If you’ve read any of staffer greendragon’s past interviews with cast (not just for The Rings of Power, but going back to PJ’s Hobbit movies) you’ll know that craft and creation of character is something she loves to explore. So Gravelle was the ideal interviewee, gladly taking a deep dive (ha, suitable for Númenor) into what motivates and drives Pharazôn, and what might be in store for the character in Season Three. He also talks about growing up in Wales, and how that land of myth may have prepared him to be a part of Tolkien’s world.
Trystan Gravelle as Pharazôn
Here’s what he had to say:
greendragon: Hi, Trystan, good morning. It’s an absolute pleasure to chat with you; thanks for taking the time this morning. How are you doing?
Trystan Gravelle: I’m good, thank you! I’ve been enjoying the series. I’ve been sitting down like everybody else and just getting blown away by some of the battle scenes and the fantastic scenes between the two Charlies [Edwards and Vickers], Sauron and Celebrimbor. I’ve absolutely been loving it.
GD: How amazing is both the writing of that battle of wills, and their playing of it? Just spectacular.
TG: Oh yeah, really fantastic. You can really empathize with Charlie [Edwards] and you sympathize with him and you feel for him, but also you can see that, like everybody else, he’s fallen for it; fallen for the charms of this master manipulator. It’s fantastically done I think.
GD: It is! If I had any complaint about Season Two, it might be that I didn’t get enough of Pharazôn, one of my favourite characters – I love the Númenor scenes and plots. But we did get that amazing moment with the eagle! That was pretty spectacular. Were you pleased when you saw that finished and brought to life, when the episode came out?
TG: Oh, yes, absolutely. Yes. You know, you’re always living the dream when you’re on set, and it’s always great when you’re in these epic scenes. It’s just fantastic, the whole experience of it; to see it brought to life like that is something else.
I also like doing the intimate scenes, with Cynthia [Addai-Robinson, who plays Míriel] and Kemen [Leon Wadham]. It’s always lovely because you’ve got two different ways of being, I guess. You’re held accountable to Queen Míriel – or have been, in the past, to the Queen Regent- and with Kemen you have free rein to be yourself. I enjoy doing those scenes with those two, because there is one where there is this glass ceiling and you have to watch what you say; there are consequences to what you say and do with Cynthia. Then with Leon there are none, and it’s interesting to see. You know, they say the true measure of a person is how he treats people he doesn’t need to be polite to. I mean, that should never be the case in any scenario in life, it’s ridiculous – but you know what I mean…
Pharazôn uses the eagle for his own political ends
Father/son relationships
GD: Yes, totally. I was actually going to ask you, how do you perceive his relationship with Kemen? Because there doesn’t seem to be much fatherly love going on there. Why is he the way he is with Kemen?
TG: It’s definitely an abusive relationship, for sure. One could argue that he is utilitarian, that he maybe doesn’t feel the same way as other people. Another argument, as well, is that he is just a little bit more old-fashioned, a bit more traditional in his approach to his own son, and demands these high standards be met. Which is very hypocritical, because Pharazôn knows where he came from. He knows his roots; whereas Kemen, as we saw in episode five, doesn’t. So there’s a kind of rootlessness to Kemen, I believe.
Whereas with Pharazôn, he is very much aware of who he is and where he comes from. So the whole thing, you know, when you have the older generation going, to the younger generation, ‘Oh, you’re too soft, you’re lazy, you’re ill-disciplined.’ And maybe the older generation just had it easier than the younger generation! Times were simple, and you knew who you were. You didn’t have all this complexity to deal with.
Or it could just be that, as we saw, that sort of sociopathic behavior is just intrinsic within him. I mean, I know the truth [of the character] – but I think there’s an argument for both there.
Climb every mountain…
GD: So what is his real goal? Season Two has very much been the tale of the two Charlies, of Celebrimbor and Annatar, and that face-off and the forging of rings. And with Númenor, although obviously key things have happened, I feel very much that it’s been setting the pieces on the board for what we’re presumably going to see in Season Three. It has set us up in a very precarious and significant place, with Elendil going west, and Pharazôn and Míriel, and all of their tension.
So what do you perceive as being his real goal? Is it just power in Númenor? Is he looking beyond that? He mentioned immortality, and obviously there’s some envy of the Elves there. What’s driving him?
TG: I think he always had this glass ceiling. We saw him in the first season, and the beginning of the second, where Chancellor is as high as it could possibly get for him; and there you have to, like I was saying, watch what you say and what you do. You’re a totally different person to when the reins are off. And there’s an argument – some might say he’s more suited to be king, than Míriel was to be queen. But there’s also another argument as well, that if it was never meant for you to be king – because it was meant to go to Míriel anyway – then are you, as a person, ready yourself; have you prepared your own mind?
And I think what we saw in episode five is that now he realizes there’s no ceiling for him. He can act with impunity. There are going to be no repercussions, whatever he does. He is the most powerful person in the most powerful kingdom in Tolkien’s earth. So what does that do to you? You start looking outwards and you go, ‘Well, what else is there?’
We’re getting to the core of him now, actually; maybe he’s been lying to himself. What it is, is: ‘I don’t want to die. I found this second wind and it’s actually better than what I used to be’ – when Pharazôn was in his prime, you know, on the high seas and everything. We haven’t seen that, with him as Chancellor. We’ve seen him in the role of Chancellor. And now we’re going to get to see this guy rediscover his past glories; and it might be better than what he had [before]. He’s never been in this position before, where he’s not accountable to anybody.
GD: It sounds a bit like whatever he attains, he’s always going to be looking for what’s over the next mountain; it’s never like, ‘Oh, good, I’ve got this!’
TG: That’s a very human thing, because everything just sometimes seems to be such a chore, you know? We don’t help ourselves sometimes; we make it harder for ourselves. I think that in the human world – in Tolkien’s realm, the world of men – everything is to be overcome. Nature is to be overcome. You’re not meant to have this incredible relationship with nature like the Elves do; and – more complex and slightly brutal, I guess l, but it’s still in sympatico – what the Dwarves have; and what the Hobbits have. The world of men, they have to really work hard to overcome it. They don’t have that time; even though Númenoreans live longer than your average man, they still don’t have that time to be at peace with the ocean and watch trees grow, and have the same relationship with mountains and everything. Everything is to be overcome. There is hardship in their world; and when they overcome that, I guess it’s just in them [to look for] what’s next. The grass is always greener; there will always be something that needs doing; and it’s fast lane till crash! I think that kind of typifies us men, you know – where we go in this world and in Tolkien’s world!
What does the Palantír reveal?
The vision in the Palantír
GD: That’s really interesting, what you’re saying – that even for the Númenoreans with their longer life, it’s still a finite amount of life. And so there’s always that sense of the sands of time running – and fear as a motivator. I’m interested in the motivator of fear for Pharazôn, with what he saw in the Palantír; what has that done to him and his outlook, or his drive?
TG: I mean, it’s really plugged something and it’s really channeled something in him: fear, desperation, anger, a loss of pride, I would say. Because I think he thinks that he’s the ultimate chess player. He is Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen rolled into one, he likes to think! So the fact that somebody may have violated his mind is galling, and it’s something that he may never get over.
I think we’re going to see the repercussions from that; and everything that he does from now on is as a direct result, maybe, from that. If you’ve built yourself up to be sort of physically and psychologically impenetrable, and to have the measure of everybody, and then to get foiled – or at least there’s something may have happened which didn’t come to your attention, which you weren’t aware of; what does that make you do, how does that make you feel? I think we’re going to see somebody who is hurting from that. That really smacked hard, I think!
GD: That’s fascinating. So for you, a lot of the damage that the Palantír does for him is not necessarily what he sees in it, but the fact that he sees anything; that whoever is on the other end of that ‘call’ has the power to present things into his mind.
TG: Exactly! And also, I always say that being a King’s man is an idea, an ideology, and the Faithful is more like a religion; and all of a sudden this antiquated religion has this resource that is far beyond anything that you’ve comprehended before. But you’re down this path now; and you know it’s the right path…
And the fury that these people kept this from you – this form of sorcery, or whatever it is, has been kept from you! You’ve lived in ignorance because your uncle decided to keep you in ignorance, and so did your cousin. There’s going to be repercussions for anybody who is involved there, I think! How dare they do that? How dare they live with that knowledge and not share it?
Because you’ve got to remember, Pharazôn’s knowledge, everything that Pharazôn is, he’s worked hard for. That’s him. You could say it’s pure talent and discipline for Pharazôn, pure discipline and hard work. He’s earned that place. Whereas if Míriel has had this wisdom from looking at a crystal ball – it’s almost a cheap trick! And that’s infuriating – that you [Míriel] have just been given this privileged life, whereas I’ve had to work hard for everything to be me. I’ve had to go through everything that I’ve gone through, whereas maybe you’ve taken a shortcut. I don’t think that’s fair! And I think I’m going to let people know about that as well – things are about to change!
The Pharazôn/Annatar chess match to come
GD: Well, obviously not giving anything away for the content of future episodes, but we know – those of us who’ve read the book – that if it was the Annatar/Celebrimbor show in Season Two, it’s going to be your turn to face off with Sauron coming up. It’s very interesting, what you say about Pharazôn’s belief in his own ability to play chess; and that pride is possibly going to cost him dear when he comes up against the ultimate deceiver. But he presumably feels like, ‘No, no, I can definitely have the upper hand here!’
TG: Well, yeah, it’s funny because, you know, with the relationship between Annatar and Celebrimbor, they were going towards a goal. They were inspiring each other – even though Celebrimbor was being gaslit like you couldn’t believe, poor guy! But they had this goal that they were going towards, and they produced their best work… Whereas I think the relationship between Sauron and Pharazôn is going to be… I’m not predicting anything, but it is starting out where Pharazôn might feel sort of 1-0 down in some game.
I definitely think Pharazôn is going to be very front-footed, and try to establish dominance. I mean, that’s the way he is anyway, but especially after he’s seen what he’s seen; I think there’s definitely going to be… well, we’re not going towards some goal here.
Everything exists on Númenor – like the animals – everything exists there now for the world of men. It didn’t used to be like that; and way back when, before Pharazôn’s time, I think there was a disenchantment with everything on the island, and there was a change, wasn’t there? Even though we live longer [than ordinary men], it’s like they seem to age just a little bit quicker with their bitterness towards the Elves and stuff. I [Pharazôn] think Sauron is going to be just another a tool [he can use] to sort of, I don’t know, just unlock the meaning of life for me, I think.
GD: Or so he hopes!
TG:[laughs] Exactly!
Growing up in Wales
GD: We’ve got three fabulous Welsh lead actors in this show. There’s you, there’s Morfydd [Clark, who plays Galadriel], and there’s Owain [Arthur, who plays Durin IV]. I was reading an interview the other day with Morfydd where she was saying how great it was to be able to speak a little Welsh on set. It made me think… Obviously there are a lot of fantastic Welsh actors! But I wonder also if there’s something about mythology and this kind of high fantasy, which is sort of in the blood for the Welsh. Wales is such a land of myth, and dragon, and King Arthur and Uther Pendragon, and all of that. I wonder if that perhaps gives you guys a bent towards this kind of storytelling?
TG: I think the landscape… Definitely we are, for the most part – and definitely historically – we’re molded by our environment; as everybody is molded by their environment. I think, looking at Season Two with the Elves, when they speak Quenya, Sindarin, it does sound Welsh. It’s like, ‘Oh, that’s Welsh, but I can’t really decipher it. Oh, I kind of understood that word there.’ You know, it sounds very, very similar. It’s as if somebody is speaking Welsh, but you go, hang on a second…They’re in the next room or something!
And I think growing up in Wales… My childhood was growing up in the South Wales coalfield there. I grew up in a council estate on the edge of town with all these woods, and the beach not far. So, yeah, it was climbing trees; it could be an Elven lifestyle, if you like. It could be a Hobbit lifestyle sometimes -people going down the pub and regaling each other with tales. And rugby was a big part of the community; so it’s kind of like that very Dwarven, sort of masculine culture. Yeah, it does lend itself, definitely, to Tolkien’s world, being Welsh. I definitely saw it as an advantage for me to get into character and everything, for sure. Or – because obviously Númenor is different – at least to have a sense of it all.
I mean, seeing the films and reading the books, you know it does speak to you. You go, ‘Oh that is like my childhood: idyllic, rough and tumble and very tough at times…’ You know the boys that you grew up with, they’re all tough. Nothing comes easy; but it is idyllic at the same time.
The Rings of Power ensemble at SDCC
The wonders of San Diego Comic Con
GD: I wanted to finish by asking you, how did you enjoy San Diego Comic Con this year and Hall H? Was that your first time experiencing something on that scale?
TG: The first time I experienced it was in 2022, and that blew me away; and this time as well! I’m always blown away by it! I have such fond memories every time I go to America anyway; I have fond memories whichever city I’m in, whichever state I’m in. They’re so generous, they’re so welcoming and hospitable, and everybody just has been so friendly every time I’ve gone to America. I really have had the champagne experience of it! It’s a wonderful place; and San Diego is definitely a place I hold dear in my heart, for sure.
GD: Well I, for one, can’t wait to see how your story will unfold in Season Three. I’m a big fan of what we’ve seen in Númenor, and of all of the cast who create that world. It’s interesting that you use the chess metaphor; I feel like that chess board is just so delicately poised right now. And we’re going to plunge in there – which is perhaps unfortunate terminology to use for Númenor! – but we’re going to plunge in there for Season Three.
TG: Very apt! Yeah, it’s going to be fun to do; and fun to watch it unfold, I think.
The complete The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 is now available on Prime Video. You can find the Rings and Realms Season 2 Retrospective here.
One week on from the drawing to a close of Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, here at TORn we are enjoying the opportunity to rewatch and reflect on all eight episodes as one story arc. Scenery, design, costumes, music – all are compelling. Perhaps the greatest asset of this show, however, is the extraordinary cast. Brought together by skilled casting directors, they are an enormously talented group who rarely put a foot wrong, delivering even the occasional clunky lines of the script with style and aplomb.
Hazeldine at San Diego Comic Con
Some members of this team are experienced theatrical actors, and their stage craft is evident in their creation of character. One such is Sam Hazeldine, who had the unenviable task of stepping into the role of Adar for Season 2. Joseph Mawle’s rendition of the character was, for many, one of the highlights of Season 1. When I met Hazeldine at San Diego Comic Con, I was curious to know if he felt daunted, taking on the mantle of an already popular performance. He told me that the strength of Mawle’s performance actually made it easier to take on the role; because he enjoyed and admired the choices Mawle had made, he found it easy to run with them, whilst also finding his own way into the mind of the ‘father’ of the orcs (or as Adar would prefer, Uruks).
Actor Sam Hazeldine – and seen as Adar
Weeks later, with the final episode of Season 2 airing, I had the opportunity to chat with Hazeldine again, and see how he felt now that his Adar was out there.
Here’s what he had to say:
greendragon: The last time we met was at San Diego Comic Con. We talked then briefly about stepping in and taking on the mantle of a role that had been played by another actor in Season 1, and you seemed very calm about it. I wonder how you’re feeling now that the season is out, and what reaction you’ve picked up on from viewers?
Sam Hazeldine: It seems to be positive!
GD: Did you have any trepidation at all?
SH: You know, somebody had to take over the role. I was lucky enough it was me! Even if it was a kind of beloved performance [from Joseph Mawle], the fact of the matter is it wasn’t going to be the same actor anymore anyway. So I guess it was just incumbent upon me to try and uphold and continue in the direction that the previous actor was going, and just to do my best. And yeah, I guess I did feel comfortable about that and, as I said before, it made it easier that I really liked Joseph, and the character that he – and the showrunners, obviously – had created. So it was a pleasure, really, that’s all. It’s nice that it seems to have been responded to well.
I think Adar has a new mission in Season 2, anyway; so it is a slight divergence from what went before in those terms. But [I was] trying to keep the conflict that I felt, with Joseph’s performance, was one of the greatest things about it; and understanding why that is. I think that more of that’s been revealed in Season 2 – or it’s been alluded to: what he’s been through, and why he feels this enormous burden of responsibility for his children.
Adar’s care for the Uruks
GD: I wonder – in your interpretation of the character, how ruthless do you think he is? It’s very interesting to me that he’s been, in some ways, a very sympathetic character; surprisingly so, because for most of Season 1, he was the knowable villain that we had, and yet he’s been very sympathetic. But as Season 2 has unfolded, we have seen more ruthlessness from him, and maybe some of the care seems to be falling away, particularly in the last two episodes of the show.
SH: I think it’s a case of … it’s not even cruel to be kind. I mean, he understands the existential threat that the resurgence of Sauron imposes to the Uruk. So it’s just what has to be done, really. You know, he says at any cost, at one point – which worries Glûg immensely. But I don’t think anybody understands; I don’t think anyone else was there, when Sauron was there before. I don’t think they really, truly understand how dangerous he is, and the threat that he poses to the Uruk. It’s Adar’s responsibility to know that, to do something about that, and to try to lead them to victory against Sauron. Even if half of the Uruk are killed, then at least the rest will be free at the end of it. Otherwise it’s curtains for everyone!
And I mean, Adar certainly knows that he himself is done for, but I don’t think he really cares about himself at this point. I think he is doing it just purely to save his children.
GD: There’s that great line where you say something like that you love them so much that you cannot allow them to become slaves.
SH: Sauron’s slaves, yeah, exactly. I believe he’s telling the truth.
GD: He does seem to be a character who tells the truth, which is a contrast [with Sauron].
SH: Yeah… There’s a little bit of cunning and deception, extracting information from Galadriel in episode six. And in the stuff with Charlie [Vickers] – with Halbrand in the jail cell early on [episode one]. Adar is aware that he could be Sauron, and he’s taken the beatings in that jail cell no human could take; but it’s like there’s nothing he can physically do. He needs to know for certain that he is Sauron – and he’s giving nothing away – so we let him go. It was a contentious point at the time; while we were filming it I wanted to understand. I was like well, why would I let him go?
There is a ‘one upman’ thing there, of who can outsmart the other; who’s the smartest? It’s a really bold – slightly foolish! it’s his undoing really – move of Adar’s; but he does try to outsmart Sauron, who is the great deceiver. You know, it’s never going to go well!
Adar leads the Uruks into battle
One of the first Elves?
GD: I wonder if that sense of maybe being able to outsmart Sauron is partly because Adar is one of the most ancient characters in the show. (Forget Tom Bombadil for a minute!) He is presumably one of the Elves from the first awakening of the Elves. How much did you fill in? (I thought we might actually get a name for him when I was watching episode eight!)
SH: I know! We made up a lot of names, some of them very silly – but I won’t go into them!
GD: How much of a backstory did you have in your own mind, about the centuries that this character has been alive?
SH: I thought about it a lot. I loved that there was a line of Joseph’s in his first scene, with Ismael [Cruz Córdova] where he says, ‘I went down that river once. The banks were covered in sage blossoms…’ It had this kind of beauty and nostalgia of a life past, and a life lost, and that sort of sense… I don’t think he [Mawle] necessarily did it with regret, but it felt like there was something of that in there, for me. From then on it made me think that Adar regrets his decision to volunteer [to serve Morgoth] in order to get more power and to have children. He was duped, obviously, but I think that he must have been a very unhappy elf, you know – dissatisfied. He wanted more; I think he must have felt that he wasn’t given the respect he wanted – or felt he should have had, perhaps. And that dissatisfaction led to him wanting more – which is a very relatable thing. All humans want more, really – and that’s where the problems begin!
So I think over these centuries, for thousands of years, he feels he is responsible, in his mind anyway – or in part responsible – for the creation of the uruk as a race who are cannon fodder. He’s created lives that are going to be miserable; and it’s his fault, as far as he is concerned. So his raison d’etre is to take care of these Uruk as best he can, knowing that he is responsible for them. I think that’s all he really cares about.
Morgoth’s crown returns at the end of Season 2
To be returned via Nenya [the ring of power worn by Galadriel], being healed by Nenya [in episode eight]; to have a glimpse, a really stark reminder of his life prior to that deal with Sauron and Morgoth… I think he’s finally got to a place he’s dreamed of millions of times since then – which is that he wishes he’d just been happy with what he had, and remained an Elf, and lived – possibly died – an Elf. But it’s too late now. It’s this incredible moment for him, and I think it stops him in his tracks. And that’s why he doesn’t go on and kill Sauron. He can’t do it; he can’t face him.
You know in Superman 2, when he loses his super powers? I felt like it was like that; it’s like his armour is gone and he’s starkly reminded of his fragility – and his “humanity”, in a way, as well. And so he needs Galadriel to take the mantle and to finish the job for him, because he can’t do it.
GD: It was a breathtaking moment to see him healed whilst wearing the ring; and it felt, to me at least, like an extremely noble gesture that he gave it back. That speaks something of his character. It’s interesting what you’re saying, that he perhaps couldn’t go on and so he had to give it back; but then it shows you something about an inherent depth to his persona, that he doesn’t say, ‘Aha, now I have this ring and it’s given me power!’
SH: And to take the rings from her as well – she’s got nine rings with her! I mean he succeeds, really, ultimately, in gaining the respect of the Elves. Galadriel is a very high Elf; and I think they feel like equals at that point. And that is something that he never had before, and that is the respect that he wanted. You know, it’s like the evil step-sister at the wedding – you’re the same as them, but you just feel like you’ve been cast out. And I think it’s as simple as that, that he finally has the respect of the Elves; or of Galadriel anyway. It’s a kind of homecoming for him, in a way.
GD: Unfortunately, though, he doesn’t have the love of some of his Uruks anymore by then.
SH: Because they don’t understand that he’s doing it all for them. And I think him being in Elven form is the last straw… First of all, he’s trying to make a deal with Elves, and they [the Uruks] don’t like that, and then he is an Elf again.
GD: It’s like ‘He was never really one of us.’
SH: Exactly. Can he be trusted with our fates anymore?
GD: And so you’ve just got your feet under the table, and now (presumably) we’re not going to see Adar anymore! That’s very sad, because he’s been a very popular character. He was created with a lot of regard, I think, for Tolkien’s writing, and cleverly combines various different origin stories that Tolkien had for the orcs: in some of the stories they were made, and in some of them they were corrupted Elves, so the showrunners have kind of combined the two. You’ve got ‘made’ orcs and a corrupted Elf. But it speaks a lot for both, first of all, Joseph Mawle’s performance, and then your performance, that this character has been so loved by the viewers in spite of not being a canon Tolkien character.
SH: Yes. I’m really glad of that. You know, Joseph is the one who started that. It’s a great character.
That kiss in episode 7…
GD: I have to ask you, before we come to the end of our time: there’s been a lot of reaction to the kiss between Galadriel and Elrond.
SH: You know, we talked about that a lot at the time, obviously.
GD: I was just going to ask you how Adar perceives it. He’s the one in the room at the time. From his angle, how does he perceive it?
SH: I was going to say “awks”! [laughs] Really bad pun, sorry! But anyway…
Robert Aramayo as Elrond
I saw a video – I think it was on Instagram – of Rob Aramayo talking about it, and I agreed with him completely. Nobody thinks about things more than Rob does. He is such a massive Tolkien fan and just such a clever and thoughtful guy. And yeah, as humans, we think, ‘Oh, romantic!’ – but it isn’t romantic. It’s a dear, dear friend; they’ve been through so much together – especially within the time of these two seasons. He’s not really sacrificing her, because he’s planning to save her – but there’s a chance [she might die]. But he gives her the thing so (hopefully) she can get away. Which she does! [feigns Adar-ish dismay] Yeah, that’s another story…
I think the kiss is transcendent. It’s a moment of pure beauty, as far as I’m concerned; of tenderness and real love. And it could be… when I say brotherly, sisterly, I’m not suggesting that brothers and sisters should be kissing each other on the mouth here in our world! If my sister reads this… [laughs] But this is different. This is Middle-earth and, you know, they have millennia between them and it’s a beautiful moment.
GD: Hearing you say that makes me think for Adar there’s some pathos there; because maybe that is the respect and love and camaraderie that he would have liked to have had with another Elf.
SH: Absolutely, yes. You’re absolutely right – that’s a really good point.
GD: Now I need to go back and watch it again from that perspective!
SH: I’ve actually watched episode 7 twice, because I loved it so much. Charlotte [Brändström, the director] did such an incredible job; and I love Bear’s music at the end. Bear is just great.
GD: Well, Sam, I’d love to say I’ll see you at the next press event; but unfortunately, perhaps not! – because I think your time in this version of Middle-earth has come to an end.
SH: I know, I know. It’s so sad.
GD: It has been such a pleasure to meet you and to hear a bit of your insight. Thank you for the seriousness with which I know you and all the cast approach your characters – with absolute seriousness. We really appreciate that as viewers, that there’s a professionalism and a depth of approach that is in no way dismissive of the work, or of fantasy as a genre.
SH: Yeah, not at all. It [fantasy] is everything! And thank you as well!
The complete The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 is now available on Prime Video. Look for TORn’s interview with Trystan Gravelle (Pharazôn), coming soon!
Oaths hold an astonishing power in Tolkien’s Middle-earth. Here, TORn Discord member Narrative Epicure explores how Sauron and Elrond’s understanding of this fact drives each to behave very differently toward others.
~ Staffer Demosthenes
Concerning Oaths in Middle-earth
by TORn Discord member Narrative Epicure
In December 3018 of the Third Age, everybody’s lucky number was nine. After an involuntary white-water rafting trip down the Bruinen, Sauron’s Nazgûl returned to Mordor. These servants, so long bound to him by works he wrought in ages past, gathered once more in the dark shadow of Barad-dûr. In the Elven realm of Rivendell, Lord Elrond prepared a Fellowship whose journey would determine the fate of Middle-earth.
“The Company of the Ring shall be Nine;”1 he declared, “and the Nine Walkers shall be set against the Nine Riders that are evil.”2
Contrasts between the Ringwraiths and the Fellowship are legion, but in their preparations, one particular distinction reveals the nature of the hands that send them: while Sauron insists on sending servants bound to him by rings of power, Elrond demands nothing of anyone but Frodo (to not cast away the ring or deliver it to an Enemy). To the fellowship, he says, “no oath or bond is laid upon you.”3
As they depart on their journey south, he demands no promise from the nine he sent.
This difference between Elrond and Sauron is illustrative of each lord’s perspective on oaths and—to a larger degree—of the way each lord interacts with and treats the people of Middle-earth.
Concerning Oaths
Oaths and promises are fascinating subjects that could fill volumes on their own. On a surface level, an oath is a set of words promising some conduct or restraint. Yet, the way we treat an oath transforms it from a set of words to a power. In our own world, this power is usually subtle, intangible, and typically confined to the effects on psyche, trust, or the occasional legal ramification. In large part, oaths have over us what power we give them. In Middle-earth, this intangible power becomes tangible. Tolkien writes of oaths not only as if they have power, but as if they behave.
Oaths are living things that bless those who honor them, and occasionally impose consequences on oathbreakers. Tolkien describes the Oath of Fëanor (an oath that drives much of the action and conflict of the First Age) as “ever at work,”4 and on other occasions he says it has “slept now for a time.”5
In The Lord of the Rings, we see the terrible result of going back on your word when the Men of Dunharrow break oaths to fight Sauron and Isildur curses them to “rest never until [their] oath is fulfilled.”6
Tolkien’s writing ascribes another unique trait to oaths: they bind people to each other. Tolkien’s Legendarium offers many examples of this: the Oath of Eorl bound Rohan and Gondor together, the Oath of Finrod bound him to aid the kin of Barahir (at the cost of his life), and the sons of Fëanor were “bound by the oath”7 they swore.
But the people of Middle-earth can be bound even without oaths. When Melkor darkened the two Trees of Valinor, the Valar determined that the light of the Silmarils could restore the trees if Fëanor allowed their use. Fëanor refused. The Silmarillion describes him as “fast bound” to the Silmarils. Long before his oath, the love of his crafts bound him.
It was this binding power that Sauron would seek to replicate. In the Second Age, he bent the power of oaths back on itself, twisting it into the shape of rings, “for his desire was to set a bond upon the Elves.”8
Bound by Oaths
In Season 1 of the Rings of Power, young Elrond describes his outlook on oaths. “To some, [oaths] may now hold little weight, but in my esteem, it is by such things our very souls are bound.”9
He sees oaths as Tolkien wrote of them, and he uses them to build a web of collective strength. Elrond gives oaths. He enters them freely as a show of loyalty to those he cares about. Some may argue he enters them too freely.
Yet, despite the impetuous manner in which he binds himself to others, he’s hesitant to let others make oaths to him. When the Fellowship departs, and he asks no oath or bond, he explains some of his reasoning (paraphrased to just dialogue):
Gimli: “Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.” Elrond: “Maybe, but let him not vow to walk in the dark who has not seen the nightfall.” Gimli: “Yet sworn word may strengthen quaking heart.” Elrond: “Or break it.”10
He’s cautious to hold others to promises made without all facts. We see this again in the mines when he stops Durin from sharing his true name—an act that, while not an overt oath, would have bound the two together. And while he freely binds himself, he’s cautious with whom he makes such promises. Note that in Season 2, when Galadriel asks, he immediately refuses to swear any promise “whose asking is born of that ring.”11
But seconds later, he swears exactly what she wishes, only this time to her. He will not suffer himself to be bound to or by her ring, but holds no qualms for his friend. And despite his fears that she is bound to Sauron through that ring, he demands no similar oath from her lips.
At his core, Elrond believes oaths are about people. He cares much more about binding himself to others than binding them to him. He cares deeply about them. When he stumbled into Durin’s Mithril mine in Season 1, he wasn’t looking for mithril itself like Durin suspected. He was looking for his friend. He worried about Durin’s secrets and went there to maintain trust between them.
After swearing an oath to Durin, he’s given a nugget of mithril, which he immediately offers to return. His king sought that ore, but to Elrond, this was always about his friend. Incidentally, this outlook works to his favor. Durin never would have given him the mithril if it were why he came lurking.
Bound in Darkness
If Elrond is the give, Sauron is the take. Elrond builds strength, Sauron builds power. To the dark lord, the purpose of oaths is to ensure those beneath him remain subservient. We see this in the very terminology he uses. He almost always eschews the word “oaths” in favor of “binding.” He doesn’t want to forge webs like Elrond; he wants to forge chains.
Sauron is cautious about oaths he swears. When faced with no alternative, he tries to manipulate them in his favor. “I swear to serve the lord of Mordor”12 is the juicy example that springs to mind. He’s there to bind others to him, not the other way around. Oaths don’t show loyalty or closeness, they keep others in line.
In the finale of Season 1, he asks Galadriel to bind herself to him. What he wants from Galadriel is a promise—an oath—so he can make her a queen, fair as the sea and the sun, stronger than the foundations of the earth. But notice again his subtlety. He offers her effectively nothing. “You bind me to light, and I bind you to power.”13
In exchange for her legitimizing his “healing” of Middle-earth, he binds her to power. But in Sauron’s estimation, he is that power. He binds her to him, and in exchange, she validates his rule. But as Gandalf famously warned Saruman, “he does not share power.”14
He’s promised her only chains.
Since he cannot elicit true loyalty, Sauron must demand it. He can deceive and win hearts, but he cannot keep them. It is this inability to earn true loyalty that—in part—drives Sauron’s need for the rings. Elrond cares for people while Sauron seeks only what he can use from them.
Each ring of power is a literal manifestation of that search for utility. If the people of Middle-earth will not swear to him, he will find some other way to bind them to him.
Frodo observed that “the Shadow . . . can only mock, it cannot make: not real new things of its own.”15
Unable to make bonds and elicit oaths, Sauron mocks, imitating the power of an oath’s bond with his rings. That involuntary bond shreds trust, but he doesn’t need trust when he has control. Dominate some creatures, bind others, make empty promises, and—when your army is threatening enough—maybe some people will swear with less coercion and deception.
And so, nine walkers set out from Rivendell, each a hero, while nine riders set out from Mordor, each a thrall. Sauron told us his plan from a prison cell in Númenor: “identify what it is that [a person] most fears . . . [and] give them a means of mastering it so you can master them.”16
Elrond’s line of thinking would likely be more along the lines of “identify what it is that a person most fears, and swear to protect them from it.”
With that contrast laid out, it’s clear in which fellowship you’d find better company.
About the author:Narrative Epicure is an aspiring loremaster and practicing attorney longing to read or write things that aren’t legal. When he’s not buried in Tolkien’s Legendarium, he enjoys books, board games, and other activities with his Fellowship, which includes his wife and three daughters.
If you have a Tolkien/Middle-earth inspired poem you’d like to share, then send it to poetry@theonering.net. One poem per person may be submitted each month. Please make sure to proofread your work before sending it in. TheOneRing.net is not responsible for poems posting with spelling or grammatical errors.
Webcrawler is back this week to break down the events of Episode 5 of The Rings of Power. Read and enjoy. And, remember, you’re welcome to join our ongoing discussions on TheOneRing.net’s Discord Server.
~ Staffer Demosthenes
Recap: The Rings of Power Episode 5
by TORn Discord moderator Webcrawler
Season 2, Episode 5
Titled “Halls of Stone”, a direct reference to the second line of the Ring Verse.
“Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone…”
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring. Book 1, Chapter 2: The Shadow of the Past
There are four regional plots we follow in this episode:
Lindon
Two very short scenes; the first is High-King Gil-galad reading Lord Celebrimbor’s letter, sent from Eregion. In the letter, Celebrimbor congratulates the High King on the success of the Three Rings in restoring Lindon, and mentions that he has shut down the forge as requested. Invites Gil-galad to visit Eregion when he can. Gil-galad looks concerned and in deep thought; one his commanders ask about sending forces to attack Mordor.
Gil-galad sees visions due to the effect of Vilya, which seem to foreshadow the calamity of Eregion, including the dammed up riverbed. Elrond is seen running back towards Lindon, having left Galadriel to fend off the orcs alone. He arrives at Lindon and offers Nenya to Gil-galad, stating that Galadriel was correct and Eregion was about to be attacked by orcs. Gil-galad says he believes Sauron is the architect of this, and mentions the elves are not strong enough to fight Adar and Sauron.
Númenor
Four scenes; We see a city near the shore, covered in fog with a visible tower; it is Avallónë on Tol Eressëa. Pharazôn speaks to Kemen about it, speculating that the elves put it there on purpose to remind Men of the immortality they cannot have.
Pharazôn has a task for Kemen, which involves removing power from those who would still support Míriel’s claim to the throne of Númenor. Among those are Elendil, who willingly turns in his sword and captaincy, even after Eärien pleads with him to renounce his support of Míriel for mercy. The other Faithful Sea Guardsmen chant ‘Captain’, much to the chagrin of Kemen.
Míriel and Elendil talk in the Elven Tower on Númenor, with Míriel advising Elendil to stay calm and not start an uprising. She asks him what he saw in the palantír. He speaks of a vision of himself leaving Armenelos on horseback; Míriel believes that since his vision is different from the one she used to see, that Númenor’s fortunes have changed and the doom has passed.
Elendil, Valandil, and a group of the Faithful are doing a ceremony to mourn the lives lost on the expedition to the Southlands. It is interrupted by Kemen, who states the temple is to be condemned to make way for a new aqueduct. A conflict ensues, and Kemen and Valandil fight each other. Valandil wins and has a sword pointed at Kemen; Elendil tells him to stand down. Valandil complies and drops his sword and begins to walk away; however Kemen picks it up and stabs Valandil through the back, killing him; Kemen then has Elendil arrested, accusing him of starting the fight.
Khazad-dûm
The Seven rings of the Dwarves are sent to King Durin, who puts on the largest one, with a blue gemstone. Using it, he is able to see everything in the Mountains of Khazad-dûm, including where to dig to open up a light shaft.
Durin IV is doubtful of his father, but nonetheless tells Narvi, who clears out the area of other dwarves while King Durin digs at a foundation wall. King Durin successfully opens up a light shaft, and credits the use of the dwarven ring. Later, he invites emissaries from the other dwarven realms, telling them that if their lords in the other realms offer tribute of gold and jewels, he will give them a ring.
Disa has doubts about the new rings, as they allow the King to do what she used to with resonating. Disa goes down into a cave and tries resonating; but something deep in the caverns bellows out at her. Durin IV tries to tell his father about this, but the dwarven ring has altered King Durin’s behavior.
He chooses to continue forward with digging even deeper into Khazad-dûm for gold and mithril. He reinstates Durin IV as Prince Durin, and offers one of the seven dwarven rings to his son. Prince Durin later goes home to Disa, who asks him to promise her that he will not put on one of those rings.
Eregion
Celebrimbor, along with the Gwaith-i-Mírdain and a group of dwarves are toasting their success on a new project; the creation of the Doors of Durin, to replace the West-Gate to Khazad-dûm after it was damaged by the earthquake. Annatar walks away during the middle of the speech.
Celebrimbor goes to speak with him afterwards, and learns Annatar is still concerned for the well being of Men, and wants Celebrimbor to make Nine Rings. Celebrimbor refuses, stating that men are more easily corrupted by power, and he will not take that risk. Annatar says he will do it himself.
Later, as Annatar and the Gwaith-i-Mírdain are attempting to forge new rings, Mirdania, one of the smiths, puts on the ring and becomes invisible. She starts to throw objects around the forge, until Celebrimbor stops her by taking off her ring.
Mirdania states that she could see the Unseen world, and there is a fiery, evil looking creature among them. Celebrimbor asks about how they made the rings, and chastises them for using too much mithril in the mix. He attempts to explain what they should have done, but doubt begins to creep into his mind.
Prince Durin comes to visit Celebrimbor, and states his concern that the dwarven rings are flawed; they have made King Durin greedy, covetous, as he has increased tributes within the Kingdom and demands more from the other dwarven realms. Celebrimbor balks at this, until Prince Durin accuses the fault not to just be in the rings, but the ringmakers, implying Annatar may be the culprit for their flawed design.
Celebrimbor confronts Annatar with this information, but Annatar turns it around by claiming it was Celebrimbor who brought deceit into the process when he lied to the High-King in his letter. A guilt-ridden Celebrimbor fears telling Gil-galad the truth would result in him never being allowed to forge again. Annatar convinces him to push forward with making the Nine Rings. After giving another speech to his smiths, work begins, but Celebrimbor looks very troubled.
In the outskirts of Eregion, the orcs have created an encampment on a cliff, and are able to see Ost-in-Edhil in the distance. Galadriel is in a locked cage on a cart, which is rolled to the center of the camp. Glûg releases her, and Adar appears, stating to Galadriel that they should ally, as they have a common enemy.
Overall Thoughts on Episode 5, “Halls of Stone”
This was the shortest episode of the season, but it was packed with plotpoints, character development and some very surprising twists. In some ways it felt a bit rushed, particularly with Númenor, which only had about three scenes back in episode 3. Nonetheless, a lot was pushed forward this episode; Ar-Pharazôn is officially King of Númenor. He has an interesting discussion with Kemen about the Undying Lands, that evokes the following passage from the Akallabêth:
“For in those days the Númenóreans were far-sighted; yet even so it was only the keenest eyes among them that could see this vision, from the Meneltarma, maybe, or from some tall ship that lay off their western coast as far as it was lawful for them to go. For they did not dare to break the Ban of the Lords of the West. But the wise among them knew that this distant land was not indeed the Blessed Realm of Valinor, but was Avallónë, the haven of the Eldar upon Eressëa, easternmost of the Undying Lands.”
The Silmarillion, Akallabêth
We also see a quick image of Avallóne at the beginning of the scene, clouded with a fog as described in the text:
But no ship came ever again from the West to Númenor, and Avallónë was veiled in cloud.
The Silmarillion, Akallabêth
Meanwhile, Lloyd Owen as Elendil has a lot of excellent scenes this episode, and you can really start to see his character grow into the one we know from the lore; I have previously talked about Elendil’s journey in S2, and as predicted he has lost his captaincy, and is arrested by the end of the episode. There’s a great moment when Elendil is talking to Eärien and potentially foreshadows her demise in Númenor.
Another interesting point was the funeral memorial ceremony done by the Faithful, Elendil and Valandil. The text states that the Númenoreans were only worshippers of Eru, and that too only during three particular days of the year; and yet here we see them praying and utilizing what appears to be a statue of Nienna.
Mourning the dead does not seem like something they would normally do, but the text does state that even the Faithful felt unease about death. It’s an interesting bit of world-building that the show engages in, possibly highlighting the greater difference between The Faithful and the King’s Men.
“Nonetheless even they, who named themselves the Faithful, did not wholly escape from the affliction of their people, and they were troubled by the thought of death.”
The Silmarillion, Akallabêth
Charlie Vickers continues to put in a mesmerizing performance as Annatar; he’s cold, calculated, manipulative, and yet he feigns a mercurial streak with Celebrimbor. Sometimes he seems to be pleading for Celebrimbor’s help; other times he seems bored, tired of Celebrimbor’s refusal to help him make the Nine. He’s playing Celebrimbor like a fiddle and we all get to watch.
Charles Edwards, meanwhile, puts in a haunting performance near the end of the episode as doubt, fear and guilt begin to creep into his mind. Long gone is the more joyous, ambitious and optimistic Celebrimbor; the trials of making these rings, and the dangers they start to present seem to push Celebrimbor into a more desperate position to set things right.
It is clear that Annatar means to turn the Gwaith-i-Mírdain against Celebrimbor; we see it in his conversation with Mirdania, and his words of encouragement near the end of the episode; he is positioning himself as the one in control while Celebrimbor seems to be losing his.
In those days the smiths of Ost-in-Edhil surpassed all that they had contrived before; and they took thought, and they made Rings of Power. But Sauron guided their labours, and he was aware of all that they did; for his desire was to set a bond upon the Elves and to bring them under his vigilance.
The Silmarillion, Of The Rings of Power and The Third Age
I also finally understand the reason the showrunners made the Three Elven rings first. This episode makes it clear that in this adaptation, Celebrimbor is the one who knows the secret to making the rings, not Annatar; rather, Annatar has been slowly trying to pull the secret out of him, and with each iteration of the forging make more dangerous and corrupted rings.
In my opinion, this version elevates Celebrimbor’s status as a smith, truly second only to Fëanor among the Eruhini. Círdan’s assessment in the first episode of this season was correct; Celebrimbor had achieved perfection with the Three Rings. These new forgings of the Rings of Power are draining Celebrimbor, and with Annatar, introducing corruption into his works.
The dwarven plotline also features some excellent performances from Owain Arthur as Durin IV and Peter Mullan as King Durin. King Durin’s slow decline into obsession with gold and the ring is fascinating, bringing to mind both Gollum and Bilbo’s corruption via the One Ring.
There’s a particularly sad moment when King Durin tells his son that he was right to ally with the elves and procure these rings, a clear reversal of their season one opinions, and the look of sorrow and pain on Owain Arthur’s face highlights how far King Durin has fallen in the eyes of his son.
Of this Ring something may be said here. It was believed by the Dwarves of Durin’s Folk to be the first of the Seven that was forged; and they say that it was given to the King of Khazad-duˆm, Durin III, by the Elven-smiths themselves and not by Sauron, though doubtless his evil power was on it, since he had aided in the forging of all the Seven.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Appendix A
Unfortunately, Narvi is given very little to do, except run around and reluctantly comply with the king’s orders. Kevin Eldon does as well as he can with the role, but it does feel diminished. There’s a small amusing moment where both Durin’s are asking him to do opposite tasks, and in frustration, Narvi just silently walks out on them.
Rating: I would give this episode an 8.5/10
It’s a very strong episode with a lot of great acting moments from everyone in the cast; still I wish some of these plot lines were spread out across two episodes and not condensed into one.
I am also a bit disappointed in the very condensed friendship of Narvi and Celebrimbor; one scene to establish a friendship between them, and them working on the Doors of Durin together feels more like an easter egg or fanservice that was put in to appease fans. Contrast that with the great friendship built between Elrond and Durin IV in the first season and I can’t help but feel like Narvi’s friendship with Celebrimbor was greatly diminished.
Númenor also felt rushed; Although there’s not much said about Pharazôn becoming King of Númenor in the text, it would have been nice to see more of the political intrigue after Númenor’s failed expedition to The Southlands.
The Annatar and Celebrimbor relationship continues to be the highlight of season two; using Mirdania as an analogue for how Annatar enamored the Gwaith-i-Mirdain to his side was an excellent bit of storytelling and highlights just how well Annatar was able to work his charm to get what he wanted.
About the author: Webcrawler is a full-time data analyst and a part-time Tolkien aficionado and moderator on TheOneRing.net’s Discord Server.When he’s not working or in the discord, Webcrawler is horsing around on Twitter
This week in Reflections from the Shire we have a guest post from Tolkien lover, and Tiktok and Threads regular, Lea/Silmarilleanne about The Shibboleth of Fëanor and it’s appearance in The Rings of Power episode four. Enjoy!
~ Staffer Kelvarhin
Reflections from the Shire – The Shibboleth of Fëanor
Guest post by: Lea/Silmarilleanne
Keen-eared Tolkien fans may have noticed an interesting linguistic quirk spoken by Adar at the end of episode four of The Rings of Power. He greets Galadriel with a familiar Quenyan phrase – one used by Frodo to greet Gildor Ingolrion in The Lord of the Rings: “elen síla lúmenn omentielvo”, to quote Frodo. But Adar’s is slightly different, raising some interesting possibilities about his original elven identity.
Firstly, there’s the fact that Adar is speaking Quenya at all. This suggests he is a Noldo of Valinor – just as Galadriel is; Quenya the language originated in Valinor and is the the language of the High Elves. It was dropped in favour of Sindarin shortly after the exiled Noldor arrived in Middle-earth, thanks to the ban placed upon it being spoken by the Sindar King, Elu Thingol, after he was informed of the Kinslaying at Alqualondë, the victims of which were his own people, the Teleri. It was never spoken by any of the other elves of Middle-earth, becoming something of an archaic language of lore. Furthermore, Adar calls Galadriel “Altáriel”, the Quenyan form of the name Galadriel – an epessë (a kind of nickname) she was given in Valinor, and which was Sindarised to Galadriel in Middle-earth. This is all to say, were he anything other than a Noldo, it is extremely unlikely he would have spoken Quenya and known Galadriel’s Quenyan epessë.
The most intriguing part of all this though is instead of síla, Adar pronounces the word as thíla – or, more accurately þíla. This usage of the thorn in place of s suggests he is not only speaking Quenya, but a very specific dialect of Quenya – Fëanorian Quenya, known amongst many fans as ‘the Fëanorian lisp’ (indeed, those who spoke this way were dubbed ‘the Lispers’).
In The Shibboleth of Fëanor, published in The Peoples of Middle-earth, volume 12 of the History of Middle-earth, Tolkien at his philological best describes how sociopolitical matters affect language and vice versa. As the Shibboleth explains, the Noldor and the Vanyar, two of the three tribes of elves, once lived together in the city of Tirion in Valinor and shared a language, Quenya. The Vanyar relocated to the city of Valmar to be closer to the Valar, and as a result of this distancing, dialectical shifts occurred between the two peoples. The Vanyar retained the þ in their language, but amongst the Noldor there was a “conscious and deliberate change…based primarily on phonetic ‘taste’ and theory” to s.
The change was attacked and opposed by loremasters, who believed it would cause damage “in confusing stems and their derivatives that had been distinct in sound and sense”. The chief linguistic loremaster at this time was Fëanor, who as well as being a fastidious loremaster also had a very personal reason for objecting to the change. Fëanor’s mother, and first queen of the Noldor, was Míriel Þerinde. While the linguistic shift is said to have happened (or at least began) within her lifetime, Míriel herself adhered to the pronunciation þ, and “desired that all her kin should adhere to it also, at least in the pronunciation of her name”, therefore Þerindë as opposed to Serindë.
However, unprecedented amongst the elves of this time, Míriel died, and refused to be re-embodied. Embittered by this, her husband Finwë himself switched away from þ in favour of s, which had at this point become almost universal amongst the Noldor bar Míriel’s kin. Matters were worsened further when his second wife, Indis of the Vanyar, followed suit. As a Vanya, Indis had hitherto retained the þ in her speech, but she declared, “I have joined the people of the Noldor, and I will speak as they do”. Fëanor, hating Indis and seeing her as somewhat of a usurper in his mother’s rightful place, believed her switch to be a grave insult and belittlement of his mother, and came to view the rejection of Þ as a symbol of rejection of both his mother Míriel, and by extension himself, her son, as the chief of the Noldor next to Finwë.
Thus, he became yet more vehement in his objection of the shift, even while his behaviour turned those who had previously agreed with him to the opposing side:
“Had peace been maintained there can be no doubt that the advice of Fëanor, with which all the other loremasters privately or openly agreed, would have prevailed. But an opinion in which he was surely right was rejected because of the follies and evil deeds into which he was later led.”
Fëanor remained steadfast in his opposition, pointedly calling himself ‘Son of Þerinde’ and telling his sons, when they queried the difference in their speech from that of their kin, that they “speak as is right, and as King Finwë did before he was led astray”.
So even before the Rebellion of the Noldor and their exodus to Middle-earth, s in place of þ had become dominant, and this was further cemented in exile: “The s was certainly used in Beleriand by almost all the Noldor,” Tolkien writes, and this is followed by the note “It is not even certain that all Fëanor’s sons continued to use Þ after his death and the healing of the feud” between the Fëanorians and the family of Fingolfin, though it seems almost certain any elf who did retain the thorn would have been counted amongst the Fëanorian followers – thus is raised the question of Adar’s identity.
But Adar saying it to Galadriel adds yet another layer of significance. The Shibboleth of Fëanor further details how Finarfin, Galadriel’s father “loved the Vanyar (his mother’s people)” and that because of this love in his house, þ remained in standard use and he was moved neither one way nor the other by Fëanor’s shibboleth, acting purely as he wished. Galadriel therefore grew up in a household that retained the þ. However:
“opposition to Fëanor,” Tolkien writes, “soon became a dominant motive with Galadriel… so while she knew well the history of their tongue and all the reasons of the loremasters, she certainly used s in her own daily speech.”
In other words, she purposely transitioned to using s to spite Fëanor. Adar’s own usage of it then could also be retaliative or in a similar vein: he is aware of its import and meaning to Galadriel and could potentially be purposely using it as a means of aggravating her.
Certainly, the implications of him speaking Quenya – and specifically the Fëanorian dialect of Quenya – seems to contradict earlier indications in the show about him being one of the first orcs; the first orcs were made from elves taken during the days at Cuiviénen, long before the elves went to Valinor and Quenya the language even existed; at this time, they spoke only Primitive Quendian. It would also seem odd if Quenya is his mother tongue, why his name is Adar, the Sindarin word for father, as opposed to Atar as it is in Quenya. But how deep does the show want to delve? It could be a lot more straightforward – the show is going on the simplified premise of Quenya having been spoken by the elves since those early days, and the dialectical shift having happened since then simply being indicative of Adar’s extreme age. But if Adar is from amongst those first elves, as Galadriel claimed in the first series, that would put him of an age, older even, than Círdan, and yet Adar is very noticeably lacking the beard that is illustrative of Círdan’s long lifespan. On the other hand, if the show really is going this deep on the lore, exactly who is he? Theories of Adar being Maglor abound, since it would tick many of the boxes: Fëanorian speech, Noldo, dark hair, familiarity with the name Altáriel… But surely, even with a multitude of scars on his face, Galadriel would recognise her cousin? There is also, and perhaps most fundamentally, the issue of rights. While the Tolkien Estate has afforded Amazon some leniency and granted access to certain items outside the rights they own – most notably, the name “Annatar”, a word which does not appear in the Lord of the Rings and its appendices, which Amazon owns the rights to – it is another level entirely to grant them access to an entire character.
Regardless of whether Adar’s use of the “Fëanorian lisp” becomes significant and plot-relevant, or remains a little easter egg for keen-eared viewers, it has certainly conjured a lot of discussion, and a wonderful new level of interest in more casual fans, who have begun seeking out a once fairly obscure text like The Shibboleth of Fëanor.
About the author:Lea aka Silmarilleanne is a long-time lover of Tolkien’s works with a penchant for his languages and the House of Finwë. When her nose isn’t buried in a book or a PlayStation controller in her hands, she can most often be found talking Tolkien on Tiktok and Threads.
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It’s just over a week since DragonCon 2024 drew to a close, after a fabulous weekend of panels, special guests, parties and merriment. TheOneRing.net was delighted as always to spend time with fellow fans, and to host An Evening at Bree, a long time tradition at DragonCon (and part of the High Fantasy Track).
As usual, there was incredible cosplay to be seen all around the con, from all kinds of fandoms. We thought we would share here just a few of our favourites (there were so many!) seen at the Evening at Bree costume contest (with big thanks to photographer Jonathan Franklin). Enjoy!
From The Rings of Power: Annatar promises he is just a giver of gifts; but Arondir has his suspicions…Bilbo is quite happy relaxing in his dressing gown; until the arrival of Lobelia sends him off on an adventure. (Anything to get away…!)Elves from PJ’s films: Haldir and ‘dark queen’ Galadriel.Two different Tom Bombadils enjoy the beautiful company of the River-woman’s daughter.Staffer greendragon chats with Gimli; and Denethor’s favourite son gives him the greatest gift of all – a tomato. (Faramir was there too, but obviously didn’t deserve to be in the photo.)
TORn always loves hosting An Evening at Bree, and it was wonderful after so many years to see the dance floor packed, and the fandom celebrating together, as folks jigged to musical acts The Brobdingnagian Bards, Beth Patterson and Landloch’d. It was indeed a night to remember – thanks to all who came along, and to the High Fantasy track for allowing us to host!
