Robert Aramayo as Elrond, The Rings of Power, Amazon Prime
Examining the minutiae of Tolkien adaptations has long been a tradition at TheOneRing.net. Staff, message boarders and chatters on our site have regularly picked over scenes and images from the films and this tradition continues with The Rings of Power. Today, however, the discussions take place in multiple arenas all over the internet. Recently, on Twitter, MGCoco* shared an interesting theory about Elrond’s cloak.
Twitter post by MGCoco*. Used with permission.
Other Tolkien fans loved this theory, with some noting how the cloak is “way more worn than the rest of the clothes” he wears and speculating that we may learn more at a future date.
Others took this theory even further, speculating that Elros may have been buried in his cloak and how Elrond still wears his as a “silent vigil over his brother’s legacy”. They go on to raise an interesting point that the lore never touches on Elrond’s feelings over his twin having chosen mortality and there being no chance of them ever being reunited, not even in the Halls of Mandos.
Tweet reply to MGCoco*. Used with permission.
MGCoco* also noted how Elrond then goes on to watch over the remaining heirs of Elros in Middle-earth, helping to hide the line of Isildur. Other fans stated that:
“It paints a beautiful, if somewhat bittersweet, mental image. Really gives one a sense of the sheer depth of his character too.”
Claiomh Dubh via Twitter
Delving into a closer look of a characters costume, can lead to far more than just an appreciation of a piece of clothing.
Join us on our Discord channel to discuss this and other topics with fellow Tolkien fans.
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.
Welcome to The Great Hall of Poets, our regular feature showcasing the talent of Middle-earth fans. Each month we will feature a small selection of the poems submitted, but we hope you will read all of the poems that we have received here in our Great Hall of Poets.
So come and join us by the hearth, and enjoy!
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.
Forth rode Earnil, last king of Gondor
Upon the Witch-King of Angmar to make war.
There ensued a terrible fight,
In which the Witch-King appeared and showed forth his might.
None could withstand the terror of his onslaught,
But Earnil, undeterred, would have stood and fought
Had not his horse fled, being crazed with fear
When the Witch-King with a horrible cry drew near.
The Witch-King laughed, at what he saw as fright,
But then his eyes were stung by a blinding light.
Turning his horse, away he sped,
Even as he mocked, into the darkness he fled.
He who had subjected lands and realms to his rule
And of Sauron’s servants was the most feared and cruel,
Could not withstand one who had beheld the Two Trees
And walked in lands beyond the Sundering Seas.
For Glorfindel had come up from Rivendell;
Bright was his sword, his eyes fey and fell.
He who of old had grappled with Shadow and Flame,
Unveiled his power, and with renewed might he came.
As Earnil rode back, chafing with anger and hate,
Glorfindel, gazing into the dusk, foresaw the Enemy’s fate,
Stretching far into the long years ahead.
Turning to the captain, he withheld him and said:
“Do not pursue him – far off yet is his doom!
And much more must be accomplished before the gathering of that gloom.
Not by the hand of man will he be slain:
Rather, the unlooked-for will arise and be his bane.”
And so it was, that the prophecy was spoken,
Though many years passed before it was awoken,
During the great battles fought for the One Ring,
And the Nazgul were sent forth, led by the Witch-King.
Despair and darkness he spread, wherever he went,
And the body of Theoden King apart he rent.
But then with an opponent he stood face to face,
Who was unafraid of the unseen eyes and deadly mace.
“Begone foul lord of carrion!” the clear voice spoke. “Let him lie in peace!”
“Stand not between me and my prey,” came the cold reply, “else you will go to where there is no release.”
There was sharp ring as was drawn a sword.
“No living man may hinder me!” laughed the lord.
Thus was spoken the prophecy of long ago,
The selfsame one spoken by his deadly foe.
Doubt entered the Nazgul’s mind as sun gleamed on golden hair,
And he was reminded of Glorfindel the fair.
“No man am I!” a woman’s voice returned,
And in Eowyn of Rohan’s eyes a fearless light burned.
The fell beast of the Witch-King reared up and rose,
Its rider furious that anyone should dare him oppose.
But Eowyn leapt aside, and clove off the beast’s head,
And from the ruin rose the dark and deadly Dread.
With a mighty stroke he broke her arm and clove her shield,
And it looked as though he would triumph upon Pelennor Field.
But in that hour Eowyn stood not alone,
And in the darkness another desperate courage shone.
From behind a sword pierced the sinews of the Witch-King’s knee,
And with a despairing cry, from his terror the world was set free.
Neither swordsman tall nor warrior strong
Had done this deed so worthy of song.
Only Merry the Hobbit, from the humble Shire
Out of love had helped the maiden in her need so dire.
And so it was: not by the hand of man did the Witch-King fall
But at the hand of a woman of the Golden Hall
And by a dagger taken from the tomb of a barrow-wight,
Wound with spells for his demise, in that long-ago fight.
~~ * ~~
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.
The following is a guest review from TORn Discord Ringer Amandawrites:
Sharing your joys with loved ones isn’t always easy. My husband, Eric, is a New York Mets fanatic.
When we started dating, I thought baseball was only marginally more interesting than the proverbial drying paint. But because he watches every game he can, and listens when he can’t watch (and checks game updates on his phone when he can’t listen), I soon found that spending time with him between April and October meant learning to appreciate, if not love, baseball (and particularly the Mets). Twenty-odd years later, I’ve come to appreciate the game and even enjoy it (sometimes). But love? Well, let’s just say I have other priorities.
As baseball is to Eric, Tolkien is to me.
Shortly before we were planning to leave for the theater the evening Return of the King opened, I accidentally drove an electric drill bit into my palm. (Unhandy people like me really ought not attempt carpentry projects, especially minutes before going somewhere important.) Eric sensibly suggested we go to the ER, but it was Return of the frickin’ King—for me, the fantasy equivalent of a Subway World Series—so seeing the film took priority. I bear the ensuing scar as proof of my love of LOTR. Yet Eric views Tolkien as I view baseball—it’s something he has come to appreciate and sometimes even enjoys—but love? He had other priorities.
September 2: Rings of Power or the Mets?
Our separate loves came in conflict on Friday, September 2, when I insisted we watch the premier episode of The Rings of Power while the Mets were playing. My husband, in an expression of love for me, acquiesced with only a little grumbling. He knew I’d been itching to watch the episode for months and granted me the boon foregoing his joy in favor of mine. (There’s a reason we’ve been married for two decades.) Incidentally, my daughter loves LOTR, although she might prioritize the ER over the theater if she had a puncture wound in her hand. So last Friday night, we all sat down together to watch ROP, me with fingers crossed and palms sweating in hopes that the show wouldn’t end up RIP in our family viewing line up.
A family fit: of kin and kindred
It was fitting to watch as a family, since family is the cornerstone of the series. Galadriel’s mission to find the missing Dark Lord Sauron is driven by her love for her elder brother Finrod, whom Sauron killed. Nearly everyone else we meet — harfoot, human, dwarf, or elf — has a family to protect and care for, or aspires to forming those bonds. I love that the series has begun on this footing, centering motivations on kin and kindred rather than the standard-issue Great Evil That Will End All Things.
The lesser evil of playground bullies
The show also rapidly establishes the little evils that get in the way of defeating the big ones—a regular theme throughout all of Tolkien’s work. This was one of my favorite things about the first two episodes. In the opening voiceover narration, Galadriel tells us “nothing was evil in the beginning,” but she’s lying to us and herself. Right away, before we see any evidence of a Great Evil, we see the ignorance and casual cruelty of Galadriel’s own people. This lesser evil of playground bullies foreshadows the conflicts and motivations that will drive Galadriel for the rest of her life (and the series).
Underestimated, undervalued, and undermined
Before she can confront Sauron, she must contend with peers who doubt and foil her, friends who betray her, and a king who pushes her out of the way. She may be Commander of the Northern Armies, but she is still underestimated, undervalued, and undermined. It’s easy to read this as a feminist take on Tolkien, where a brilliant woman is hindered by the petty jealousies and hubris of a bunch of men who think they know better and want her to sit down and shut up (and think getting her to stand down is for her own good). But whether you love or hate the feminist angle, it’s entirely consistent with all of Tolkien’s work.
Family roadblocks and bad@$$ sisters
From the Sackville-Bagginses to Denethor to Fëanor, who started the whole mess that led Galadriel’s people out of Valinor in the first place, Tolkien always dwells on the roadblocks put up by the hero’s friends and family as much or more than the threat posed by the Great Evil Enemy. And Galadriel certainly isn’t the only heroine in his work to succeed where men fail. From Melian to Lúthien, Haleth to Eowyn, there’s a long list of badass sisters doing it for themselves in Tolkien’s work.
Another favorite thing is the dialogue, which I thought brilliantly crafted (despite a few awkward expository moments). Every word carried its narrative weight, especially when Galadriel was speaking. There were plenty of Easter eggs for Tolkien nuts, but not so much Deep Lore that the more casual viewers in my house were lost.
Questions
There were questions, of course, like why hobbits are called harfoots, and why there is no mention of the family Galadriel is leaving behind when she’s shipped off by the king. The first question was easily answered with a look at my trusty Complete Guide to Middle-earth, but the second has me wondering if showrunners J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay have dispensed with Celeborn or delayed Galadriel’s relationship with him. I hope he’s somewhere in the wings, and Payne and McKay are sticking to the established genealogy. It would tick me off if Elrond doesn’t marry Galadriel’s daughter, Celebrían, the mother of Arwen in the books
It’s personal.
I’m also not entirely thrilled with the implication that Finrod died in battle rather than in Sauron’s prison (while helping Beren with his quest for the Silmarils), but I understand that film requires some narrative streamlining, and what’s important is the end result: Sauron killed Galadriel’s brother, and that’s what drives her now. In fact, I love that the series is founded on this classic narrative trope. It’s not just about saving the world for Galadriel, it’s personal. Very personal.
We’re in for the season!
Time constraints and other obligations had us watching only the first episode Friday and the second on Sunday night. All in all, the show got a big thumbs up from the family and will be on the viewing roster for the next 7 weeks. And if I somehow injure myself minutes before we plan to watch? Don’t worry — I have my priorities straight.
This review was written by TORn Discord Ringer Amandawrites and reflects her opinions only. Check out her blog and more writing here!
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.
The rollout of the Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power TV series has re-energized Middle-earth fandom, and one thing is clear, we all love to get together, online, at conventions, and at the theater and talk Tolkien.
Reading The Hobbit during the Baggins Birthday Bash
The Baggins Birthday Bash, coming to Los Angeles at 11:30am on September 24 at Griffith Park’s Mineral Wells picnic area is the perfect way for SoCal Tolkien fans to gather and party like Hobbits. There will be games, there will be food, there will be plenty of Tolkien discussion going on, and I’m sure we can fit some fun in there somewhere.
Regarding food, in the before times it was a big buffet, and last year, we decided to ask everyone to just bring enough food and drink for their own party. This year, it will probably end up being a bit of a hybrid. Some will just bring what they want to eat, and a few will bring shareable dishes, and we’ll let the food and drink sort itself out. It would be nice if some folks bring extra picnic plates and cups, maybe some paper towels, and of course, everyone should bring a portable chair or blanket and a popup if you have it.
We would like to bring back the Cake or Cupcake contest for the best Middle-earth designed desserts. We’ve had some really creative and beautiful designs in the past, so start contemplating now on how to wow your fellow fans this year. Costumes are welcome, as usual, especially any new 2nd Age costumes. If we do trivia, there is a decent chance it will include some references to the Rings of Power show, since the 5th episode will have screened just 2 days before the picnic.
Please do RSVP on our Facebook Event page, located at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1271178800320132/ and read through the About Details, including selecting ‘see more’ to access the directions for those driving from different sections of Southern California in order to get to Griffith Park and the Mineral Wells section of the park.
Tying in with the upcoming release of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power tv series, Amazon Books has launched a new Lord of the Rings Book Club.
The Book Club will be starting in September with The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers will follow in October and finishing in November with The Return of the King. To take part visit www.amazon.com/lotrbookclub.
Press Release
On August 25th Amazon Books launched its newest Top Book Club, this one centered around The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) trilogy and hosted by the Amazon Book Review’s Managing Editor, Marcus Mann. The LOTR Book Club will start in September and continue monthly, covering: The Fellowship of the Rings (September), TheTwo Towers, (October), and The Return of the King(November).
A beloved franchise, LOTR has always had a passionate and engaged reading fan base, and with all of the reader excitement for Prime Video’s ‘Rings of Power,’ Marcus will be reacting and discussing the various connections between the books and the show as the series airs. He will host an interactive club where members can celebrate a shared love of the series and live video discussions.
“Reading The Lord of the Rings has been one of my favourite escapes since I was a child, when the series first captured my imagination,” said Marcus. “I’m thrilled to be able to take this journey through Middle-earth again with readers around the world in our new Amazon Book Club. I can’t wait to share the experience and learn from the perspective of old fans and new alike!“
Amazon Book Clubs is a free service where readers join book clubs of all genres or create their own. To join the LOTR Book Club and start discussing with fellow Tolkien fans, visit www.amazon.com/lotrbookclub.
