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OldestDaughter
Rohan
May 14, 7:17pm
Post #1 of 39
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What are you most excited to see in the new season?
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I feel like we have alot more going on in what the new trailer has shown for season 2.
I personally look forward to seeing the scenes with Sauron, but Charlie Vickers was one of the highlights for the show for me, along with Moria.
"Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world; and the song of Lúthien released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where her feet had passed."
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AshNazg
Grey Havens
May 14, 7:25pm
Post #2 of 39
(1036 views)
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I'm just curious about the plot...
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Particularly how is Sauron going to convince them to make more rings?
Potential spoilers here idk... It looks like Celebrimbor is under some kind of mind control.. perhaps from wearing one of the rings. He has a blank look and is missing a finger.
It'll be interesting to see how things play out.
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OldestDaughter
Rohan
May 14, 7:27pm
Post #3 of 39
(1027 views)
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I'm curious as well, especially with how the previous season ended.
"Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world; and the song of Lúthien released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where her feet had passed."
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DGHCaretaker
Rohan
May 14, 7:30pm
Post #4 of 39
(1029 views)
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A polite devotion to all Tolkien fans without fan-baiting and direct or indirect attacks.
That's really what would excite me.
(This post was edited by DGHCaretaker on May 14, 7:30pm)
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skyofcoffeebeans
Rohan
May 14, 7:38pm
Post #5 of 39
(1019 views)
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just an fyi, the poster asked about what is in the new season
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Not the discourse or supplementary material surrounding the topic.
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OldestDaughter
Rohan
May 14, 7:53pm
Post #6 of 39
(1006 views)
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"Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world; and the song of Lúthien released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where her feet had passed."
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Ataahua
Forum Admin
May 14, 10:44pm
Post #7 of 39
(972 views)
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I loved his Arondir and I'm looking forward to seeing him in action again.
I wish Joseph Mawle was returning, but, ah well.
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Fantasy novel - The Arcanist's Tattoo
My LOTR fan-fiction
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Intergalactic Lawman
Rohan
May 14, 11:37pm
Post #8 of 39
(957 views)
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Nothing. This show should never have been made. It is a stain on the legacy of Tolkien...
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Lieutenant of Dol Guldur
Gondor
May 15, 6:59am
Post #9 of 39
(915 views)
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I always liked the different groups Easterlings and stories about the far East of Middle-earth as well as the mission of the two blue wizards. It's such a vast area with so much potential, different Kingdoms, tribes, magic and cultures and for once ROP has the opportunity to create something really, really new instead of reproducing or closely dancing around the designs of the films as far as it's legally possible. I am tired of all those half-baked references to the films by quoting them in dialogue, character appearances or camera shots. Even the two parts of S1 I visually enjoyed the most (Khazad-dûm, Numenor) basically were heavily inspired by the films design. I want new stuff. Rhûn is completely new since we haven't seen much of it yet besides those Easterlings in the PJ movies.
From the few shots we've gotten by the landscape and coloring of the scenes it seems that they'll go with Arabic and Persian influences but I wouldn't mind seeing a little bit of Eastern Asian elements as well.
"There is only one Lord of the Ring, only one who can bend it to his will. And he does not share power."
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Michelle Johnston
Rohan
May 15, 11:15am
Post #10 of 39
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Leaving aside all the questions surrounding adaption and authenticity I want the story they have decided to tell to be well executed. Good Pacing, story telling and engagement.
With a season under their belt I hope the pacing is better overall, I would like much more taut story telling rather than have the sense I am in the watching waiting room.
On the acting front there are a number of players who need to up their game. Gilgalad and Earien immediately spring to mind and overall Numenorians need to appear more blessed and their arguments with the Elves more philosophical than a kind of their taking our jobs vibe.
I think the main thrust with Sauron Eregion and Moria joined by Numenor could be very exciting but the story line with the Stranger needs to get out of the mystery box and become involved in the larger story.
My Dear Bilbo something is the matter with you! you are not the same hobbit that you were.
(This post was edited by Michelle Johnston on May 15, 11:23am)
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Junesong
Rohan
May 15, 12:02pm
Post #11 of 39
(634 views)
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I think based on what I'm reading (especially thinking back to a few years ago when all the Tolkien influencers were being wined and dined) and seeing from the trailer, I think the showrunners are going to play with chronology more than we think. Here's my theory, broken down into point form:
1) Each season will follow the ring verse. Season one we see the three rings forged. Season two, we get the seven for the dwarves. Season three, the nine for men and in season four, the one ring.
2) My first point brings up obvious problems with the lore but bear me out - I think this is where the chronology starts to play around. I think Season 2 will be full of flashbacks to things that happened during and even before season one regarding Sauron. I think some of the Annatar stuff will be flashbacks showing that Sauron has been among the elves sewing lies for years. I think we'll also find out how and why Halbarand was on that boat.
3) I think the final season will be focused on the War of the Last Alliance.
4) By now, I'm fully onboard with a show that is doing its own thing with timelines and character beats. I think they're trying to make a five volume set that leads really neatly into The Hobbit movies and Fellowship of the Ring. This means I think the Stranger is Gandalf (because I think when we look back at the show after all five seasons, we'll see that the three true main characters throughout have been the three ring bearers from Return of the King (Elrond, Galadriel and Gandalf).
5) If you take this theory, and you're willing to let go of Tolkiens timelines and allow for an adaptation that's extremely accessible to the masses this makes sense. I also think it could be done pretty well and be pretty great. A similar analogy here is how fast Jackson got the ring to Rivendell compared with Tolkien. I love the book and wouldn't change a word - but the movies don't work if they follow the same path.
6) Last night, the wife and I were watching Nerd of the Rings break down the new teaser and he was hoping the stranger was a blue wizard as it would fit better with the lore. My wife immediately said, "What?" Who cares about the blue wizards? You're going to give me a main character wizard over five seasons that I'll never see again in the movies and that don't even really appear in the books? Characters that no one even cares about unless they're a big fan of the books?" And it was a real eye-opener. From a casual fan perspective, or a movie fan perspective, the blue wizards are a non-starter. I'll bet we see them or meet them in the east - likely as villains - but I don't think they'll last more than a season and I'm comfortable putting my money on Gandalf (or maybe Saruman as an outside chance)
Anyway - that's how I see it.
"So which story do you prefer?"
"The one with the tiger. That's the better story."
"Thank you. And so it goes with God."
(This post was edited by Junesong on May 15, 12:05pm)
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Junesong
Rohan
May 15, 12:09pm
Post #12 of 39
(626 views)
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Is it monstrous that the thing I'm most hopeful and excited to see in Season 2 is Celebrimbor being used as a banner for Sauron's armies? It's such a striking image in the prose - I hope they include it.
"So which story do you prefer?"
"The one with the tiger. That's the better story."
"Thank you. And so it goes with God."
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Archestratie
Rohan
May 15, 12:46pm
Post #13 of 39
(612 views)
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I loved his Arondir and I'm looking forward to seeing him in action again.
I wish Joseph Mawle was returning, but, ah well.
I gotta admit, Arondir was the most elf-like of all the elvish characters in the show. I felt the actor truly loved the character and loved Tolkien's lore. I really enjoyed the performance, I just wish he wasn't stuck in a sappy love story.
My Low-Magic Fantasy Novel on eBook/hardback: The Huntsman and the She-Wolf
The Huntsman and the She-Wolf on audio Book.
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Lieutenant of Dol Guldur
Gondor
May 15, 1:49pm
Post #14 of 39
(599 views)
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Blue Wizards... who cares? The audience!
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My wife immediately said, "What?" Who cares about the blue wizards? You're going to give me a main character wizard over five seasons that I'll never see again in the movies and that don't even really appear in the books? Characters that no one even cares about unless they're a big fan of the books?" And it was a real eye-opener. From a casual fan perspective, or a movie fan perspective, the blue wizards are a non-starter.
While I see your (or your wifes) point I don't agree.
First, the show and the films don't happen within the same canon therefore the series doesn't have to lead into PJs films at all. It probably will end with the War of the Last Alliance but it will look totally different than the version we've seen in the FOTR prologue. Especially since we have different actors playing Sauron, Elrond, Gil-Galad, Isildur and Elendil. So it's different either way. I also agree with "Nerd of the Rings" argument that this could be a big plus since the actor as well as the show can make this Stranger character their own without the direct and unfair comparison to Sir Ian McKellens stellar performance as Gandalf in the two film trilogies.
Second, if you haven't read the books before seeing the LOTR or HOBBIT films you probably didn't even know Gandalf or Saruman beforehand, right? Therefore you didn't care about them too. One was the good mentor of the protagonist, the other one was the antagonist in the first two films. That's it. After seeing the film you care because you've seen their stories. Same goes with the Blue Wizards. You don't know them, so who cares right? But why not getting to know them and their stories through five seasons of TV? We have many more hours to see their mission unfold and maybe we even discover why they haven't been in the western areas of Middle-earth during the events of the War of the Ring. Gandalf mentions them in the first Hobbit film if that's your reference. So even in the movie canon they do exist somewhere. But we don't know their story. Gandalf doesn't even remember their names and Tolkien himself wrote different versions of their story which is exciting. There are many possibilities. They could die or succeed in their mission, they could turn into cult leaders or whatever.
Meanwhile if the Stranger is Gandalf, Saruman or Radagast we know where they end up. We know the Stranger can't die. We know he will eventually get the Fire Ring from Cirdan and so on. So from an audience perspective it's much more interesting to not know where the road is going unless you're someone who also reads the plot summary of a movie before you watch it.
"There is only one Lord of the Ring, only one who can bend it to his will. And he does not share power."
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Eruclauron
Bree
May 15, 2:02pm
Post #15 of 39
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I really like this outlook. I think too many people get bogged down with a desire for the gritty facts of a work to be adapted they forget that's not what adaptations are about. The original books aren't going anywhere, this is simply adapting the story for a different medium, and shifting the timelines to make a more clear thru-narrative is a part of that process. I'd rather have a satisfying story told for TV than a word-for-word "adaptation" of the books.
So what if the timeline is different? Are the core themes and idea of the work still present? That should be the most important aspect of any adaptation.Okay, a return PO needs to be done for it.
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OldestDaughter
Rohan
May 15, 3:00pm
Post #16 of 39
(581 views)
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Arondir was one of my favorite elves in the show, and I really like the actor as well. He's liked four of my comments on Instagram, which I think it cool!
"Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world; and the song of Lúthien released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where her feet had passed."
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OldestDaughter
Rohan
May 15, 3:01pm
Post #17 of 39
(580 views)
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I think that will be cool to watch
"Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world; and the song of Lúthien released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where her feet had passed."
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OldestDaughter
Rohan
May 15, 3:02pm
Post #18 of 39
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Totally agree about the Stranger
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"Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world; and the song of Lúthien released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where her feet had passed."
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Junesong
Rohan
May 15, 3:05pm
Post #19 of 39
(577 views)
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I actually totally agree with you.
I guess her point was one from a business standpoint. Like you said, with this being second age it's an opportunity to be fresh and introduce new worlds, lores, characters etc. I think they'll do some of that.
But I think the main motivation of the studios and showrunners is to make money and be successful. So far -they've self-sabotaged a bit in that area, and the culture war has only exacerbated things. But in the main, I think they're trying to reach a big audience and make lots of money.
Hollywood has a pretty rigid track record of sticking to what works and pandering to an audiences nostalgia. They prefer recycling to new creations.
So when you say, the show doesn't need to lead into PJ's films you're 100% right. But I think the will anyway - even though they don't have to, because it might appeal to the studio more. I can see them being convinced that it's the best way to leverage the IP for profit. The deeper the connection to what people already know and love the more likely people are to watch.
That's why even though most Tolkien fans online (or general culture warriors) think it's lame that the stranger is Gandalf, a lot of show fans loved the (potential) reveal. Just my two cents anyway.
"So which story do you prefer?"
"The one with the tiger. That's the better story."
"Thank you. And so it goes with God."
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AshNazg
Grey Havens
May 15, 3:09pm
Post #20 of 39
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I hope the Sauron flashbacks are true...
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I don't like how the three have been made first and if they can somehow retcon that with flashbacks I'd be happy. But I don't think it's the case. They were debating making a crown before they decided on rings, and it seemed like a new idea, so I don't think they had made any before.
No, I think the meteor was Gandalf and Sauron fighting. Sauron looks down mid-fight and sees Galadriel on the ship and Valinor opening up below him, so he kicks Gandalf off to Middle-earth and jumps into the sea to take advantage of the situation. I don't think he's been there for years.
I agree that the blue wizards are not really relevant, and Rhun should really just be a small excursion. I'm sure they will show up as cameos, though. I'd quite like the stranger to be Saruman. We have to remember he was good once. And having him raised by hobbits - who would later be his end - I think is fitting.
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OldestDaughter
Rohan
May 15, 3:11pm
Post #21 of 39
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Even though they can't legally say they are connected
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I think by Weta Workshop being involved in makeup and armor is their way of saying that this series is connected to PJ's films, or at least you can watch them together as one big story without one overlapping.
I want the Stranger as one of the Blues, just because, but I'm starting to see more and more, than he seems to be a younger version of Gandalf. With the Stranger makeup, you can tell he looks like a younger Gandalf. At least I think he does. But if he ends up being one of the Blues, I'd be very happy, because it would show what their involvement in Middle-earth, prior to the Third Age where we saw Gandalf and Saruman being big players, while Radagast was an aide to Gandalf.
And no, you are not a monster for thinking that about Celebrimbor, I think it would make sense.
"Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world; and the song of Lúthien released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where her feet had passed."
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Lieutenant of Dol Guldur
Gondor
May 15, 3:23pm
Post #22 of 39
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We're on the same page here, I think
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I think we're actually on the same page. For me it's probably some sort of hope it's not Gandalf because I am so tired of those same recent reboot, prequel or sequel stories from Hollywood we've gotten since the 2010s which didn't bring anything new but rely solely on nostalgia for the 70s, 80s, 90s and early 2000s. I mean just to quote Disney boss Bob Iger from his own autobiography when talking about George Lucas' reaction to THE FORCE AWAKENS:
"Just prior to the global release, Kathy screened The Force Awakens for George. He didn’t hide his disappointment. 'There’s nothing new,' he said. In each of the films in the original trilogy, it was important to him to present new worlds, new stories, new characters, and new technologies. In this one, he said, 'There weren’t enough visual or technical leaps forward.'"
And that's what we see for many years and that's one of my main complaints about RINGS OF POWER S1. The characters I've enjoyed the most have strangely be either the ones we haven't seen (much of) in the films like the Durins, Disa, Elendil or Pharazon or entirely new ones like Adar or Arondir. But whenever they tried to shoehorn in "fan-service" stuff from the films like the Balrog or certain references, quotes, names and stuff... it fell flat for me. I guess I don't like those strange hybrid monsters we've gotten over the last years.
Amazon did pay a lot for the rights but didn't went the extra mile to either also pay the license fee to Warner Brothers to be able to use their stuff and be official part of the movie canon or do something else entirely and create your own version. Instead we have many creatives of the films working on the show but can't use their original ideas for certain characters, weapons, architecture and more. They limit their creativity without any reason but in the end it all still has to look kind of familiar still. That's not how creativity works. Being creative means no boundaries and being free. Creators should create and not to copy others or even themselves.
"There is only one Lord of the Ring, only one who can bend it to his will. And he does not share power."
(This post was edited by Lieutenant of Dol Guldur on May 15, 3:37pm)
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Archestratie
Rohan
May 15, 3:34pm
Post #23 of 39
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I think based on what I'm reading (especially thinking back to a few years ago when all the Tolkien influencers were being wined and dined) and seeing from the trailer, I think the showrunners are going to play with chronology more than we think. Here's my theory, broken down into point form:
1) Each season will follow the ring verse. Season one we see the three rings forged. Season two, we get the seven for the dwarves. Season three, the nine for men and in season four, the one ring.
I think you're right. And for the slack-jawed popcorn-munchers, it makes sense. Tolkien is hard to follow, especially those who aren't as enfranchised as us on this board. For the purists, I just would suggest waiting until Tolkien's works are in the public domain. By then AI video creation will be advanced enough, you can just plug the book into the chatbox and get a Hollywood quality movie out the other end.
My Low-Magic Fantasy Novel on eBook/hardback: The Huntsman and the She-Wolf
The Huntsman and the She-Wolf on audio Book.
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AshNazg
Grey Havens
May 15, 4:08pm
Post #24 of 39
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The nine rings are probably in S2
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There's a shot in the trailer of Celebrimbor apparently dropping nine rings into a forge. (Possibly binding them in the darkness). He is missing a finger and it makes me wonder if Celebrimbor had one ring on each finger and the nine rings for men are his nine remaining fingers. That would probably be too silly, but who knows with this show.
Edit: actually I'm not sure, there might be six rings. It's extremely hard to pause it on my phone.
(This post was edited by AshNazg on May 15, 4:15pm)
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DwellerInDale
Rohan
May 15, 4:26pm
Post #25 of 39
(547 views)
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Barrow-Wights Getting Burned...
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From the trailer, it seems certain that a party led by Galadriel and Elrond encounter some pretty creepy barrow-wights...and Galadriel dispatches a few with a double flaming arrow. Now, where have I seen such an elvish D-curve bow before? Ah yes...
Don't mess with my favorite female elves.
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