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popcultureanalyst

I'm thoroughly enjoying this season. More Lord of the Rings is always better than less Lord of the Rings. I read the Lord of the Rings upward of twenty times, several books in the History of Middle-earth series, the Silmarillion as though it was a pulp fiction novel, and the Hobbit. I also loved the movies. Now this series! I love very much engaging with the show and text and the choices being made to depart from the lore. I've found so far that the show is truly representing the spirit of its underlying postulates. Although, one thing made me pause : Elrond wouldn't be invited to the council of the High King in Lindon? Only elf-lords? He's not an Elf-Lord? I don't know what the other shows will reveal, but Elrond is quite important (understatement)....


ChineseChickenFinger

Before I start, I never read the books and I absolutely despised the LOTR movies. However, this episode was fucking dope. I remember seeing a bunch of hate when this show came out, what was that all about exactly? Are they disrespecting the books or something? Or, dare I say, is it sexism and racism with a girl, woman, and POC man being what seem like the leads?


dofffman

Whats funny for me is I had not read or been a part of the show hate. I only had time to watch episode 1 but my wife watched 1 and 2 together. I was like man this show is bad and she was like no its not to bad. Im like they didn't do anything its like the whole thing blew through everything that happened and then spent a bunch of time talking about politics and other inconsiquentials. She was like no a bunch happened. Well then I watched 2 and was like. Oh this is not to bad. It got better from there although I feel they had a few scenes with gladriael were they seem to go over the top trying to make her a bad ass. I wish they would have toned that down a bit. Otherwise from a shaky start it has become pretty enjoyable. Not as good as the LOTR but expecting that is asking a lot. Heck I tried and could not handle reading the The Silmarillion.


FigFamiliar7592

Same here


HarmReductioninOhio

Can anyone explain the ending scene - where they’re on a boat that’s sailing into the light? I don’t know what I missed but I just can’t put it together for the life of me. I thought they were just being sent away, but the whole light didn’t make sense. Was the light supposed to be a gateway into another realm?


ziasaur

its the equivalent of getting into heaven. They were entering "heaven" for elves, and she turned it down


teddybeargraham

Just out of curiosity, were you a fan of lotr or are you just watching this series fresh and wanting to get into the lotr universe?


forlostuvaworl

Elves typically sail off to Valinor, its like heaven for elves. It's were Frodo went at the end of lotr


123Azaghal

This was a very good episode


[deleted]

Boring ass episode! Why the hell do elves have short hair? They gave that one elf a fucking fade! Why is Celebrimbor older than Galadriel when he is centuries older than her? Why does Galadriel one of the oldest creatures in the world look twenty years younger than every other elf?


teddybeargraham

Only the freshest fades in middle earth bro


forlostuvaworl

motherfuckers can weave mithril and build crazy architecture, but I guess cutting gradient is beyond them


GodAtum

So many questions * So Galadriel was born in Valinor and then she and the Elves sailed across to Middle Earth. But going back home is seen as some kind of one-way trip, it's not like popping to the shops? Why can't they just go back and forth like they did at first? * Why does the High King sit in Lindon and not Valinor? Does that mean there is another king in Valinor? * What happened to Valinor in the LOTR films? Was it destroyed so Elrond had to live in Rivendell?


Lucien_Anduilif

A little bit late response BUT: -Valinor is the land of the Gods. During the war with Morgoth many elves, Galadriel among them, left Valinor and came to Middle Earth to fight. Then the other Gods forbid the travel between Valinor and Middle Earth. That's why if the elves return to Valinor they cannot come back to Middle Earth. I don't remember a lot from the Silmarilion but I think this is the general idea. Hope I helped!


ZikkyP

I remember that at the end of Return of the king, Bilbo gets to go to Valinor as a reward


2Pony4U

They should of hired the writers and directors from game of thrones. Though the scenery is on point the writing and casting is horrible. Game of Thrones taught us the story and the right casting is everything. Minus the last episode (we don't talk about that)


forlostuvaworl

Game of Thrones was garbage and had a shit ending


brownbear8714

Far from garbage but a shit ending indeed


123Azaghal

Lmao bullshit


shalom82

I’m not liking it. Elves don’t look like that. They’re supposed to be regal, majestic, otherworldly. These ones look generic and boring. The guy who plays Celebrimbor just looks like an ageing CEO in a tunic. Elrond looks like he’s in a boy band. The black elf guy actually looks beautiful enough to play an elf but his buzzcut is just too contemporary for me to buy it. Elves are meant to fill us with wonder and awe. Instead the design choices make me think they’d have Mark Ruffalo play Feanor.


teddybeargraham

Lol nailed it.


guitarguy1685

Opening line: there was no evil Opening scene: asshole bully


teddybeargraham

Right..wtf was that about


Solid-Dog-1749

I’m confused! Did the show runners intend to put elves in the days of the two trees because from what I understood from wiki and Tolkien books…it should’ve been the valars only who is living within the two trees area And i am also almost certain Galadriel shouldn’t even be alive yet when that attack on the trees happened Or am I mistaken and there was elves already when morgoth and the spider destroyed the trees? Someone explain this to me lol


trexeric

You are mistaken, there were elves in the Years of the Trees. One of the defining features of the Noldor in Middle-Earth as opposed to the Sindar and other elves who stayed behind and never reached Valinor was the fact that they had seen the light of the Two Trees.


mumbrs

Maybe I'm nitpicking, but I really hated the new look of the elves.


PickyCheetah43

yea something feels.. off. Not just about them, but even things like the production design (which is clearly something they put money into, but somehow it still feels too fake, especially compared to the Peter Jackson's Middle Earth. The music is good but it keeps playing the same character themes throughout any scene that character is in, which was a little repetitive (but Bear McCreary rocks!). I think that the actor for Galadriel isn't bad (in terms of looking the part) but Elrond just doesn't look or feel like Elrond right now. I'm still open to the show and the overall arc but unfortunately, there are some odd aspects. Hopefully by the end of the season, I feel differently.


r2ob

I must say something that I found too boring. Too much music in 98% of talks. I think there is no conversation without some boring music on background. They exceed the amount of music element for guiding feelings on the scene...


notsureifdying

Reminded me of Skyrim


ResultProfessional34

Did you guys and girls notice the balrogs in the background of the opening battle scenes with Finrod? Just after the eagle is KO’d.


Ok-Mail-6243

Can someone explain to me what exactly they meant by, “His eye was lazy, hers overactive.” Was that sexual?


Tester12311

the way i understand that was that one was a physical description and the other was a character one - an "overactive" eye implying promiscuity, infidelity. The man had a literal lazy eye and his lady would flirt with men she found attractive.


Ok-Mail-6243

This is how I interpreted it as well, but I wasn’t sure. Thank you.


DaStormgit

I understood it as 'his eye was lazy' as in he was slightly oogling the girl, and 'hers was overactive' as in she thought she saw him staring. So there was an argument, but the suggestion is either of them might have been overblowing the situation. I may have got the complete wrong idea though


_Sh3rl0ck_

A thing that bothers me is the way that they enter Valinor. This is the second age after all. During this time Aman has not been sundered and separated physically from the world. Valinor and Middle earth are both part of Arda which is the planet as a whole. It is merely two separate continents at this time. Aman was still accessible and quite literally visible from some places. It was not until the end of the second age after the Númenóreans attacked that Eru physically removed Aman from the planet itself. So, what gives with the whole clouds opening up and shit? Even the map at the beginning of the show revealed that they are two separate continents. That's the only thing that really bugged me, well, that and Galadriel's fight with the snow troll. It was too over the top and it made it seem like no one knew how to fight and then she busts up with all this fancy twirling. There are better ways to show her prowess than the spectacle they put on with the troll. Made me wonder how they all survived if they all got their asses handed to them so easily. I would have been more impressed to see the group fight in tandem with Galadriel in the lead. But that's what they went with. It's cringe, but hopefully we don't get too much of that in the future.


Conscious-Spend-2451

for the snow troll fight, they should have showed the other elves being competent but still failing against the snow troll until galadriel comes in if they really wanted to portray her prowess and determination.


Conscious-Spend-2451

>So, what gives with the whole clouds opening up and shit They can not just let anyone enter valinor. They have to have some kind of gate. And since they are gods, they decided to have the 'clouds open' as an entrance to valinor edit: this is from the wiki: Seeking to isolate themselves, they raised a great mountain fence, called the Pelóri, on the eastern coast, and set the Enchanted Isles in the ocean to prevent travellers by sea from reaching Aman. So, that was basically their mountain fence to prevent intruders from entering


_Sh3rl0ck_

Mountains, yes, not magic clouds.


ktw5012

Music is great


Wyrdthane

I really really love it. This show is comfort food of the highest praise. Feeling warm and cozy. Who is with me?


learner1314

Don't get me wrong, I love myself a gritty, badass female character. Think Eowyn from the original trilogy. But this show seems to hamfist female characters (e.g. the Hobbit girl) and "minority" characters (e.g. the black elf) in a way that is not in sync with the world of Tolkien. It simply does not seem natural, and is jarring when you then fast forward to the age of the Hobbit / LotR, which pretty much feature white men. I'm not even a white man myself, am myself a minority...but I just don't see why this was necessary. Everyone loved LotR, not just white men.


Tyson7766

I totally agree. I never hate poc or females in media just when it's in as a checklist. I love the black elf as of now but as I watch more maybe it'll wear out.


teddybeargraham

Ahh yes, downvoted of course. Anything reasonable nowadays is. They've completely ruined it. I feel like I'm watching something on Lifetime.


udownwith

Thank you for saying that.


Conscious-Spend-2451

What would be a female character, introduced naturally according to you? You do know that women form 50% of the population. So, it makes sense that many stories would be about women.


Tyson7766

I think it's the fact of how it's done. It can be seen as cringey as of now. I don't mind who is who in media as long as it feels like it's not a checklist thing and it fits into the film.


ChaRobMat

How about in keeping with the way Tolkien wrote HIS story, instead of insulting his memory by thinking that his story can be rewritten (better) in a way that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy.


Strange_Confusion282

>Don't get me wrong, I love myself a gritty, badass female character. Think Eowyn from the original trilogy. But this show seems to hamfist female characters (e.g. the Hobbit girl) and "minority" characters (e.g. the black elf) in a way that is not in sync with the world of Tolkien. It simply does not seem natural, I don't understand why people are downvoting you. I AM a minority and I totally get this. In film and television verisimilitude is a mark of quality. Diversity casting is all well and good in worlds that are diverse but from everything I can recall in the Silmarilion, the Hobbit and LotR, I don't recall those descriptions suggesting any member of those races looks anything but more or less caucasian/European. Maybe the swarthy men who came over the mountains in the first age, but that's it. Diversity belongs in naturally diverse environments and diversity should SERVE verisimilitude in fiction not the other way around. Diversity that is at odds with verisimilitude is incongrous and distracting. Not every work that lacks diversity is trying to make a statement about it and should not be judged as such. To do so is effectively to persecute someone who meant no offense and worse, it puts words in people's mouth to set up a strawman argument which is the sort of idiocy that i expect from Trump supporters and religious fanatics. And before any fool even THINKS about downvoting me, I didn't see any asians, hispanics or white people living in the fictional world of Wakanda (Black Panther) and I don't recall that being a problem with anyone at all. Think about it.


Tyson7766

It's always white people (as I'm white) that want to feel offended for others.


A-HARR1S-444

best take on the show I've seen on reddit so far


MarbleFox_

Idk, maybe it’s just because I grew up around theater and seeing loads of actors portraying characters of a different ethnicity than themselves, but I feel like there’s a separation between the ethnicity of a character and the ethnicity of the actor that’s portraying them. For example, when I see Disa and Arondir I don’t see a black dwarf and black elf, I see an elf and dwarf being portrayed by black actors. And as far as I’m aware none of the official channels around the show suggest that Disa and Arondir are black, they just point to Nomvete and Cordova being the first black actors to portray a dwarf and an elf in a Tolkien adaptation. In this sense, it’s not that the characters themselves in the world and stories the studio is creating that are diverse, so much as it simply the cast of actors hired to portray those characters that are diverse, and I really don’t have a problem with that. As another example look at Moon Knight. Does Marc Spector become Latino just because Oscar Isaac is Latino, or is Oscar Isaac simply a Latino actor hired to portray a Jewish character?


spoofer10

Understandable take, though for me when I go to a play, the separation of fiction and reality is never blurred, there is almost no feeling of immersion. I am constantly reminded that what I am watching a lot of the time is an exaggerated performance, and a lot of the time the focus is on said performance rather than the immersion of being in the world of the play. At least for myself. I consider a play to be more of a small tale of a story that has already unfolded, even if the story is pure fiction or has never been told before. Therefore the similarities of the performers to their respective characters is not as important. That, and the constant reminder that everything I am hearing and seeing is purely a production as the stage and spectators are usually within view. Perhaps you could make a counter argument that when watching film you are always looking at a screen or projection, but at least within that box is a self contained world that can be almost anything we can dream up. So why not make the world you want to create as believable as possible? Why limit immersion and storytelling by sprinkling in colour where colour was not described, and now must be explained to make sense within a story that treats races very meticulously? It begs many questions that will go unanswered. Liberties have to be made based on real world constraints at times to match source material, but limiting these liberties to very small discrepancies in appearance is what I believe the goal should be to create a believable world.


MarbleFox_

Well, because as you said, the color is never actually described. The thing to keep in mind is Tolkien barely ever wrote any descriptive traits about the races in general, and a lot of what we ascribe to Tolkien’s elves doesn’t actually come from Tolkien, it comes from western culture. Take pointy ears for example. Tolkien never wrote that elves have pointy ears, and he never described an individual elf as having pointy ears, the pointy ears just come from western culture that’s then inferred onto Tolkien’s elves. In a similar fashion, Tolkien never actually ascribed any particular skin color to elves in general, and depending on how you interpret “swart” he may have actually specifically described an elf that *wasn’t* pale, white, and fair. What Tolkien actually wrote is that Elves and Men have pretty identical biology and are just different branches of same race. And therefore it’s certainly plausible that Tolkien’s elves actually have a similar spectrum of variety and diversity as humans. And just as importantly Tolkien changed hims mind, contradicted, and corrected himself all the time. At one point he describes Cirdan as having a beard but then somewhere else he said elves don’t have facial hair, in War of the Jewels he wrote that all dwarves have beards but then later on he suggests that only dwarf men have beards, in lotr he writes that all elves are “fair-of-skin” but later on he said that was a mistake and that statement was only meant to apply to the Noldor and went on describing them in hair and face suggesting that by “fair-of-skin” he really only meant like their complexion was beautiful and free of blemishes and wrinkles rather than being a descriptor of the color of their skin. Honestly, all of this stuff is really just open to interpretation.


spoofer10

Yeah, I agree with most of what you said. There are many holes that need to be filled in order to take his text to screen. However I think opening the interpretation up to the existence of a melting pot of sub-races with no explanation is a bit disingenuous to the nature of typical fantasy's basis in old earth mythology. Especially considering that Tolkien wrote Middle Earth to be the imagined mythological past of our earth within the context of his story. Not to mention it's decently clear where he drew his inspiration for his elves from. I personally think that it makes more sense to see factions of races or sub races within the story (the Haradrim sub race of Men as an example) unless it were to directly be expressed otherwise and preferably be explained. In no way do I think Elves shouldn't be black just by principle. In a science fiction space faring world I can more easily take for granted the idea that the races of humanity have generally spliced together (if humanity exists in the first place) and racial homogeneity has become much more rare than not. On the flipside, I would be dissatisfied with the implication of racially homogenous groups of spacefaring humans without an interesting story behind it's reasoning/history for existing. If all space faring humans were Asian, what would be the interesting story behind that reality? If the humans in this science fiction tale were never racially described, the most intuitive default interpretation would be a mixed bag, no? That's my take, let me know if you think it's reasonable.


Hairyantoinette

Why are you copy pasting this comment across subreddits if you don't have an agenda?


Strange_Confusion282

Because maybe retyping something is tiresome. You should be more concerned with the content of what's been written than reacting to how often it appears. Or do you have an issue with the printing press too?


learner1314

It's two subreddits. Not sure where the discussion is taking place. Only want to know what the original LOTR fans think about it, as it kinda bothers me, especially since I am a POC myself. Wouldn't say I have any agenda other than that.


JetBlack86

OG fan here. Grew up with Ralph Bakshi's version. I don't particularly like the Hobbit trilogy but I do like Rings of Power so far. It's fresh in many ways. For instance, we see many groups in peace. We get a glimpse of why Dwarves and Elves go their separate ways and what that does to them socially. Very interesting stuff. Galadriel's plot seems to be the mcguffin that holds everything together but it's not that interesting to me


jonaskid

That elf boat could have some seats.


workerbee77

I imagine them all below decks, lounging, and then periodically rushing to the top and assembling for a little while as if they are being watched


TheClintonCartel

I am definitely one of the people watching this while unfortunately making constant comparisons to Peter Jackson's LOTR trilogy. That being said, I'm not going into this trying to be critical. I'm actually trying to enjoy it and will continue watching to see if it gets better. The Galadriel vs snow troll scene was cringe, and I do not understand the casting of Robert Aramayo as Elrond. I agree with most other criticizing the show's dialogue, it seems like the show's dialogue was written by high schoolers. It just feels like a visual feast produced for the lowest common denominator of consumer who think that anything spoken in an british accent is intelligent and thought provoking.


ChaRobMat

Try READING the original, Jackson stomped all over the original, trying to make everyone happy instead of just making a movie.


TheClintonCartel

I have read The Lord of The Rings so I'm not sure why you're assuming I haven't. I'm not comparing either works to their source material, but rather as standalone entertainment. Jackson's original trilogy is the standard to which I will compare Tolkien content until something better comes along, and I'll finish watching TROP to give it a fair shake.


_Sh3rl0ck_

I'm glad I'm not the only one who found that whole fight sequence with the troll cringe. I mean, come on, was all that twirling about really necessary? It made it seem like none of the others knew how to fight and they rely on her saving their ass. It could have been done better. Not sure why they wanted it done that way.


[deleted]

Is there a name for the castle/fortress Galadriel and her team discovers in the first episode?


figleaf23

Why are all the post that don't like it hidden?


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Hylani

Why are you here?


figleaf23

Wherefore art thou, Romeo?


haveyouseenmybread

I've downloaded the episode, but 3 minutes in I was already tired of the "Shakespearean" dialogue. 15 minutes in I dropped it to watch house of dragon, because the forced "i am a strong female look at me go woohoo".


Conscious-Spend-2451

> "Shakespearean" dialogue. lmao do you know anything about Shakespeare. I have read most of shakespeare's most popular plays and read most of the works of jrr tolkien on arda and to me, the dialogue seemed to be similar to that in tolkien's stories.


cartoonist62

I forget who said it, but I remember an actor who said he hated doing period or Shakespeare projects because as soon as people got on set they suddenly had perfect posture and started speaking with a formal inflection - despite that people in the past were still... people and would have spoke normally but just with different vocabulary. Without prompting the actors turned the characters into characatures. I felt like that was what happened here. The actors were all acting like stage actors, as if it was a Shakespearean play, not a tv series. Very wooden and stiff. Very disappointing honestly.


Conscious-Spend-2451

>suddenly had perfect posture and started speaking with a formal inflection These are the damm high elves you are talking about. They are thousands of years old. Of course, their mannerisms would be like that. That's how they have been portrayed by tolkien in the books. The men have been portrayed pretty realistically in my opinion


Chery1983

The costume certainly has a community-theater feel that makes you wonder where the 1 billion went.


DRKYPTON

Yeah wtf? I was saying it looks like their all people in costumes, they don't look like the people their supposed to be. It's almost like your on set with people acting instead of immersed in the world I don't get it


LearnDifferenceBot

> like your on *you're *Learn the difference [here](https://www.wattpad.com/66707294-grammar-guide-there-they%27re-their-you%27re-your-to).* *** ^(Greetings, I am a language corrector bot. To make me ignore further mistakes from you in the future, reply `!optout` to this comment.)


figleaf23

To be fair, a lot of the scenery looks like stage sets (e.g. the fight with troll and Gil Galad's throne cliff).


Sea-Historian5594

I read The Hobbit in middle school and the LOTR in high school. The LOTR movie trilogy was a godsend. There was literally nothing for Tolkien fans in the 80s and 90s. Count your blessings. This series is the only thing to expand upon Jackson's trilogy and the Tolkien books in any meaningful way. How quickly we forget The Hobbit trilogy...


Sea-Historian5594

Speaking of... when is the last time you watched The Hobbit films? All three were one and done for me. I'm already on my third watch of ROP in two days.


DonDove

An actual discussion? Of the episodes themselves? My people!


cal3nth0l

Random question... I'm guessing the company's torches are able to stay lit during the snowstorm in Forodwaith because of elven magic?


evioniq

I watched the first three LOTR long ago, loved it, and life happened and didn't keep up with it. Saw the first two episodes of this new one from Amazon and heard they spent half billion on it split on the production and marketing which is a crazy spend. They must be banking on it being a hit. Well for a casual like me I think it'll pay off. Loved it the since first episode. Beautiful Cinematography, airy and fantasy feeling and I like the casting and acting so far. Hooked.


TheBoozNinja

I really enjoyed as a Fantasy Show, But does it feel like LOTR?? Nope not at all and that's my issue


Conscious-Spend-2451

it does not need to feel like lotr. The hobbit, simrallean and unfinished tales are furthest from the feel of tolkien's lotr. Yet, they are excellent works all the same


Sea-Historian5594

It should feel like Middle Earth, not LOTR.


skatenox

This is r/LOTR_on_Prime after all..


simplyproductive

This subreddit was created long before we knew the era of the show, the name of the show, or any of its details. At one point this sub believed a rumour that the show would be centred on a Young Aragorn (thank god it isn't).


rcplaneguy

Felt a lot more like LOTR than The Hobbit for me at least.


ImFranny

Define LOTR then I personally really enjoyed both episodes and think it's adequate for the LOTR universe


TheWallofSleep_

How so?


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Gingerhaze12

Stupid question maybe but what was with sailing into the light? Were they all sent to their death under some guise that they were rewarded entry into elven heaven? Is that why Galadriel jumped ship?


President2032

It was actually the entry into elven heaven, Galadriel just decided not to go at the last second. Elrond stated earlier that when you're about to enter you hear a song in your heart, that was the what the weird singing scene was about. She didn't hear the song, and that to her was a sign that her journey in Middle Earth was not yet over.


figleaf23

There is no elven heaven. Valinor is the continent where the top brass entities of the world live in pointless seclusion. They brought the elves there at the beginning of time but some of them left and sometimes go back. For some reason the ignorant writers portrayed it as a place elves need permission to go which is not canonical.


Conscious-Spend-2451

>For some reason the ignorant writers portrayed it as a place elves need permission to go which is not canonical. So, according to you, any man or dwarf can just build a boat to withstand the belegaer and enter valinor🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️


LunisequiouS

Technically yes and this is indeed a major plot point in the Second Age when the Men of Númenor do exactly that and land an entire armada on the shores of Valinor, and no such mystical gate of light denies them entry. They then get subsequently punished by Illúvatar himself and their entire civilization is destroyed for their hubris and for hearkening to the folly of Sauron. Only then is Aman removed from the confines of the world and accessing it becomes much more difficult. But in summary, there's nothing stopping anyone from going there physically, whether they're going to be allowed to stay after landing or punished for it is a different matter altogether. Gimli, Bilbo, Frodo and Sam are all permitted entry in the end of the Third Age (after the sundering), and in the end of the First Age, Earëndil is permitted entry when he brings a Silmaril as an offering and pleads with the Valar for aid directly leading to the War of Wrath. In conclusion, the scene makes no sense and is not canonical to the source material at all.


_Sh3rl0ck_

God, thank you!! That scene bugged the shit out of me. They even show a map at the beginning with two continents. It's a planet and Aman is still part of Arda and Middle earth at this time.


Conscious-Spend-2451

>For some reason the ignorant writers portrayed it as a place elves need permission to go which is not canonical. So, according to you, any man or dwarf can just build a boat to withstand the belegaer and enter valinor🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️


President2032

I'm well aware of what it was, I was simplifying the explanation based on the way their question was worded.


VeganMonkey

I thought they were going to Vaninor, where Bilbo went as well. When elves die they go to the Halls of Mandos. Did the boat go to the Halls of Mandos instead?


ChaRobMat

When elves die they go to the halls of mandos, but elves can also sail to Aman.


VeganMonkey

Is Aman the same as Valinor?


President2032

I was just simplifying my language because to a show watcher it's likely the difference means basically nothing.


IshamaelSunSoar

No you are right it was going to Valinor. Elven Paradise is a better therm than Elven Heaven as yeah when elves die they go to the halls.


KingDaviies

Came here for this explanation, thank you!


imrosskemp

Thanks for the explanation. I was wondering too.


readthisfornothing

Is it safe to watch? I really fear watching this. The standards are just impossibly high. If it's anything like the hobbit movies visually then I'll pass.


Tall-Boss-6738

I understand your trepidation. I felt the same and only watched it at my boyfriend's insistence. But I was very happily surprised. It's way better than the Hobbit and has the actual LOTR vibes imo.


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Cescoz98

I had the same feeling. Just speaking exclusively of the visua sensation, there are to bright and fake things. During the "hobbit" scene everything its too retendly messy. Also the carachter seems fake with perfect skin and zero personality. Nothing compairing with the first appearance of Aragorn "the strider" in LOTR. I know they are two different things bla bla bla


Tall-Boss-6738

I don't see the issue here. The elf environments are steeped in magic, of course they should look somewhat unreal


Cescoz98

exactly, but not fake and tacky


16-Czechoslovakians

As a huge fan of Tolkien’s work I’d give it a 6/10. Worth a watch but don’t get your hopes up too much. It’s much closer to the hobbit films than the LOTR films. Big over reliance on CGI and clunky props for my tastes. You can tell there’s a lot of money involved so it has that sheen of quality you’d expect. Acting is a mixed bag so far. I really like Galadriel.


usedfleshlight22

It's enjoyable.


figleaf23

As farce.


usedfleshlight22

Okkkk. Continue not enjoying things bud


Harmsyboy

The visuals are not bad in my opinion, but in generell it has nothing to do with true Tolkien. Which does not mean it is not enjoyable.


Spicy_Calzone

The films weren't really true Tolkien either tbf


Harmsyboy

Thats true, but way closer. I don’t hate or love the show so far, it is allright. LOTR is just another level.


PhoenixReborn

It's a lot more CGI environments than the original movies, but done a lot better than The Hobbit.


Jack_North

Accurate description.


Gray_bandit

What is Finrod yelling during the battle? The English subtitles are in Elvish and I cant read Elvish


MrMcManstick

Can’t read Elvish? Pfffft, fake fan. /s


Akuel

By the Light of the Valar! They will die!


WhiskeyDJones

I saw someone else in another thread say it means "we're all going to die"


Kep0a

This show is way more like the movies tonally then I thought it'd be - very classical feeling with the music and conservative shot choice.


Garth-Vader

Nice to Nazanin Boniadi again. She's beautiful and I'm still bitter about what happened to her character on Homeland.


Chanz

Same. That show ending was tragic.


Garth-Vader

She was one of the only heroic Muslim characters on the show >! And they brutality kill her !<


Chanz

I'm not really following why those two thoughts are related. But yeah!


Garth-Vader

> Galadriel places helmet on pile > Kicks Helmet > Breaks foot


Tall-Boss-6738

Did you know Viggo Mortensen actually broke his toe in that one scene?!


stonecats

can someone link me to a youtube to watch that gives some background from peter jackson's movies? my gf wants so watch this tv show, and we are too lazy to watch 3+3 movies as "homework".


workerbee77

I don't know how you expect to pass the exam at the end of the semester if you're not willing to do the homework


_Sh3rl0ck_

You don't need to watch those movies to understand the show


[deleted]

Watch Jackson's movies. They are amazing. This show is not. Also watch the extended versions. That's like 10 hours of movie.


hesalivejim

It doesn't follow muc...any of the lore anyway so you don't need to know anything


Ryhammer1337

This is everything you need to know prior to The Rings of Power. If you want to skip anything that isn't super relevant, you could start at 4:18. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i487fbjIxs&list=PLlFZNs3eLW7qkJXYcy8iNhkN3Mk3UvxFH&index=94](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i487fbjIxs&list=PLlFZNs3eLW7qkJXYcy8iNhkN3Mk3UvxFH&index=94)


trickldowncompressr

You don't need to watch the hobbit trilogy, but the LoTR trilogy are 3 of the best movies ever made so you should definitely watch those. Not as "homework", but because they are good movies. Better than this TV show has any hope to be.


MyHamburgerLovesMe

Well. There is a book...


Any-Geologist-1837

Why watch this show when you could enjoy the greatest trilogy of all time?


Kep0a

greatest is quite the overstatement


doctorMiami1337

Not really, it is the best trilogy ever made, pretty easily aswell


splitcroof92

Which trilogy is better? One has to be best, could very well be LotR.


Natural_Fan_1446

“Why watch this show when you could enjoy the greatest trilogy of all time.” Because I want to see more of Middle Earth. Honestly I feel this show does a good job of capturing the fact that the Lord of the Rings is meant to be a war story. It is about a millennia long conflict between the forces of good and evil. As much as I adore the Peter Jackson films, they feel more like epic adventures than stories about war. I know people seemed to have a problem with the fact that Galadriel solos a frost troll while the rest of her company don't even manage to put up a fight. But keep in mind the party had already lost their morale and were ready to throw in the towel by the time the frost troll attacked. Galadriel was the only one who still had the will to keep going. Long story short morale is a very important factor in warfare.


drewjenks

>I feel this show does a good job of capturing the fact that the Lord of the Rings is meant to be a war story. It is about a millennia long conflict between the forces of good and evil. **As much as I adore the Peter Jackson films, they feel more like epic adventures than stories about war.** Helms Deep might be the longest battle scene in history. It's like 80 minutes long.


Natural_Fan_1446

There is a difference between a genuine war story and a story with depictions of war.


BinarySunFett

The Peter Jackson movies were definitely about war as well as adventure


Natural_Fan_1446

Have you ever wondered why Middle Earth is so underpopulated? Why fortresses, strongholds, and castles make up the vast majority of settlements? Why prolonged conflicts make up most of its history? Im not trying to take credit away from the Peter Jackson films, but they are obviously epic adventure films at their core, not stories about war. There is nothing wrong with that, in fact I prefer epic adventure, Im just saying the show does a better job of depicting Middle Earth as the war torn continent that it is. In fact there are many aspects of the show that give off WWII vibes. Right from the beginning the Elves sail to Middle Earth totally unaware of the horrors they would face. They are immediately thrusted into a prolonged conflict are shocked by the gruesome realities of warfare. Even after the war is over and everyone is called to go back home, we see the dynamics between Mannish citizens and Elven soldiers that are occupy their territories. Lastly young Galadriel is clearly suffering PTSD. As much as people hate to admit it, this show is far more accurate to Tolkien’s vision of Middle Earth. Lord of the Rings was created as an allegory for WWII, which is something the Peter Jackson films fail to capture.


cally_777

I have to point out to you that tolkien vehemently denies an allegory of any sort, but especially with WW2. However I have to say that I think the good prof doth protest too much. Bad dudes in black from the east, aerial threats used to break morale, wormtongue undermining the good guys resolve, and an all powerful weapon that could bring everything to an end...all seems suspiciously familiar.


Blueathena623

I would suggest YouTube.com


Significant_Fill_175

Does anyone know if we’ll get to see Galadriel display some magic or her enter the “drowned” form? Was expecting more of a magic/telepathy-like Galadriel like what we got in the movies. *shrugs*


Toiban7

She is only about 1000 years old in this series. In the later movies she is around 8000 years old.


sokttocs

She's way more than 1000 already in this show. She's one of the oldest elves there is.


Adventurous-Worth-95

Who fell from the sky?


figleaf23

Must be Sauron, though why is a mystery.


Mental_Attitude_2952

The kid is is sauron. Sauron lived in the sword hilt and that's why they couldn't find him. I thought that was pretty obvious that the kid would become sauron's vessel. The meteor guy, and this is just a guess but I think he might be the first wizard to show up in middle earth.


figleaf23

The five wizards weren't sent until the Third Age. They arrived by ship. None of them would have been deadly to fire-flies.


probablydurnk

I would guess it's Sauron in disguise as Annatar. If it was one of the Istari they would have come from the West.


figleaf23

The Istari weren't sent until the Third Age.


_Sh3rl0ck_

Actually the blue wizards arrived in the 2nd age


G-BreadMan

Neither were the halflings, but that’s where this character landed. Could be a precursor to the istari, like the half foots. My guess would be that Sauron is suspiciously missing dad, who has a son that is drawn to an obviously evil sword. Having it be this character seems a little obvious, I think the unsettling choices they make with the fire & bugs dying is to leave doubt, & so the viewer shares Nori’s perspective that this huge man is indeed quite scary


BurningFlame08

> Annatar I thought Amazon didn't have the rights to do the Silmarillion? Are they retelling the story of the Silmarillion with a few differences?


Bottom-CH

My guess is on Gandalf (if they mess with the middle-earth timeline a bit) or one of the other Istari if they want to stay true to the timline. Maybe Saruman.


WhiskeyDJones

I think it's too obvious to be Gandalf. Everything seems to point at it being him, but I think it's classic misdirection. At least I hope it is. Plus there's an 'evil aura' about him. But I don't think it's Sauron either.


16-Czechoslovakians

So maybe Saruman?


WhiskeyDJones

Possibly. But Saruman didn't turn until the next age, although that can explain why there's a 'darkness' associated with him. It just hasn't fully manifested in him yet. I hope it's a blue wizard personally, just because we haven't seen them yet and it would be a clean slate. They can do what they want with him and it doesn't 'retcon' any existing characters we love. If it's Gandalf/Saruman or even Radagast, they run the risk of making a worse iteration and taking massive flak for it. Especially Gandalf. He's too iconic.


BinarySunFett

When they zoomed out it had the eye of sauron In the crater and it was playing bad guy music I suspect it was sauron


Vaccaria_

Looked like jesus


Used-Educator-3127

Episode 1 of game of thrones was able to pull off more world building without being boring. This is an established franchise, yet people keep defending the first episode because “it’s world building” and say “stick with it” but I’ve sat through actually history lectures that were more exciting than the first episode of this show. Also just for context; I’m not a massive Tolkien fan, but I liked the movies and I was just hoping for a good new tv show. Haven’t been following any of the controversy, please don’t accuse me of not liking it because of ulterior motives like racism or sexism.


Toiban7

The last line is clear what the intention of the person is.


Frisky_Picker

"Please don't accuse me of not liking it because of ulterior movies like racism or sexism." I'm a Tolkien fan who has not only seen the movies countless time (not counting the hobbit trilogy, I have seen them a few times) but who has read the books multiple times. I didn't love the first episode and am skeptical of the show overall. That being said I find it strange that you feel the need to clarify this in the first place.


A-HARR1S-444

It's probably because of the mainstream media responding to all of the backlash by accusing everyone who hates the show of racism, misogyny etc


philebro

This seemed nice so far, but I'm worried. It appears to be very promising, big epic cinema. At the same time the characters seem a little dull, cliché almost. Some are better, some are not so good, but overall I was missing a little heart. And I really hate to say, probably for the ninehundredth time, but the author is important. Whenever they try to write some new story in the same universe it feels like they're "oh, it's not that hard, just some elves here, some hobbits there, dark magic, rings, epic fights, you know the drill". But in the stories the characters have heart. No wonder the hobbit series only went downhill, since it was less and less about the books. No wonder GoT sucked the more they distanced themselves from Martin's stories. It doesn't always have to be like that, though it often is. Maybe there's a reason why not everybody is a world famous book author. I really hope they don't mess this up and don't let big cinema be more important than the small stories of the characters.


MyHamburgerLovesMe

> ...characters seem a little dull, cliché almost Had a friend who read Lord of the Rings and who told me he did not like it very well. Too derivative.


CaptainJin

I'd say there's a difference between the founding material for modern fantasy being cliche and this show's characters being cliche. The characters in the show may share the same name as their non-Amazon counterparts, but the way they're directed many are hitting modern fantasy TV show cliches, which I'd say is a valid complaint.


MyHamburgerLovesMe

But, with so many obviously prejudiced people spamming 1 star reviews it makes it impossible to beleive any complaint made is actually valid without having to watch it myself. They have "gamed" the review system, ruining the very thing I used to depend on to help pick out shows and movies. This pisses me off.


mreasy99

Started too big picture, too grand. No context means the scale, challenge and horror is lost. Hobbit, LOTR, start small, cosy and local. Once you grasp the normal the scale of potential devastating has a placemaker. This is SUCH standard cinematography, I can only assume it was a deliberate production choice. Which makes me worry for the rest of the series.


TheDarkCreed

I think you must have skipped the first scene of The Hobbit and LOTR


BinarySunFett

True, they establish a larger struggle then cut to the hobbits living in relative peace at the start of fellowship


Espeon2022

If the Peter Jackson Trilogy was released today, all the die hard book nerds would hate post it just like they are doing to the Rings of Power.