, drop some other pearls of wisdom.
Halbrand being Sauron would be a very bad plottwist. more a plothole to wedge a Balrog in. I think he will stay and independent character that might or might not betray Galadriel
I still don't know how true this Halbrand=Sauron rumor is but if so it would be extremely stupid because wheat would Sauron being doing on a boat in the middle of the sea not too far from Valinor, his mortal enemies? But this show is so dumb so far it wouldn't surprise me.
This makes me think back to Battlestar Galactica reboot when it started flailing about as they were running out of ideas. One of the secret cylons happened to be a guy they picked up by random accident! There's such thing as coincidence and opportunism but too much and you stretch all credibility.
@@RoninDave I don't know but so far every leak the people saying it have released has happened in the show. We'll see if their record holds up in the rest of the season.
Valinor at this point isn’t some holy entrance after numarians crash the beach they move valinor to a special place.
To echo what you guys said...IF Halbrand is Sauron, what the heck is he doing on a raft with random humans in the northern seas? How exactly does that advance his plans for world domination? And most of all, WHY would he want to save Galadriel, the one being in ME most capable of seeing through his disguise?? I can't buy into this mess at all! And I guess Narvi's existence is wholly inconsequential now too 😡
I think they wanna push a GaladrielXSauron love story. Remember that cringevpart of the "superfans" panel where one of them thought they could "change Sauron" if he's hot?
@@chippyonline001 Hate to say it, but I'm 99% sure you're right about that. It's just so stupid 🤦♀
@@haleyschreiter9746 i really don't want it to go that way but thus far, oh boy... I've ran out of words for their chicanery lmao.
it's soap opera logic ie no logic just a lot of drama for drama sake
I really appreciate these in depth reviews because I don't have to watch the darned rubbish. Your reviews are much more entertaining too - which is good. I would write more about the destruction of JRR's legacy but it would take too long and probably offend too many 'correct' sensibilities.
Exactly what I thought: Did Elrond even get a wedding invitation? 🤣
Something I love about Tolkien's world is that there are no invincible or super powerful characters. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and this TV show wants to make superheroes that don't fit into Tolkien's world.
Excellent breakdown of a show that will hopefully wind up cancelled. Many thanks for defending Tolkien's work & sincere best wishes.
Somebody should edit Galadriel’s description in Tolkien Gateway and add:
Power and abilities
Superhuman strength
Superhuman durability
Regeneration
Endurance
Acrobatics
Investigation
Peak human stamina
Peak human agility
Martial arts(here we go, is gonna be long): kung fu, Hapkido, capoeira, muay thai, wushu, karate, etc.
She was trained by wildcat, taskmaster, Batman, Captain America and Bruce Banner!! 😂😂😂
It's funny how the show had a through line from Galadriel narrating a battle, to a trek through snowy cliffs, then to a Troll fight.... like Amazon was just ape'ing Fellowship's cliffnotes. Like they were trying to say, "HEY! Remember this!!! We're doing it Better! So Clap!! Clap Now!!"
But they did it all worse...
To me this show feels like somebody took the story boards and shot a scene for each frame. But they didn’t fill out the story between these shots, it’s just pretty images brought to film.
Like the scene with the huge pile of helmets. Why is it so big? Who put the helmets on top? It’s literally impossible. But you could shoot that scene in a way where it wouldn’t look ridiculous - the pile could be believably high but you shoot it from a perspective where it overshadows the whole battlefield communicating the tragedy of the situation.
Or that ridiculous scene when they are entering the elfheaven standing there like idiots or some kult members about to partake in a ritual gang bang. I want to know how long they’ve been standing there. Why are they wearing their pijamas? Why is everybody in this show wearing some kind of a robe? None of this makes any sense.
They were more preoccupied with creating trailer shots and trailer lines than creating a story. That’s the curse of corporate media, it’s marketing first, storytelling second. It’s why we have the “brand” of Tolkien with none of what he actually wrote. This crap is going to keep happening as long as the masses keep consuming like mindless drones
Here's my question: Where the heck is Celeborn? He and Galadriel should be attached at the hip. Towards the end of the First Age all the way to the Third and the founding of Lothlorien, we see them constantly in each other's company throughout the historical timeline.
He's in a witness protection program in an undisclosed part of Narnia.
If she had gone to Valinor, she would've seen his resurrected brother and that's it. Show ends and we all would be happy now.
😂😂😂✌
That's the point when I stopped watching in the first episode and said f*ck this - when they were about to send Galadriel back to Valinor. Did the writers read any Tolkien before they wrote that piece of crap?
Just to note, Galadriel, Gil-Galad, and the rest of the Noldor WERE GRANTED access back to Valinor at the end of the 1st Age. Because of all their loss (and loss of the Simarils), Manwë lifted the ban. Also, Galadriel CHOSE to stay in Middle Earth, not to hunt Sauron or orcs. She stayed because she was PROUD and thought she could rule better than the Valar and Gil-Galad. So an "immature" Galadriel is a proud leader who inspires others. Not a d-bag with Feanor's arc.
"And when they came into the West the Elves of Beleriand dwelt upon Tol Eressëa, the Lonely Isle, that looks both west and east; whence they might come even to Valinor. They were admitted again to the love of Manwë and the pardon of the Valar; and the Teleri forgave their ancient grief, and the curse was laid to rest. Yet not all the Eldalië were willing to forsake the Hither Lands where they hadlong suffered and long dwelt; and some lingered many an age in Middle-earth. Among those were Círdan the Shipwright, and Celeborn of Doriath, with
Galadriel his wife, who alone remained of those who led the Noldor to exile in
Beleriand. In Middle-earth dwelt also Gil-galad the High King, and with him
was Elrond Half-elven, who chose, as was granted to him, to be numbered
among the Eldar; but Elros his brother chose to abide with Men. And from these
brethren alone has come among Men the blood of the Firstborn and a strain of
the spirits divine that were before Arda; for they were the sons of Elwing, Dior’s
daughter, Lúthien’s son, child of Thingol and Melian; and Eärendil their father
was the son of Idril Celebrindal, Turgon’s daughter of Gondolin."
And yet in this Amazon travesty they say that Elrond is not an "eleven Lord". What? I guess because they don't have the rights to The Silmarillion or other books (the books, the books, the books) they think that they can make up anything they want to.
And thank you for entering the quote. The part at the end giving the genealogy of Elrond and Elros is a perfect example if Tolkien's genius.
I'm done watching this show. I am only watching these in depth reviews. Amazon Video has lost me.
I watched a total of 36 minutes of the first episode in two tries.
I credits at the end "This production contains dialogue,
characters and places that were inspired by,
though not contained in, the original source material."
Oh wow, really?
@@arwenstrong2818 at the end of the last credits at the bottom is this statement
Simply, this is all about money! I first read The Hobbit when I was 13; LOTR when I was 16... and I read LOTR every year (I am now 61). Even though Peter Jackson did a good job with LOTR, I still wonder why he needed to deviate when what Tolkien wrote, was so good in the first place (like Jackson having the Army of the Dead fighting at Minas Tirith or Pippin going to the final battle when he didn't, or expanding Arwen's role and ignoring Glorfindel; or the reforging of Narsil at a much different time compared to the text... ) Oh, I could go on and on, but let's give it a 7/10. These days I do find it difficult to watch. The travesty of The Hobbit trilogy, we won't even discuss. But watching the trailers of The Rings of Power should have been enough to warn me off watching it. But I tried and couldn't even bear it. It has nothing to do with casting or trying to modernise the portrayal of characters. Appendices are not meant to be portrayed in this way. Appendices are really there to flesh out the context, the background, give more of the world-building. They are not really the narrative as such. The Similarillian is also an incredibly challenging text. And trying to cobble together such source material to create your own narrative is a disgrace and incredible lazy. Why not just create your own? Amazon saw Game of Thrones and its success (well, up to Season 6; not so much Seasons 7-8), and decided to jump on the bandwagon. They're not the only ones. It is a really lazy and cheap way to try and make a buck out of Tolkien. And let's remember, GOT is actually a glorified reinterpretation of LOTR. GRRM has discussed the influence of Tolkien on his work. Hence, why I knew well before the end, that Drogon would melt the Iron Throne which is a re-enactment of the destruction of the Ring in Mount Doom, because the Iron Throne was "the Precious" and the corrupting force in GOT. And why Jon Snow was to go North, just as Frodo sailed away from Middle Earth; why Jon Snow is hurt in so many ways, like Frodo or even Harry in Harry Potter; for goodness sake, Samwise Gamgee = Samwell Tarley, best friends of the lead. Dothraki stand in for the Rhohirrim; Orcs for the White Walkers; Arya kills the Night King as Eowyn kills The Witch King - why, because the Night King/Witch King did not expect a woman to do it; for goodness sake, the Witch King says to Eowyn," no man can kill me" not realising she is not a man; and who kills the Night King - "No-one" AKA Arya Stark; and so on and so on! It's not that original. It all comes down to the conventions of the fantasy genre. GRRM just sexed it all up and try to shock and awe us all with his take. Let's be honest; Tolkien just did it better than the rest. And this is why Amazon went after Tolkien's work, because he is the author that all of them are compared to! They are trying to ride his coat-tails to success and making a quick buck while they are at it. We can only hope that they don't dare to continue with a second season!
Very well written, this
Why are there two Durins simultaneously?? Why are they father son?!?
Re-watch the orc fight to see how ridiculous it is with all the conveniently located bladed implements and the random girl healer being strong enough to wield them.
i was dying. it felt like some terrible horror movie with a bad actress. my husband was laughing too. 🤣🤣
Galadriel is 6’ 4”. Morfydd Clark is 5’ 3”. Result: the tallest elf female in history has to literally look _up_ at everyone.
Amazon producers/writers: "No detail is too large for us to ignore!"
Is Elrond really a politician? He is depicted as a bard and a diplomat. The only political reference was him being uninvited to a political event.
*Galadriel calls him a politician and in is said to be an ambitious politician in publicity material.
If I could believe that Halbro and the Islanders were supposed to teach Gladreel the lessons she needed to become a worthwhile leader and ally, I might be fine with what they've done with her character so far from the standpoint of *not* viewing TROP as LOTR. Unfortunately, their writing so far prevents me from believing they will do anything more than offer Gladreel new allies who will believe her and not mutiny. Unless she fails to heal Halbro's heart or he really does turn out to be Sauron.
Before I even watch this, I love the thumbnail for the video! It made me laugh 😂
All I can say is that I would hate to have to defend how this is in keeping with Tolkien.
Recall the showrunners saying in their comic con appearance how they were respectful of the lore and ‘treaded lightly’ around it.
‘Go back to the books, Go back to the books, Go back to the books.’
How can they be so dishonest knowing the truth would drop and they’d be found out only a few months later?
It really makes me think that they presumed they could get away with it based on the presumed ignorance of fans. Which demonstrates what little opinion they have of us.
Or, they are completely out of their depth as far as the lore goes.
As in they don’t even know what they don’t know.
I dunno, I know that seems crazy to imagine showrunners being unfamiliar with the books, but it just seems more and more likely the more I see.
It took me 3 reads of the Silmarillion to get a decent handle on it. Going from laborious to more pleasurable each time.
After reading it once, even immediately afterwards I would have a really hard time creating even a rough outline of just the major events. Granted I was in my teens, but still. You can’t do a quick read through of the Silmarillion and have a good grasp of it.
It's like the showrunner's names should be Dunning and Kruger...
Nerdrotic said The raft splitter drifter is Sauron 🗡
‘Where there is love it is never truly dark’ 🤔 yeah… um… I’m not sure that’s how photosynthesis works
29:30 When Galadria looks at the sky at the beginning of the 2nd episode, she also sees a star constellation. Isn't this the same as the meteor man showed the hobbits?
All they had to do is have the sea monster tip the boat so that she fell overboard. But they didn't because their political ideology wouldn't permit them to miss an opportunity to show how strong she is so she chose to jump overboard and swim back.
4:29 there are no storms until there are. In this very episode. A huge one 🤣
I counted. Half of the distance of Atlantic, which is about 3k km, would take a swimming sprinter 41 days of non stop sprinting. Without food and fresh water. Seems possible...
Galadriel was a goddess and they make her a woke feminist, disgusting 🤮, I am an Egyptian and I don’t wanna c Arabs in a great western epic, and I don’t wanna c diverse ppl in ancient Egypt mythology and history
Loving the content guys! I agree with you wholeheartedly. My only suggestion is for Michael: from a newcomer viewers perspective whom is a minority the tone and demeanor in which you sarcastically call the actor who plays arondir “Puerto Rican Legolas” comes across offensive. After watching a few more of these recordings I get the impression that you are not trying to be ignorant but rather sarcastic but again for a newcomer I wish that you may consider handling such things with more sensitivity and awareness.
I have a question that’s not a Tolkien question, it’s a sailing question. Before the storm on the little raft, Galadriel is messing with that part that’s sticking up. She’s very intent on messing with it while talking to Halbro. What is that? What is she doing? Why is she doing it? Pro sailor please answer.
I'm not a sailor, but my guess is that it's some kind of an improvised rudder. When she jumps off the ship she looks up to the stars to navigate the direction she should swim. She's unpleasant, but she's not a complete idiot.
@@richardrose2606 make sense. Unlike going to Valinor where all you have to do is stand perfectly still and just wait for the boat to carry you.
Go to 41:56 pause it, and see how they slipped in an subliminal message of two dudes kissing.
Thank you for pointing out the defining factors of the human characters being dirt and bigotry. It's really important.
You've missed the key point though, Galadriel will never sink and can swim an ocean because she looks upward to the stars, just the way stones don't, or the other pieces of the raft.
they bought a massive water tank...all the logistics, and DON'T FORGET THE PRISTINE WATER THAT WAS WASTED, to film the ocean scenes, which make no sense because of dull idiots writing the screenplay and no one questions.
Thank you. I'm finally beginning to understand Finrod's subtle analogy.
I was actually OK with Elronds sappy line about love and the tree. He was tying to sweet talk Durin into listening to him, and it is established that Durin is very emotional and sappy. So the line makes sense in the context of a guy with a silver tongue trying to manipulate another. If only it was evident that Elrond knew the line was stupid and sappy, but he seems quite earnest. So it COULD have been a good character moment, but Elrond has no self awareness at all.
when you have a show with bad metaphors of boats and rocks you can't expect that level of awareness
Our hearts are bigger than our feet.... are they not thinking about leaving the father that hurt his ankle behind
The stars are only strange in the south/east in the 3rd Age because the world was changed. In the 2nd Age they all see the same stars.
Guyladriel jumping into the ocean and swimming all that way seems like an Old spice commercial...
15:30 so I'm not the only one who connected those two things 🤣
44:29 what's in the box?! OH, WHAT'S IN THE BOX?!
Again, picking on so many things and yet...What about the business of Galadriel having the presence of mind to cover her Elven ears when potential help shows up? Why or how is this a thing? Galadriel would seem to know of mankind's hatred of the Elves? Since when? In Tolkien's books, the Elves were revered, though not by Dwarves so much. So, far we've seen an antagonism in the Southern/Eastern people, but again, why? And Elves as some kind of world police force? Now we've got hair and ears to keep a watch on 😁. In all seriousness, can anyone cite any Tolkien text indicating there was ever a relationship between Elrond and Celebrimbor? Why would there be? Celebrimbor's father and brother murdered several members of Elrond's family. Why would Elrond want to be in the same room with that guy? And Elrond fawning over the so called hammer of Feanor? Feanor was largely responsible for an awful lot of woe for Elves, and again, Elrond's family in particular. Also, was there ever any Tolkien text alluding to a friendship between Elrond and any Durin? Can't recall anything myself. I could buy meteor man as maybe one of the Blue wizards, even though I maintain the Istari didn't make it to ME until well into the Third Age. However, if this stupid thing is going to throw wizards into the mix along with the Hobbits that aren't supposed to be there, at least they have each other for company. Really a big fat mess. On to the next episode. Oh joy 😬.
The Meteor Man is the coming of Tom Bombadil... ;)
Rumor has it, he is Sauron. He says at one point, "Looks can be deceiving."
Even if elves can swim far, if they can swim THAT far, why even have a boat?
Arondir did leave her child for a few days while finding a new dad. So kind!
At this point, people are looking forward to the critique of a Rings of Power episode rather than the episode itself. At least there's still some entertainment value.
**Can someone answer a question?? Did Sauron not give Celebrimbor his hammer? And used it to forge the rings so it Sauron already there??
Gimli wept openly upon leaving Lothlorien. Alas, I have gazed up on that which is most fair....
Dwarves cry, yes they do.
Not in the books.
-----------------------------------
‘And what gift would a Dwarf ask of the Elves?’ said Galadriel, turning to Gimli.
‘None, Lady,’ answered Gimli. ‘It is enough for me to have seen the Lady of the Galadhrim, and to have heard her gentle words.’
‘Hear all ye Elves!’ she cried to those about her. ‘Let none say again that Dwarves are grasping and ungracious! Yet surely, Gimli son of Glóin, you desire something that I could give? Name it, I bid you! You shall not be the only guest without a gift.’
‘There is nothing, Lady Galadriel,’ said Gimli, bowing low and stammering. ‘Nothing, unless it might be - unless it is permitted to ask, nay, to name a single strand of your hair, which surpasses the gold of the earth as the stars surpass the gems of the mine. I do not ask for such a gift. But you commanded me to name my desire.’
The Elves stirred and murmured with astonishment, and Celeborn gazed at the Dwarf in wonder, but the Lady smiled. ‘It is said that the skill of the Dwarves is in their hands rather than in their tongues,’ she said; ‘yet that is not true of Gimli. For none have ever made to me a request so bold and yet so courteous. And how shall I refuse, since I commanded him to speak? But tell me, what would you do with such a gift?’
‘Treasure it, Lady,’ he answered, ‘in memory of your words to me at our first meeting. And if ever I return to the smithies of my home, it shall be set in imperishable crystal to be an heirloom of my house, and a pledge of good will between the Mountain and the Wood until the end of days.’
Then the Lady unbraided one of her long tresses, and cut off three golden hairs, and laid them in Gimli’s hand. ‘These words shall go with the gift,’ she said. ‘I do not foretell, for all foretelling is now vain: on the one hand lies darkness, and on the other only hope. But if hope should not fail, then I say to you, Gimli son of Glóin, that your hands shall flow with gold, and yet over you gold shall have no dominion.
@@TheOneRingcom keep going. They're in the boats when he weeps, just as they leave Lothlorien. He doesn't weep in the movie, but does in the book. He also weeps at Balin's tomb
@@TheOneRingcom That is a far cry, from the whole "a rock looks down" tripe.
20:57 no, the fight was not good. Why he stuck with the blade under the stairs? The blade works like a blade not like a hook. The way it gets in is the same way it gets out. And you already said he is extremely strong.
Just for fun I wrote up all the steps they used to move Galadriel from the mainland to Numenor.
Golden ticket to Valinor for Gil-Galad.
Jumping overboard.
Picked up by human survivors on a floating shipwreck. (What were they even doing there?)
Completely pointless conflict because the humans don’t like elfs.
Attack by sea monster (which makes previous point pointless).
Big storm vs the tiniest raft since the door in Titanic.
Almost drowning (getting dragged down by wooden wreckage?) and rescue by man-dude.
Storm is gone so they can fall asleep.
Found and captured by numenoran ship.
When they could just as easily have had Gil-Galad say ”We just got permission to send an envoy to Numenor. This is huge, they haven’t allowed elfs on their island for hundreds of years! I’m sending our highest ranking general and royal princess. No arguments Galadriel. Your Sauron bug hunt is officially on hold. This is super important and Elrond is away doing a thing with Celebrimbor.”
Let it go knife ears
Around elves, watch yourselves!
The rights don’t matter anymore.
As soon as Simon became chief executor of the estate the rights issues went out the window.
The Tolkien estate has the right to veto anything that treads on and changes established lore.
And Amazon has stomped and tromped all over the lore.
So Amazon can do whatever they want. Not having the rights to the Silmarillion doesn’t mean anything anymore.
Christopher was bound and determined to throw multiple lawsuits at Warner Bros and Jackson for the trilogy.
Simon walked Christopher back from that knowing it would make the rights difficult to sell if the buyers had to fear retribution from the estate by even stepping slightly out of line.
You can’t on the one hand say the rights matter when on the other they’re not even bothering adhering to their existing contract.
It’s a non sequitur.
I am just so confused, but I did come across European Lore video and found he show a very small detail that probably most of us didn't even notice , which is the very last line of the end credit of RoP , Amazon put this :
"This production contains dialogue, characters and places that were inspired by. Though not contained in, the original source material."
If it wasn't for his video , I wouldn't have noticed it, because right after episodes ended, I just quickly turn it OFF lol 😄
Jonathan referencing Owl City was so out of left field, I laughed water out of my nose. I love it.
I enjoyed this commentary, I believe it’s the most honest one I’ve watched yet. My only confusion comes from watching various RUclips channels, such as actual Literature professors praising this show. I couldn’t handle all the pseudo intellectual babel the RoP spewed every 3 seconds.
If one of them was Corey Olsen, he gave himself the title The Tolkien Professor. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Halbrand IS Sauron. Stop denying he is. It's already been cofirmed by people involved with the production who spoiled the entire season.
Which would make it all the sadder to me because it would then suggest ill-intent by casting someone who looks stylistically and physically so much like Viggo Mortensen's Aragorn. IMHO, it is as if they wish to taint the concept of the male leads who came before that look like him. At the same time they rely on the good will that actors such as Sean Astin and Elijah Wood created in their renditions of Sam and Frodo through their casting of the actresses of Poppy and Nori to be, once again, very familiar looking. It is hard not to notice.
Do they have the rights to the sources that name Annatar? Dont have appendices on me to check.
wth.. what's sauron even doing in the middle of the sea 😭
Love listening to your convos guys, especially the tongue in cheek humor. Looking forward to the next installment of Encino Man.
When Galadriel threw the air tank in the Predator's mouth and said "SMILE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!" and shot the helicopter with the explosive arrow all while itching terribly with the scabies had me on my feet!
Encino Man! That means the Stranger is Brenden Fraser, Nori (Female Frodo) is Pauly Shore, and Poppy (Female Sam) is .... Sean Astin.
I told myself that the harfoots of the 2nd age must be a kind of proto-hobbits which evolved from fairies. It didn‘t help much.
The only thing I found appropriate about Episode 2 was the title, Adrift. Whoever came up with that title is truly a creative genius worthy of accolades.
Jumping off a boat much closer to Middle Earth than to Valinor and trying to swim back to Nimrodel is what killed Amroth, as explained by Legolas. Lots of someones didn't read even the most popular book.
The Corsairs don't exist until well after the fall of Númenor, thousand of years in the future. Galadriel is making a casual 1100 mile swim home and she gets found twice before dehydration, starvation, hypothermia, predation. Elrond and Celebrimbor walk from Eregion to Khazad-dûm without horses, food, or any supplies, then Celebrimbor has to immediately go back alone, again with nothing for the trip. How can one invest when everything is fan fiction level whatever?
These are the earlier Corsairs of Wal-Mart.
Nori Brandyfoot is the strongest woman on the show.
Do you know what the biggest irony of galadriel's revenge mission and jumping off the boat? To understand you have to understand the elf version of the soul and the undying lands. When an elves body is destroyed the soul goes to the hall of mandros (spelling?) to be judged. An elf as moral, kind, heroic and just plain good as finrod would already be getting his new body and sitting in valinor with he and galadriel's parents. So what's really to avenge?
Not to mention Elrond and celebrimbor would have had to travel OVER the misty mountains, given the western gates of Moria didn’t exist yet
Why do all the Harfoots sound Irish and the Dwarves Scottish? Did Tolkein specify this somewhere in his writings?
43:06 and what they really meant was "when there is a will, there is always a way...". Like he make a hole in the mountain for sun to lighten the tree, or use that mirrors, or anything that make sense!
And that concept of people saw him stupid for thinking he can made it was a really good one. What leader are you if you can't grow a tree in a cave?! You are jumping on that ridiculous concepts and want to rule us?! Outrageous! But again, they want to be greater than Tolkien himself...
All three of them are the true Tolkien scholar
One positive is that they showed a father in a positive life, even though he broke his foot lol
Sons of Gondor! Of Rohan! My brothers. I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of Men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the Age of Men comes crashing down, but it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!
This different format of following each subplot completely is superior to your previous review following the episode scene by scene.
I look forward to your next review
Yeah with travel in LOTR you felt like it actually took time. "We must hold this course for forty days" watching the Fellowship you're like holy crap. That's more than a month of walking.
"Do you know why a boat can float but a stone cannot?" 🤣
So far they've established Elves are superhuman. Which makes sense considering they are supposed to be perfect beings in the eye of Ilúvatar . Swimming across an ocean superhuman, I don't know about that. Walking to Kazadum, however, makes sense. The Fellowship of the Rings, establishes that the elves like walking under star light as much as the sun. And they can walk without stopping for the two days to sleep or rest, perhaps? As far as them being alone, in the Fellowship Aragorn and the hobbits meet Lagolas riding alone and he's a son of a king. I assume they have no fear, it makes sense that at this time there are no threats to be worried about.
I think Halbro is actually the charming evil prince from Frozen.
Great videos. Keep doing a Wizard's work🧙♂️